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Plano defense aims to make game foil for high-flying Hawks
BY Matt Welch, mwelch@acnpapers.com
In one year’s time, there isn’t a whole lot that separates the Plano Senior and Hebron football teams.
Two traditional area powerhouses, the Wildcats and Hawks endured transitional seasons in 2009 with the Hawks missing the postseason for the first time in years at 4-6 and the Wildcats eking into the playoffs with the same record.
The teams even squared off during non-district play, with the Wildcats winning, 31-30.
The growth and development of the two touted teams takes center stage at Kimbrough Stadium on Friday at 7:30 p.m., as the Wildcats and Hawks meet again with the stakes a bit higher than the squads’ 2009 match-up.
Now squaring off as district foes, a win can draw the Wildcats (0-1) even and muster a string of momentum with three of Plano’s next four games on the road. For the Hawks (1-0), it can establish a slight cushion in one of the state’s most competitive districts.
But for their similarities in development, Friday’s match-up presents the age-old clash between the unstoppable force and the immovable object as Hebron’s point-piling offense meets Plano’s stingy defense.
With both teams at 3-1 overall, the Hawks enter Friday averaging 43.5 points per game with the Wildcats surrendering just 15.8 a game.
“[Hebron has] got guys who stand out,” McCullough said. “…But to me, the thing that stands out most is their overall team play. You know they’re going to be a tough team; they’re sound and consistent.”
That consistency has manifested itself in spades for an offense that has topped the 35-point barrier three times so far and the 60-point barrier twice.
At the top of that mantle is quarterback Kyle Aubuchon; one of the district’s most well-versed offensive threats and a player who carries an attitude that McCullough said resembles that of his two captains, seniors Collin Brence and Connor Michelsen.
“[Aubuchon] is a leader,” McCullough said. “He’s a winner and a go-getter. He exemplifies what that team is all about. He’s tough and never acts like he’s out of the game.”
While Aubuchon leads Hebron is both passing and rushing yards, the offense offers far more for Brence, senior Arthur Skinner and the Plano defense to be leery of. The Hawks, who bested Flower Mound to the tune of 69-47 last week, recorded 100-yard rushing performances from Aubuchon, Damian Delaney and Dezmond Wortham.
That, coupled with the presence of receiver Kiante Griffin, should make for an ample test for the Wildcat defense, as Plano pursues a low-scoring affair to lure the Hawks out of their comfort zone.
“We don’t want [a shootout],” McCullough said. “But I don’t think that’ll happen … I’ve got confidence in my defense and my coaching staff, and I feel good about our odds at slowing them. I don’t know if Hebron’s a team you ever shut down, so much as you can try and slow them down.”
While the Hawks’ youth is most notable on the respective lines – an offensive line returning only one starter and a defensive line returning none – it’s made up for with a backfield led by cornerback David Jenkins, an LSU commit ranked No. 17 in the nation at his position.
For the versatility showcased by the Hebron offense, that kind of multiple-look presence shows on defense as well. The Hawks operate out of a 50 formation with occasional switches to a four-man front. Tendency-wise, it reminds McCullough of a recent foe.
“They’re a lot like Allen,” he said. “They play everything top down and try to get you to make mistakes. They’re really strategic and calculated on things like when they blitz.
“We’ve got our work cut out for us, but I feel real good about the growth of our team.”
That growth will be put to the test tenfold against the surging Hawks, with little room for error for Plano in attempting to stave off an 0-2 start in district play.
With match-ups against the likes of Flower Mound Marcus and in-town rivals Plano East and Plano West still to be played, McCullough has taken note of the opportunity that Friday presents as the Wildcats strive for an even keel against a worthy adversary.
“For us,” he said, “this is a playoff game and that’s how we’re going to approach it.”
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