McGregor Takes on West In Class 3A Division I Bi-District Opener

The​ ​Bulldogs​ ​offense​ ​is​ ​lead​ ​by​ ​a​ ​trio​ ​of​ ​rushers​ ​in​ ​Michael​ ​Irons,​ ​Jonathan​ ​Phenix,​ ​and​ ​Jared
Lorenz,​ ​who​ ​will​ ​have​ ​the​ ​Trojans​ ​defense​ ​feeling​ ​like​ ​they​ ​are​ ​fighting​ ​against​ ​Cerberus (mythology​ ​three​ ​headed​ ​dog).​ ​McGregor​ ​is​ ​currently​ ​averaging​ ​253​ ​rushing​ ​yards​ ​per​ ​game and​ ​24​ ​points​ ​per​ ​game.​ ​

The​ ​passing​ ​game​ ​doesn’t​ ​see​ ​as​ ​much​ ​action​ ​as​ ​the​ ​rushing​ ​game​ ​for the​ ​Bulldogs,​ ​but​ ​when​ ​used​ ​it’s​ ​used​ ​effectively.​ ​Iron’s​ ​and​ ​Lorenz​ ​can​ ​both​ ​sling​ ​the​ ​ball, which​ ​can​ ​be​ ​difficult​ ​for​ ​teams​ ​to​ ​defend.

McGregor​ ​Defensively

The​ ​defense​ ​for​ ​McGregor​ ​has​ ​forced​ ​13​ ​turnovers​ ​this​ ​season,​ ​six ​interceptions​ ​and​ ​seven ​fumbles. Cade​ ​Zacharias​ ​and​ ​Wyatt​ ​Allison​ ​lead​ ​the​ ​Bulldogs​ ​defense,​ ​with​ ​over​ ​90​ ​tackles​ ​apiece​ ​on​ ​the season.​ Senior ​Wyatt​ ​Allison​ ​has​ ​been​ ​a​ ​nightmare​ ​for​ ​quarterbacks​ ​this​ ​season, finishing with 11 hurries and seven sacks during the regular season.​ ​​Noah​ ​Jenkins​ ​has​ ​chipped​ ​in​ 16 hurries and ​five ​sacks​ as well. The​ ​Bulldogs​ ​defense​ ​has​ ​six​ ​other​ ​players​ ​with​ ​at​ ​least​ ​one ​sack​ ​on​ ​the​ ​season​.

Keys​ ​for​ ​Success

The​ ​Bulldogs​ ​will​ ​need​ ​to​ ​focus​ ​on​ ​ball​ ​security​ ​in​ ​this​ ​matchup. ​Turnovers​ ​and​ ​penalties​ ​have​ ​the​ ​potential​ ​to​ ​cost​ ​teams games​ ​and​ ​McGregor​ ​will​ ​need​ ​to​ ​minimize​ ​these​ ​two​ ​categories​ ​for​ ​success.

West​ ​Offensively

The​ ​Trojans​ ​offensive​ ​is​ ​lead​ ​by​ ​junior​ ​quarterback​ ​Nathan​ ​Gerik,​ ​who​ ​has​ ​thrown​ ​for​ ​1,339
yards, ​16​ ​touchdowns​ ​and​ ​five ​interceptions​ ​on​ ​the​ ​season​. His​ ​favorite​ ​target​ ​is​ ​Romeo​ ​Hernandez, who has ​hauled​ ​in​ ​34​ ​passes​ ​for​ ​588​ ​yards​ ​and nine touchdowns.​ ​

West​ ​has​ ​been​ ​able​ ​to​ ​rely​ ​on​ ​Paeton​ ​McFarlin​ ​to​ ​run​ ​the​ ​ball​ ​when​ ​needed​ ​for 743​ ​yards​ ​on​ ​111​ ​carries​ ​with​ three ​touchdowns.​ ​Nathan​ ​Gerik​ ​also​ ​uses​ ​his​ ​legs​ ​to​ ​give​ ​defensive coordinators​ ​fits.​ ​and leads​ ​the​ ​Trojans​ ​with​ ​11​ ​rushing​ ​touchdowns​ ​and​ ​has​ ​accumulated​ ​707 yards​ on the season

West​ ​Defensively

Opposing​ ​quarterbacks​ ​have​ ​been​ ​in​ ​trouble​ ​trying​ ​to​ ​pass​ ​the​ ​ball​ ​against​ ​the​ ​Trojans​ ​defense
this​ ​season.​ ​Romeo​ ​Hernandez​ ​has​ ​been​ ​a​ ​ball​ ​hawk​ ​intercepting​ ​seven ​passes,​ ​which​ ​has​ ​him​ ​tied for​ ​first​ ​place​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Central​ ​Texas​ ​area.​ ​

West​ ​is​ ​currently​ ​holding​ ​opponents​ ​to​ ​22.6​ ​points​ ​per game,​ ​but​ ​in​ ​their​ ​two​ ​losses​ ​this​ ​season​ ​they​ ​gave​ ​up​ ​40​ ​and​ ​43​ ​points.

Keys​ ​for​ ​Success

West​ ​will​ ​need​ ​to​ ​force​ ​McGregor​ ​to​ ​pass​ ​the​ ​ball​ ​more​ ​than​ ​they​ ​are​ ​comfortable​ ​with​ ​and​ ​hope that​ ​Hernandez​ ​can​ ​work​ ​his​ ​turnover​ ​magic.​ ​Discipline​ ​and​ ​fundamentals​ ​will​ ​help​ ​the​ ​Trojans in​ ​a​ ​game​ ​guaranteed​ ​to​ ​be​ ​full​ ​of​ ​emotions.

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