Eagles look to bounce back in a big way with road test
CULVER - Culver Academy’s football team was right there. Last week, with just a few minutes remaining, the diehard rain-soaked fans were about to see the Eagles win for the fourth straight time and head into the postseason with some serious momentum.
Instead, Guerin Catholic pulled off a long drive to pull out the 25-20 comefrom-behind win. But maybe, that defeat will lead to better things down the road for the Academy.
“It was one of those games where we felt we did enough to win, but we were just waiting around to win the game as opposed to seizing the opportunity that we had,” said Academy head coach Andy Dorrel. “It was the first time all year where I felt we didn’t really finish the game strong. We didn’t get a first down to extend a drive. We didn’t get a stop to end the game. It was in our grasp, but we just didn’t squeeze the life out of them to secure the win. It was our own undoing, but I give a lot of the credit to them for the way they were able to battle and put themselves in a position to be successful. Going into playoff football, one or two plays could determine if you are going to put the pads away or if you are moving on. You don’t want to overcoach it. You still want the kids to play. They ultimately determine the outcome of the game no matter what you draw up or emphasize in practice. You’ve got to keep it fun and sound and put them in position where they can execute their talents and use their abilities.”
This week the challenge will be fighting off over-confidence as the Eagles (6-3) will be heavy favorites when they travel to winless South Bend Clay (0-8) in the Class 3A Sectional 18 opener.
Clay’s dismal regular season ended with a 49-zip running-clock loss to Bremen. The Colonials have scored a total of just 21 points all season (2.6 ppg) while allowing 50 ppg.
“You’ve got to show up and play the game,” said Dorrel. “That’s why they don’t determine the outcome before you kickoff. The scoreboard is there for a reason. We have to score one more point than them and we hope to do that Friday night. We expect to do that Friday night as long as we execute the way we are capable.
“They have a few kids that are dangerous in space. They have a three-back attack and try to get some misdirection to get in space and use their speed. Defensively, they bring pressure at the point of attack. Their roster is not very big so we hope we’ll be able to wear them down, get on the scoreboard early, kind of break their spirit and take care of business. We want to perform at a higher level than last week, competing against ourselves. Are we communicating? Are we in the right coverages? The right formations? It seems like simple things, but those are areas that you cannot afford any mistakes in playoff football. It’s the most exciting time of the year.”