Eagles on a collision course with Canby

FOOTBALL PLAYOFF PREVIEW – Site moved to turf field in Oregon City for Friday's quarterfinal playoff

By David Ball

The Gresham Outlook, Nov 25, 2009

ADVERTISEMENTS

Centennial football players are being asked to take last week’s game plan and tear it into pieces before burying the shreds of Xs and Os in a deep hole somewhere far, far away. The Eagles’ coaching staff wants it to be a distance memory when the team steps onto the practice field this week to prepare for a completely different Canby attack.

Last week, Centennial closed down the spread passing attack of Clackamas, holding the Cavaliers to just one touchdown in the second half of its 42-21 win. Next up is Canby’s wing-T running game where the Cougars flood the field with blockers to confuse and overpower the defense.

“It’s the total opposite of what we saw last week,” Centennial coach Chris Knudsen said. “It will be very physical. Canby sends a lot of people to the point of attack, but I think our guys are ready to stand up to that task.”

Nose tackle David Vieru was second in the Mount Hood in sacks and eats up plenty of space in the middle of the field, while linebackers Tyler Hoecker and Trey Danner have made tackles in the backfield all season.

Senior quarterback Josh Yoder directs Canby’s offense, passing for more than 1,500 yards and 16 TDs. He hasn’t been picked since September. The running game has seen eight different players with significant carries, led by all-league junior Adam Bell. Receiver Cody Smith is the Cougars’ big-play threat with 602 yards and four TDs.

Centennial counters with a three-headed monster in the backfield with quarterback Nate Wolf, fullback Ivan Palavra and halfback Kevin Bannister sharing the load. Bannister is also the Eagles’ leading receiver.

“We’re both ball-control offenses, so turnovers would be devastating to either team,” Knudsen said. “I’m really proud of our defense, and the way they’ve been able to rise to the occasion and make big plays for us.”

Turnovers played a key role in Centennial’s win last week with Bannister picking off a pair of passes to end Clackamas drives deep in the Eagles’ end.

Centennial will need to be hitting on all cylanders to upset the state’s No. 3-ranked team, and part of that equation is special teams where the Eagles boast all-league kicker Matt Hopp and punter Spencer Bell, along with a second-team returner in Bannister.

1 | 2 Next Page >>