When and Where:
3A Mannford (3-6) vs. 3A #1 Heritage Hall (8-1)
November 2 (Fri) 7:00 PM
Charger Stadium • Senior Night

Game Notes:
Heritage Hall absolutely dominated Blackwell last Thursday, winning by a score of 51-21, which actually does not tell the whole story of the game. After just 24 minutes of play and the two teams headed to the locker room, the Chargers held a resounding 51-0 advantage. With the victory, Heritage clinched their fifth straight district title and home field advantage in both of the first two rounds of the postseason, assuming they win the opener. In that first round contest, the Chargers will be matched up with the loser of the Purcell vs. Marlow game upcoming on Friday as well.

Although Friday's game does not have any real amplifications on the district standings or the playoff picture, there is still a lot on the table to play for. In order to make a deep playoff run like Heritage is expecting to do yet again this year, it is key to be playing your best football of the season entering the postseason, as coach Bogert and the rest of the staff will surely be watching for their team to play solid in all facets of the game. Penalties have plagued the Hall all season long, and it would be a welcomed sight if the team were able to cut those down and have a clean performance against the Pirates. In addition, lingering questions like quarterback, a position that has seen three different players rotate throughout 2018, must be answered heading into the playoffs. It is always nice to know there is depth at such a vital position, however, lingering uncertainty could potentially have a negative effect on the team when it meets adversity against late round opponents. The Chargers are carrying a lot of momentum after defeating rival Kingfisher and taking home the district championship last week, but a disappointing loss on Senior Night could completely bring that all to a halt.

On the other side of the field, the Pirates sit at 3-6, yet still have an outside shot to land their second postseason appearance in a row. Mannford and Perkins-Tryon are both 3-3 in district play, but the Demons have the standings tiebreaker due to their head to head victory earlier this season. Therefore, the only possible way the Pirates could make the playoffs is with an upset over the Chargers, along with a Perkins loss to Mount St. Mary. Each result is unlikely, and the odds of both happening are even worse, but there is still a chance and Mannford will definitely be ready to wreck Heritage's Senior Night on Friday.

Player Spotlight:
Mannford's offense has relied on the ground game all season long, mainly led by junior Jaden Welden. The running back started the season off a little slow, but has really burst onto the scene as of late. In last week's victory over Bridge Creek, Welden had a stellar performance, rushing for 309 yards, three touchdowns, and over 11 yards per carry. On the entire season, the junior has ran wild for 908 yards and 10 touchdowns. A solid game against the Chargers would push him over 1000 yards in 2018, capping off what has been an incredible breakout campaign. Welden is also the Pirates' leading tackler on the season with 77 from the linebacker position.

Quarterback Nathan Winters has struggled to throw the ball at times this year, passing for just three touchdowns and six interceptions. Despite the troubles, Winters has been able to provide assistance in the run game, finding the endzone seven times with his legs. On Friday, Winters' ability to rush the football could play a big part in his team's ability to move down the field.

Injury Report:
Fortunately, the Chargers are relatively healthy as the regular season comes to a close, however, offensive line is a unit that has become thin after a few injuries. Starting guard Omari Smith was forced to exit the game a few weeks ago in Kingfisher with a knee injury, and it appears he will not be able to return to the field for the rest of the season. Junior Edwin Lorne filled in against the Yellowjackets and has played well in Smith's absence. In addition to Omari, Gavin Wilson has also been sidelined since the Clinton game with hand issues and A.J. Sirls will sit out tonight with a sore lower back, meaning there are few experienced options left on the bench if another lineman were to go down in the future. Max Baetz will fill in for Sirls.

Against the Pirates, it will be important for the Chargers to play well in the first half, allowing their key players to sit out the second half in order to avoid potential injuries. Of all times in the season, it is most important for a team to be healthy entering the playoffs.

Overview:
Despite being 3-6, Mannford is actually much better than their record represents. The Pirates have won three of their last four games, and are playing good football at the moment. Head coach Richard Tuberville has his squad hustling, competing, and just generally playing the game the right way. Disciplined, well coached teams can always be tricky to play against no matter how talented a team like Heritage is.

In last week's victory over Blackwell, all the usual suspects had their typical big performances. Conner Carey ran for nearly 150 yards with two touchdowns, while Billy Ross Jr. and Philip Smitherman combined for a pair of scores as well. The Heritage defense, highlighted by Will Dunn who now has a team leading 5 sacks on the year, swamped Blackwell all night, recording 12 total tackles for loss. The Chargers led by 30 points after the first quarter, allowing them to sideline their main stars and bring in many younger or inexperienced players. Even if their play wasn't always pretty, it was good to see many new faces hit the field for an extended amount of time and gain some much needed experience.

The Chargers will need to regain their focus on Friday and take care of business one last time this regular season as they prepare to make a postseason run. Mannford is a serious opponent, and a Heritage victory would go a long way in preparing the team for Championship November.

Written by Jake LeForce '19
Photos by Jake Steelman '19