CAP-7 CONFERNCE FOOTBALL
Trip Foreman (left) and Brandon Pittman have displayed a knack for making big plays this season, and both could play major roles in the outcome of Friday's contest between the Pride and Wolverines.
Wolverines, Pride duke it out Friday
Keep reading for an interesting subplot to tonight's game
In the biggest Cap-7 Conference football game to date — Friday's Leesville Road (7-0) at Wakefield (5-2) match-up — Pride linebacker Brandon Pittman knows his defensive unit can't afford any breakdowns.
No miscues. No mental lapses. And no missteps, the junior explained.
"We know they have a ton of skill people, so we are really going to have to be disciplined," he said after practice Wednesday afternoon. "We can't have one person slip. We can't have someone out of position. Or that will bring our defense down."
Leesville receiver Gerroid Doughty — who may split time at defensive back — singled out the Wakefield's wideouts as an area of concern.
"They have a good receiving corps, so we will have to step it up at the cornerback position," he reasoned. "We are going to have to stop their deep balls because they have big receivers, and they'll go up and get the ball."
With WRs Nigel King and Trip Foreman combining for three touchdowns in last week's 59-21 pasting of Millbrook, the Wakefield duo displayed a combination of speed and size opponents must respect.
On the other side, Wakefield head coach J.D. Dinwiddie knows his defense also has its work cut out Friday, trying to slow down a Pride attack, averaging more than 36 points per game.
Asked what jumped out to him about Leesville, the Wolverine coach rattled off the names of three of the Pride's biggest playmakers, singling out Josh Stanley, Austin Berrios and Thurston Cox.
"We talked about the certain keys we need to be successful this week, and I told our guys they will be a big part of their offense," the coach said.
Dinwiddie added Dylan Edwards' running style gives the Pride offense a physicality the Wolverines must be mindful of.
With Leesville Road leading the conference in scoring and Wakefield coming off its biggest offensive night in school history, there's a long list of potential playmakers on both sidelines.
But let's take a closer look at the complete picture for both teams.
What to know about Leesville entering Friday night
Injuries have been as much a part of Pride football this season as shoulder pads and blue jerseys. And star safety Ryan Mangum — who sat out against Broughton — was one of the more recent casualties, lost for more than a month with an injured arm.
But there's a new off-the-field obstacle for the Pride this week, as nearly a dozen players have missed time due to illness, according to head coach David Green,
While most players will suit up Friday, it's taken away time from preparation during the week.
Logan Bible, Grayson Hawkins and Doughty have been busy leading up to the game, as the trio will be counted on to fill roles in the secondary to combat Mangum's absence.
"Those guys have been stepping in and doing a heck of a job," Pittman said.
While they get comfortable, the Pride linebacker explained the rest of the defense must continue its recent high level of play, allowing just 13 points in the last four games.
"What I like about our defense is everybody makes plays," the junior said. "Nobody slacks off. Everybody is really disciplined and they fly to the ball. We can count on everybody."
Dinwiddie lauded Pittman as one of the defense's biggest lynchpins, capable of delivering a big play or big hit.
The Wakefield coach complimented the Pride's defensive line, explaining while they don't look fast, they are plenty big and strong.
Offensively, the Pride received a lift last week from Doughty, who hauled in two touchdown catches.
The new receiver — more on him later — has been impressed with Stanley at quarterback.
"He's a tough football player," Doughty said. "He throws the ball on the spot, and he makes good decisions."
Added Pittman, "It seems like every game he gets better and better."
Scary news as Stanley, a first-year starter, grows into the position.
What to know about Wakefield entering Friday night
While there is little doubt Wakefield dominated Millbrook in last week's 28-point win, Dinwiddie acknowledged his team didn't play mistaken-free football by any means.
One concern was the Wolverines' special teams unit — an area of pride for Wakefield — which allowed a fourth-quarter punt block and resulted in a touchdown.
"Our special teams weren't as good as they should have been," he said. "I told our kids in a game like this week [against Leesville] we definitely have to win special teams. Or it could cost us a win."
As a result, the Wakefield coaching staff focused on punt protection and kickoff coverage extensively this week.
On the injury front, the Wolverines appear to be getting healthy as DE Matt Yovanovich — injured in last week's win — and RB Courtney Crews — out for the last few weeks — should be in uniform and ready to play.
Crews will be used to spell Denzel Brown, who in recent weeks has found his stride, including a 102-yard, 3-TD performance against Millbrook last week.
"Courtney isn't in game shape yet, but he could get some reps for us, but we don't know just how many," Dinwiddie said.
Darien Jones will see increased time as Yovanovich works his way back to 100 percent.
Dinwiddie explained the junior has the potential for a big performance, but he still needs to put together some of the pieces.
Lineman Michael Sabb, out since before conference play, will not play Friday.
Dinwiddie admitted the magnitude of the game will be a factor, but one the Wolverines welcome.
"We are going to have to handle the atmosphere," he said. "There are going to be a lot of people watching, but our kids still feel like they have a lot to prove because there are some naysayers out there."
But one subject all can agree upon is freshman QB Connor Mitch — 4-1 as a starter — appears to be the real deal at quarterback.
Denzel Brown (left) and Gerriod Doughty have shined since trading jerseys this fall.
Swapping talent
As far as subplots go, the Leesville/Wakefield contest has a good one.
Both squads feature players (Wakefield's Denzel Brown and Leesville Road's Gerroid Doughty), who last year suited up for the "enemy."
After transferring from Leesville to Wakefield during the summer, Brown quickly became a key piece in the Wolverines' backfield, adding a hard-running home run threat. And when Crews went down with an arm injury earlier this season, the junior kicked his game up another gear.
As Pittman recalls of his former teammate, "he's quick, and hard to get down. He won't stop until the whistle blows."
Doughty's emergence as a Leesville playmaker is much more recent, reaching the end zone for the first time Friday against Broughton. But the wide receiver hit paydirt twice against the Capitals.
The senior admitted dropping a sure third TD catch, which his new teammates gave him a good ribbing over this week.
Because Doughty didn't transfer to Leesville until the day before the start of the season, he wasn't allowed to join the program for several weeks.
But in just his third game of the season Friday, he made up for lost time.
And he got hot just in time to face his old team.
"I have some good friends over there," he explained. "Darius Brown, Nigel King, Alex Crump, Trip Foreman and Dexter Trosclair, those are all friends of mine.
"So it will be a lot of fun to go over there and play them."
Likewise, Brown said — following last week's win — he looks forward to the match-up with his former teammates.
"They are a tough team, so we are going to have to be prepared," the running back said. "We are going to have to play a good game to beat them."
Both teams seem to be benefiting from their new additions, Doughty said.
"It's pretty ironic how its worked out, but it was a good trade — speed for speed," he laughed.
