By Quintin Harlan, Herald Bulletin Sports Writer
ANDERSON — There’s been one phrase that’s been universally bandied about by the Highland Scots when describing their opponents, the New Palestine Dragons, for tonight’s Class 4A sectional football championship game.
To a man the Scots are saying that the Dragons are “very similar” or a “mirror image” of the Scots themselves.
“We’re real deceiving with our stuff,” said Highland quarterback Brad Kindred. “They’re a lot like us. They have a lot of the same tools we do.”
“I think (the similarities) will help us,” said Scots linebacker Chandler Sidwell. “I think we’ll move the ball well, and we’ll have to play well defensively and on special teams.”
“They’re a well-rounded football team. They’re run oriented, but they’ll throw the ball as well,” said Scots head coach Randy Albano. “They really are a mirror image of us. They’ll run motion with their guys like we do with Derrick (Hill). It’ll be like playing ourselves. I think we’ve got faster skills people so hopefully that’ll pay off for us.”
In the 9-2 Dragons, the Scots (7-4) will be meeting a team that likes to use its speed to get to the edges and has the power-running game between the tackles.
It’s quite a change for Highland after facing a variation of the spread-option offense in six of its nine regular-season games this year.
“Hopefully, we’ll be able to control the football,” Albano said. “We’ve got to stop them from controlling the football. If we can stop the run and make them throw, I think we’ll have a good chance to be successful.”
The Dragons’ speed comes in the form of slot back Pat Feeney. The 6-foot-1 senior has gained 638 yards on 68 rushing attempts. He’s also caught 28 passes for 590 yards. Feeney has scored 13 touchdowns this season.
Junior fullback Austin Cahoy does the bulk of the work in the Dragons’ Power I formation. The six-foot 200-pound Cahoy has 263 yards and four touchdowns on 45 carries this season.
“They’ve got a real good kid in Feeney,” said Albano. “I believe he was a state finalist in the 400-meters last year.”
One area Highland will have to improve upon from last week is turnovers.
This group of Scots is only the third in school history to reach the sectional championship game in football. It’s a fact not lost on the players.
“It’s a really big thing for us, we can’t stop talking about it,” said Kinred. “We just want to make a big statement.”
“I think we’re feeling it,” said Sidwell. “The team chemistry is really going good.”
The Scots turned the ball over four times inside the red zone in last week’s double overtime thriller against Mount Vernon. Ball security has been a point of emphasis for the Scots in practice this week.
“When you fumble three times and throw an interception inside the 20 like we did last week, you’re in trouble,” said Albano. “But we won the game. I think we’ve got a real good shot at winning if we cut down on the turnovers and our penalties. After the game if we have one or fewer turnovers, there’s a good chance Highland will win the game.”
The Scots will be without the services of linebacker Zach Burkhardt who is out four to six weeks with a shoulder injury. The Scots will slide Lawrence Cotton from the defensive backfield to the linebacker position hoping that Cotton’s speed will help fill any gaps.
“I think we’ve got a real good shot at winning," Albano said.
