By Derrick Forsythe, Record Sports Editor
When: Saturday, 1:30 p.m. Where: Sikeston High School. Coaches: Warrenton — Ken Moore. Sikeston — Kent Gibbs. Rushing: Warrenton — 243 YPG. Sikeston — 343 YPG. Passing: Warrenton — 180 YPG. Sikeston — 123 YPG. Playoff Experience: Warrenton has reached the state semifinals just one other time in school history. The Warriors surrendered a two-touchdown lead, losing on the road at Herculaneum in 1995. This is the program's sixth playoff appearance, having improved its postseason record to 6-5 with the latest victory over Ladue. The Warriors fell to eventual runners-up Helias in each of the past two seasons. This is the only team in school history to record three straight playoff berths. Sikeston is making its second straight semifinal appearance, after suffering a similiar fate as Warrenton last year — losing 37-8 at Helias. Prior to the 2009 season, the Bulldogs had never advanced past the quarterfinals. Including its three victories from the 2009 postseason, Sikeston has a 4-8 record all-time in the playoffs. The Bulldogs made eight postseason appearances between 1975 and 1995, and were a regular contender in the 1980s. Much like with Warrenton, football playoff success has not yet been established in Sikeston. The Journey: Warrenton has now rattled off six straight victories, defeating Ladue 35-7 during Saturday’s quarterfinal. The Warriors romped Duchesne in regionals and used a late drive to topple Jennings in the sectional round. Moore says the team has learned how to finish out games better than earlier in the season when it let Washington slip away in overtime. Warrenton also fell to eventual playoff contenders Zumwalt East and Union. The Warriors signature wins came during a district sweep, when they upended previously unbeaten St. Dominic. Sikeston is in the midst of a perfect campaign, having gone 13-0 to this point. For the second straight year, the Bulldogs finished the regular season unbeaten. This season their resume includes three wins over Class 3 teams, seven wins over Class 4 schools and a pair of victories over Class 5 teams. They have shut out four opponents along the way, including the last two playoff contenders. Sikeston beat Cape Central 40-0 in the sectional round and tromped Roosevelt 47-0 during quarterfinals. They opened the playoffs with a dominant win over Potosi. The Arsenal: Offense — Warrenton will take its balanced offense up against a stingy Sikeston defense on Saturday. The ball movement begins with dual threat quarterback Scotty Lathrop, who opens up the passing game by making the opposition respect his running prowess. The shifty signal caller has amassed a team-high 1,660 yards on 232 carries, scoring 20 touchdowns. Lathrop has completed 125 of 220 passing attempts for 2,059 yards and 22 touchdowns, far surpassing the school’s career yardage record. While Lathrop uses his shiftiness and evasiveness to dance out of tackles, the Warriors also have the power option of 6-foot-1, 220-pound bruiser back Austin Black. He had 136 yards on 20 carries during one of his better offensive performances on Saturday. Black has totalled 911 yards on 138 touches this season. Part of his success is attributed to having senior Nick Reese in the backfield to share carries. While Reese’s carries have been limited amidst ankle problems, his ability to give Black an occasional breather has paid off soundly. The receiving cast is led by junior Nick Todd, who has 1,179 yards and 13 touchdowns on 66 catches. While they’re not as frequent of targets in the passing game, junior Jason Bunge and Travis Doyle have been counted heavily in the red zone. Each has four touchdowns to their credit. Cody Bennett has also been employed in the receiving department. Defense — Moore acknowledges that the defense has been the most pleasant surprise of the season. The defensive line has progressed tremendously, anchored around a silent but stout leader in senior Will Filipek at nose guard. Senior Justin Greene has been able to use quickness to get around the edges from his defensive end role. He has been a persistent presence in opposing backfields and has used his lanky frame to amass 109 tackles and seven sacks. Statistically, Black has been a leader on the defensive side of the ball as well. He has a team-high 125 tackles, including 16 takedowns for loss, six sacks and three fumble recoveries. The deeper layers of the defense have been led by a pair of fast-progressing sophomores, who dare the opposition to throw deep. Devin Roberts and T.J. Lafaver have combined for 88 tackles and 10 interceptions this season. Roberts also has three fumble recoveries to his credit. Todd and Lathrop have been solid at the safety positions, recording 72 and 66 tackles, respectively. Special Teams — Junior Darren Hackmann has found his niche as the Warriors’ kicker, booting four field goals this season. The kicking game has gotten more consistent since the beginning of districts. Roberts has served as the punter. On the return crew, Todd has provided the biggest play potential, but Black has also been pivotal in setting up drives. Offense — Sikeston’s run dominant offense centers around senior quarterback Trey Lewis, who has 1,221 rushing yards on just 98 carries. He is averaging just over 100 yards per game on the ground. Complimenting that, he has completed 67 of 116 passes for 1,362 yards and 12 touchdowns. Darryl Howard is the Bulldogs' leading rusher with 1,438 yards and 16 touchdowns on 162 touches. Sikeston has five players with at least 250 rushing yards and is averaging 8.5 yards on the ground as a team. Janiel Hatchett is Lewis' top receiving target with 32 catches for 849 yards and nine touchdowns. Defense — Perhaps more impressive than its daunting running game is Sikeston's relentless defense. The Bulldogs have shut out four opponents and have given up just over one touchdown per game through 13 contests. Linebacker Ray Clark has collected a team-high 151 tackles, averaging nearly 12 takedowns each game. Defensive end Treston Pulley has 117 tackles and seven sacks to his credit. Defensive lineman Faylon Marshall has been a nuisance for opposing quarterbacks, recording 15 sacks. As a team, the Bulldogs have snatched 15 interceptions. Special Teams — While Sikeston hasn’t been forced to punt all that much, its most frequent specialist has been Hunter Williams, who is averaging just under 30 yards per boot. Return-wise, James Watson and Kyland Gross have shown big-play potential. The Bottom Line: Sikeston's record reflects a very impressive season on its part. From what I have gathered, they hang their hats on the defensive line. Offensively, its very clear they favor the running game and show a lot of potential break big plays. Against Roosevelt last Saturday they scored on just the second play from scrimmage, so containment will again be key. The Warriors have faced two straight speed-driven teams and passed each test admirably. Warrenton will need to swarm to the ball with the same intensity in order to be successful against Sikeston. Beating the runners to the corner will crucial, but the primary battle will need to be won up front. Moore says Sikeston will operate out of a shotgun spread, employing the option at times. They may line up as many as three backs at one time. Preventing the big play will be important to retain momentum and avoid falling behind early. It sounds like Lewis has the similar running threat of Lathrop, so making quick reads and not falling for misdirection is also key. A much improved offensive line will have to stand its ground against what appears to be a proven defense. Moore expects to see a 4-3 front from the Bulldogs and says the linebackers fly to the ball extremely well. Protecting Lathrop and giving him plenty of time to make decisions will have into the hands of that line. The Warriors may look to Black again, allowing him to take more of the beating up the middle and using Lathrop sparingly to keep him healthy. Sikeston has an edge in the experience department, having played its way this deep into the playoffs last season. It will also be interesting to see how the Warriors handle their first playoff road game after hosting three straight. The team is traveling down on Friday to prevent the jet lag effect of a long bus ride.
