Lafayette’s Sept. 3 home opener against Lindbergh will feature two teams that appear to be headed in opposite directions to start the season. While the Flyers come in fresh off a convincing 36-9 win over Oakville to start the season, the Lancers will seek to rebound from last week’s 28-0 loss to Eureka.
Coach Boyd Manne said the team’s biggest problem against the Wildcats was its mentality, and did not necessarily involve X’s and O’s.
“We’re focusing on our effort and teaching our players what 150 percent effort is mentally and physically,” he said. “The only positive was that I hope the players realize how hard they have to play. They gotta play their best football. We should see improved results”
When the two teams met last season, Lindbergh dominated with 216 rushing yards on the way to a 38-14 victory. Here are some players to watch and keys to this year’s matchup:
When Lafayette has the ball
The Lancers struggled mightily to move the ball last week against the Wildcats. Junior quarterback Will Dupont handled most of the offensive workload, racking up 175 of the team’s 327 total yards and leading the team with 15 rushing carries. But he faced pressure all game long and was unable to get into any kind of rhythm through the air, only completing a handful of short passes. And senior Thomas Swoboda will have to take on a larger workload after junior running back and lead ball carrier Chris Caldwell left the team this week.
To give Dupont time to throw and open up running lanes, the offensive line will have to improve from last week’s performance. Eureka’s defensive front was able to control the line of scrimmage, getting three sacks and consistently limiting long running plays.
A big part of their game plan will focus on Lindbergh’s senior Tony Robinson, an All-State linebacker who dominated last week with 10 total tackles and two sacks. The Lancers will have to keep a man on him at all times to prevent him from wreaking havoc in the team’s backfield. Robinson will team up with fellow linebacker Chris Kew, a junior who also had 10 tackles as well as an interception against Oakville.
When Lindbergh has the ball
The Flyers are aonce again an effective running team and had great success on the ground against Oakville, gaining 191 yards and scoring 5 touchdowns as a team. Senior Tim Hamm-Bey led the way with 88 yards on 13 carries and junior Grant Krueger added two rushing scores.
Through the air, junior quarterback Peter Simpson gave the team balance, with 151 passing yards. The team’s biggest receiving threat should be senior Will Spitzfaden, who totaled 68 yards and a touchdown on four catches last week.
“They’re a really well-balanced team,” Manne said.
If the Lancers are to contain Lindbergh’s pair of running backs and bring pressure in the passing game, they will need another big performance from senior Jimmy DeStefano. The stout linebacker led the team with 15 total tackles last week. Swoboda also had a solid showing with seven and should be an active defender against the Flyers.
“We just need to play hard on every play. [Lindbergh’s] offensive line is pretty good so we need to give 100 percent on ervery play and keep them guessing,” DeStefano said.
