Week 9 Big Game:
Petersburg (3-3) @ Motley County (5-2) – Friday 7:30pm – DII District 4 Contest
There are several games that warrant the title Game of the Week this week, but I think this one might be the most competitive of the bunch…the battle for DII district 4, Petersburg vs Motley County.
To be honest I do not know as much about these two squads, as I do others. I do know Motley County always has a rough, tough, competitive team, no matter the personnel on the field. Petersburg started the season off highly ranked and the odds on favorite to win the district. The Buffalos lost their first three game, then rebounded, first with a JV game with Guthrie (both teams played a JVs), then winning two more to stand at 2-3 at the present time. RB Tristian Garza handles most of the offensive load for Petersburg. Having missed some time this season due to injury, Garza has a rushing stat line of 36 rushes for 413 yards, nine touchdowns against varsity opponents. Last week against a strong Spur team Garza turned in his best night rushing for 187 yards and five touchdowns on 12 carries.
Motley County opened the season with a loss to a highly ranked Crowell team in a back and forth battle, and their only other loss was to highly ranked DI White Deer. Since that week 3 loss to White Deer the Matadors have won four straight to enter the big game with Petersburg with a 5-2 record. I can tell you they are a hard hitting bunch that are hungry to win every single week due in large part to the coaching style of head coach Mike Bigham.
Offensively, the Matadors favor the ground game. The team has rushed for 1,726 of their 2,383 total yards this season, with RB Kyler Degan leading the team with 874 yards and 15 touchdowns on 85 carries. When they do throw the ball Motley County is efficient, landing 62% of them with only two interceptions.
We can try to play the common opponent game here as both teams have played Meadow and Spur. Petersburg lost to Meadow in week two 51-40 and Motley County defeated Meadow in week seven 58-26. However, Petersburg was without Garza in that loss to Meadow. Against Spur Motley won 58-13 in week two, while Petersburg won 60-12 last week. Needless to say, trying to apply this type of analysis doesn’t help us much. Both teams are expected to be 100% and ready for action Friday night
Keys to the Game:
Motley County has to play fast physical in order to neutralize Tristian Garza and force Petersburg into long down situations and throwing the ball. Petersburg has to be able to match the Matadors intensity and not get discouraged if they are trailing I like the fighting spirt of the Matadors and with a slight home field advantage… I’m leaning toward a MC VICTORY… but anything can happen!
Petersburg (3-3) @ Motley County (5-2) – Friday 7:30pm – DII District 4 Contest
There are several games that warrant the title Game of the Week this week, but I think this one might be the most competitive of the bunch…the battle for DII district 4, Petersburg vs Motley County.
To be honest I do not know as much about these two squads, as I do others. I do know Motley County always has a rough, tough, competitive team, no matter the personnel on the field. Petersburg started the season off highly ranked and the odds on favorite to win the district. The Buffalos lost their first three game, then rebounded, first with a JV game with Guthrie (both teams played a JVs), then winning two more to stand at 2-3 at the present time. RB Tristian Garza handles most of the offensive load for Petersburg. Having missed some time this season due to injury, Garza has a rushing stat line of 36 rushes for 413 yards, nine touchdowns against varsity opponents. Last week against a strong Spur team Garza turned in his best night rushing for 187 yards and five touchdowns on 12 carries.
Motley County opened the season with a loss to a highly ranked Crowell team in a back and forth battle, and their only other loss was to highly ranked DI White Deer. Since that week 3 loss to White Deer the Matadors have won four straight to enter the big game with Petersburg with a 5-2 record. I can tell you they are a hard hitting bunch that are hungry to win every single week due in large part to the coaching style of head coach Mike Bigham.
Offensively, the Matadors favor the ground game. The team has rushed for 1,726 of their 2,383 total yards this season, with RB Kyler Degan leading the team with 874 yards and 15 touchdowns on 85 carries. When they do throw the ball Motley County is efficient, landing 62% of them with only two interceptions.
We can try to play the common opponent game here as both teams have played Meadow and Spur. Petersburg lost to Meadow in week two 51-40 and Motley County defeated Meadow in week seven 58-26. However, Petersburg was without Garza in that loss to Meadow. Against Spur Motley won 58-13 in week two, while Petersburg won 60-12 last week. Needless to say, trying to apply this type of analysis doesn’t help us much. Both teams are expected to be 100% and ready for action Friday night
Keys to the Game:
Motley County has to play fast physical in order to neutralize Tristian Garza and force Petersburg into long down situations and throwing the ball. Petersburg has to be able to match the Matadors intensity and not get discouraged if they are trailing I like the fighting spirt of the Matadors and with a slight home field advantage… I’m leaning toward a MC VICTORY… but anything can happen!
