KINGDOM CITY - The North Callaway Thunderbirds' first home game of the season will coincide with a stern test in their conference opener.
North Callaway (1-1) enters the Eastern Missouri Conference portion of its schedule tonight when it hosts the Bowling Green Bobcats (1-1). Kickoff is at 7 p.m.. The Thunderbirds found their offensive bearings in the second half last week to rally for their first win of the season, 27-6 at Tipton.
"Obviously coming off a win, the kids are going to be more excited," North Callaway head coach Kevin O'Neal said Tuesday afternoon. "They're seeing that the things that we have worked on and that we have tried to achieve, actually do work, and they're buying into the system a little more."
O'Neal expressed he, his coaching staff and players are eager to compete in front of North Callaway supporters tonight.
"We're excited to have a chance to play in front of our hometown fans, and for our kids to play on their home field," O'Neal said.
The Thunderbirds will run up against a Bobcats team that is likely still smarting after a 22-14 overtime loss to Palmyra last week in Bowling Green. Palmyra also blanked the Bobcats 28-0 for a district title to end their 2013 season.
Jeff Gschwender is early into his second year as Bowling Green head coach. Gschwender was a defensive player at Westminster College back in the early 2000s, while O'Neal was an offensive assistant coach with the Blue Jays.
"We've contacted each other back and forth and talked about different teams, and how to prepare and that type of stuff," O'Neal said.
Senior quarterback Jake Niemeyer returns to direct the Bobcats' offense that features both pro-I and spread formations. Niemeyer made quite an impact last year in Kingdom City when he rushed for a game-high 191 yards and three touchdowns (43, 19 and 55 yards), and also threw for a score in Bowling Green's 49-34 shootout victory over North Callaway.
Senior running back Adam Holt is also back for the Bobcats after rushing for 1,175 yards last season. Holt gained 88 yards and raced 33 yards for a touchdown in the 2013 win over the Thunderbirds.
"(Niemeyer) seems to be a savvy kid that understands the system and understands what they're trying to do," O'Neal said. "They run some option here and there with him; he's a tough runner ... and he'll put his head down and run you over.
"They're trying to get the ball into Holt's hands as much as possible. They're either going to hand it to him out of the backfield or they're going to split him out wide and throw it to him."
North Callaway will need another strong outing from its defense tonight. After allowing a score early in the second quarter last week, the Thunderbirds shut out Tipton the rest of the way and limited the Cardinals to only 59 total yards in the second half.
O'Neal stressed that North Callaway's defensive unit can't allow itself to get caught up in Bowling Green's assortment of changing offensive schemes.
"We have to continue to do what we do," O'Neal said. "The biggest thing there is to not get flustered by all of the different formations they're going to see, make sure they stay true to their assignment."
Meanwhile, the Thunderbirds will be looking to build off their second-half offensive outburst against Tipton. Senior quarterback Cole Branson - after being sacked five times in the first half - scored on an 81-yard run in the third quarter, then hooked up with his brother, sophomore wide receiver Wyatt, on touchdown passes of 67, 62 and 27 yards.
Cole Branson experienced a breakout performance of his own last year against Bowling Green, throwing for 349 yards and five touchdowns.
O'Neal explained that North Callaway's offense showed glimpses last week of the potential it has to stretch the field against opposing defenses.
"The explosive plays, I think that's what we're capable of doing when we execute ...," O'Neal said. "When we give Cole time (to pass) up front and our receivers stay true on their routes, and they run the right routes they're supposed to run, I think we have that opportunity to make big plays."
O'Neal noted that the Thunderbirds' blocking along the offensive line has to be secure when the Bobcats move personnel around in their four-man defensive front.
"We have to make sure we shore up some of that confusion we had up front (with blocking last week)," O'Neal said. "(Bowling Green) will change their front, move their inside tackles around a little bit - they'll do a little bit of twisting with them.
"We have to make sure we're prepared for that up front, and it doesn't catch those guys off-guard."