All about
location
By KYLE WILSON
-
kwilson@crestonnews.com
LENOX — Contain No. 40.
Without hesitation from coach Allen Dukes, that’s the chief objective for the Lenox Tigers in the eight-man state quarterfinals here Friday against No. 4 Tri-County Thornburg.
No. 40 Colt Brumbaugh, a four-year starter for Tri-County, scales at 5-9, 170 pounds and has used his speed and shift to amass 1,519 yards and 26 touchdowns this season.
“He runs very well. He reads his blocks (well) and sets his blocks up well. With his speed, he likes to get to the outside,” Dukes said. “You have to be aware of where he is on the field. Our ends have to contain him. And there will be times when our corners are going to have to make one-on-one tackles against him.”
Brumbaugh is complemented by precision passer Andy Thomas who has amounted 1,532 yards, 26 touchdowns and just two interceptions. Tri-County’s top receiver is Ike Schmidt with 663 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Tri-County plays rare form of the 3-3-2 defense. Their outside linebackers play uncharacteristically wide, almost as an extra secondary player, and leading tackler Austin Rogers with 97 tackles on the season blankets the middle of the field.
“Offensively we have to really concentrate on what they do on defensively. Their outside linebackers are way outside,” Dukes said. “It looks like the corners give you plenty of space on the outside to throw the ball.”
The Tigers (11-0) ran the ball 63 times against Grandview Park Baptist and with outstanding success. However, they passed just nine times. First-year starting quarterback Austin Hancock and Lenox will look for a closer balance against Tri-County, Dukes noted.
With the cushion defensive backs from Tri-County allow, Dukes believes the short to intermediate passing game, if successful, will force Tri-County to adapt the defense.
“We know we have to throw the ball more (against Tri-County),” Dukes said. “We ran it 63 times Monday. We need to get Hancock in rhythm as soon as we can in the first quarter. We should be able to throw some quick outs to Dylan (Douglas) and Connor (Lange).”
D.J. Brown, who has been ailing with a high ankle sprain, will receive playing time on defense this week after limited to special teams last week. Lange has a groin pull but will play through the injury, Dukes said. Otherwise, the Tigers are at full strength.
Since moving to eight-man, the Tigers have been a perennial power with five playoff appearances. Dukes has eliminated Tri-County (11-0) the last two years in the playoffs including a 44-8 thumping last year.
But the most important element Friday may be the game’s location. The game is in Lenox where the Tigers have lost one game in six years, a 21-20 set back to Grandview Park Baptist in 2007.
And in the playoffs, Lenox has never lost at Tiger Field.
“For us, home-field advantage is big,” Duke said. “When they come here, we want them to leave knowing that this is not a place they want to play.”
Kickoff between the two is set for 7 p.m.
