Yesterday we started our position-by-position breakdown with a discussion of Poly and Lakewood’s offensive and defensive lines. Obviously, pass protection will be a factor in how well each team can throw the ball, but since we’ve covered that ground, this article will focus on the Jackrabbits’ and the Lancers’ quarterbacks, wide receivers, corners, and safeties. Fans are (probably rightly) expecting to see a lot more runs than passes on Friday night, but these two teams have thrown 36 TDs over the course of the season, and both have broken games open with big passing plays—both also have accurate quarterbacks and receivers who can stretch the field. Of course, both QBs will check down to their running backs, as Richardson and Barner for Poly and Stone for Lakewood are all good at catching the ball out of the backfield–but we’ll get to them tomorrow. Here are your passing-game playmakers.
Poly’s Passing Attack vs. Lakewood’s Secondary
As we mentioned going into the playoffs, Poly QB Morgan Fennell very quietly, very efficiently had a spectacular second half of the season, with a QB rating of 141+. He hasn’t thrown an interception since week four against Lakewood. That success is due to a number of factors: one, Fennell has the tools, and is capable of being pin-point accurate forty yards downfield. His ability to scramble (which bedeviled St. Bonaventure earlier this season) has helped to ease the pressure when he’s in the pocket, as has his O-Line.
But Poly also has two receivers who (again, quietly) could bust this game open, in Kaelin Clay (#4) and Jordan Johnson (#21)—both missed last week’s game against Esperanza due to injury, but they’re likely to return against Lakewood. The two have combined for 657 yards on 31 catches and 9 TDs—that’s an average of 21 yards a catch. Translation: when Fennell goes to these guys, it’s for big gains. Poly’s running backs get most of the ink when people write about their offense, but you can bet the Lakewood coaches aren’t writing off Fennell, Clay, and Johnson; neither should you.
The guys whose job it will be to keep Fennell from making headlines this week include some impressive playmakers. When the QB has made mistakes it’s been because he was trying to force the ball—against this secondary, Fennell can’t afford to do that in this game. Corner Dion Bailey is the Lancers’ best ball-hawk, with 8 picks on the season—Bailey was also the player who saved Lakewood’s season by breaking up a pass in the end zone against Servite. We would expect to see Bailey on Johnson primarily, since Bailey isn’t the most physical guy and Johnson’s a little smaller than Clay. Aaron Aviles, Lakewood’s free safety, could be the biggest factor in the secondary: he delivered a few jarring hits against Mission Viejo that had their receivers scared to cross the middle for the rest of the game. You can bet he’ll try to unload on Clay and Johnson if he gets a chance.
Watch for: The big play. So far in every big game Poly’s had, there’s been a big passing play, whether shots downfield to Clay and Johnson, or last week’s crucial floater to TE Julian Camper. That 63-yard pass put Poly on the two, and they quickly scored the game-winning TD.
Lakewood’s Passing Attack vs. Poly’s Secondary
The Lakewood offense has shown many different faces this season, both literally and figuratively. They have the talent to do almost anything, and they’ve had to ask a lot of different guys to get it done.
The one solid all year has been quarterback Jesse Scroggins (162-for-285, 2282 yards, 22 TDs, 8 INTs). The talented junior has all the physical tools, but it’s his veteran-like decision-making that’s made the Lancer attack so potent. Other than a shaky night against Jordan, Scroggins has been efficient for Lakewood: but only when he isn’t asked to carry the load. The Lakewood offense is a version of the west coast offense. It’s based on timing and space. That space is created between the linebackers and safeties with the use of the play action and motion into the backfield. For that to work, they have to have that spotlight in the backfield. The defense has to respect the run, or the timing is off, and routs run across the middle can get jumped in front of like Jordan’s John Timu did a few weeks ago, grabbing two interceptions in Lakewood’s last loss.
That spotlight is in the backfield again for the Lancers now that running back Jerry Stone has returned. He has chewed up 447 total yards and 5TDs in the two playoff games, and as a result, Scroggins has had time and open receivers to look at. His favorite targets this year have been Tofi Tiedemann and Kevin Anderson. Teidemann is more of a possession receiver, and Anderson has burned more than a few defensive backs deep. The two have combined for 14 TDs and 1210 yards while averaging 17.5 yards per catch.
Needless to say, the Poly defensive backfield will have their hands full. But when teams have inevitably started to throw the ball after being unsuccessful in the running game, nine different guys have come up with interceptions. The big play could come from anybody. The top two talents have to be Lazarri Middleton and Darius Williams-Fox. Middleton is good in coverage, but is better at closing down the flat and making huge plays in the run game (48 tackles)—his lone pick on the year sealed the victory over St. Bonaventure. Williams-Fox just has a nose for the ball, and leads the team with three picks.
Watch For: Scroggins’ demeanor on the sideline. Against Poly (round 1), he was trying to single-handedly bring Lakewood back into that game with his emotion, as well as his play. He showed the opposite ability when the Jordan defense had success, and he was the quietest guy in Lancer Red. He plays better when he’s excited and confident, and just having #21 standing next to him should take care of both.