Hartford coach Dave Wasylk says his team is due for a breakout performance, and he thinks it could come this week when the 3-1 Jaguars take on undefeated Crest.
“This team has not even come close to playing as well as they can play,” Wasylk said. “We’re ready for a breakout game, and I’m certainly hoping it comes this Friday night. No better time than to have it come for districts.”
The 30-22 win Hartford earned last week over winless Waverly was tighter than Wasylk would like it to have been, and it followed a 72-42 defeat at the hands of Marais des Cygnes Valley. In Crest, the Jags will face a team with a high-powered offense that has led the Lancers to 44 points or more in all four of their games.
“St. Paul’s a good program — they got by St. Paul. That was a pretty high-scoring game,” Wasylk said of the Lancers’ 44-38 opening win. “Chetopa, we played them last year in a tight ballgame; (Crest) beat them handily. And then, they just pasted Altoona-Midway and a Missouri team (Miami) last two weeks.”
Crest quarterback Todd Johnston is Wasylk’s primary concern. The senior has completed 60 percent of his passes thus far for 531 yards, and 14 of his 35 completions have gone for touchdowns, against just two interceptions. Defensively, Wasylk believes, the key will be keeping Johnston corralled, as he not only can throw, but will often run in short-yardage situations.
The Newton brothers, Bryan and Brandon, are the Lancers’ other two main offensive threats. Bryan Newton, a junior tailback, has run for 563 yards already this year and scored seven TDs. Brandon Newton, a senior tight end, has 20 catches for 384 yards and nine scores. Because Hartford’s run defense has surrendered more yards than every Lyon County League team but Waverly, stopping Bryan Newton may turn out to be the toughest challenge.
“They got good skill players, so I think it’s in our best interest to keep away from those guys,” Wasylk said. “We need to play some ball-control offense, win the time of possession.”
That means a healthy dose of tailback Adam Ewy, the Lyon County League’s leading rusher and pass receiver, spelled by backup Mike Wilson. Ewy has 570 yards on the ground and 263 receiving yards on 15 catches. Though quarterback John Payton has completed just 44 percent of his throws, he’s still the LCL’s leading passer with 511 yards.
The 3-1 record has the Jags in a good position as the dog days of the schedule begin, and Wasylk believes they’ve become a better team in the two weeks since the blowout loss to Marais des Cygnes. Get by Crest, and the Jaguars have a potential showdown next week when they host current LCL leader Madison.
“They only get tougher,” he said. “And we feel like we had a good chance (in the) first four, and these games are gonna be the tougher ones. And we’re getting better at the right time, so we should be good come Friday night. I expect us to play well.”
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