New Plymouth dives into 2A state football playoffs ready to battle
BY Scott Ford
Argus Observer
scottf@argusbserver.com
Friday, November 6, 2009 10:52 AM PST
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| Argus Observer file photo
New Plymouth’s Devin Barker stretches out to catch a pass from Pilgrims’ quarter Brady Harris in a game against Nyssa earlier this year. New Plymouth has proven to be able to throw the football successfully and will attack Kamiah with the pass every chance they get Saturday. |
New Plymouth —The New Plymouth Pilgrims are ready to set sail for new lands — A land where champions live — as they embark on their quest for a gridiron title beginning Saturday with a date at Kamiah.
The Pilgrims enter this 2A state football playoff game with a 5-3 record and are coming off a 27-7 win in the regular season finale over Nampa Christian.
New Plymouth head coach Porter Lacey said Kamiah is a run-first football team that will throw the ball just enough to keep defenses honest.
“They (Kamiah) will run the ball from different formations, and we have to stop their top running backs Garrett Langston (No. 44), Jack Nygaard ( 9) and their quarterback Darin Ball (14),” Lacey said. “They run the triple option very well and it must be stopped to have success in this game.”
As for the Pilgrim offense, which has shown a great balence in 2009 with the prolific passing of Brady Harris and the gutsy running of Kyle King, they will face a 4-4 defense with some aggresive linebackers.
“The strength is Kamaih’s defensive line and their linebackers,” Lacey said. “We have to attack their young secondary. The key will be for us to throw the ball successfully.”
Throwing the football is what the Pilgrims do and do well.
This season, New Plymouth has tossed the pigskin for 1,350 yards and 12 touchdowns to four different receivers.
Harris’ favorite touchdown connection this season has been to wide receiver Justin Johnson who has hauled in eight scoring passes. Johnson has piled up 682 receiving yards on 39 catches and is averaging 17.4 yards per catch.
In the running game, King leads the Pilgrims with 465 rushing yards and has found paydirt four times, whereas Justin Kopczynski has rushed for 195 yards but has been rewarded six times with point-scoring rushes.
“The key for us to win Saturday will be for us to stop Kamiah’s running game and for us to be able to throw the football well,” Lacey said. “Plus we cannot turn the ball over.”
New Plymouth and Kamiah will kick off at 1 p.m. Saturday in Kamiah. The winner of this game will await the winner of the Declo/ Malad game in a semifinal matchup.
