Lessons Learned?
By Michael Ashford
Originally published 02:22 p.m., October 4, 2007
Updated 02:22 p.m., October 4, 2007
The way Cord Stanley sees it, the Emporia High football team faces a must-win situation this Friday.
Coming off a 14-13 loss to Shawnee Heights last week, the Spartans (3-2, 3-1 Centennial League) have just one more game before the ever-important District schedule begins, and according to Stanley, EHS doesn’t have time to feel sorry for itself.
“If we lose this game, it’s like we didn’t learn anything — we didn’t learn from the loss,” Stanley said. “If we lose Friday, it means we just threw in the towel — we’ve given up.”
Judging by Stanley’s comments, one might think the Spartans are getting ready to face Hutchinson, the top-ranked team in Class 6A.
But no, the Spartans will travel to Topeka to face a winless Highland Park squad whose closest margin of defeat this season was a 21-7 loss to Washburn Rural, a team Emporia trounced 35-0. In fact, the Scots have scored fewer points all season (34) than Emporia did its victory over the Junior Blues.
It doesn’t matter. The Spartans are in no position to overlook anyone, Stanley said.
“We can’t do that at this point. We have two losses,” the junior defensive end said. “We’ve got to come out ready to go like they’re undefeated. We have to be prepared.”
Being prepared was something Emporia High thought it was last week before its game against Shawnee Heights. The Spartans were riding a three-game win streak and entered Homecoming week looking to remain in the hunt for the Centennial League title with a victory.
But something went awry. The Spartans seemed out of sorts in the first half against the Thunderbirds. Emporia’s offense could not move the football while the Spartans defense could not stop T-Birds running back Austin Flohrschultz, who rushed for 126 yards and a touchdown in the first half.
“We just didn’t come out and approach the game with intensity in the first half like I wish we would have,” EHS coach Bill Lowe said. “We stood around for a half. That’s the thing we have to guard against — making sure that we’re focused and ready to play.”
EHS eventually fought back in the second half, getting the potential game-tying score on an Edd Noonan touchdown run with less than two minutes to play. However, on the extra-point attempt, EHS had to call timeout for not having enough men on the field.
Freshman kicker Blaze Witten went on to miss the extra-point attempt out of the timeout, but the EHS players and coaches all said Wednesday that the Spartans’ problems started long before Witten’s missed kick.
“Our attitude got us into a hole,” junior quarterback Taylor Euler said. “Some of us weren’t ready for the game, thinking we could just walk over anybody. We got caught off guard when that didn’t happen.”
And so it has become a week of soul-searching for Emporia High. Looming after Highland Park is District play, where the Spartans must face Wichita Heights (4-1), Manhattan (2-3) and Junction City (5-0). That makes Friday’s game all the more important.
“We should be more determined than ever,” Lowe said. “It’s very important for us to go play well at Highland Park and really start peaking and being at the top of our game. I kind of thought we were last week, but we have to start all over again now.
“We’ll see where we’re at after Friday.”
While without a victory this season, Highland Park does present some problems. To know just how dangerous the Scots can be, all the Emporia players have to do is think back to last year’s home game. Highland Park built a 12-0 first-quarter lead on the Spartans before Emporia got in gear and rebounded to win, 27-12.
“They’ve got some great athletes,” Euler said. “Any team can beat us. We’ve just got to get back to the basics and play hard.”
“This Friday,” Stanley said, “it’s going to be a make-or-break game for us.”
EHS receives 2008-09 football District
Emporia High will play in the Class 5A District 5 in the 2008 and 2009 football seasons, the Kansas State High School Activities Association announced Wednesday.
Emporia will be paired with Salina Central, Salina South and Topeka West in making the move from Class 6A to Class 5A.
EHS coach Bill Lowe said nothing really surprised him about the District placement.
“Getting Salina Central and South isn’t much of a tradeoff from Manhattan and Junction City,” Lowe said, “but if we want to get to where we are ultimately a championship team, we’re going to have to play and beat those types of teams, no matter what District they put us in.”