The ball is on the ground as Marysville’s Cam Jones (4) pounces toward a Toledo Whitmer player. Also pictured for MHS is Braden Deere (20). The Monarchs will play Springfield Friday evening for the Division I-Region 2 championship. (Journal-Tribune photo by Chad Williamson)
“They’re going to spread us out to mainly run the football.”
That was the assessment Marysville High School head coach Brent Johnson has of Springfield.
The Monarchs (12-0) will face the 11-1 Wildcats on Friday for the Division I-Region 2 championship.
MHS will take the top seed of the region into the battle, while Springfield is No. 2 in what should be a tough challenge.
The Wildcats’ offense is led by quarterback Te-Sean Smoot.
He’s a dual threat QB in that he’s passed for 2,009 yards and rushed for a team-leading 802.
“He’s very athletic and the engine that makes their offense go,” said Johnson.
Smoot has gained his ground yards on 178 carries with 19 touchdowns.
The 6-0, 180-pound senior, though, has also completed 144 passes in 221 attempts for his 2,000-plus yards.
Smoot has found receivers for 17 touchdowns and has been picked off nine times.
Although the signal-caller has put up impressive numbers, he’s not the Wildcats’ only weapon.
Running backs Ramon Browder and Jayvin Norman have respectively rushed for 540 and 451 yards.
They’ve combined for 11 TDs.
Smoot has three solid receivers in Anthony Brown, Shawn Thigpen and Daylen Bradley.
Brown has gained 514 yards on 39 receptions with six touchdowns.
Thigpen has 38 catches for 578 yards and five scores, while Bradley has latched on to 28 passes for 506 yards and three TDs.
“They’re all good receivers and they will make you read zones,” said Johnson.
Springfield has passed for 2,043 total yards and rushed for 1,944.
The Wildcats’ skill position players operate behind a sound line.
“Their O line isn’t as big as Whitmer’s, but they’ve got decent size and are solid,” said Johnson.
“They are going to be about 60/40 between the run and pass,” said the Monarch head coach.
The MHS defense has yielded 1,049 rushing yards through 12 games. It has surrendered 1,026 in the air for a total of 2,075.
Opponents have tallied just 85 points against the Monarchs.
“Our defense is going to have to make Springfield work for everything it gets,” said Johnson.
The Monarchs did not blitz as much against Toledo Whitmer last week as they normally have this season.
Instead, they kept defenders back to guard against screen passes.
Johnson said his team will rush the Wildcats this week during certain situations.
“We will have to be able to generate pressure against their quarterback,” he said.
The Monarch boss figures his offensive unit will see a 50 defensive front.
That will be in an effort to stop an MHS ground attack that has rushed for 3,578 yards this fall.
“Their defense is very aggressive and plays well downhill,” said Johnson.
The Cats’ D-line is led by Tywan January, a 5-11, 280-pound senior.
Linebacker Delian Bradley, a 6-0, 180-pound senior, leads the second level and runs to the ball well, according to Johnson.
The Wildcats have yielded 76 points this year.
“I think we’ll present a challenge to Springfield’s defense with as many backs we have who can carry the ball,” said Johnson.
He was referring to senior Gabe Powers, juniors Griffin Johnson and Colton Powers and sophomore Matt Krutowskis.
The quartet has tallied 2,851 yards rushing this season.
What may be the most impressive stat is the four have a combined average of 8.3 yards per carry.
As such, the ground game has put the Monarchs in a ton of second and short situations.
The yard marker will once again play a key role in the outcome of this game.
“We have to stay ahead of the sticks and finish drives when we get in the red zone,” said Johnson. “We will have to possess the ball well.”
The coach also said MHS’ defense must get off the field on third down as much as possible.
“Both teams are going to throw punches,” said Johnson. “However, we don’t have to do anything special on Friday.
“We just need every guy to be the best possible version of himself.”
Gabe Powers (36) of MHS prepares to power past a Toledo Whitmer player. The Monarchs will play for the Division I-Region 2 title against Springfield on Friday. The game will be played at Hilliard Darby High School. (Journal-Tribune photo by Chad Williamson)