WOODLAND JUNIOR HIGH : Cowboys vie to move up league ladder in key clash
Posted on Thursday, October 23, 2008
ANDY SHUPE Northwest Arkansas Times Woodland Junior High coaches react to a score late in the second quarter of the Cowboys ’ game with Southwest Junior High Sept. 25 at Harmon Field.
If the old adage that defense wins championships holds true, then Woodland is on solid footing for a Northwest Arkansas Conference title.
The Cowboys boast the league’s best defense, allowing a minuscule 4. 6 points per outing. Woodland has logged three shutouts this season and is fresh off its second straight blanking in a 26-0 rout of Rogers High. The Cowboys have surrendered double digits just once in a 13-10 loss to league leader Bentonville Gold in Week 3. Since that loss, the Cowboys have allowed a meager three points per game in their last four contests.
“ Our defense has played outstanding all season and they continue to carry us, ” Woodland coach Bobby Crockett said. “ The kids have bought into what we’re trying to do defensively and our kids are pretty smart defensively. That allows us to make adjustments and do different things each week. The kids play with a ton of heart and intensity on every snap. That’s something you don’t get every year. ”
Woodland (6-1, 4-1 ) will have to maintain that competitive edge today against Springdale Central (6-1, 4-1 ). The Cowboys and Warriors are currently tied for second place with Gold one game ahead in the standings.
“ We’re not making a big deal out of it, ” Crockett said. “ It’s the same as any other game against a good team and we’re treating it like that. We’re just pushing for our kids to get better every week. But a conference championship does go hand in hand with that. ”
A win would give the Cowboys sole possession of second place. Central saved the toughest for last on its schedule with Woodland, Springdale Southwest (5-2, 4-2 ) and Gold (7-0, 4-0 ) still remaining on its slate. Crockett’s ideal scenario would be to win out and have Central knock off Gold to secure a share of the conference title for the Cowboys.
“ We’re not talking to our kids too much about all that, ” Crockett said. “ Right now, we’ve got enough to worry about with Central. They’re a very good football team. Obviously, we want to win but it’s going to be a very tough task. ”
Today’s tilt against Central bodes to be especially arduous for the Cowboys ’ offense, which has struggled at times this season. Central enters the contest second only to Woodland in defense, allowing just 5. 7 points per game.
Central averages 22. 3 points per game on offense but was held below that mark in 13-6 loss to Ramay last week, the Warriors’ lone defeat of the year.
“ I don’t know if we can exploit the things that Ramay did because they have a ton of speed, ” Crockett said. “ I think that’s one thing that gave Central problems and Ramay played a solid game defensively. We can’t emulate Ramay’s speed but we’re going to try to do some things to slow Central down. ”
Crockett said impeding Central quarterback Jon Vaughn will be a focal point. Crockett said Vaughn is apt at distributing the football and is a threat to run as well.
“ He’s a big kid who throws the ball well and he’s a solid runner, ” Crockett said. “ He’s going to be one we have to limit. They’ve got several good running backs as well and they typically have a good ground game. ”
Woodland averages 17. 1 points per outing on offense but has seen a steady improvement over the last three weeks with eighth grader Austin Allen taking over the quarterback chores. The Cowboys averaged just 9. 8 points per game before Allen took over. Since Allen got the full-time nod, Woodland is scoring 27 points per tilt.
“ Austin gets better every week, ” Crockett said. “ Being an eighth-grader, he’s really getting acclimated to the speed of the game. He’s really improving every week and I expect him to continue getting better. ”
Crockett, though, said Allen isn’t the only one improving.
“ Every coach wants their team to start peaking toward the end of the year, ” Crockett said. “ I hope that’s what we’re doing. Our kids seem to have a lot of confidence. Defensively, we’re still playing real well and offensively we’re starting to come along. ”
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