In a game between two Top 10 teams, No. 6 Dove Creek and No. 4 Sargent will match up in a Mountain conference battle on Friday.
Both the Bulldogs and the Farmers enter the game with 6-1 records, with their only losses coming at the hands of the No. 3 Norwood Mavericks.
And because they sit atop the conference with undefeated league records, the winner could solidify a playoff spot.
Dove Creek and Sargent are similar teams, with offenses structured around the run.
Their running styles differ.
While Sargent relies on its speed to get the edge on outside runs, the Bulldogs revert to old-fashioned, smash-mouth football, running behind a monster offensive line lead by junior center Dante Gallegos and senior linemen Spencer Gatlin and Beau Hemphill.
Dove Creek coach Shane Baughman plans to utilize his size advantage come Friday.
“We’re going to hopefully have our offense help our defense out with long sustaining drives,” he said. “We’re going to try to keep the ball on the ground.”
Jordan Ernst and Case Baughman both average over 100 yards rushing per game, but it’s the Bulldogs’ depth that makes them special.
Junior Scott Gatlin has four rushing touchdowns on the season, and he offers a change of pace from Baughman. And senior Colin Hobbs, after a late start, rushed for 63 yards and two touchdowns last week in his first game of the season.
The Farmers average 324 yards rushing per game, and they’ll also mix up carries between Esteban Aguilera (102 YPG), Ryan Davis (83 YPG) and Justin Hacsi (76 YPG).
Baughman knows that the Bulldogs will need to contain the edges to rein in the Farmers’ speed, and he hopes to get them out of their element.
“They’re going to have to throw the ball,” he said. “We’re going to really emphasize the run and make them beat us with the pass if they’re going to beat us.”
Sargent threw only one pass last week against Del Norte, and has passed only 17 times in the previous three games.
However, sophomore quarterback Ryan Davis completes 54 percent of his passes and has eight touchdowns on the season and only one interception.
If Dove Creek can force Sargent to pass, they’ll need good play from their secondary.
But after grabbing three interceptions last week, Jordan Ernst and the Bulldogs may be up to the task.
