GameSetter: Week 9 vs Cache Bulldogs - Heritage Hall Athletics

When and Where:
4A Cache (5-3) at 4A #3 Heritage Hall (8-0)
October 27 (FRI) 7:00 PM
Charger Stadium

Most Recent Matchup:
In last year's matchup with the Cache Bulldogs, Heritage Hall arguably played their most well rounded first half of the entire season, which is extraordinarily impressive when considering the Chargers had victories by the scores of 56-20 and 37-7 earlier in the season. Both defenses played well out of the gates, as each team ended the first quarter with zeroes on the scoreboard. However, the Charger offense really got things going in the second, when Blake Adams connected with Zane Wade from 16 yards out to take a 7-0 lead. Adams continued to put the pressure on the Bulldogs, finding the end zone from nearly midfield two times in a row and extending the lead to 19-0. As the half was nearing an end, Adams threw yet another touchdown pass, his fourth of the quarter, which was followed by a Billy Ross Jr. run for a the two point conversion, giving the Hall a 27-0 lead at the halftime break. Heritage slowed down offensively in the second half, but not before Adams, who finished the day with 282 passing yards, could throw for his fifth touchdown in the game. The Chargers eventually won the game 33-14, with the Bulldogs' only scores coming off of two second half special teams touchdowns.

Player Spotlight:
Cache's best player is Hayden Nunley, one the most versatile players Heritage Hall has faced so far this season. Nunley is the primary ball carrier for the Bulldogs on offense, however, he lines up at both running back and wide receiver throughout a game, making it difficult for defenses to find and match up with him on the field. On defense, Nunley plays outside linebacker and has a tremendous ability to make one-on-one tackles in open space, using his speed to get in the backfield and blow up opposing plays before they get started. Although Nunley is an effective player on both sides of the ball, the best part of his game is as a returner on special teams. The Chargers know this well, as Nunley returned both a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns in last year's matchup, providing the only points for Cache in the entire game. In fact, he returned a kickoff 83 yards for a touchdown just this past week in the Bulldogs' high scoring victory over Elk City. Nunley will need another big game, on offense and special teams especially, if the the Bulldogs are going to past the Hall's stingy defense.

It's also important to note that Jayden Garcia, Cache's starting quarterback from last year's matchup, is back as a senior and playing well. He's a smart player that makes the right decision often, which is important when playing a familiar opponent like Heritage Hall.

Outlook:
Cache provides a unique and much different play style when compared to the Newcastle Racers, who the Chargers defeated 56-7 in an impressive win last week. When on offense, the Bulldogs like to slow the game down and rely on deception for success. They like to line the quarterback up under center and motion a wide receiver into the backfield, snapping the ball just in time to either hand it to the running back or dump it off to the to the receiver. This different style is much like the Pittsburgh Panthers in college football, and can make it tough for defenses to follow where the ball goes. Cache's defense, however, is their bread and butter, as it hasn't allowed more than 27 points and no more than 20 just two times in the first seven games. In the Bulldogs' game with Elk City last week, though, Cache allowed 48 points, an uncharacteristically high amount. They will no doubt be determined to get back on track against a highly regarded Heritage Hall program and show the rest of Class 4A what they can do. The biggest key for the Chargers in this weekend's game will be to communicate on defense and keep up with Cache's motions. If Heritage can execute that, they should have no problem shutting down the Bulldogs' offense to improve to 9-0 on the season.

Article by Jake LeForce '19
Photos by Jake Steelman '19

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