Eagles, Apaches primed for playoff shootout|[11/16/07]

Published 12:00 am Friday, November 16, 2007

Anyone looking to promote tonight’s MPSA Class A playoff game between Porters Chapel and Glenbrook could borrow a line from an old monster truck commercial — they’ll sell you the whole seat, but you’ll only need the edge.

PCA and Glenbrook come into the second-round game with a knack for breaking the big play. PCA has 18 touchdowns on plays of longer than 20 yards this season, most of them by Austin Barber. The senior running back has scored from 20 or more yards on 11 of his 18 touchdown runs.

Glenbrook (9-3), meanwhile, has a more balanced attack. It has 22 touchdowns of 20 yards or longer, split up rather evenly among several players including quarterback Jake Byrd and tailback Jack Jiles. The Apaches averaged 31.5 points per game on their way to the District 6-A title.

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It all means there’s the potential for an entertaining, high-scoring game when the two teams meet in Minden, La., tonight at 7. And that’s something neither coach really wants to see.

“We’re going to have to try and avoid giving up the big play. They’ve been a quick strike team and we have to contain them,” PCA coach Randy Wright said. “We don’t want to get in there and get in a scoring match with them. A high-scoring game definitely favors them.”

Glenbrook coach Jerry Almond wants to avoid a shootout for a different reason. He said as many as six starters could miss the game because of various injuries. The Apaches had enough firepower to beat Sylva Bay 42-14 in a first-round game last week, but Almond said it would take a lot more to get by PCA (9-3).

“Their running back they’ve got is a man. He’s awesome. I don’t know if we’re going to be able to stay with him,” Almond said of Barber. “He’s going to get his yards. Your best hope is to keep him out of the end zone.”

Wright said the best way to counter Glenbrook’s big-play ability was with a plodding, ball-control offense. That might be hard to do if Barber is breaking long runs.

“If we do that, great. I hope he breaks five or six runs. We’re going to have to score,” Wright said. “But we need to control the clock or play exceptional defense. One of the two.”

The Eagles might have an easier time if Glenbrook is as banged up as Almond says. Then, they might need to give a word of thanks to Prairie View.

Almond said the rash of injuries started in the regular-season finale against Prairie View, a tough, physical Class AA team that beat Glenbrook 36-8. Prairie View also beat PCA, 34-7, in the third week of the season. After that game, Wright had to limit contact in practice for most of the rest of the year because the Eagles were so banged up.

“We’ve got them dropping like flies. Don’t drink the water if you come over here,” Almond joked.