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The Boyd Supremacy: Broncos clash with Eagles to determine district leader
BY Richard C. White, rwhite@starlocalnews.com
McKinney Boyd (5-2, 2-0) vs. Allen (6-1, 2-0)
Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Ron Poe Stadium
Games like this don't come around too often.
"Allen won the state championship in 2008 and they're the district champs in whatever district they play in for the last six years in a row," Drake said. "When you line up and play the Allen Eagles, you know you're going to have your hands full."
Both teams head into their 7:30 p.m. Friday matchup at Ron Poe Stadium with a 2-0 mark in district, but the Eagles also have a No. 7 state ranking affixed to their name.
Whoever wins controls their district destiny as the sole remaining undefeated team.
Drake understands the importance the game represents for not only another district win, but also as a litmus test for the current state of his team.
"I think this is a measuring stick for us this season," he said. "I think it will tell us a lot about ourselves and where we're at. We're 2-0 in district and have won five in a row on the season and we've been playing pretty well. It should be exciting."
Drake, though, admits that when kickoff occurs all that matters is not the Eagles' state ranking, but rather how the Broncos handle the challenge ahead.
"We have to make sure that we come out and play our best football game to date this Friday when we take them on," he said. "For us it's more about focusing on ourselves and continuing to improve. At the end of the day, regardless of who you play, the outcome will be more centered on your own execution."
It should come as no surprise that the Broncos will rely on senior running back Bryan Driskell (1,261 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground) to carry the load as the Broncos are most potent when they can establish the run and chew up considerable yardage.
"[Driskell] is having an outstanding senior season so far," Drake said. "He's going to carry the ball a considerable number of times for us and then we got a quarterback in Curtis Ladd who does a great job. He manages the game very well and throws it well. We don't throw it a ton, but Curtis does a great job when called upon to do that, so I feel good about where we're at offensively."
The key points for the Broncos defensively are simple: stop the Eagles' running game and limit their big play abilities in the air with sophomore quarterback Kyler Murray.
"That's always been our philosophy here and, fortunately, we've gotten a lot better at it in recent years and it's been able to show on the field," Drake said. "Allen has got a young quarterback, but he's real talented. We just have to put him in those pressure situations that present some obstacles for him."
Drake added that he is confident his players understand the importance of this week's matchup and are more than ready to capitalize on it.
"We've put ourselves in the position to battle for that district lead Friday night," he said. "What more could you want really for our players and our program than to be in that matchup?"
McKinney (5-2, 1-1) vs. Plano West (3-4, 0-2)
Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Kimbrough Stadium
There may be 10 games on the schedule, but in the hard knocks world of Texas high school football, one win can make a big difference.
Such might be the case for McKinney (5-2, 1-1) when they play Plano West (3-4, 0-2) 7:30 p.m. Friday at Kimbrough Stadium in Murphy.
After a tough two-week stretch in which the Lions lost to Denton Ryan and Plano Senior, McKinney head coach Jeff Smith is confident his team has righted the ship after last week's 24-12 win over Plano East.
"Our kids are playing with confidence right now, we're fairly healthy as a team and we're practicing hard, so I'm pleased with where we're at right now," Smith said. "Now at the same time we're still very hungry as a team. Our kids are very motivated for this game."
McKinney started the year with four straight wins prior to their two losses followed by last week's win. Smith knows a win against the Wolves this week will put his squad in a tie for second place in district, behind only the winner of Boyd-Allen.
And a second place spot with two weeks to go is an enviable position.
"This week against Plano West, it's definitely a big game," Smith said. "Getting that second win will put us in a good position in this district. We want to finish this district race very strong."
The Lions offense, in particular, will be aided by the continued healthy return of running back Tommy Candela, who was injured in McKinney's second game before making his return in last week's victory.
"[Candela] looked good. I think he feels great, he just needs get back into playing, that's the biggest thing," Smith said. "It's different between running gassers out in practice and then being in a real game on Friday night and carrying the ball 25 times."
Candela's presence gives the Lions greater offensive depth and allows the unit as a whole a better chance to breathe.
"We're a lot more balanced now," Smith said. "It helps a lot to have him back. I think it definitely provided a spark the other night for what he brings to the team. He's not only a really good runner as he also had several big blocks the other night."
Candela and fellow running back Jonathon Shannon may have their work cut out for them Friday night given the Wolves' defensive presence.
"Offensively the biggest challenge for our team is up front," Smith said. "We're seeing some big defensive lines, lines that are very fast, so we have to make that adjustment and that's been a process over the last few weeks. And the Plano West defensive line is one of the biggest ones we've seen and then it gets bigger when you see Allen (on Nov. 2), so we're going to have some pretty big physical tests up front."
McKinney's defense could benefit from a short-handed West offense though as Wolves quarterback Travis Korry and running back Sotonya Jamabo are questionable due to head injuries.
That leaves special teams, where there is also work to be done.
"We need to clean up some special teams issues," Smith said. "We've had a couple field goals blocked the last couple weeks. We need to be more consistent there; it's something we've been working on this week in practice."
And Smith is encouraged by the work he has seen this week.
"Our kids have learned that we're a good football team and that we can play at a high level," he said. "That's a powerful thing when the kids believe that and they go out there and play like that. We also have to stay hungry and humble and know that we have a lot of work ahead of us and this Friday night will be that next test."
North (1-6, 1-3) vs. Greenville (0-7, 0-4)
Friday at 7:30 p.m. at T.A. Cotton Ford Stadium
One of the oldest clichés in sports dictates it's not how you start, it's how you finish.
McKinney North head coach Mike Fecci hopes that's the case when his Bulldogs travel east to play Greenville at 7:30 p.m. Friday from T.A. Cotton Ford Stadium.
At 1-6 on the year and 1-3 in District 13-4A, Fecci knows the Bulldogs' playoff window is tight, but it's still there.
"We need to win to keep our chances alive. Our approach is we've got to win the next three, which we can do, we just have to play well," he said. "We play our tails off each week. This team fights every game, it just hasn't worked out for us up to this point, but there are still three games left in the season and we plan to take advantage of those opportunities."
The Bulldogs will play an opponent in the Lions (0-7, 0-4) who are not only winless this year, but who also failed to register a victory in 2010 or 2011.
Fecci, though, is quick to admit that no team should be taken for granted.
"They're a lot better than their record indicates," he said. "They're going to beat you if you don't go out and play well. And we're going over there, and that adds a different element to the whole mix. That's what scares me about them, because when you're in that situation you become real hungry."
The Bulldogs will look to shut down the Lions' mobile threat quarterback.
"We have to tackle them real well, because their quarterback runs the football very effectively," Fecci said. "He's an operator back there. They're effective with that they do, letting him run the football."
As for his signal caller, Fecci likes what he sees from senior quarterback Ben Dutze.
"Dutze is getting better each week," he said. "He plays well in our system and he's making some big throws for us. Our running backs (Ronald and Justin Jones) will have to have a good night for us if we're going to prevail."
The Jones duo has been efficient thus far.
"It's nice because they're completely different styles of runners," Fecci said. "They've both got good vision and know what we do. It's a good little compliment for one another. It's good to have both of them, for sure."
Fecci knows this year may have gone differently if not for an extreme rash of injuries unlike any he's ever seen with several starters having missed games or been limited.
"We've been pretty wracked with injuries this year. More so than I think in any other year in my 15 years of coaching," Fecci said. "I don't think I've ever had a team get hit by injuries this hard and we've had to battle through that and move some kids around in different spots."
But Fecci knows such hardships present life lessons and speak volumes about the character of his team as they move forward with the regular season's final three games.
"We hang our hat on building men," he said. "We play every game to win and work every week to get that win, but what we ultimately work towards is building them up as men because life is about adversity. It's about when things aren't going your way, what are you going to do about it? Are you going to blame somebody else or take ownership and go fix it? That's what we hold our kids to and I'm very proud of them."
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