Wolverines Look to Keep Momentum Rolling Against Longhorns

Scouting the Longhorns

The Kell Longhorns will look to get back to their winning ways this week after taking one on the chin in their last outing. The Longhorns have shown they can strike quickly with playmakers Brock Burrus, Donte Grant and Amir Jackson. Quarterback Boston Pierce has also established himself as one of the top passers in Class 6A. Kell is averaging 33.2 points per game while allowing 25.5 points per contest.

Scouting the Wolverines

The Woodstock Wolverines snapped a four-game losing streak with a 16-point victory over Rome last week, and they received a major boost with the return of quarterback Graham Burmeister, who had been sidelined by an injury sustained in Week 3. Burmeister made an immediate impact, throwing for 370 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Wolverines to victory.

On the season, Burmeister has thrown for 807 yards and seven touchdowns while completing 69% of his passes. He has also thrown just one interception. A dual-threat playmaker, Burmeister leads Woodstock in rushing with 446 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground.

Burmeister spread the ball around last week, completing passes to six different receivers. Tight end Adrian Holliday led the way with six receptions for 87 yards and a touchdown, while Ryland Hubbard hauled in four catches for 77 yards and two scores. Hubbard leads the Wolverines in receiving with 23 catches for 260 yards and three touchdowns. Holliday has added 15 receptions for 217 yards and three scores.

Woodstock is averaging 19.8 points per game while allowing 30.7. Junior linebacker Caleb Vigna leads the defense with 67 total tackles, including 11 tackles for loss and two sacks. Safety Charlie Baldwin has recorded 52 tackles, while Djabril Ba has totaled 51 tackles, including a team-high 12 tackles for loss and one sack.

Keys to the Game

Kell

• Establish the Run: Get Moonie Gipson going to balance the offense and control the tempo.

• Let Pierce Deal: Boston Pierce must utilize his playmakers to keep the Longhorns' offense rolling.

• Create Big Plays: Brock Burrus, Donte Grant and Amir Jackson need to capitalize on opportunities downfield.

Woodstock

• Keep Burmeister Rolling: Build on Graham Burmeister's four-touchdown performance and dual-threat ability.

• Spread the Ball Around: Get Ryland Hubbard, Adrian Holliday and the other receivers involved.

• Limit Explosive Plays: Keep Kell's offensive playmakers from breaking off big gains.

• Force Defensive Stops: Get off the field on third down and limit Kell's scoring chances.

Pundit's Pick

With Burmeister back in the lineup, this matchup has the potential to turn into a shootout. Woodstock has shown it can be explosive with its full complement of playmakers, but the Wolverines will need a complete performance to keep pace with Kell. The Longhorns have plenty of weapons of their own, and if they can establish the ground game behind Gipson, they could gain a significant advantage. We expect this one to be a back-and-forth battle through the first three quarters before Kell pulls away in the final frame.

Prediction: Kell by 9.