Sports columnist Dennis Cox says the South Harrison football team “is not the SSSH team we’ve seen in the past.” Dogs meet dogs this Friday at Bethany.
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It’s one down and two to go for both the Gallatin and South Harrison Bulldogs. Gallatin and South Harrison have set the stage for what could prove to be the title game in Class 1A, District 15 Friday night in Bethany. South Harrison’s 43-14 victory over injury-depleted Princeton and Gallatin’s 14-0 win over mistake-prone Hamilton have also set up what will be a clash for at least a share of the Grand River Conference crown.
Make no mistake, this is the South Harrison team we’ve been used to seeing. Not like the one that starts a season with 4 consecutive victories only to lose 6 straight. Nor is it like the one that starts out losing 4 out of 5 only to win its last 5. The 1999 SHHS Bulldog squad has played consistently solid football week in and week out.
If there is a football program in the Grand River Conference ready to experience long-term success, it can be found in Bethany, where young players are making the most of their playing time. There is more good news on the horizon for the Bulldogs. The junior high football team finished 4-1 this season after posting unbeaten marks in 2 previous seasons.
South Harrison exorcised a 2-game losing streak with an easy win over Princeton, which hasn’t tasted victory since its season opener against Knox County. The Tigers have struggled lately after losing their entire stable of starting running backs. Still, Princeton managed to outgain South Harrison on the ground, 286 yards to 253, but most of the Tiger yardage came against SHHS reserves. Princeton fumbled 3 times in the contest.
South Harrison’s 31-3 loss to 2A state-ranked Lathrop 2 weeks ago should be heavily discounted. The Bulldogs took on the Mules with 9 players on the sidelines due to injuries, academic problems and discipline measures. Lathrop would be a load for any GRC team to handle.
South Harrison’s most lethal weapon in its offensive arsenal is the arm of sophomore quarterback Cole Leazenby, who after taking over from sophomore Ben Butler in the Maysville game has thrown for 5 touchdowns in his last 5 games. Leazenby finished the ’98 season as the Bulldog signal caller, but Butler won the job in preseason in a 3-way battle that also included senior Jerad Preston. A recent 2-game stretch against Tarkio and Albany saw Leazenby complete 26 of 48 passes for 331 yards. He has thrown for 485 yards in conference play since becoming the #1 QB.
Junior Matt Griffin, who also took a stint at quarterback last season, is Leazenby’s preferred receiver right. Griffin, who has great speed, has 6 TD receptions and leads South Harrison in receiving yards. Sophomore tight end Clint Meadow is also a pass catching force.
More importantly than his TD total, Leazenby’s passing game has enabled the Bulldogs to both control the football and eat up large chunks of the field as a setup for South Harrison’s more than adequate running game. Senior Jeremy Fish earlier rushed for 213 yards and 4 TDs against Rock Port. He added another TD run of 43 yards against Princeton. Sophomore Brandon Hunter has scored 4 touchdowns on runs of 47, 4, 9 and 10 yards. Freshman Caleb Obert has gained a lot of time of late in the backfield. His single carry against Princeton netted a 62-yard touchdown. Senior Jared Preston came back from a 2-game suspension to score 3 TDs against the Tigers, including a 75-yard kickoff return.
Youth is evident as well on the SHHS line. Freshman Tyler Luellen stepped right into a starting spot. Sophomore Casey Woodward is a 2nd year starter. Juniors Jon Best and Caleb Guernsey are also 2nd year starters.
Key match-ups Friday night include Gallatin’s more experienced line against Bethany’s younger group. Both teams have plenty of speed and quickness in the backfield, so tackling and pursuit will be important. South Harrison will give Gallatin’s pass defense its biggest test since the Maysville game. Both teams have the potential to break off long kickoff and punt returns, so special teams play is a key for both squads.