Wolverines, Greyhounds Look to Shake Off Losses in Region Opener

13 hours ago

3 min read

Scouting the Wolverines

The Wolverines had a tough time getting anything going offensively against Cartersville, particularly on the ground. Woodstock entered the game averaging 221 yards per game rushing but was held to just 44 yards on the ground in the loss.

Dual-threat quarterback Graham Burmeister also left the game in the first quarter and did not return. Burmeister is a crucial part of the Woodstock offense, as he has thrown for 437 yards, rushed for 411 yards and accounted for 10 total touchdowns this season.

Zay Murphy and Jayden Zephir have helped shoulder some of the load in the running game, while Rylan Hubbard and Akin Kier pace the receiving corps. Hubbard has 13 receptions for 145 yards and a touchdown, while Kier has added six receptions for 120 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, Caleb Vigna leads the way with 32 total tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks. Djabril Ba has 19 total tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks, while safety Charlie Baldwin has recorded 25 total tackles. Woodstock has recorded six sacks and forced four turnovers this season.

Scouting the Greyhounds

The Pope Greyhounds come limping into this matchup after falling to East Forsyth last week. The Greyhounds struggled to get anything going offensively in the defeat.

Pope has also dealt withsome absences to a pair of key players, but sophomore standout Ivan Darden Jr. and quarterback Hudson Marinko have both returned after missing time.

Marinko has thrown for 124 yards and rushed for 131 yards this season, while Darden has rushed for 70 yards in two games.

While the two were sidelined, Wyatt Schuck stepped in at quarterback and has thrown for 147 yards. Caleb Mardis has also helped carry the load in the backfield, rushing 34 times for 186 yards and a touchdown. Through the air, Brennon Wendel, Luc McClendon and Connor Oryan have combined for 17 receptions and 297 yards.

Keys to the Game

Woodstock Wolverines

Establish the run: Woodstock needs to get back to the physical ground game that carried the offense earlier in the season.
Protect Burmeister: If Burmeister is available, keeping him healthy will be critical.
Create explosive plays: Hubbard and Kier give Woodstock capable targets in the passing game.
Win the turnover battle: The Wolverines have already forced four turnovers and need to create extra possessions.

Pope Greyhounds

Get healthy: The availability of Marinko and Darden could have a major impact on the Greyhounds' offense.
Stop the Woodstock ground game: Pope needs to prevent the Wolverines from controlling the clock.
Make Schuck comfortable: If Marinko cannot go, Schuck has enough experience to step in, but Pope needs to put him in good situations.
Take advantage of opportunities: With both teams dealing with injuries, one or two big plays could swing this game.

Pundit's Pick

It has been tough going for both of these teams as they deal with injuries to key players. If Burmeister is unavailable this week, look for sophomore Brady Arnold to make his first start. Meanwhile, Pope's Wyatt Schuck already has a couple of starts under his belt, so if Marinko is unavailable, the pressure of Friday night lights will be nothing new to him.

Woodstock has more production to replace if Burmeister cannot play, but we believe the Wolverines have faced the tougher schedule to this point. If Woodstock can establish the ground game, we believe the Wolverines can grind out another win. Expect a low-scoring, physical battle with the Wolverines doing just enough to come away with the victory.

Prediction: Woodstock by 6