The winning streak continues for the two-time defending state champion West Orange-Stark Mustangs. The victory last week over the Bridge City Cardinals did, however, include the loss of backup center Bruce White to a knee injury.
This Friday night West Orange-Stark plays a much improved Kipp Northeast. The Gators run out of the I-Formation using a pro set and a twin set. Mustangs’ Coach Cornel Thompson indicates Kipp can run the football. This sets up the Gators using play action passes downfield to some fast wide receivers.
Thompson sees most of the skilled players for the Gators back on offense. Terrance Holden returns at fullback, and Desmond Houston will be the quarterback for Kipp again on Friday. At running back Emile Mulonda will need to be stopped. Patrick Basanga is talented wide receiver for Kipp.
The coach is impressed with the Gators’ team speed. They have four or five guys that can really run. Thompson anticipates a much closer contest this year than last. “We’ve lost so many and they didn’t lose any,” Thompson said.
Kipp bases its defense out of an even man front with a 4-2-5 formation. Many of their players are two-way, so Thompson pointed out several of the names to be called out on the public address are the same when the Gators play defense. Holden plays at outside linebacker. Basanga is a big concern for Coach Thompson from his right defensive end position. He is cat quick and can disrupt a lot of things in the Mustangs’ backfield. Devoyne Provo is a wide receiver on offense and the Gators’ safety on defense.
The Gators have a 25-man roster, none of which were lost because of the devastation from Harvey. With a full year of playing together and so many players returning Kipp is much improved according to Thompson. “I think they’re a much better football team, which I’m glad, because of the quickness and the speed,” Thompson concedes.
Last year the Mustangs won their game with the Gators easily 61-0, but last week Kipp won 56-0 which motivates Coach Thompson to say this will not be a walk over game for West Orange-Stark. With Kipp doing a good job running the football and using play action, the first priority for the Mustangs is to make the Gators one dimensional and stop the run. That way the “Chain Gang” will make Kipp throw the ball when WO-S knows they have to.
The next priority is controlling the football on offense by cutting out silly mistakes that were too common in the first game. Lastly the kicking game has got to really improve. The Mustangs missed two or three extra point or field goal attempts. Thompson was adamant about WO-S return men fielding kicks especially on punts which they only fielded a couple against Bridge City. “That’s not our game. Our big game is fielding punts, and that’s what we’ve got to do,” Thompson concluded.
The West Orange Stark Mustangs play the Kipp Northeast Gators at Dan R. Hooks Stadium Friday night at 7:30.
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