CMA gets crack at No. 12 NP

CULVER - Culver Academy had one of those playoff matchups that concern coaches the most - one that looks like a cakewalk on paper. Fortunately, the Eagles did what the paper said they should.

“It’s one of those games where you are a little bit nervous because you want to get out of the gate and start fast and ease into the contest and we did that,” said Academy head coach Andy Dorrel of the Eagles’ 50-8 dispatching of South Bend Clay. “We played great offense. We played great defense, got our starters the reps they needed and got our other players in to create some depth moving forward so it was just one of those nights that we were pleased overall.”

While he likes his team, Dorrel knows that this week’s opponent is very different.

“I like where we are, but we are playing a really good New Prairie team so they could humble us very quickly,” said Dorrel of the Class 4A 12th-ranked Cougars. “Our offense is pretty healthy. We got some guys back from injury. Our defense is beginning to understand the kind of physical football we’re going to have to play to advance. Special teams are going to be critical. It’s going to be a game where every play is going to be critical. Every play is going to matter and it will be important for us to take advantage of every opportunity that we get.”

The very definition of “smash mouth” football, the Cougars will line up and come at you on both offense and defense. A very large and physical offensive line takes no prisoners.

“We feel that we have the speed and that we can play with them on the perimeter and it’s a matter of creating a stalemate upfront,” said Dorrel. “We feel like if we can do that we have an opportunity to create some plays for our guys and have a chance to win the football game. It’s going to come down to the trenches.

“We need to communicate and know that we all know our assignments and are playing for the guy next to us. There aren’t two or three players that are going to be able to dominate a football game like this. it’s going to have to be every man working together and working to maximize every opportunity that we have and leaving everything on the field.”

Kickoff at Oliver Field is 7:30 p.m.