EAST SEMI-FINAL PREVIEW

[GridironBeez]

EAST SEMI-FINAL PREVIEW

#1 Cusick (12-0) @ #3 Tri-Cities Prep (9-2)
@ Lampson Stadium (Kennewick), Friday, November 28th, 1:00 p.m.

Cusick 2009 Schedule/Results (12-0) NE #1 seed

W 40-6 - 9/4/2009 at Odessa
W 51-22 - 9/11/2009 vs. Wilbur-Creston
W 59-16 - 9/18/2009 vs. Selkirk
W 63-14 - 9/25/2009 at Sprague-Harrington
W 56-6 - 10/2/2009 at Pateros
W 64-18 - 10/9/2009 vs. Almira/Coulee-Hartline
W 61-12 - 10/16/2009 vs. Curlew
W 52-6 - 10/23/2009 vs. Inchelium
W 64-12 - 10/29/2009 vs. Wellpinit
W 40-22 - 11/6/2009 at Columbia
W 60-6 - 11/13/2009 vs. Odessa
W 54-26 - 11/20/2009 vs. Colton

>Cusick Total Points Scored = 664 (55.3 ppg avg.)
>Opponents Total Points = 166 (13.8 ppg avg.)
>Most Points Scored Single Game in 2009: 64 vs. Wellpinit/ACH
>Most Points Allowed Single Game in '09: 26 vs. Colton
>2009 Opponents Overall Records: 58-55

Cusick Head Coach: Sonny Finley (24-1, 2 seasons)

Key Players for Cusick:
> QB/LB - Spencer Shanholtzer, Sr. (2,589 passing, 847 rushing)
> RB/DB - Josiah Rhoades, Sr. (730 rushing, 15 TD's)
> WR/LB - Tyler Edwards, Jr. (46 rec, 1,069 yds, 17 TD's)
> WR/DB - Shem Norton, Jr. (33 rec, 686 yds, 10 TD's, 120 tackles)
> DE/FB - Robert Ives, Sr. (23 sacks, 65 tackles)
> OL/DL - Cusick's ENTIRE O and D Line is a big benefactor

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Tri-Cities Prep 2009 Schedule/Results (9-2) SE #1 seed

L 40-36 - 9/4/2009 vs. Imbler
W 82-34 - 9/12/2009 vs. Lummi Nation
L 66-52 - 9/25/2009 vs. Cove, Ore.
W 44-30 - 10/2/2009 vs. Lyle-Wishram
W 46-0 - 10/9/2009 at Sunnyside Christian
W 40-12 - 10/16/2009 at St. John-Endicott
W 46-0 - 10/23/2009 vs. LaCrosse-Washtucna-Kahlotus
W 62-50 - 10/30/2009 at Colton
W 56-14 - 11/6/2009 vs. Touchet
W 50-0 - 11/13/2009 vs. Wilbur-Creston
W 52-22 - 11/20/2009 vs. Almira/Coulee-Hartline

>TCP Total Points Scored = 566 (51.5 ppg avg.)
>Opponents Total Points = 254 (23.1 ppg avg.)
>Most Points Scored Single Game in 2009: 82 vs. Lummi
>Most Points Allowed Single Game in '09: 66 vs. Cove
>2009 Opponents Overall Records: 73-38

TCP Head Coach: Dan Whitsett (48-16, 6 seasons)

Key Players for Tri-Cities Prep:
> QB/LB - Will Hoppes, Sr. (2,195 passing, 758 rushing)
> RB/DB - Kevin Ratuiste, Sr. (1,128 rushing, 13 td's/37 rec, 528 yds, 8 td's)
> WR/DB- Troy Redmann, Jr. (71 rec, 1,313 yds, 19td's)
> TE/DE - Antonio Ledesma, Sr. (35 rec, 528 yds, 8 td's)
> OL/MLB - Jay Orth, Sr. (88 tackles, 4 sacks, 12 tfl's)

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2009 COMMON OPPONENTS:

Almira/Coulee-Hartline Warriors(10-2)
>Cusick 64 - ACH 18 (Week #6)
>TCP 52 - ACH 22 (Week #12)
*TCP and Cusick gave ACH their only losses this season

Colton Wildcats(9-2)
>TCP 62 - Colton 50 (Week 8)
>Cusick 54 - Colton 26 (Week 12)
*TCP and Cusick gave Colton their only losses this season

Wilbur-Creston Wildcats (7-4)
>Cusick 51 - W-C 22 (Week #2)
>TCP 50 - W-C 0 (Week #11)


Cusick vs. Tri-Cities Prep All-Time Results:
>2008 - Cusick 48, TCP 28 - State Quarterfinals
>2007 - TCP 32, Cusick 24 - Regional Crossover
>2005 - TCP 46, Cusick 0 - Regular Season
>2004 - TCP 61, Cusick 36 - Regular Season



EAST SEMI-FINALS OUTLOOK:

On paper this looks like a great match-up. You have two great quarterbacks, good skill position players on both sides, and explosive offenses. But that is where the similarities end and a "solid" defense and a "great" defense begins. The later being Cusick's defense. By the numbers and in the pudding they have played great all season long while TCP's defense has been a little more up and down and shown some chinks in their armor at times.

I am going to write the rest of this from a perceptive view point and not as a journalist (which I am not) might.

In the trenches I give Cusick a big advantage, on both sides of the ball. They should have their way up front against the undersized Jaguars and should be able to provide opportunities for Shanholtzer and company to find success offensively, while getting pressure on TCP QB Hoppes defensively.

After watching the Cusick/Colton Internet feed I was very impressed with Cusick's ability to control the tempo of the game and their seemingly effortless ability to get to Colton QB Straughn.

Cusick has the skill position players, the size and the depth this season that seemingly nobody else in the State has. Shanholtzer is grabbing all the headlines but the well is much deeper than just him. But this is a match-up of two of the most prolific 8-man quarterbacks in Washington State history. Shanholtzer and TCP's Will Hoppes have their names all over the State 1B record books and they are the top two in Career Yards, passing and rushing combined, with Hoppes over 12,000 for his career and Shanholtzer over 10,000.

[ndfootball]

Interesting preview.

[ronnewberry]

If you're interested, an audio interview with Cusick coach Sonny Finley can be heard on the Coaches Box under podcasts at www.CoachesAid.com/WA.

[GridironBeez]

TCP vs. Cusick Spokeman Preview

www.spokesman.com/stories/2009/nov/28/washington-football-semifinals/

[GridironBeez]

TCP vs. Cusick - Tri-City Herald

www.tri-cityherald.com/prepnews/story/809590.html

[Coug Coach]

Does anybody have an updated score?

[CoachK]

TCP---42 Cusick--26

[Compass Rose]

Whale of a game. Tough defensive stands in the first. Prep builds a lead to see Cusick come back. The turning point came in the 4th, when Tyler Edwards of Cusick returned a kickoff 81 yards for an apparent tying touchdown. . . only to have it called back when a Cusick player (who shall remain un-named) LEVELED a Jaguar, Jameson Pederson; the only problem was this block was 30 yards behind the play; Pedersen had no chance of catching Edwards. Flag was thrown. The TD was called back for the personal foul, and Prep later intercepted a Shanholtzer pass on that same drive. Ratuiste then scored from over 40 yards out.

The other stat that tells here: Prep, one turnover. Cusick, 6 turnovers.

Kudos to Cusick on a stellar season. Prep now faces Lummi for the gold ball.

[Coug Coach]

Thanks guys. Prep vs. Lummi II.

[GridironBeez]

Congrats to the Jaguars! I watched it on the video on the Internet, great game.

Jaguars vs. Blackhawks for all the marbles (or Gold Ball)!!! ;D

[wampus]

Congrats to the TCP Jags, you've done the SE Dist. proud. It was a great game that should've been played next week in the dome. Now go finish the deal!

[Compass Rose]

Tri-Cities Prep 42, Cusick 26
Tri-Cities Prep 0 20 8 14 42
Cusick 0 6 14 6 26

» Scoring
TCP-Ratuiste 14 run (run failed)
TCP-Pederson 29 pass from Hoppes (Ledesma pass from Hoppes)
TCP-Hoppes 8 run (pass failed)
Cus-Shanholtzer 5 run (run failed)
TCP-Hoppes 9 run (Ledesma pass from Hoppes)
Cus-Rhoades 39 pass from Shanholtzer (Shanholtzer run)
Cus-Rhoades 56 pass from Shanholtzer (run failed)
Cus-Shanholtzer 11 run (pass failed)
TCP-Hoppes 1 run (pass failed)
TCP-Ratuiste 40 run (Hoppes run)

[Mighty Eskimo]

Heck of a ball game. I'm guessing Prep's "soft" O and D lines proved themselves against Cusick. 40 from Prep was in the QBs face all day. Way to be!

[Compass Rose]

40 from Prep is verSteeg. Frankly, he had one of the better line play games I have ever seen.

As for the rest of the lines, they bent when they had to and held stiff when they had to. Hats off to them, they delivered the goods!

[Sharkbite]

The final sack by verSteeg was a classic, penultimate exclamation point to a great defensive game for an undersized TCPrep team. Well done.

Looking forward, I read that someone said “We will go in with a good game plan and I fully believe we will come out victorious.”

Lesson learned: Never under-estimate a motivated opponent.

Lesson to Prep . . . . revenge is a great motivator. Remember the game against the Lummi nation earlier this year.

What do you think they have on their minds at this moment?

Prepare. Do not take anything for granted. Execute and do as you have been coached. It is what got you to this point.

[Compass Rose]

I don't think anybody is taking Lummi Nation for granted. They have good athletes and one heckuva coach in Jim Sandusky.

[GridironBeez]

Tri-Cities Prep will play for 8-man title

www.tri-cityherald.com/1262/story/810619.html

[dragonexpat]

I don't know what Rene Ferren was looking at, but the last fumble by Shanholtzer was caused by him hitting the ground. I guess the TCP player he cited as having stripped the ball was the closest defensive player to Shanholtzer. Nor did I think the first Cusick turnover appear to be a fumble. The receiver lost the ball as the ball and the defender got there at the same time. Having said that the offensive schemes of TCP to roll out Hoppes and torment Cusick with a plethera of screens were excellent. Nor could Cusick really get on track on offense. I think that was less do to TCP's defense, and more due to Cusick's lack of execution. There were times when the Cusick offense looked to be in a fog. This was a much deserved victory by TCP.

[GridironBeez]

From what I could tell the Cusick offense was slowed by TCP early, seemed to get out of rhythm, and then found it off and on and of course made their own miscues as well. So a combination of things, but certainly started by a TCP defense that clearly showed up to play.

Clearly, as typical when two 8-man teams of this caliber meet in the post season, both teams missed opportunities offensively while at the same time both teams make great defensive stands. Prep dropped two passes in and out of the hands of their receiver behind the Cusick defense in the first couple drives, while in between time Cusick made some nice plays and vice versa.

It was a good game and it was good to see some defense played, especially against two great offenses.

[jocktalk]

The last fumble by Shanholtzer was clearly knocked out of his hand by either Brendan Lee or VerSteeg as he ran out of the pocket. This I confirmed after reviewing the game film. This was not caused by the ground at all. Also, the fumble after catch in the first half by Jacob Prine was also clearly a catch and fumble. It looks like on film that he actually took at least one step and had complete control of the ball before being tackled. Rene Ferran's article was correct in his analysis of all the turnovers.

[ndfootball]

I went into this game expecting to see two of the best quarterbacks in 8-man football have at it. I must admit, I was thoroughly impressed by both. However, after reading the reviews on the two, I think that Shanholtzer's ability to throw the football was overrated. He had an arm for sure. He could throw bullets or the long ball, but his accuracy was definitely not comparable to Hoppes's. Now, Shanholtzer is the better runner for sure. The kid has wheels and refuses to go to the ground on first or second contact, but I thought his passes were thrown with a lot of hope. Maybe having tall recievers who can go get the ball allows that. Hoppes on the other hand didn't run as well as I expected him too. He ran hard, but he isn't the pure runner that Shanholtzer is. Hoppes's passes were spot on. His accuracy and touch were unreal. Had his receiver's hands been a little better, his passing percentage would have definitely been higher, and he would have had one less pick.

[1towatch]

How many of the panthers game did you see? because Shanholtzer is a very accurate and strong thrower,like a bullet and his stats are there to prove it! The Panthers had an off day,maybe over confident, maybe nervousness,who knows for sure and the end result is the same, the jaguars came out on top. Did you see last years game? the tables were turned then and to say Shanholtzer isnt accurate is a bunch of hogwash!

[ndfootball]

You're right. I was being a bit too critical in that last post.

[Mighty Eskimo]

Shanholtzer may be accurate, but he wasn't on this day. Maybe due to the pressure? Perhaps the coverage schemes? Not knowing too much about the NE, I'd have to say this was one of the first times he's been really challenged like that. His accuracy was left wanting at the worst time to have it disappear.