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Athens faces Sunnyvale in Round 3
(Post sponsored by Tinsley Title, Holt Wrecker, R&R lawn specialists, Gibson Pharmacy.)
Michael V. Hannigan
They’re thankful, but still hungry.
That has been the tone all week as Athens heads into its third-round playoff game Friday afternoon. The Hornets play Sunnyvale at 1 p.m. in Ennis in the Class 4A Division II regional semifinals. Athens is the visiting team.
Coach Zac Harrell said this round always brings strong opponents.
“There’s no turkeys left after Thanksgiving,” Coach Harrell said. “There’s no bad teams playing during this week.”
Sunnyvale fits that message. The Raiders are 11-1, with their only loss coming against Pleasant Grove, which is ranked No. 2 in the state. Their offense is explosive, averaging 52 points per game.
Coach Harrell said everything starts with Sunnyvale quarterback Cayson Maupin.
“He’s a warrior,” Coach Harrell said. “You can have everybody covered. You can get pressure on him. But he’s going to get out of it and somehow find a way to make a play.”
Coach Harrell said Maupin ran for 270 yards last week and can also beat defenses through the air.
The Raiders are big up front, and feature Grayson Smith at receiver.
Smith also anchors their defense as a linebacker and brings pressure with a physical front. Coach Harrell said Sunnyvale plays mostly man coverage and try to jump routes.
Still, he believes the Hornets match up well if they stay true to their identity.
“If we play our best game, we’re going to have a chance to beat anyone we play,” Coach Harrell said.
Keys to the Game
Word of the Week: Thankful, but still hungry
Coach Harrell said the team spent time sharing things they were thankful for during practice.
“God has blessed us to be a part of this team and this community,” he said. “We’re thankful for what we have, but we’re not satisfied.”
* Prepare the right way. Coach Harrell said the schedule is different this week without school, but the team has stacked two strong practices.
* Get off the field on third and fourth downs. Athens wants to reach 70 percent on stops in those situations.
* Be the tougher team. Coach Harrell said playoff games often come down to physical play.
* Make plays in the passing game. Sunnyvale is expected to load up to stop the run, which means Athens must protect and hit throws.
* Win special teams. The Hornets have improved in this phase since the Center game and want to keep that edge.
Coach Harrell also called on the Athens crowd to help make Friday special. He said the visitors’ side needs to be packed and loud. He praised last week’s crowd against Krum saying, “It was special. It was loud and big.”
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hannigansnotebook.substack.com
View all episodes
By Michael V. Hannigan(Post sponsored by Tinsley Title, Holt Wrecker, R&R lawn specialists, Gibson Pharmacy.)
Michael V. Hannigan
They’re thankful, but still hungry.
That has been the tone all week as Athens heads into its third-round playoff game Friday afternoon. The Hornets play Sunnyvale at 1 p.m. in Ennis in the Class 4A Division II regional semifinals. Athens is the visiting team.
Coach Zac Harrell said this round always brings strong opponents.
“There’s no turkeys left after Thanksgiving,” Coach Harrell said. “There’s no bad teams playing during this week.”
Sunnyvale fits that message. The Raiders are 11-1, with their only loss coming against Pleasant Grove, which is ranked No. 2 in the state. Their offense is explosive, averaging 52 points per game.
Coach Harrell said everything starts with Sunnyvale quarterback Cayson Maupin.
“He’s a warrior,” Coach Harrell said. “You can have everybody covered. You can get pressure on him. But he’s going to get out of it and somehow find a way to make a play.”
Coach Harrell said Maupin ran for 270 yards last week and can also beat defenses through the air.
The Raiders are big up front, and feature Grayson Smith at receiver.
Smith also anchors their defense as a linebacker and brings pressure with a physical front. Coach Harrell said Sunnyvale plays mostly man coverage and try to jump routes.
Still, he believes the Hornets match up well if they stay true to their identity.
“If we play our best game, we’re going to have a chance to beat anyone we play,” Coach Harrell said.
Keys to the Game
Word of the Week: Thankful, but still hungry
Coach Harrell said the team spent time sharing things they were thankful for during practice.
“God has blessed us to be a part of this team and this community,” he said. “We’re thankful for what we have, but we’re not satisfied.”
* Prepare the right way. Coach Harrell said the schedule is different this week without school, but the team has stacked two strong practices.
* Get off the field on third and fourth downs. Athens wants to reach 70 percent on stops in those situations.
* Be the tougher team. Coach Harrell said playoff games often come down to physical play.
* Make plays in the passing game. Sunnyvale is expected to load up to stop the run, which means Athens must protect and hit throws.
* Win special teams. The Hornets have improved in this phase since the Center game and want to keep that edge.
Coach Harrell also called on the Athens crowd to help make Friday special. He said the visitors’ side needs to be packed and loud. He praised last week’s crowd against Krum saying, “It was special. It was loud and big.”
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit hannigansnotebook.substack.com