FREMONT – Sometimes, when facing a monumental challenge, before a team can begin worrying about a gameplan and the accompanying Xs and Os, it first must work on the mental side of the game and getting itself to believe it can do that which few outside the locker room believe it capable.
While the task in front of the Little Giant football team this week is great, its coaches don’t have to worry about their players lacking confidence they can compete with the state’s No. 2-ranked team in Division II, Toledo Central Catholic.
Head coach Chad Long said the Little Giants won’t be intimated by the pedigree of the Fighting Irish program which has gone to at least the state semifinal in each of the last four years.
“Over the years, yes, (believing they could win) was an issue,” Long said. “Last year it wasn’t an issue and this year they think of it as just another game against a good team. I’ve been here for six years, in years past it might have been, ‘Oh my God, it’s Central we don’t stand a chance.’ Our kids don’t believe that. We believe we always have chance.”
Adding to Ross’ belief is how it played against the Irish last year. The final score read 28-7, but the Little Giants were not only competitive, but can trace the game’s biggest moments back to their own mistakes
Central’s first touchdown came moments after Ross had a punt blocked inside its own 10-yard line. The Irish then took a 14-7 lead into halftime after scoring on a drive that began at Ross’ own 38-yard line.
The game remained a one-score game into the fourth quarter until Central scored on a 59-yard touchdown run then put the game out reach 48 seconds later when, after Ross fumbled the ensuing kickoff, the Irish scored another touchdown.
Offensively, the Little Giants frequently moved the ball against the Central defense and twice gained into the red zone only to come away without points both times.
“You really got to see that (level of confidence) turn last year we were really competitive,” Long said. “We beat ourselves in that game.”
This year the Little Giants travel to Central where the Irish may have one of the best squads yet under coach Greg Dempsey. The Irish are fresh off a 21-0 victory over previously-unbeaten TRAC rival Whitmer in a game most believe will ultimately decide the league champion.
Central’s defense was stifling against Whitmer, allowing the Panthers just 133 total yards of offense, including only 37 yards on 26 rushes.
“Their defense is for real. They are fast,” Long said. “(Whtimer) had no time to throw the ball. They had nothing.
So how does Ross attack a defense that so thoroughly dominated a program like Whitmer? Long said they’ll have to get creative.
“We have some things up our sleeve, some different formations,” he said, “some things I think will help us with protection but also give them fits. We have some things.”
In practice this week, Long and his coaches have been stressing the importance of quarterback Hayden Lehmann making quick throws and even quicker decisions.
“We’ll be as good offensively as Hayden can take us,” Long said. “We’ve been working all week, you’ve got two seconds from the time you get the ball to throw the ball. Make your decision and throw.”
Defensively, the Little Giants know the Irish will attack on the ground while also looking to get the ball in the hands of senior Jase Bowen. Bowen scored the two back-breaking touchdowns against the Little Giants last year and Long compared him to St. John’s Dimitrios Mitsopoulos who scored three touchdowns against Ross two weeks ago.
“You’ve got to know where (Bowen) is at all times,” Long said. “In my mind, he is the elite player in the conference, as well as (Mitsopoulos) from St. Johns. They’re very similar but Bowen is faster. Bowen is probably one of the fastest kids in the conference and he’s dangerous.”
Ross knows, based on last year’s meeting alone, any Little Giant miscues may well end up in their own end zone. The Little Giants know to have a shot at shocking the state they have to play near-perfect football.
“You can tell Coach Dempsey has them coached up,” Long said. “This is the best-coached team you’ll see all year. there is a reason why they have so much success. Coach Dempsey has been there a long time and he even says ‘This is the best team I’ve ever had,’ and that’s a huge, scary statement.”