Scoop27
11-07-2014, 10:50 AM
By JOEL LUNA joel.luna@thefacts.com
WEST COLUMBIA — Columbia and El Campo are no strangers to each other, as the series dates back to 1922. But, today the Roughnecks and Ricebirds will play for the District 12-4A D-I title at Griggs Field.
As soon as realignment went through and schedules were announced, this could have been a foreseeable district championship game.
“We knew El Campo would be one of the top teams in our district,” Columbia coach Randy Lynch said. “Of course, they’ve had a nice two-year run to the state finals and then last year made a good run until the injury bug got them and they got beat in the first round by a good La Grange team. We knew they were going to be pretty good with their kids coming back and they are very similar to us. They have quite a few juniors playing like we do and some seniors are mixed in there as well. They just have a good team.”
Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. in what should be a packed house for the Ricebirds’ (4-0, 8-1) and Roughnecks’ (4-0, 9-0) 46th meeting.
“It is between two quality teams and both have earned the right to be in this position and it should be a pretty good ball game,” Lynch said.
Both teams come into the regular season finale with high-flying offenses and stout defenses. Each one relies on a running back that has more then a 1,000 yards on the season.
So where is the advantage if there is one for either team?
“This is a situation where the only advantage is we do have them at home — I hope that is an advantage for us,” Lynch said. “It is two evenly matched teams, on paper anyway. Their offense, they run similar to what we do and they have a go-to back in the (Kevin) Dove kid just like we have with (Dakarius) Bell. If you look at the stats, they are pretty much even. They average 407 and we average 406. It is a very evenly matched game at least on paper.”
Bell (217-1,528 yards, 7.04 per carry, 15 TDs) leads the district in rushing with Dove (161-1,381 yards, 8.58 per carry, 18 TDs) right behind him. The Ricebirds do rely on Alontae Harris (92-838 yards, 9.11 per carry, eight TDs) as well for some of the ground work.
Columbia, on the other hand, has a handful of runners that will spell Bell, including senior Maleek Goins (35-351 yards, 10.03 per carry, four TDs).
The Roughnecks have a more balanced offense with senior quarterback Jarius Kesee (49-83-2, 881 passing yards, nine TDs) handling the signal-calling duties. El Campo will counter with D.J. Washington (28-53-0, 442 passing yards, four TDs).
Columbia has lost nine of 13 fumbles this season while the Ricebrids have lost 13 of 22.
Defensively the Roughnecks come in with the top defense, holding opponents to 200 yards a game. The ‘Necks have given up 1,800 yards of offense for the season, with 1,259 coming on the ground and 541 through the air.
Columbia has the top thief in the district, as junior Kalen Williams has swiped six interceptions of the Roughnecks 11 total.
Each team will go into today’s action well-prepared and well-versed on what the other can do on both sides of the ball.
“When I was talking to coach (Bob) Gillis, we look at each other and we are a mirror image of each other,” Lynch said. “We both like to run the football, play good defense and be good on special teams. I think it is a good match-up, and yes, we are playing at home, but, according to the experts, we are a one-or-two-point underdog. I know they know these are two fairly even teams and going to be one of those old-fashioned games where both will run the ball at each other, and hopefully you execute better than they do.”
The ‘Necks are anxious to face a quality team like El Campo for the district championship.
“With the seniors, it is their last home game. They understand this is the last time for them at home,” Lynch added. “But our kids have been really focused this week in practice and it’s been a good week. Hopefully this weather will clear out and we can get some work in today because we didn’t get much in yesterday. They know what is at stake, but they also understand the bigger picture, where, after this game, the next season starts with the playoffs.”
El Campo leads the all-time series (32-13) and has won the last five meetings.
WEST COLUMBIA — Columbia and El Campo are no strangers to each other, as the series dates back to 1922. But, today the Roughnecks and Ricebirds will play for the District 12-4A D-I title at Griggs Field.
As soon as realignment went through and schedules were announced, this could have been a foreseeable district championship game.
“We knew El Campo would be one of the top teams in our district,” Columbia coach Randy Lynch said. “Of course, they’ve had a nice two-year run to the state finals and then last year made a good run until the injury bug got them and they got beat in the first round by a good La Grange team. We knew they were going to be pretty good with their kids coming back and they are very similar to us. They have quite a few juniors playing like we do and some seniors are mixed in there as well. They just have a good team.”
Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. in what should be a packed house for the Ricebirds’ (4-0, 8-1) and Roughnecks’ (4-0, 9-0) 46th meeting.
“It is between two quality teams and both have earned the right to be in this position and it should be a pretty good ball game,” Lynch said.
Both teams come into the regular season finale with high-flying offenses and stout defenses. Each one relies on a running back that has more then a 1,000 yards on the season.
So where is the advantage if there is one for either team?
“This is a situation where the only advantage is we do have them at home — I hope that is an advantage for us,” Lynch said. “It is two evenly matched teams, on paper anyway. Their offense, they run similar to what we do and they have a go-to back in the (Kevin) Dove kid just like we have with (Dakarius) Bell. If you look at the stats, they are pretty much even. They average 407 and we average 406. It is a very evenly matched game at least on paper.”
Bell (217-1,528 yards, 7.04 per carry, 15 TDs) leads the district in rushing with Dove (161-1,381 yards, 8.58 per carry, 18 TDs) right behind him. The Ricebirds do rely on Alontae Harris (92-838 yards, 9.11 per carry, eight TDs) as well for some of the ground work.
Columbia, on the other hand, has a handful of runners that will spell Bell, including senior Maleek Goins (35-351 yards, 10.03 per carry, four TDs).
The Roughnecks have a more balanced offense with senior quarterback Jarius Kesee (49-83-2, 881 passing yards, nine TDs) handling the signal-calling duties. El Campo will counter with D.J. Washington (28-53-0, 442 passing yards, four TDs).
Columbia has lost nine of 13 fumbles this season while the Ricebrids have lost 13 of 22.
Defensively the Roughnecks come in with the top defense, holding opponents to 200 yards a game. The ‘Necks have given up 1,800 yards of offense for the season, with 1,259 coming on the ground and 541 through the air.
Columbia has the top thief in the district, as junior Kalen Williams has swiped six interceptions of the Roughnecks 11 total.
Each team will go into today’s action well-prepared and well-versed on what the other can do on both sides of the ball.
“When I was talking to coach (Bob) Gillis, we look at each other and we are a mirror image of each other,” Lynch said. “We both like to run the football, play good defense and be good on special teams. I think it is a good match-up, and yes, we are playing at home, but, according to the experts, we are a one-or-two-point underdog. I know they know these are two fairly even teams and going to be one of those old-fashioned games where both will run the ball at each other, and hopefully you execute better than they do.”
The ‘Necks are anxious to face a quality team like El Campo for the district championship.
“With the seniors, it is their last home game. They understand this is the last time for them at home,” Lynch added. “But our kids have been really focused this week in practice and it’s been a good week. Hopefully this weather will clear out and we can get some work in today because we didn’t get much in yesterday. They know what is at stake, but they also understand the bigger picture, where, after this game, the next season starts with the playoffs.”
El Campo leads the all-time series (32-13) and has won the last five meetings.