Second-ary thoughts: EHS D-Backs relied upon to make plays
By Michael Ashford
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Despite a shakeup that has forced multiple players to switch positions, the Emporia High secondary has been a strong suit for the Spartans so far this season – as the coaches expected it would be.
In fact, the way senior safety Corey Bacon sees it, the Spartans have taken the situation and thrived because they were ready for it.
“We have a lot of people on defense that are able to play a lot of different positions, and that’s helped us out a lot,” Bacon said. “We work on moving around in practice, and when we move into those different spots in game situations, it’s just like we’re at practice. We have a lot of chemistry that way, and it helps out a lot.”
The retooling of the Spartans’ secondary began when junior Justin Krause went down with a season-ending knee injury in the first game of the season against Blue Valley West. Krause had been the starter at one of the outside safety spots, and it had been his job to patrol the line of scrimmage from the hash to the sideline and the flats.
When Krause got injured, it set off a rotation within the EHS secondary that saw Bacon move from deep safety up to the line of scrimmage, while Seth Torres moved from corner to deep safety and Josh Maguire took over Torres’ corner spot opposite Brandon Childs.
The players seem to have handled the overhaul well. Through two games, the Spartans are allowing 124.5 yards through the air, not a bad figure considering their first opponent, Blue Valley West, is known for its ability to sling the ball all over the field. Also, three different defensive backs have recorded interceptions so far: Brandon Childs, Jacob Loucks and Torres.
“They’re kids that are football smart, and they’re good athletes,” EHS coach Bill Lowe said. “They’ve made the adjustments really easily.”
If the Spartans have an Achilles heel, it’s a penchant for giving up the big play at times.
Against Blue Valley West, the Jaguars struck for a 27-yard passing touchdown and a 57-yard TD scamper on a fumbled option play. Last week against Topeka High, the Trojans scored their first TD on an 84-yard touchdown run up the middle of the field that had been vacated by the EHS defenders.
Take out the big plays, Torres said, and the Spartans have played tough defense so far this season.
“I think as long as we keep the big, huge plays under control, I think our defense has done a real good job of keeping everything in front of us and not letting a lot of stuff get outside of us,” he said. “We’re doing a pretty good job of getting to the ball.”
The Spartans secondary will get a different sort of test Friday when EHS travels to Topeka to take on Washburn Rural.
Rural is 0-2 this season after getting Centennial League heavyweights Seaman and Manhattan to start the season.
Known for being a big, physical team that likes to use the option to power down the field, Rural also showed some signs of mixing things up last week against Manhattan, as the Junior Blues passed for 150 yards while rushing for just 86.
While the Spartans are counting on Rural to try to get its ground game going, they are preparing for whatever tricks the Junior Blues might unveil in hopes of getting their first victory — especially in a rivalry game against Emporia.
“It’s always been a big rivalry between us, and they’re going to come into it pretty pumped,” Bacon said. “We’re expecting them to run a lot more than some of the other teams. We’ll look to stop the run first, but we’ll be ready for anything.”
Whatever Rural decides to do, the EHS secondary will be called upon to help keep the clamps down on the Junior Blues offense, whether it be in run support or in pass defense, Lowe said.
“Anytime you play a team that has lost its first two games, they might try to do something different,” Lowe said. “But they’ve played both games really well against tough teams — Seaman and Manhattan — and I don’t look for them to change a whole lot.
“Our guys back there, hopefully, will make some plays.”