Story by Rusty Ellis
The Monterey Wildcats finished off a 6-4 regular season slate with a dominant 68-0 win over Wartburg on Friday, closing the season with a 3-1 region record.
For head coach Scott Hughes, the biggest takeaway from their regular season finale was the fact that there were few mistakes and the energy looked more like it did earlier in the year.
“We played really clean, and our energy was really good,” Hughes said. “Our focus was back the way it was from the very beginning…we were able to go in and get some momentum early, which was big. We needed a little confidence.”
The game served as the perfect “get-right” game for the Wildcats, as their schedule did them no favors with tough losses against Waverly, Oneida and Bledsoe County in the three games leading into this one.
“We played a really tough schedule, and some people forget about the grind our kids have gone through all year,” Hughes said. “Especially when you have low roster numbers, that puts a strain and stress on guys that are having to play both sides…the grind of the season has taken a toll on us, so it was good for us to get back in and clean some stuff up.”
The hope is that playing this clean game is a momentum builder for Monterey, as the playoffs begin on Friday and it only takes a couple plays to end the season.
“I never would’ve dreamed that our game would’ve gone like that on Friday night,” Hughes said. “It was good to get the momentum back. I believe we have a really good football team…your confidence can sometimes be a little shaky because you know you’re good, but then things don’t go your way, so you question stuff.”
Friday’s opening round presents many challenges, as the Wildcats head to Carter County to take on Hampton. The first of those challenges features a drive well over three hours, meaning Hughes will have to keep his team focused and loose by the time they get off the bus.
“You’ve got to be really mature and accept the adversity of the trip,” Hughes said. “I want our guys to learn how to get on and off the bus…it’s different playing on the road and having to ride the bus. We’re going to have to really focus and make sure we understand what we have to do.”
As far as on the field, Hampton comes into the game with a 6-2 record. The first thing that sticks out is their offense, as it’s likely one of the best ones Monterey will have played up to this point. In four of their six wins, they scored over 40 points including two 50-point games.
“Their quarterback is a tremendous athlete,” Hughes said. “He’s the guy that makes them go, so you have to slow him down…we have to make sure we limit not only his designed runs, but also when plays break down and he tries to scramble. We’ve also got to match their size. They’re a very large and physical football team…they’ve got a couple guys that are bigger than we are, so we’ve got to match their physicality and match their mindset.”
The two teams will square off at 7 P.M. on Friday night.