4A Game of the Week: Northwestern vs York

[trojangrad78]

Just some stats and thoughts I threw together about this game.

2013 Games...Both teams are 8-0
Northwestern 51 @ Gaffney 19
Northwestern 38 Charlotte Catholic (NC 4A) 17
Northwestern 65 @ South Aiken 7
Northwestern 42 Byrnes 35
Northwestern 34 Lancaster 0
Northwestern 27 @ South Pointe 0
Northwestern 49 Clover 6
Northwestern 42 @ Fort Mill 20
Total Points Scored 348
Total Points Allowed 104

York 19 Chester (3A) 7
York 46 @ Boiling Springs 45
York 35 Gaffney 32
York 57 Keenan (2A) 12
York 50 Rock Hill 26
York 56 Fort Mill 24
York 46 @ Lancaster 7
York 66 Nation Ford 24
Total Points Scored 375
Total Points Allowed 177

Common Opponents
Northwestern 51 @ Gaffney 19
York 35 Gaffney 32
Northwestern 34 Lancaster 0
York 46 @ Lancaster 7
Northwestern 42 @ Fort Mill 20
York 56 Fort Mill 24

My rambling thoughts.

Strength of Schedule: Northwestern
Gaffney....common opponent
Byrnes is better than Boiling Springs
Charlotte Catholic is better than Chester (3A)
South Aiken (4A 1-7) is better than Keenan (2A 5-3)

Overall Opponents Wins/Losses without Markoffs: Equal (46-42)
Overall Opponents Wins/Losses with Markoffs: Northwestern (Northwestern 44-28 York 38-34)
Shoutout to SF Band Dad!

Offense: Northwestern
Northwestern......plays a ball control passing attack while York plays a more deep downfield quick strike attacking offense. They have very experienced skill players that have played together for multiple seasons. The addition of wr #5 Quadarious Fair was huge. #14 Dupree Hart is a threat to score every time he touches the ball by rushing, receiving, or returning kicks. They have played things very conservatively and close to the vest since the Byrnes game. Coach Richardson sometimes appears to overthink things. The qb, Mason Rudolph, seems to get "happy feet" quickly if he gets pressured and if he gets rattled, it can take him a while to calm down again. He has a tendency to throw the ball low and short and he also will throw the ball into double or triple coverage either trusting his arm strength or the receiver's ability to make a play. The wideouts are tall and strong, although they sometimes drop the easy ones while catching a lot of the difficult ones. The ability to run the ball is better than might be expected of a spread passing offense.
York......I have not seen York play personally, so my knowledge is limited to what I have been told, what I have read, and parts of games I have listened to on the radio. Their qb is a 1st year starter, and based on the points put up, certainly has the ability to put the ball on target. They have clearly demonstrated the ability to score. I have been told their offense is more deep downfield and attack oriented than ball control oriented. They scored when they had to in their victories over Gaffney and Boiling Springs.
Overall......Both teams have demonstrated the ability to score.

Defense: Northwestern
Northwestern......has given up fewer points to overall better teams. They play a "bend but don't break" defense. They give up a lot of yards between the 30's and have been susceptible to the run. Their secondary is still suspect and we will see if they can cover the York receivers. They will need to have a total effort in this game. The key defensive players for this game will be #55 Russell Hubbs, #30 Brandon McCoy, and #31 Corey Seargant. The defensive line will need to pressure the York qb.
York......From reports on the games, and from the scores, York's defense will give up points. Never underestimate a Bobby Carrol coached defense.
Overall......One of these two defenses will have to step up. Northwestern's defense has seen the vaunted Byrnes HPO and Charlotte Catholic's highly impressive option rushing attack and their stud rb Elijah Hood. Based on that is why I gave the edge to Northwestern.

Intangibles:
As always, mistakes are the huge variable. Penalties and turnovers will be a key point in this game.
Northwestern's Dupree Hart also returns kicks and can score anytime he touches the ball.
This is one of those old fashioned rivalry games and emotions can/will run high.
It is a home game for Northwestern. If fact, it is the homecoming game so the coaches for both teams will have extra time to make adjustments at halftime.
Both schools play home games on artificial turf, so that will not favor either team.
Both schools have kickers that can make field goals when called upon.

Final score prediction: Northwestern 42 York 35

[Rebel-Fan-74]

Good breakdown..

I do think home field will be worth a little bit and I think Northwestern will be favored by most everyone who makes a pick. I do think York should come in very prepared and very excited. It may be the biggest game York High School has ever played when you consider Northwestern's rankings in USA TODAY, MAX PREPS, etc.

They should be rested, the past three or four weeks have not been too difficult for them. The last real test was Gaffney in week 3 and they had a much more difficult time than Northwestern did with the Indians.

All that aside, I still have to give the edge to the Trojans as I don't think they are taking York for granted.

Northwestern 49
York 34

[Realist]

I'm going with the upset. York by 4.

[EHSMeanGreen]

Really Good Post trojangrad78.

Can you tell us some about last year's game between the 2 teams?
Northwestern won 23-21. Must have been a nail biter.

Do you expect to see some of the same things?

[trojangrad78]

I was there at the game. It was at York and a real barnburner. Here is the link to the article from last year from the local paper about the game.

http://www.heraldonline.com/2012/10/20/ ... egion.html

[trojangrad78]

From our local paper:

When the weather starts cooling and the games begin to grow in stature, that’s when high school football coaches have to get their best players on the field as often as possible. Friday’s meeting of unbeatens York and Northwestern will strengthen that theory to some degree.

As if Kyle Richardson’s team needed more offensive weapons, the Trojans (8-0, 4-0 in Region 3) have slowly but surely been working defensive backs Jaquavious Mackey and Corey Seargent into the offensive game plan. Each has made a catch or two the last two weeks. It makes sense for Richardson to try and get the ball in the hands of a pair of athletes with 4.4 speed that already make impacts in the return game.

York (8-0, 4-0) has made some personnel moves in the opposite direction. Bobby Carroll’s defense was tasked with replacing nine starters after last season, and the growing pains for an inexperienced bunch have been evident. That’s why at halftime of last week’s win over Nation Ford, Carroll began to play speedy wide receivers Markel Castle and Daurice Simpson on both sides of the ball. The pair lined up opposite one another at cornerback on a number of snaps and were significant contributors to the Cougars’ second half shutout of the Falcons, which turned a 31-24 game into a 66-24 shellacking.

Castle, a senior, and Simpson, a junior, combined for five pass break-ups in the third and fourth quarters, and their abilities in the secondary are as obvious as their natural pass-catching knacks. Carroll said Wednesday that he has complete faith in the pair, especially Simpson who as a freshman started at defensive back for York during the 2011 Upper State championship game against South Pointe. The two have combined to catch 77 passes for well over 1,200 yards and 13 touchdowns this season, but it may well be the passes they break up on Friday night that have a bigger impact on the outcome of the game.

Read more here: http://www.heraldonline.com/2013/10/23/ ... rylink=cpy

[movethesticks]

I don't think York's defense will be able to stop NW enough times to outscore them.

NW 42 York 28

[OldTrojanGrad]

By way of information this is not the homecoming game that has already taken place. Great post. Looking forward to an exciting game.

[trojangrad78]

By way of information this is not the homecoming game that has already taken place. Great post. Looking forward to an exciting game.

Oooops.....senior moment

[abdullahthebutcher]

I don't know how you can talk about last year's game without mentioning the roughing call.