When New London visits Montezuma on Friday, Oct. 25, a playoff atmosphere could envelop Badger-Gabriel Field.
If it does not, ‘it’ will have missed a good chance.
So come. Yell. Create a playoff atmosphere! The players have done their part.
Both teams are 6-2. One – and perhaps both – could advance to the Class 8 post-season.
Montezuma ranked 11th in the ratings percentage index (RPI)out of 62 Class 8 teams after week 7, and certainly didn’t hurt itself with its win over English Valleys.
The eight district champions will get automatic berths. The remaining eight spots will go to the best eight remaining RPIs.
We’ll check on this week’s RPIs later in the week – regardless, neither of these teams figure to know their fate right after the game. So, it gives us all something to look forward to.
Just this game should be quite an attraction.
New London cruised past the Braves 69-20 last year, but lost a number of its yard-producers to graduation. Given the emergence of Montezuma, this year’s game should be tighter.
Like the Braves, New London had a two-game tailspin at mid-season. Their losses were 48-42 to Lone Tree, and 34-22 to HLV.
Last Friday, New London hammered Iowa Valley 68-32, and you’ll recall that Iowa Valley handled the Braves.
But figure in that Iowa Valley was the only team that beat New London last year. That could have been a motivating factor.
New London is run-oriented. Shae Summerfield, a 5-9, 170-pound senior, leads with 1,669 yards on 158 carries, a 10.6 average. The fourth back on last year’s team, he leads this year’s with 26 rushing touchdowns.
Blaise Porter, a 5-10, 165-pound freshman, has 356 yards on 27 rushes, a 13.2 average. As a pass-catcher, he has 206 yards on 11 catches and seven scores.
Quarterback Ethan Streeter, a 5-9, 150-pound sophomore, has thrown 45 times, completing 23 for 306 yards and six touchdowns.
Meanwhile, the Braves are an offensive juggernaut.
Quarterback Eddie Burgess, a 6-4, 2-15-pound sophomore, is approaching two miles of total offense.
He has passed for 2,357 yards and 42 touchdowns. He has completed 61.3 percent of his throws (141-for-230).
Burgess the rusher has 138 carries for 919 yards and 18 more scores.
The total: 60 touchdowns and 3,276 yards on 368 snaps of the ball.
Receiver Trey Shearer has 52 catches for 909 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Receiver Cole Watts has 47 catches for 725 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Running back Brayden Arendt has 27 grabs for 392 yards and four more scores.
STATS MISC. – Shearer leads Burgess 132 to 130 in total points scored . . . Watts has 104. . .Freshman Owen Cook has kicked off 77 times for 2,826 yards (36.7 yards per), and 13 touchbacks . . .also helping to flip field position for Montezuma has been Trey Shearer as a punter. He has averaged 33.3 yards on a dozen punts – a great average on a field that’s just 80 yards long . . .