Gators, Bulldogs meet in pivotal Carolina 1A football affair

By Rudy Coggins
Published in Sports on October 16, 2015 1:48 PM

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rcoggins@newsargus.com

SEVEN SPRINGS -- Spring Creek's football team used its bye week to clean up some correctable errors it encountered during its last outing against Hobbton.

The Gators healed some nagging injuries, too.

Meanwhile, Princeton found some much-needed confidence. The Bulldogs abandoned their shotgun offense and installed the misdirection-oriented wing-T scheme during their bye week earlier this month. The new offense paid its first dividend -- a come-from-behind 15-6 victory over Hobbton last Friday.

"To be honest, we were searching for the right fit for the group of young men that we have," first-year PHS head coach Travis Gaster said. "That's what we thought was the best opportunity to be successful against Hobbton. In the first half, I think our backs were a little bit hesitant because the holes look a little bit different than when you're running (a) spread (offense).

"They're more angles, the holes are a little bit smaller."

Junior running backs Earl Gibson Jr. and Matt Stallworth managed to slip through the creases, particularly behind the play of offensive lineman LeShane White. The 5-foot-11, 280-pounder sustained his blocks that led to Gibson's game-tying 43-yard TD run, and Stallworth's game-clinching 13-yard scamper in the fourth period.

Gibson and Stallworth combined to rush for 203 yards -- more than 60 percent of the team's season-high, 240-plus yards rushing attack.

The victory caught the attention of SC head coach Aaron Sanders.

"I had not seen Princeton play prior to Friday night and understood they were under the gun, but they had gone to a wing-T, which I feel like is a good move for them," Sanders said. "I think it allowed them to control the ballgame ... flip the field position and get a couple of scores in."

Each team seeks an all-important victory tonight at "The Swamp." Princeton (1-5 overall) has a Carolina 1-A Conference win in its hip pocket, while Spring Creek (2-6) is winless in two league outings - and needs a win to stay in the playoff hunt.

Kickoff is 7 p.m.

The series is knotted at 7-all, but Princeton has won four straight and seven of the last eight meetings overall.

Sanders' team is familiar with defending against the wing-T. Sanders said it has caused some problems and that the Gators must play assignment defense, and tackle every person -- even if they don't have the football.

"We're going to have to get stops defensively, which is I feel like is something we have struggled with here of late," Sanders said. "We're going to have to figure out a way to get the other team's offense off of the field. (Against the wing-T) we have to make sure we play our gaps and not get out of position."

Offensively, the Gators have to sustain drives.

First-year SC quarterback Jessie Casper has thrown for nearly 800 yards, but has experienced timing issues with his receivers. He's spread 47 completions and seven touchdown throws among three players - Jamerion Dawson (350 yards, two TDs), Najee Young (171 yards, two TDs) and Dominique Morse (155 yards, three TDs).

Sanders' squad must eliminate possession-killing penalties.

On film, Gaster likes the Gators athleticism, yet it concerns him, too.

"We haven't played a true 100-percent spread team yet," Gaster said. "They try to get their athletes in space and make some good plays. We're going to have to match up with them on the edges. Their receivers are good athletes.

"We've got to make them have long drives and I think that gives us the best opportunity to be successful. This game is very important to both programs as far as looking at the playoffs.

"We'll see how the chips fall."