Sideline Guru (Playoffs Wk. 2)
FYFFE (10-1) at Red Bay (11-0)
Hello again Dekalb County Football Fans. We have one team left and I’ll give you three guesses who it is. Well everybody got it in one guess. Fyffe Red Devils the defending 2a state champs. Winning 10 games in season seems like a given since Benefield has arrived and this year is no different. Fyffe is 10-1 this season with a lone loss to Cleveland, who has yet to lose a game this year. Fyffe has a rushing attack second to none with a very efficient passing game that compliments their rushing game nicely. Fyffe’s defense is relentless against the rush and their pass defense plays a bend but don’t break style. As a team Fyffe scores 43 points per game, while Fyffe’s defense allows nearly 10 points a game.
Red Bay 11-0 on season led by quarterback Troy Borden and running back Tate Ozbirn has over 1500 yards rushing and 20 touchdowns. In last week’s win the Tigers rushed for 372 yards and scored 56 points . The Tigers defense 2nd in scoring defense (Points Allowed) in all classification in Alabama at less than 6 points per game. The Tigers have 4 players with over 60 tackles. The entire defense flies to the ball as a unit, in 11 games the Tigers have 6 shut outs. With the Tigers offense scoring 44 points a game and their defense allowing just 6 points a game, this makes for a pretty good team.
Now let’s get to picking the game. Both teams will try to break each other’s will running the ball. Fyffe has Kilpatrick and Benefield while Red Bay has Ozbirn and Borden. This should be another (BYOG ) BRING YOUR OWN GUTS game. The big uglies will play a big factor in this game, on both sides of the line of scrimmage. I can foresee the team that can use some play action passing to loosen up the defenses, has the best chance to win. Both teams have ball hawking defensive backs. That can return the interceptions for touchdowns.
So here what I see. It’s a long drive to Red Bay about 3 hours for Fyffe so that might play a factor but remember Fyffe traveled all the way to Auburn last year to win the state championship. The experience Coach Benefield and his team has and the relentless running of Kilpatrick mixed with the improved quarterback play off Benefield also keep an eye out for seniors Ashley and Collins. Don’t forget about the Martin boys on defense, look for big Ethan Jones and Butts to make plays up front. In a hardnose defensive struggle the experience wins over home field advantage.
FYFFE 28
RED BAY 14
