Woodstock-Lassiter: Wolverines, Trojans Set for Key Region Battle

Sep 17

3 min read

Scouting the Wolverines

The Woodstock Wolverines got their ground game back on track last week but struggled through the air. The Wolverines will now look to get back on track in their second week of region play. Woodstock is averaging 136 yards per game through the air and 163.5 yards per game on the ground. Senior quarterback Graham Burmeister leads the team in both passing and rushing, throwing for 437 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 411 yards and seven touchdowns on 55 carries.

However, Burmeister missed last week's game, and his status remains uncertain for this week. The Wolverines have turned to sophomore Brady Arnold, who has thrown for 107 yards while filling in. Zay Murphy has rushed for 227 yards and two touchdowns, with the bulk of that production coming last week. Through the air, Rylan Hubbard (15 receptions, 160 yards, 1 TD), Akin Kier (9 receptions, 159 yards, 1 TD) and Adrian Holliday (7 receptions, 121 yards) have led the way for the Wolverines.

Defensively, Caleb Vigna has been a tackling machine for Woodstock, totaling 44 tackles, including eight tackles for loss and two sacks. Djabril Ba (26 tackles, 6 TFLs, 1 sack) and Charlie Baldwin (29 tackles) have also been standouts for the Wolverines early in the season.

Scouting the Trojans

The Lassiter Trojans got off to a fast start and had a chance to upset a region favorite last week but came up just short. Lassiter has not missed a beat at quarterback, as sophomore Caden Jones has thrown for 952 yards and 11 touchdowns while completing 61% of his passes. The Trojans are averaging 238 yards per game through the air and 184 yards per game on the ground. Jones' top receivers have been Collins Price (27 receptions, 383 yards, 4 TDs), Dalton Price (15 receptions, 198 yards, 2 TDs) and Bryce Kitzrow (9 receptions, 172 yards, 2 TDs).

Eight different Trojans have caught passes this season. Meanwhile, Caden Bloom has led the way on the ground with 318 yards and four touchdowns. Nick Hooten has added 237 yards on 41 carries and a touchdown. Defensively, the Trojans have recorded 10 sacks and forced four turnovers. Cole Stewart leads the team with 19 total tackles, including three tackles for loss.

Keys to the Game

Woodstock Wolverines

Establish the run: Woodstock needs Zay Murphy and the running game to keep the pressure off the passing game.
Protect the football: If Arnold gets the start, smart decisions and ball security will be especially important.
Pressure Caden Jones: The Wolverines' pass rush needs to disrupt Jones before he can get comfortable in the pocket.

Lassiter Trojans

Get the ball out quickly: Quick passes can help neutralize Woodstock's pass rush and put pressure on the Wolverines' secondary.
Stop the run: Lassiter must slow down Zay Murphy and the Woodstock rushing attack.
Protect Caden Jones: Give the sophomore quarterback time to take advantage of the Trojans' talented receiving corps.
Force Woodstock to throw: Making the Wolverines one-dimensional would allow Lassiter to focus on containing the passing game.

Pundit's Pick

The Wolverines' chances for victory will certainly increase if Graham Burmeister is available to play. If he can't go, Brady Arnold will have to improve on his decision-making quickly. Either way, expect Zay Murphy to continue seeing an expanded role at running back. For the Trojans, expect them to try to pick apart the Wolverines' secondary with quick passes designed to negate the Woodstock pass rush. We believe Lassiter is playing with more confidence despite last week's loss, and that should be enough to carry the Trojans this week.

Prediction: Lassiter by 7