September 07, 2012 12:52 AM
Crane wants to get back to where Colorado City has been.
Tonight?s game at Wolf Stadium should give the Golden Cranes a good indication about whether they have what it takes to get there.
Colorado City beat Crane in District 2-2A Division I games each of the last two years, winning the district title in 2010 and then finishing second in 2011. The Wolves figure to be playoff contenders once again this year, and the Golden Cranes also are shooting for the postseason after missing out each of the last two years.
Tonight?s showdown might even be a playoff preview. Crane and Colorado City are in different districts this year and could meet in the first round of the postseason.
?I think it?ll be a good challenge for us and show us how well-prepared we are,? Crane quarterback Charles Tapia said. ?I think this will be a great game for us.?
Colorado City (1-0) opened the season with an 18-15 win against Breckenridge, holding the Buckaroos scoreless until the fourth quarter and sealing the win when Jake Johnson blocked a field-goal attempt as time expired. Crane (1-0) started the season with an even more resounding win, thumping Van Horn 68-20.
The Golden Cranes racked up 405 total yards and scored on all but one of their possessions, getting two passing touchdowns from Tapia and two rushing TDs apiece from Tapia and Pookie Woods, who rushed for 117 yards and also returned a kickoff for a touchdown. Crane was stout defensively, too, intercepting the only two passes thrown by Van Horn and limiting the Eagles to fewer than 5 yards per rushing attempt.
?We talked to our kids about starting out the season on a positive note, and I felt like we played an above-average game in all aspects of the game,? Crane coach Naldo Esparza said. ?I thought we played pretty well defensively and offensively and with our special teams.?
The performance by Tapia, a junior making his first varsity appearance at quarterback, was particularly promising. He rushed for 52 yards and the two scores on only four carries and completed 13-of-17 passes for 144 yards, connecting with six different receivers.
Tapia said he expects Colorado City?s defense, the team?s forte under longtime head coach Frank Johnson, to try to confuse him with an array of alignments and coverage schemes. But Tapia said he expects to be ready after watching the Wolves? game film during his lunch break all week.
The Golden Cranes also hope to be ready for the Wolves? offense, which gained 318 total yards last week and was proficient through the air and on the ground. Nathan Jackson and Mark Henderson combined for 180 rushing yards, and the quarterback Henderson was 14-of-18 passing for 125 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions.
Crane inside linebacker Gunner Tatum, who made a team-high 12 tackles last week and three behind the line of scrimmage, said the defense has more speed than last year and wants to help the team continue its fast start.
?It would definitely raise our confidence,? Tatum said of a win against the Wolves. ?We just can?t go into the game overconfident, because they?re a good team.?
>> Follow Adam Zuvanich on Twitter at @OAZuvanich
Source: http://www.oaoa.com/articles/cranes-11111-oavarsity-rival-district.html
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