By Phil Murphy
Senior Multimedia/Content Manager, Washington D.C. Metro Area
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No. 5 South County (6-4) vs. No. 4 Westfield (6-4) at Westfield on Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
Offensive Rank (ppg): South County – 15th (16.8); Westfield – T8th (21.7)
Defensive Rank (ppg): South County – T2nd (15.2); Westfield – 4th (15.9)
All-Time Series: Westfield leads, 3-0
Last meeting: 2008 — Week 1 — Westfield won, 9-7
This will almost certainly be the lowest scoring first-round match-up.
Both the Stallions and Bulldogs rank in the bottom half of Division 6 scoring offenses and both are in the top four among Division 6 scoring defenses.
Throw in weathered, natural playing surface and this one has “13-7, Final” written all over it.
In the last game of the series, last year’s season-opener, the quarterbacks went a combined 13-for-37 passing for 116 yards, no touchdowns and five picks.
Since a 28-17 home win over West Springfield, South County has scored 23 points in four games (1-3). Stallion senior running back David Jordan carried 19 times for 90 yards and three scores in that win over the Spartans.
Since, South County broke 70 team rushing yards once — its only win — and averaged a combined 2.55 yards per attempt.
It is 0-4 when rushing for less than 3.0 yards per carry. It’s 6-0 when rushing for more.
The Stallions have never won seven games in their five-year history, but have won six games four times.
The Bulldogs, meanwhile, are on fire.
After a 21-point, home loss to top-seeded Woodson in Week 5, the Westfield is 5-0, tied for second-longest current winning streak in the region.
The defense held all five Concorde opponents to 14 points or fewer in regulation and, in that span, senior quarterback Danny Fenyak completed 61-of-96 passes for 575 yards with seven touchdowns and two interceptions.
That’s 63.5-percent completions.
The ball will be wet, giving an edge to the Stallion secondary. But that whatever turnovers that unit forces must be turned into points.
Field possession is always vital, but it’s even more critical given the strength of these two defenses.
Westfield won all three all-time meetings with South County, winning the only playoff game, 40-13, en route to the state title in 2007.
Email: pmurphy@digitalsports.com
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