Friday Night Kickoff - Week 7 recap
I have to admit something here, a little behind the scenes here at the station. Matt Orlando and I planned to do a "debate" style blog for last week, it would have been a nice entry for last week. Unfortunately, we recorded it and it was my job to transcribe it. I have to admit right now that I am not the best typist on the planet, I am not even close. I had a typing class at LMC and that's about it. So transcribing a 45 minute bull session wasn't a thing that I was planning on doing.
Now that's out of the way here goes...
In the "debate" Matt and I were going to discuss whether Berrien Springs would make the playoffs. Matt said yes, I said no. Basically we said it would come down to last week's game with Cassopolis. I thought Cass was going to be too much for the Shamrocks, especially with DaShaun Curtis. Matt disagreed, well Matt... I guess you were right. Berrien Springs played an outstanding game, Cass didn't play anywhere near perfect, 7 turnovers will do that.
Now the other big game in the area was LMC vs. Mendon. The halftime score maybe got some people thinking, while I was at Benton Harbor keeping stats for the St. Joe/Benton Harbor game, I had the radio on listening to Phil and Bret, when Marty said it was only 7-0 Mendon at the half, I thought I had misheard that. I didn't expect LMC to be that close, after all... It's MENDON.
But the Lakers were able to stay close for the first half, but then Mendon does what good teams and good coaches do, they make adjustments. LMC wasn't able to keep with the Hornets as Mendon went to 7-0 with a 28-0 win over LMC. The Lakers to their credit were able to hold Mendon to their second lowest point total this season. LMC has their back against the wall now if they want to make the playoffs. The Lakers are 4-3 and have two games left, at New Buffalo and at White Pigeon. The New Buffalo game should be a win for the Lakers, but the Lakers will have to put forth their best effort of the year and try to beat White Pigeon, the Chiefs are 6-1 and their only loss.... is to Mendon.
In the "no kidding" game of the night. St. Joe had an easy time with Benton Harbor. St. Joe handed the Tigers their 7th loss this season with a 45-0 win at Filstrup Field. This wasn't the full Bear lineup either, senior running back Drake Smith sat out this game because of some soreness from carrying the Bears offense for the last few weeks. Insert junior Jamaal Jackson, 3 touchdowns on 95 yards for what was the 3rd running back for the Bears. Now the Bears only recorded 329 yards of total offense. It's a little misleading because from my count, the Bears started all but 2 drives on the Benton Harbor side of the 50 yard line. The Tigers offense wasn't able to do much against the St. Joe defense. When Benton Harbor tried to punt the ball, the Bears reached the punter before the ball did. Josh Weaver blocked another punt, his 4th of the season (which ties a St. Joe record). When the Tigers went for it on fourth down instead of punting, it didn't help. The Tigers were 0 of 5 on 4th down. Benton Harbor was 3 of 14 on third down.
I know it's been a rough two seasons for Maurice Burton, when I arrived at Filstrup Field on Friday, before I even got out of my car, I was approached by some parents from Benton Harbor and we spent a little time talking about our teams, some of the previous games between the Bears and Tigers back in the 80's and early 90's when I was at St. Joe. It's not because of a lack of talent, it's not a lack of coaching, it's not a matter that can be fixed easily with the Tigers. Are the teams they are playing better, I would say yes. The Tigers have losses to Portage Northern, Jackson Lumen Christi, Lakeshore, and St. Joe, some of the best teams in the Big 16. Are the Tigers undermanned. I would say yes. Benton Harbor isn't the football school the St. Joe and Lakeshore are. Basketball is the marquee sport for the Tigers, I don't see that changing, but I would speculate if some of those talented players on the basketball team would go out for football, I could see improvement for the Tigers.
Is Maurice Burton the right man??? WITH NO DOUBT YES!!!! I can't think of a more qualified person that "Mo" to be at the helm of the Tigers.
Now the one suggestion I would have is that Benton Harbor needs to find a kicking game. The need to have at least one specialist who will go to kicking camps who will give the Tigers that one aspect of the game they've never really been able to nail down. Special teams, it's such an important part of the game, and you can't overlook it.
If you think about it. When you kickoff, you want to pin the other team as deep as you can. Giving your opponent a short field on every drive puts your defense in a tough spot. The same with punting, you're defense isn't going to fare well when giving another short field. St. Joe's first drive last Friday started at the Benton Harbor 22 yard line. The Bears were in the end zone one play later. Plus after the touchdown wouldn't you like to be able to add the extra point, it's almost a free point and it's an important point.
I'm not saying that a kicker will cure all of Benton Harbor's ills, but it would be a start. It won't get them to a St. Joe or Lakeshore, but if you think, what was the score of the Tigers game at Kalamazoo Central??? Kalamazoo Central 7, Benton Harbor 6. Don't think that extra point is important??? Wouldn't a win for the Tigers against the Giants been a huge step?
Lakeshore clinched their 11th straight postseason appearance with a 28-9 win at Battle Creek Central (I hope Al had a sloppy joe at C.W. Post... they are good). Coco Johnson had 212 yards rushing for the Lancers who rebounded after the heartbreaking loss to St. Joe. If you ask me, this was even more of a statement game for the Lancers than the Bears 67-35 shootout a few weeks ago. The Lancers were able to keep the BCC offense out of the end zone for most of the night, Larry Caper did have 180 yards, but none of those yards were between the 1 yard line and the goal line for the Michigan State recruit.
If you enter halftime with a 13-6 lead against one of the top teams in your conference in the last 20 years, in a game that is important for your playoff lives. Name one thing you shouldn't do in the third quarter. I'll bet you South Haven knows the answer, the answer is not allow 27 points in the third quarter. Unfortunately for the Rams, that is exactly what they did in a 33-21 loss at Three Rivers. Three Rivers scored two rushing touchdowns, one passing touchdown, and to top it off, a fumble return for a touchdown. South Haven faces a hungry Vicksburg team this week, Vicksburg is 4-3 and trying to reach the playoffs for the first time since 1990.
That's all for now. The Red Wings beat Ottawa on Saturday 3-2, and the Grand Rapids Griffins lost to Lake Erie 4-3 in overtime. So it's been an OK Saturday. Not looking forward to Sunday... The Lions are playing
