Quick-strike DeMatha, surging St. John’s gear up for WCAC showdown
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Version 0 of 1. With plenty of big bodies and a stable of running backs, DeMatha has built a reputation of late as a methodical juggernaut, wearing down its opponents so that by game’s end, the Stags are the last ones standing. While that still holds true, this year’s Stags have cemented their place among the nation’s elite by striking quickly, fueled by the variety of Division I talent on their roster. In a season-opening rout of Miami Central (Fla.), it was a Lorenzo Harrison punt return fielded off the bounce that broke open the game. Three weeks later, the Stags drove 80 yards in 90 seconds to score the first of four second-half touchdowns in a Sept. 18 win against La Salle (Pa.). The more of these plays that Joe Patterson sees on film in preparation for Saturday’s home game against No. 1 DeMatha, the more the St. John’s football coach has impressed upon his players that it will take more than just one or two defenders to take down the Stags. “We’ve placed an emphasis on limiting their quick-strike opportunities,” Patterson said. “We need to be fundamentally sound with our tackling and really swarm the ball.” That strategy isn’t a novel notion for the seventh-ranked Cadets (3-1, 1-0 in WCAC). A week ago, while locked in a triple-overtime dual with Washington Catholic Athletic Conference power Good Counsel, the St. John’s defense imposed its will with two goal-line stands and four forced fumbles in a 29-23 win. The sizable Cadet defense will again be leaned upon to not only slow DeMatha (4-0, 1-0) but also provide its own offense with favorable field position as quarterback Talik Mann nurses an ankle injury. The senior will be available to play, but Patterson said his backup, Maurice Bellan, has taken practice reps this week just in case. With rainy and windy weather expected this weekend, DeMatha’s offense is likely to again rely on its potent backfield combination of Harrison, Anthony McFarland and Khory Spruill. The trio combined for 321 yards and four scores in last week’s 49-0 win against St. Mary’s Ryken. But even with their early success against several national powers, turnovers and penalties have the Stags still searching for a complete-game effort entering Saturday’s top-10 battle. “We’ve played some bad halves of football and been able to bounce back, but we’ve really only shown flashes of what we can do when we play our best,” Harrison said. “If we can limit our penalties and not kill ourselves, I think we can control the game.” |