Evaluating The Teams - Football

The Arthur-Lovington Knights are no longer playoff hopefuls after beating the Tri-County Titans on Friday (read all about it in this week's News-Progress! O yea!), as they secured their entry with the win, but what's this mean??

We won't really know much until the playoff schedule established on Oct. 25, but we do know that the Knights are back in it for the sixth time in seven years. The surprisingly small squad of 26 first has to take on the undefeated powerhouse of Villa Grove this weekend at home (BE THERE! Root on your Knights and help them pull off an upset!), and then we'll let the fun begin.

I look forward to seeing the Knights in the playoffs, and I even look forward to seeing them next weekend against Villa Grove. This is a team that has a TON of heart, and that's often what wins games, not just talent.

They have a lot of that, too. When you ask coach Dale Schuring how he is able to win with such a small team (both in number and physicality), he always tells you the same thing, that he has ALWAYS had a small team with the Knights and that they have had to cope with this. The Knights take what they have and win.

Schuring has no problem saying that the Knights are a finesse team, and they apparently do it well. They have racked up 1,931 yards rushing this season (241 yards/game) on only 278 carries (an amazing average of seven yards per carry),

Running back Justin Schuring, Dale's son, could break 1,000 yards rushing this season on Friday against Villa Grove, as he has already piled up 934 yards and 10 touchdowns. Senior quarterback Adam Carver is a scrambling quarterback who keeps the defenses guessing, and he has tucked it in and ran 45 times for 404 yards and 10 touchdowns.

In this week's poll, many have stated that Sullivan-Okaw Valley could maybe learn something from Arthur-Lovington's success, and I believe that it's true that a struggling team should take note of any successful program and what their skill is. As mentioned, the Knights are now in the playoffs for the sixth time in six years, and they have always done this on finesse, meaning they have recognized what kind of team they were and have embraced that. I believe Nate Lorton is learning what kind of team he has and they are also learning what kind of coach he is.

Dale Schuring was an assistant with Arthur-Lovington many years before taking over as head coach six years ago. Being that Lorton had never seen the Redskins before wearing the coach's hat this year, he has to have a window of time to work with.

It would also be good to see S-OV's players learn something from the players of a winning program like A-L, which starred several vocal leaders on the field, particularly Dan Bolsen. Bolsen wanted the playoffs this season more than anything, and his focus became playoffs, playoffs, playoffs, and his teammates followed. That's the sort of personality the Redskins will need next season, a critical year for Lorton and the Redskins.

All year long I have been posting polls and have found some interesting responses. One interesting response, one I hear away from the blog, too, is that many people blame the Redskins' poor records in recent years on the tough conference. That statement has some validity, but that excuse and every other one needs to be tossed out the window starting in this offseason.

Our parents and teachers often told us to not make excuses, and I believe that applies in high school football, too. Many believe it would be nice for the Redskins to get more players from Okaw Valley, and it would be, but Arthur-Lovington has proven they can win with only three players from Lovington. Many say they can't win in the conference, but it appears to simply be a matter of getting students out there to play, get them trained and filled with confidence, because smaller schools in the conference have been able to do much more.