SPENCER— Shelby football coach Chris Norman is ready to trade in his No. 2 seed for two aspirin.
“Ooh, I’ve been watching too much film,”he moaned after practice Tuesday. “Coach(Roger) Secreast has got a good football team. He’s given me a headache watching all this film.”
Norman’s Golden Lions, the No. 2 team in the Class 2A football playoff bracket, play host to a North Rowan squad that he said is far superior to its seventh seed.
“We might be a two-seed, but I’m going to have to throw the advantage to North,”Norman said. “They’re just so, so talented.”
But don’t send the Cavs on to the quarterfinals just yet, cautioned Secreast.
“This will be the best team speed of anyone we’ve played,”Secreast said. “Tackle to tackle and all their skills people, they’re so quick.”
Shelby is fast. North is fast. And that’s about where the similarities end.
“You’ll see a different approach to the football game,”Secreast said. “They’re more of a ball-control team than we are, methodical in what they do. We’re still a big-play team, so there’s a contrast there.”
The Golden Lions (9-2) use a triple-option attack with several big ground-gainers to keep defenses guessing.
Shelby averages 315 yards a game on the ground, led by halfback Antwan Hamilton. The 5-foot-4, 148-pound senior averaged 110 yards a game in the regular season and had 80 in the 17-14 opening-round playoff win against Owen High.
Fullback Tavarus Hill offers a big change of pace at 5-9, 191. The sophomore came up big against Owen with 117 yards on 20 carries after averaging 75 yards a game in the season.
Brian Banks and O’Bryan Wilson also get plenty of carries, as does a small but quick quarterback. Michael Strickland doesn’t throw the ball — at all, practically — but the 5-9, 145-pound senior can keep it on the option. He scored both touchdowns in last Friday’s win.
“We’re going to have to do what we’re capable of doing, and that’s the triple option,”Norman said. “The problem is, against a team like North, you could have a five-, six-minute drive if you’re lucky, then bam! They can go the distance on a kickoff or hit you on a big play with a pass.”
The defensive backs in the Cavalier secondary won’t have to worry much about Shelby striking on a big pass play. Amazingly enough, the Lions completed 12 — that’s right, 12 — passes in their 10 regular-season games.
North’s first-string QB, Graham Hosch, generally completed a dozen passes per scoring drive before a knee injury sent him to the sidelines. After watching film of Shelby’s quick defense, though, Secreast knows the key to winning Friday will be for backup Alfonzo Miller to have a good night passing.
Hosch is back in the lineup, but as a tight end. It’s Miller who will do all the passing, and to this point, he’s received a passing grade with three 100-yard games.
Miller also has been running the ball, along with tailback Marcus Lawing, as the North offense racked up more than 300 yards in its regular-season finale and 412 yards in a 44-21 win against Northwood in the first round.
“I don’t have much of a comfort zone watching either one of them play at quarterback,”Norman said of Hosch and Miller. “Number 1 (Miller) — wow. He makes things happen.”
Shelby’s defense surrendered an average of 140 yards a game in the regular season, but Norman is concerned about the size difference at the line of scrimmage.
His line consists of pretty standard-sized players from a school in the 1A/2A Southern Piedmont Conference —6-foot, 200-220 pounds. North’s line is anchored by center Jarrett Wishon at 6-2, 275 and also boasts the likes of 6-5, 280-pound Matt Hestwood and 5-11, 240-pound Mack Ellis.
“They’re a lot bigger than we are up front,”Norman said. “We’ve just got little ol’ kids trying to hold their own against them.”
Secreast concedes a big advantage to Shelby in the kicking game. Lions placekicker Trey Bridges has connected from 50 yards out and hit the cross bar on a 57-yarder this season. Cavalier kicker and punter Kevin Rutherford has just returned to regular duty after missing time with an injury.
One final similarity exists between North and Shelby.The Lions’ only losses came to 4A Morganton Freedom — in a six-turnover affair they lost by a field goal — and to 4A Crest.
The Cavaliers’ 9-4 record was tarnished by losses to 4AScotland County and South Rowan and 3A West Rowan and A.L. Brown.
Freedom, Scotland and South didn’t make the playoffs, despite the Raiders’ winning their conference. The other three schools? Still alive for Round 2, just like Shelby and North Rowan.
n
IFYOU’REGOING: To get to Shelby High School, take I-85 South to the 74 West exit, labeled Kings Mountain-Shelby. Take 74 West into the town of Shelby until you reach an intersection with a BurgerKing on the right. Turn left at that intersection and you’re at the school. Secreast said the drive will take about 1:40 on the bus.
n
Steve Huffman will cover the North Rowan-Shelby game for the Post.
Today's News