If the McClain Tigers hope to end their five-game losing streak to Adena in their football season opener, one thing is certain - they'll have to stop the Warrior running game.
"They're a cookie cutter Adena team," McClain coach Randy Closson said Thursday. "The offensive line comes off the ball real hard and they'll run the ball right at you.
"Defensively, they'll just pin their ears back and come after you."
In an 18-7 victory a year ago, Adena piled up 276 yards on the ground. And in a 37-19 triumph the year before, the Warriors totaled 312 yards on the ground. Most of last year's damage was done by Adena's Buddy Barnes, who piled up 207 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries. He's back again this year.
"When you watch him on film, he doesn't jump off the film as being a big-time running back," Closson said. "But when you look up at the end of the game, he's piled up some pretty big numbers on you."
But as much as Barnes and the Adena running game hurt McClain a year ago, the Tigers may have been their own worst enemy. Four interceptions, penalties and receivers running the wrong routes led to an 18-0 Adena lead at halftime that McClain never recovered from.
This year, though, the Tigers have extra reason to pay attention to what they're doing. That's because Closson ditched his power running game in the offseason and installed a new 4-3 defense and spread offense that's supposed to feature a lot more passing.
"They really like it," Closson said when asked how his team has taken to the changes. "Defensively, it's what they see on any Saturday when they're watching college football. I like it as a coach because it allows us to do a lot of different things. There's different fronts and different looks and lots of different ways we can attack a team.
"Offensively, the kids really latched on to it because it fits the talents of the skill kids."
In a season-opening series that dates back about 20 years, McClain hasn't won since 2002. But the Warriors have not always dominated the matchup. In fact, from 1997-2002, McClain won six straight games.
"It's a big first game," Closson said. "It's grown into quite a rivalry the last few years. They've got the better half of us the last few years and our kids want to go out and get started on a positive foot this year."
Closson said he's felt momentum building in his team since school started Monday and they settled into their normal routine of school followed by football practice. In fact, he said, even though the Tigers practiced without pads Thursday, it was the most intense and energetic practice of the week.
How all that momentum pans out will be revealed beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Adena High School.
"We finally get to go out and see what we're made of," Closson said." ... Every game we play we go out there with one purpose, and that's to win."
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