Outside the Huddle is breaking down every area regional matchup scheduled for this Friday.
The lone home game in the area this week in Class 2A in a battle undefeateds as Eastbrook (12-0) visits Adams Central (12-0).
TWO STORYLINES
1. A SEASON OF THE DRAMATIC
Eastbrook may be undefeated, but it has had to escape several times from late-game trouble to stay that way.
Some may look at that as a sign of vulnerability, while others will see a team that knows how to close out dubs.
Either way, 12-0 is 12-0 at this point. Coach Jeff Adamson’s Panthers have earned one-third of their wins in games decided by five points per less, including the insane overtime win at Alexandria to start the postseason.
Last week, Eastbrook fell behind two touchdowns to Eastern before storming back and earning a 31-28 victory for the program’s first sectional title in four years.
2. AC IS A MACHINE
With wins in the next two weeks, Adams Central will find itself playing for a state championship for the fifth-consecutive year. That would tie the record set by Cathedral from 2010-14.
Now, that will be easier said than done. Eastbrook is undefeated for a reason, and Andrean looms as a potential semistate opponent next week. But the Flying Jets are in the midst of a 23-game postseason winning streak outside of state finals games.
That is absolute and utter dominance of the northern half of the state over the last five years.
FOUR PLAYERS TO WATCH
BODIE HOWELL, SENIOR, EASTBROOK
Howell is the quarterback for the Panthers and is one half of a dynamic and dangerous rushing attack with classmate Ryder Gipson.
Howell has rushed for 1,298 yards and 19 touchdowns this season out of Eastbrook’s Wing-T offense. What makes him so dangerous is the fact that when needed, he can throw the ball, evidenced by his 683 yards passing and nine touchdowns against just a pair of interceptions.
Much like Adams Central, Eastbrook loves to lull opposing defenses to sleep with a run-heavy attack, then strike over the top.
JAMISON ROACH, JUNIOR, ADAMS CENTRAL
Pick your poison with the quarterback Roach. Want to defend against him throwing? He can run it inside and out and tear your defense apart from within. Want to stack the line? He can sling it to guys like Joey Everett and Braylend Reber downfield.
Roach has no specialty, because he can do it all. And in games of this magnitude, he truly shines. Check out last year’s three-touchdown effort in the state championship game for evidence.
MASON SHELL, SENIOR, EASTBROOK
One of the big keys in attempting to compete with Adams Central is taking them off script on offense. If you can force the Flying Jets into second and third and longs, it makes them go vertical more often than they want to.
Enter Shell, who at 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds is a spry but strong presence up front for the Panthers. He is one of Eastbrook’s leading tacklers with 61, but he leads the team with 14 tackles for loss and seven sacks.
Shell will need to be that dude for Eastbrook on Friday in Monroe.
REECE HAMMOND, JUNIOR, ADAMS CENTRAL
When Blitz saw Hammond recover a fumble in the first quarter last week against Eastside and return it for a touchdown, he knew that game was over.
You don’t beat the Flying Jets by turning the ball over and giving up defensive scores.
Thing was, Hammond wasn’t done as he took an interception 44 yards to the house in the fourth quarter, an exclamation point for AC in a rout of the Blazers.
Hammond is opportunistic and confident from his outside linebacker spot. He saw considerable time as a sophomore a year ago in the run to state, and he has been a valued part of the defense when Hayden Bluhm was out the majority of the season. Now with Bluhm back, the two can feed off each other, and that’s bad news for offenses.
KEY TO VICTORY – EASTBROOK
GET ADAMS CENTRAL UNCOMFORTABLE OFFENSIVELY
Look, Adams Central has no problem going to the air to move the football with the weaponry at its disposal. However, it would prefer to do the majority of its damage on the ground.
What Eastbrook needs to do is limit that damage. Forcing the Flying Jets into second and third and longs doesn’t mean they cannot pick up those first downs, it’s just out of their comfort zone.
The Panthers have to win the battle up front, or at least a fair amount of plays. If Adams Central is consistently blowing off the ball and gaining four or five yards a carry, then attacking over the top when the Eastbrook defense gets sucked in, this game won’t be close.
KEY TO VICTORY – ADAMS CENTRAL
MAKE EASTBROOK ONE DIMENSIONAL
Adams Central, when it needs to, can throw the ball. Can Eastbrook do the same?
If the Flying Jets shut down a rushing attack that is averaging 302 yards per game and still lose, hey, you tip your cap (or helmet) to Eastbrook for a job well done. But Blitz isn’t confident that the Panthers can steal one in Monroe if they can’t move the chains with the run game.
Bottling up Gipson and Howell and making Howell go vertical is the easiest path of success for the Flying Jets in this game. They have done it time and again to opponents this year. Eastbrook is so strong with what it does, but Adams Central has the personnel and coaching to combat it.
PREDICTION
Coming Friday when Blitz makes his regional picks.
These opinions represent those of Blitz and Outside the Huddle. No opinions expressed on Outside the Huddle represent those of any of our advertisers. Follow Blitz on Twitter at Blitz_OTH
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