March 29, 2024

Tigerhawks, Hawks open Class A district play against each other

When fans file into the bleachers at Colfax-Mingo High School on Friday, they will witness two very different offenses square off against each other.

The Tigerhawks (1-1) will spread out the Lynnville-Sully defense, while the Hawks will force Colfax-Mingo to stop a rushing attack that has gained more than 500 yards in the first two games of the season.

Colfax-Mingo’s Jared Myers is second in Class A with 518 passing yards and has a Class-A best six touchdown passes. Lynnville-Sully has attempted just 12 passes all season.

The Tigerhawks have Jacob Lietz and Blake Summy, who have combined for 23 receptions and 333 yards. Lynnville-Sully’s rushing attack features senior Sage Ehresman and his 374 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns.

“We are looking forward to a good game,” Colfax-Mingo coach Jeff Lietz said. “Coach (Mike) Parkinson will have his guys ready. And we’ll be ready. Hopefully we find a way to win.”

Coach Lietz and Parkinson are taking two different approaches to their Class A District 7 opener.

Coach Lietz doesn’t shy away from the magnitude of the game. Parkinson doesn’t want to make the game any bigger than it is.

“I’d love to build this game up, but that’s not how we do things,” Parkinson said. “We take it one game at a time. It’s a big game, because it’s the game we have this week.”

Colfax-Mingo and Lynnville-Sully are expected to be in the mix for two of the four district playoff spots this season.

They both finished in a three-way tie for third at 4-3 last year, but the Hawks were the odd team out when the postseason began.

Lynnville-Sully hopes to start the district season better than it did a year ago and that means finding a way to reverse last year’s outcome against Colfax-Mingo, which ended in a 45-16 win for the Tigerhawks.

“They have a good football team.” Parkinson said of the Tigerhawks. “We will have our hands full, and we have to step up and play.”

Lietz knows he will see a different Hawks team than the one he saw in 2014. Ehresman did not play in last year’s contest.

“This game is huge for us,” Coach Lietz said. “It’s important to get off to a fast start in district play. (L-S) is a tough team to prepare for. And (Ehresman) is a tough running back to prepare for.”

Myers will sling it all over the field, but he also has 150 rushing yards, and Lietz provides a punch out of the backfield, too.

And while Lynnville-Sully will bring more of a one-dimensional attack, that doesn’t make them easy to prepare for.

“It’s no secret what they want to do,” Coach Lietz said. “But they have different looks and formations. They are well coached. We’ll have to be very tough up front.”

Action will kick off at 7 p.m. Friday in Colfax.

Davis County (0-2) at CMB (2-0), 7:30 p.m.

The Raiders are 2-0. The Mustangs are 0-2. And this is the Class 2A District 7 opener for both teams. It will be played in Baxter.

CMB won this game 40-12 last year and Davis County has been outscored 88-16 to start the season.

The biggest questions coming into the game involve injuries. CMB did not have quarterback Hunter McWhirter for the 48-30 win over Roland-Story. Lineman Archer McFadden returned from an injury, but Brady Kemp (ankle), Jason Hillgren (concussion) and Dalton Birchmier (ankle) were all injured during the victory.

The Raiders have a more than capable backup quarterback in Nate Bishop, who threw for 256 yards in the win over the Norsemen. And running back Blake Coughenour and wide receiver Brady Stover are two impact players on offense.

Coughenour comes into the game ranked first in rushing touchdowns (6) and second in rushing yards (345) in 2A. He averages 10.1 yards per carry.

Stover is currently tied for fourth with 12 catches, third with 224 yards and he averages 18.7 yards per reception.

CMB has scored 48 points in each of the first two games.

PCM (1-1) at Centerville (0-2), 7:30 p.m.

In another Class 2A District 7 opener, the Mustangs will try to maintain the momentum they gained in last week’s 48-12 win over Central Decatur.

Centerville has begun the season 0-2. It opened the season with a 34-0 loss to Chariton and then was defeated by Knoxville, 49-22, last week.

Centerville went 1-8 last year and is currently on a seven-game losing streak. The Big Red have allowed at least 34 points in six of those seven games and PCM won last year’s meeting 48-19.

Logan Gilman bounced back with a big game last week against Central Decatur. He was 10-of-11 and threw three touchdowns. He now has 297 passing yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions on the year.

Gilman has hooked up with nine different receivers and Logan Littrell has gained 162 yards and two scores on the ground. Reid Jenkins leads the defense with 20 tackles.

Contact Troy Hyde at
641-792-3121 ext. 6536 or thyde@newtondailynews.com