Friday’s game Notes
*Kevin Loney led the LO defense with eight tackles. Hayes added seven.
*QB Sean Charette might not have been able to play had the game taken place on Friday. He attempted just seven passes in the game, a day after battling a bad stomach flu.
*Fordson committed eight penalties, most of which came in the second half and included some personal fouls. The Tractors had just six first downs all game.
*Tickets are $10 for one day of action at Ford Field (four games). The Division 7 final begins at 10 a.m. There are additional charges for parking around the stadium.
*Starting running back Kim Bruce carried the ball just four times (23 yards) for the Dragons, sitting out the second half with a minor injury. Bell said Bruce would have been available if need be and that his team is in good health for this week.
*The news is not quite as good for Rockford, which lost starting running back Aaron Kwekel to a leg injury in the regional final. Ryan Cochran, a senior, has filled in admirably and Jordan Morren, a fullback who scored both Rockford TDs in the week one game vs. LO, will also get more touches.
*Perhaps the biggest difference from week one to now? Coach Bell will be on the sideline. The Dragons head coach called plays from the press box in week one, an experiment that lasted just one game. EXTRAS
Five keys to the game.
On paper, there’s not too much separating the Dragons and the Rams. It would be a surprise if either team had a double-digit lead heading into the final quarter. Here are some reasons one team might get ahead:
They’re disciplined: Lake Orion has committed nearly 100 penalties on the season, compared to less than 70 from Rockford. The Dragons, however, limited the miscues the past two weeks (nine total) and it showed on the scoreboard.
They’re fresh: Both teams rotate three backs. Rockford’s Cochran, Kwekel and Morren all have over 500 yards. Lake Orion’s Bruce, Oakes and Stevenson have combined for slightly more yardage, however. The wild card could be Dan Ney, who has run for nearly 400 yards and wasn’t on the varsity team when the two teams met back in August.
They adjust: For 11 straight weeks, the Dragons have been the first team to score in the second half. That speaks directly to moves made by the coaches at halftime. Rockford, however, scored the only second half touchdown back in the August matchup and, much like the Dragons, have outscored their opponents by more than a 2-to-1 margin in the third quarter.
They forget: Both teams have come a long way since week one. Lake Orion has embraced their youth on offense while tightening the screws on defense. Rockford has found their offense to the tune of over 38 points-per-game in the playoffs.
They have fun: Obvious, but hard to remember sometimes when the spotlight is this big. The young Dragons have grown up a lot in these playoffs, and they’ve never lost their smiles ? even when Stevenson was seconds from a win two weeks ago. If they keep that attitude, look for another upset.