Quarterfinals

Will history repeat itself?Eyes focus on Tyler Evans in today's quarterfinals

By BOB VARMETTE

Journal Sports Writer

On Sept. 15, 2000, McLeod West defeated Red Rock Central 34-7 in Stewart in a Southern Minnesota Conference battle of the Falcons. RRC trailed only 14-7 midway through the fourth quarter and was driving toward a tying touchdown when the first of four consecutive RRC turnovers turned a close game into a McLeod West rout.

A junior named Tyler Evans scored three touchdowns for McLeod West during a span of two minutes and 17 seconds. Evans ripped off scoring runs of 66 and 78 yards, and intercepted a pass and returned it 37 yards for a touchdown.

At 7 p.m. today, McLeod West and RRC will meet again, this time in the Class 1A quarterfinals. The winner advances to the Metrodome.

And again, all eyes will first focus on Evans -- Minnesota's all-time high school rushing leader.

"We've got to definitely say yes, 'No. 1, we've got to stop Evans, make them try to do something else to beat us,'" RRC coach Brian Walker said. "I guess that's been everybody's philosophy. After 11 games, nobody's been totally successful yet."

Evans gained 316 yards on 37 carries Sept. 15, 2000. McLeod West's senior tailback has only gotten better. Evans has rushed for 2,878 yards for the top-ranked Falcons (11-0) and now has 6,701 yards in his high school career.

For 10th-ranked RRC, the plan is simple.

"On offense, we've got to control the ball," said RRC senior tailback Colby Pack, who has rushed for 1,144 yards and 17 touchdowns in 2001. "The best way to shut their offense down is keep their offense off the field. Our offense has got to have some good, long drives, and maybe a big play here or there."

What RRC doesn't want is a sequel to McLeod West's 20-12 win over Sleepy Eye St. Mary's last Friday night in the Section 2-1A championship game. McLeod West owned the football, running 86 plays to the Knights' 39.

The Knights had relatively little offensive success against McLeod West. That's where RRC has reason for optimism.

RRC (10-1) is effectively balanced on offense, increasing its chances of sustaining drives. RRC has rushed for 200.7 yards per game through 11 games and passed for 120.8 yards per contest.

Pack will definitely be one of RRC's key players, but so will senior quarterback Corey Fishel (1,294 yards, 8 TDs in 2001). Also worth keeping an eye on is senior tight end Lee Schaffran -- RRC's top receiver (23-366, 4 TDs).

"We've got to watch out for that, the balance," McLeod West co-coach Curt Strand said. "That is a little different than what we have seen and that scares us."

Added McLeod West senior Matt Maiers, "We've been concentrating on their passing game as well as their running backs. We've been trying to step it up. We've been going over on defense a lot of their pass plays."

Schaffran is one of four RRC receivers with at least 10 catches on the year. Pack made 21 catches for a team-high 456 yards and three scores.

RRC also has some balance in its rushing game. Pack has the bulk of the yardage, but Tim Johnson, Kirk Engen and Fishel have combined for another 954 yards and 17 touchdowns.

"They've got a pretty good lineup," McLeod West senior linebacker/fullback Jeremy Gettel said. "They've got a good tailback in Pack. We have to stop him."

McLeod West also knows it faces challenges with its offense. RRC's defense has been stingy and opportunistic.

McLeod West will need to have its running game working well. If McLeod West is forced to pass, there may be trouble in the air.

RRC defenders have 38 takeaways (13 fumble recoveries, 25 interceptions). Junior cornerback Josh Wille leads the defense with eight interceptions; Pack, just as valuable on defense as on offense, has five interceptions and has returned three for touchdowns.

RRC has allowed only 12.6 points per game and surrenders just more than 205 yards per game. Something will have to give.

"We're going to run the football and hopefully it goes from there," McLeod West co-coach Bill Neubarth said. "Nothing special, we do the few plays we use very well."

RRC will put junior defensive tackle Shawn Huls on the defensive right side. Huls, at 270 pounds, is RRC's biggest player and will go up against the left side of the McLeod West offensive line, which is dominated by 350-pound sophomore Nathan Benson and 265-pound sophomore Reggie Vacek.

"It's pretty obvious that's where they want to run to," Walker said. "We're going to try to match our big kid Huls ... against their big kid and try to get at least a stalemate out of it and not get blown out of the hole."

Stalemate might be the operative word for tonight's game. Unless the McLeod West running game or the RRC passing game kick into high gear.

"It's going to be a battle," Neubarth said.

Said Gettel, "It was a very close game last year. We got three touchdowns right at the end, but it was 14-7 for a long time so we can't be overconfident."