Montezuma and Belle Plaine should have similar game plans for their football matchup on Friday, Sept. 29.
Those plans: 1) Score on every possession. 2) Get the other team’s offense off the field.
The side that does the overall better job should emerge with a win, one that’s important if they have any plans for post-season play.
Belle Plaine brings in a 3-2 record, while Montezuma is 3-3.
Both teams have offenses that can put plenty of points on the scoreboard.
A difference: Belle Plaine is run-oriented, while Montezuma has a more balanced attack.
The Plainsmen are wound pretty tight around quarterback Ty Alcott, a 5-10, 180-pound junior. He has connected on 18 of 32 passing attempts for 308 yards and six touchdowns.
Alcott is more of a threat to run. He has 662 yards on 123 rushes, including 9 touchdowns. Braves Coach John Beck calls him a “very determined” runner, so Montezuma defenders will have to wrap up.
The top target has been Sam DeMeulenaere, a 6-3, 185-pound junior, who has run under 9 passes for 202 yards and two scores.
The Plainsmen have some tall down linemen who could cause problems for Montezuma’s offense. One is 6-5, 210 pound Jax Stamp, who leads the team with 34.0 tackles, including 18.5 for lost yardage.
Montezuma quarterback Brady Boulton has completed 70 of 125 pass attempts, for 930 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Boulton also leads Braves rushers with 404 yards on 60 carries, with 10 touchdowns.
Fullback Brett Plants rushed for more than 200 yards in last week’s game. He has 39 carries for 374 yards, a 9.6 per carry averages, and six touchdowns.
Garrett Watts, 6-2, is Montezuma’s chief deep threat receiver with 27 catches for 457 yards and 10 touchdowns.
A difference: 11 Braves have caught passes, compared with five Plainesmen.
Top tackler for the Braves is Broox Stockman, with 34.5 stops and 1.5 tackles for losses.
Game time Friday is 7 p.m. in Belle Plaine.