CALIFORNIA, Mo. - Following their first win of the year with a 12-8 victory against the Warsaw Wildcats last Friday, the California Pintos are getting ready for another challenge tonight at home against the Versailles Tigers in Tri-County Conference play.
Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
California coach Mikel Gragg said the Tigers' passing ability will be a challenge for the Pintos, who have faced teams that used the run more often than the pass. California's defensive backs will be tested by Versailles sophomore quarterback Coby Williams, especially with the different formations the Tigers use.
"Versailles does a great job of spreading the football around," Gragg said. "They do a lot of different formations and they throw the ball really well. So our pass coverage has to be something we work on.
"We haven't really had to use it in previous weeks because the teams we've played have been more run heavy. So this week we will really stress our defensive backs."
Gragg said California's defense continues to play well each week and the team's ability to run the ball well in the first half is another thing of which the team can build.
Versailles (1-2) is coming off a 34-14 loss to the Class 3 state-ranked Blair Oaks Falcons. The Tigers managed just 40 yards rushing in the game, but Williams threw for 138 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Kooper Wilson late in the fourth quarter.
Senior running back Taylor Dobbins lead the Versailles run game with 274 yards rushing this season. Junior running back Grant Hutchison led the Tigers with 62 yards on 11 carries against the Falcons.
The Tiger defense held the Blair Oaks offense below its total yard average, allowing 337 yards. The Falcons scored on each of their first three possessions of the game, but after quarterback Nolan Hair was injured late in the first quarter, Blair Oaks' offense lost its momentum.
Versailles held Blair Oaks out of the end zone for more than 29 consecutive minutes.
Junior linebacker Michael Trotter leads the Tigers with 35 total tackles, a pair of sacks and an interception. Wilson, who also plays defensive back, has 24 total tackles.
Gragg wants to see the California offensive line continue to improve as the players get more time playing with each other. But Gragg also said the team's offense still needs to work on limiting turnovers.
"We're still giving up four or five turnovers a game on offense and that is one of the things that if we are going to win we have to limit the opposing team's touches while maximizing ours," he said.
California (1-2) won last year's contest 14-10 in Versailles.
Related media:
California Pintos Football Podcast [Versailles preview, Sept. 8, 2017]