Sweetwater Red
11-14-2008, 12:28 PM
http://www.sweetwaterreporter.com/content/view/119683/122/
Mustangs to begin playoffs vs. Dalhart
Written by Ron Howell
Thursday, 13 November 2008
Sweetwater has seen the extremes of high school football the last three weeks, sandwiching low-scoring, run-oriented contests against Snyder and Wylie around a wild offensive shootout with Brownwood which saw the teams combined for 97 points.
This Friday's bi-district opponent, Dalhart, doesn't have a flashy offense but does play solid defense and runs the ball well. The Wolves (6-4) have shut out three opponents this season, including two of the last three, and they defeated Perryton 21-0 last Friday to nail down the No. 2 playoff spot in District 1-3A.
Sweetwater (8-2) lost its regular-season finale to Wylie, 14-0, but it didn't affect the Mustangs' No. 1 seeding from the district in the Division II playoffs. Still, it was frustrating for Sweetwater, whose last shutout loss also came back in 2000 to Wylie, 31-0.
In addition, quarterback Zach Birdwell went out in the fourth quarter with a serious rib injury and his status for Friday's playoff game is doubtful. Head coach Kent Jackson said Wednesday that if Birdwell can't go, junior Jeremy Barnes will be his replacement.
Dalhart is in the playoffs for the third straight year under coach Stephen Young and runs a Sweetwater-type multiple offense. Against Perryton, the Wolves got touchdown runs from three different players — Cesar Lujan, Davonte Burks and Colton Childers — while holding their opponent to 166 yards. Lujan and Burks, who is just a freshman, have carried most of the running load while Childers is also a standout kick returner.
Friday's winner will face either Midland Greenwood (6-4) or Pecos (4-6) in the area playoffs. Those teams will meet today at Midland's Grande Communications Stadium.
Just getting to this point has been a big accomplishment for Sweetwater, despite its playoff history that includes 22 appearances in the postseason in the past 25 years. Sweetwater made the playoffs in a district that included district champion Wylie; Snyder, which made the playoffs as the third-place team; and two other perennial playoff teams, Brownwood and Graham. All five of those teams had a shot at making the playoffs until last week, when the Lions and Steers were eliminated.
Sweetwater clinched a playoff berth with its high-scoring 56-41 win at Brownwood two weeks ago.
The Mustangs haven't missed what some refer to as the "second season" since 1999.
Except for the injury to Birdwell, Sweetwater is also pretty healthy entering the playoffs.
Jackson said that despite losing to Wylie last week, his team has kept things in perspective. "I think they realize that everybody that's left now is a quality opponent," he said.
"No game is more important than the next one, especially now because it's sudden death."
Mustangs to begin playoffs vs. Dalhart
Written by Ron Howell
Thursday, 13 November 2008
Sweetwater has seen the extremes of high school football the last three weeks, sandwiching low-scoring, run-oriented contests against Snyder and Wylie around a wild offensive shootout with Brownwood which saw the teams combined for 97 points.
This Friday's bi-district opponent, Dalhart, doesn't have a flashy offense but does play solid defense and runs the ball well. The Wolves (6-4) have shut out three opponents this season, including two of the last three, and they defeated Perryton 21-0 last Friday to nail down the No. 2 playoff spot in District 1-3A.
Sweetwater (8-2) lost its regular-season finale to Wylie, 14-0, but it didn't affect the Mustangs' No. 1 seeding from the district in the Division II playoffs. Still, it was frustrating for Sweetwater, whose last shutout loss also came back in 2000 to Wylie, 31-0.
In addition, quarterback Zach Birdwell went out in the fourth quarter with a serious rib injury and his status for Friday's playoff game is doubtful. Head coach Kent Jackson said Wednesday that if Birdwell can't go, junior Jeremy Barnes will be his replacement.
Dalhart is in the playoffs for the third straight year under coach Stephen Young and runs a Sweetwater-type multiple offense. Against Perryton, the Wolves got touchdown runs from three different players — Cesar Lujan, Davonte Burks and Colton Childers — while holding their opponent to 166 yards. Lujan and Burks, who is just a freshman, have carried most of the running load while Childers is also a standout kick returner.
Friday's winner will face either Midland Greenwood (6-4) or Pecos (4-6) in the area playoffs. Those teams will meet today at Midland's Grande Communications Stadium.
Just getting to this point has been a big accomplishment for Sweetwater, despite its playoff history that includes 22 appearances in the postseason in the past 25 years. Sweetwater made the playoffs in a district that included district champion Wylie; Snyder, which made the playoffs as the third-place team; and two other perennial playoff teams, Brownwood and Graham. All five of those teams had a shot at making the playoffs until last week, when the Lions and Steers were eliminated.
Sweetwater clinched a playoff berth with its high-scoring 56-41 win at Brownwood two weeks ago.
The Mustangs haven't missed what some refer to as the "second season" since 1999.
Except for the injury to Birdwell, Sweetwater is also pretty healthy entering the playoffs.
Jackson said that despite losing to Wylie last week, his team has kept things in perspective. "I think they realize that everybody that's left now is a quality opponent," he said.
"No game is more important than the next one, especially now because it's sudden death."