FREMONT — Depending on one’s view, this week defines the blessing — or curse — that is playing in the Three Rivers Athletic Conference.
Ross’ Chrystjan Mancini carries the ball against Central Catholic. RSR/Tony Zimmerman
A week ago, Fremont Ross battled Division III state power Toledo Central Catholic, a program with a pair of state championships in the last five years and a team which entered the season as the four-time defending conference champion.
And this week, things get even harder.
The Little Giants, coming off a 27-7 loss to the Irish last week, now travel to the team that two weeks ago snapped the Irish’s 30-game conference win streak and is ranked No. 5 in Division I in the latest AP poll.
Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. at Whitmer’s Memorial Stadium.
“That’s the problem when you’re in the TRAC conference. You don’t get an off week, you don’t get a week to say, ‘’This is going to be an easy win,’ it just doesn’t happen,” Ross coach Chad Long said. “That’s what great about playing in the conference but it does suck, too, at the same time.”
Adding to the challenge is the looming danger of Ross again missing out on the postseason. With a 4-3 record, the Little Giants are currently ranked No. 7 in the Division II, Region 6. While Ross’ losses have come to teams with a combined record of 17-4, another loss, even to one as strong as Whitmer, will make qualifying for the postseason all the more difficult. Even if Ross wins its last two games, its final opponents Clay (3-4) and St. Francis (1-6) may not provide the Little Giants with enough points to sneak into the postseason with a 6-4 record.
Ross quarterback Hayden Lehmann carries the ball against Central Catholic. RSR/Tony Zimmerman
The postseason ramifications of Friday night’s showdown with the Panthers, however, are the least of Long’s worries.
“I don’t talk about playoffs. I go week to week, day by day,” he said after the Central Catholic loss. “If we’re there, we’re there, if not, so be it. We go week to week. I don’t look ahead.”
While Long and his coaches have implored their players not to look ahead, it is only natural to think about the big picture. The Little Giants have not made the postseson since 2014, the same year they upset Whitmer 41-40 at Don Paul Stadium.
“It’s in the back of my mind because that was my goal coming into the season, to make the playoffs,” junior quarterback Hayden Lehmann said Friday night. “We haven’t been there in a while. I feel like if we do get there it will be something special for us. We know these next games are crucial and we need to win to make the playoffs. I’m sure the coaches will remind us we need to win out, each game is important and not to take anything for granted.”
Upsetting Whitmer Friday night will vault Ross back into the thick of the playoff hunt. Doing so, however, will require cleaning up several areas of the game that cost the Little Giants against the Irish.
“Last week we beat ourselves. Central didn’t beat us, we beat ourselves,” Long said. “You can’t get three times in the red zone and come away with zero points. We can’t turn the ball over. We preach it to them. You have to win all three phases of the game if you’re going to beat a good team.”
While the defense played well for much of the night, it frequently faced short fields due to turnovers, a blocked punt or short punts after quick three-and-outs.
Doing more of the same against Whitmer will be costly.
The Panthers are led by junior quarterback Riley Keller who earned all-TRAC status last year as a freshman. This year, in leading the Panthers to a 7-0 record, Keller has thrown for 1,148 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Ross’ Shawn Newsome gets up after a tackle against Central Catholic.
Keller’s favorite targets have been receivers Jason Rader (5-foot-7, 155 pounds), Patrick Mappe (6-0, 160), and tight end Josh Close (6-3, 220).
Up front, the Panthers have a couple big bodies in tackles Josh Wray (6-2, 240) and Keon Gatlin (6-2, 290) but are smaller in the interior.
“I think they’re very vulnerable up front, which plays to our strengths,” Long said. “They got skill. They got a little slot receiver who’s quicker than crap. They got two really good running backs that run hard. Stop the run game, stop that slot receiver, get after the quarterback.”
Defensively, Long said the Panthers present a similar challenge as Central Catholic last week, though Whitmer’s skill positions are improved over those of the Irish.
“They’re big, they’re good, they’re fast,” Long said. “They’re the team that’s, I would say as good as Central’s, a little bit better athletically. They’re not as big (in terms of) mass as Central, is but they’re fast as a defense.”