Season Pass by Dennis Cox
This website brought to you in part by the following sponsor:
Find out how to advertise here - Email us! [email protected]
Season Pass by Dennis Cox
Rarely has the Grand River Conference seen an offense more potent and more balanced than the one presented by the 2000 South Harrison Bulldogs. Nine different players have notched TDs for the Bulldogs and 3 players have at least 6 touchdowns to their credit.
A good offense revolves around the quarterback and in this case that means Cole Leazenby. The 6-1, 155-pound junior leads the conference with 12 touchdown passes, and like Rock Port’s Jared Meyerkorth, he has tossed a TD pass in every game. Along with his 845 yards passing, he carries a completion rate of 45% (43 of 95). Leazenby’s best night came against Rock Port when he led his team to a 21-20 victory by completing 9 of 19 for 189 yards and a pair of TDs.
The Bulldogs have the luxury of 4 very capable receivers – senior Matt Griffin, junior Ben Butler, junior Clint Meadows and sophomore Caleb Obert. Griffin leads with 7 TD receptions and over 450 reception yards. Butler, Obert and freshman Aaron McQuinn also have TD catches for South Harrison. Meadows averages a pair of receptions per game.
Both featured Bulldog running backs are 6-1 and 180 pounds. Senior fullback Grant Wright and junior tailback Brandon Hunter get the ball equally. Hunter has scored 7 TDs in his last 3 games.
If the Bulldogs can’t get within striking distance for a TD, they have junior Arne Noulck, a German exchange student, to kick a field goal. He has field goals in each of South Harrison’s last 3 games (37, 25 and 33 yards).
For the 2nd week in a row, the Gallatin Bulldogs will crouch down opposite a big, physical front line that averages well over 200 pounds per man. Sophomore Tyler Leullen stands 6-7 and weighs in at 250 pounds. Senior Jon Best (6-0, 230), senior Caleb Guernsey (6-2, 220) and senior Rob Woodland (6-1, 190) lead a veteran line group.
South Harrison has been particularly hard on the lower GRC eschelon. The Bulldogs have outscored Maysville, Tarkio, Albany and Princeton a combined 146 to 17. Princeton did not score last week until Brett Donelson broke a 56 yard run on the final play of the game.
The Bulldogs have never trailed in a game since the season opening loss to Trenton.
South Harrison is trying to be the 5th different GRC school to win back-to-back league titles since 1991. Others enjoying back-to-back success have been Gallatin (97-98), Tarkio (94-95), Albany (92- 93) and Hamilton (90-91). South Harrison has never won 2 consecutive GRC football crowns.
*****
Of course our focus is on the football outcomes in districts 14 and 15 but there are some big battles being waged elsewhere in Class 1A.
Greenfield, the #3 ranked team in all the polls, will travel to Sarcoxie this Friday to take on the #7 ranked Bears in a District 6 clash. Greenfield is one of only 4 remaining unbeaten teams in the 1A ranks.
Friday, Nov. 3, will be show-and-tell day across the state. #2 St. Vincent host #? Hayti in District 1. Defending state champ Rich Hill travels to #4 Adrian in District 8 action. North Shelby and Schuyler County, 2 teams previously ranked, square off in District 16. Crest Ridge will host #1 ranked Santa Fe in a game both schools have been waiting for all season long.
The question in the minds of 1A followers around the state is whether undefeated Santa Fe is so much better than any other 1A hopeful. The Chiefs finished runnerup last season and have put the hammer on every opponent this season after returning a veteran group of players. Santa Fe beat previously unbeaten Concordia, 46-7, last Friday in the opening round of District 12 play. The Chiefs average 51 points per game on offense and have beaten opponents by an average of 45.5 points.