by Jake DeLuca
This Friday, the West Shamokin Wolves varsity football team (4-3) will host the number 2 team in the Heritage Conference in the Homer Center Wildcats (6-1).
The Wolves are coming off of a big win over Saltsburg in which they dominated the running game. West Shamokin was able to rush for 369 yards as a team as they rolled to a 44-21 win.
On the other hand, the Wildcats are coming off their first loss of the season after falling to conference leading Ligonier Valley at home 35-6.
On the year, the Homer-Center has run the ball very well. They have tallied 1,716 yards on the ground on the backs of their two big seniors Jesse Lee and Mike Mccracken. The pair have also combined for 18 of the teams 23 rushing scores on the year.
West Shamokin Head Coach Jon McCullough knows his team has to slow down that combination of running-backs.
“They are a physical down-hill running team. They are big up front on the line, they have two big running-backs too both over 200 pounds – they’re battering rams, but they also have some speed to them. They’re one of the top rushing teams in the conference, they come straight at you. They also can go play-action and throw deep on you, so we’ll have our hands full,” McCullough said.
A win on Friday would be huge for the Wolves, who currently find themselves as the 7 seed (out of 8) in the District 6 playoff hunt. McCullough explained the keys to the victory for West Shamokin.
“We have to be able to slow them down in the run game, because they can get rolling and that will be a long night. We can’t allow the big play action plays either, and we have to establish the run,” McCullough said.
It will be a battle on the ground for sure on Friday night at West Shamokin’s Jack E. Boyer Field. Kick-off is set for 7:00 PM.