On offense, the Montezuma-Cortez High School football team has made its living running the football. On defense, the Panthers have relied on a stout defensive line, athletic linebackers and speedy defensive backs to get the job done.
The Panthers’ first-round opponent, St. Mary’s High School, features a balanced offensive attack and a strong team defense. The private Colorado Springs school looks to test the Panthers on both sides of the ball.
Below are some of the factors that could influence the outcome of the Oct. 31 game.
Can St. Mary’s stop Randy Haley?
During the 2014 season, the M-CHS has relied on senior tailback Randy Haley to move the ball and score points.
The senior tailback rushed for 1,564 yards and 27 touchdowns, thanks in large part to his game-breaking speed.
While the St. Mary’s defense will likely key on Haley, defenders also must keep an eye on Panthers QB Jonathan Walck, who rushed for 786 yards and passed for 318 yards.
Will Panthers pass defense hold?
As good as M-CHS has been rushing the football, St. Mary’s QB Hayden Smith has been nearly as good tossing the rock, amassing 1,598 yards.
The recipient of 831 of those yards has been receiver Patrick Telck, who will look to test M-CHS cornerbacks Austin Bayless and Noah Galyon. If Galyon and Bayless struggle, contain Telck, Panthers safety Ryan Gurney will try to provide help over the top.
Look for Panthers defensive linemen Victor Perez, Dante Dennison, Kyle Kennell and Elijah Lansing to do their best to pressure Smith in hopes of limiting St. Mary’s aerial attack.
Who will dominate the line?
Since both M-CHS and St. Mary’s will look to run the football, the ability of the linemen on both teams to hold their positions figures to factor into the outcome of the game.
If the Panthers offensive and defensive linemen play well, Randy Haley will likely have a big game, and the St. Mary’s offense will struggle.
If Panthers linemen are unable to get a push, St. Mary’s running back Ben Brier could have a big day and add to his 1,336 rushing yards on the season.
How about home-field advantage?
Playing host to a playoff game for the first time since 1991, Panthers Stadium figures to attract a large crowd. With Halloween festivities going on during the game, just how big the crowd will be remains unclear.
If fans show up, M-CHS could gain a big home-field advantage.
“It’s extremely important for people to come to the game,” said M-CHS head coach Casey Coulter. “These kids deserve it. It’s kind of depressing to look up there (and see empty seats).”