Wolverines back in hosting playoff games business
Friday night was a breath of fresh air for the East Webster Wolverines.
After a couple of years of building the program back up to where they want it to be, the Wolverines are back hosting in the first round of the playoffs. It’s been a long journey, but head coach Ron Price’s players have bought in to what the staff has presented and they’re reaping the rewards.
I’ve seen East Webster four times this year and it’s a team that I think is playing their best football at the right time as the Wolverines come into the playoffs. I was interested to see how they would respond to losing to Calhoun City a few weeks ago – the team’s only loss of the year – and they’ve responded. No one was happy with that loss, but the team could have went in a different direction than it did.
It’s a testament to a total buy in from players and a great coaching job by the staff to have the players playing this way late in the year. After that 28-7 loss to Calhoun City to start Class 2A, Region 2 play, East Webster went back to work and beat J.Z. George, Eupora and Bruce by a combined 11718. The Wolverines closed out the regular season by beating the Trojans 31-0.
The key to all of that? The hard-nosed, blue-collar nature at East Webster. The Wolverines have had that approach every year that I’ve been on this beat, but this year’s edition is most resembling the teams from a few years ago that were competing for state championships.
The offensive line and defensive front seven sets the tone. East Webster is winning the line of scrimmage just about every play and that’s where things start for teams that have success. Quarterback Steven Betts is a big reason for the team’s success as well. Betts strength isn’t the passing game. It might ultimately be an issue for the Wolverines if a team can stop what he does running the ball, but until it does, he’s going to keep dominating in that facet.
Betts has run through gaping holes up front and punished poor defensive backs trying to make a tackle all year. In six of the last seven games alone, Betts has rushed for over 100 yards. He’s rushed for over 200 on three different occasions and he went for over 150 yards on Friday in the win over Bruce as he’s closing in on 1,500 yards rushing for the season.
Add in Tyrik Pittman in the run game and this team is really tough to stop. Even against one of its toughest competitors, Calhoun City, Betts went for 136 yards, so making him one dimensional and causing mistakes in the passing game is easier said than done.
Needless to say, I’m one that believes this team has an excellent chance of competing with and beating anyone it plays in the playoffs. Now, it’s up to East Webster to continue to keep the current mindset of taking no prisoners and making sure it attacks every game with the same mindset.
It won’t be easy, though the Wolverines have a much more manageable path with Philadelphia, Scott Central, Lake and Union moved to the South this season. Potts Camp is up first at home. Like most coaches say, it’s about going 1-0 each week and that’s exactly the approach this team should take.
If East Webster plays its game and stays focused, look out.
Robbie Faulk is the high school beat writer for The Starkville Daily News. The opinions in the Monday Morning Quarterback column are Faulk’s and not necessarily the views of the SDN or its staff.