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| Serving Callaway County communities since 1875. | www.fultonsun.com | Sunday, July 05, 2009 |
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Bulldogs hoping to create own playoff tradition By RYAN BOLAND The Fulton Sun
South Callaway will make its initial appearance in the state playoffs tonight when it travels to postseason veteran Centralia, ranked No. 4 in the state, for a Class 2 regional game. Kickoff is at 7. The Bulldogs (6-4) - runners-up in District 6 - have known mostly futility in their program's 11-year history. The District 5 champion Panthers (10-0), meanwhile, own a state title from 2003 and were state runners-up the year before that. “The great thing that it's (playoff berth) done is that it's set the bar now very high,” first-year South Callaway head coach Tim Rulo said after practice Monday night. “From now on, I'm hoping their expectations are, ‘We want to go to the playoffs.' “Š This has given us a benchmark for what our identity needs to look like, year in and year out. That's really exciting.” Rulo explained that his players are still trying to understand their role as playoff newcomers. “I think they're kind of wide-eyed, they're excited,” Rulo said. “But at the same time, they're almost not even sure (what to expect). It's kind of like a baby taking (its) first steps. Rulo noted that Centralia's tradition can serve as a successful blueprint for the South Callaway program's long-term aspirations. “(Panthers head coach) Erle Bennett does a great job with his program,” Rulo said. “He's been doing it for a long time there Š and is a model of longevity. “That shows you what good things can come if you're willing to put in the hard work and stick with it. Ultimately, we have to have the patience to put in the work and effort to get there.” The focal point of Centralia's offensive attack is senior running back Will Evans, who has carried the ball for 1,512 yards and has scored a school-record 31 touchdowns this season. “I don't know how fast he is, but his physicality is what's so impressive to me,” Rulo said. “The guy demands the ball, he wants the ball. “Š He picks the hole well, he makes one cut and goes. He does a great job.” The Bulldogs' defense, though, can't ignore junior quarterback Scott Rodgers, who has passed for almost 1,500 yards and run for more than 500 yards this season. Rodgers had thrown 17 touchdown passes, compared to just two interceptions, going into the Panthers' 41-8 victory over Hermann to clinch the District 5 championship at Centralia on Oct. 30. “We have to slow down the run and we've got to make their offense happen in many plays,” Rulo said. “That's hard when you're playing against a good team. That makes it difficult.” Meanwhile, South Callaway must find a way tonight to rediscover the potency in its passing game. Senior quarterback Justin Struttmann has thrown for 1,885 yards and 16 touchdowns this season, but seven of his 13 interceptions came during district play. Junior wide receiver Grady Bartley (seven touchdowns), senior wide receiver Brandon Waterson (four scores) and sophomore wide receiver Will Brandt each have more than 30 receptions for the Bulldogs. Senior wide receiver Tyler Necaise (three touchdowns) also has topped 20 catches. “I think a lot of it is just guys pressing,” Rulo said. “So it's our receivers really wanting to make plays, so they're changing up their routes a little bit, or it's Justin trying to make sure the guys are open before he throws it. “When you're going to throw the ball, there has to be some kind of synchronization to it. There has to be a rhythm. We're off a little bit, we're just out of sync a little. Now it's trying to find that rhythm again.” With its passing game out of sorts, South Callaway has been able to depend in recent weeks on a suddenly emerging running attack. Led by sophomore running back Bryan Lechner, the Bulldogs have averaged 141 yards on the ground in their last two games. “(The running game) got us into the playoffs,” Rulo said. “I'll be the first one to admit it. Š We still have to be able to pass, because if not they're going to start stacking up (the line) more and more. “When we do run the ball, we need to block well - both on the perimeter and upfront - and it has to be consistent.” Tonight's winner moves on to play either No. 5 Blair Oaks (9-1) or Hermann (6-4) in sectional play next Monday night. |
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