Good post.
We played Lucas this season. I’ve had the pleasure to watch some really good small school ball over the years. In 2014, we played Kris Alge’s McComb– who is always one of the most well-prepared, physical and smart teams year in, year out in the D7 scene. This year we were obviously a much better team than that year we played the Panthers, and in my eyes 2019 Lucas plays quicker and more physical than your typical McComb team. They might be on par or just a few inches short of the level of dang grit and execution last years’ McComb team had, but dang Lucas has a really good squad. And their Double Wing has been enough to get them to Canton. There is another edge to the sword, though: it’s an offense that inherently poses risk toward fumbling the ball and it’s not a come-from-behind nor a “quick strike to equalize” style. Like I said earlier in this thread, Lucas goes as far in this game as their winning of the turnover battle goes. Their D is pretty good and against us they swarmed to the ball very well and played “read, commit to your read at the snap, no hesitation.” That’s how they played against Harvest Prep. That’s largely a product of great film prep during the week, good D-line play and smart linebackers. That’s enough to dominate a mediocre D7 like the team I followed, enough to persevere against better coached and more talented O’s (eg Cuyahoga Heights and Harvest Prep), but versus Marion Local they’re facing their toughest challenge all year. And that’s a testament to MSML and their program. MSML is a dang machine. But Lucas has the potential to grit it out and get the win, there’s just absolutely no room for error in any facet whatsoever. The MAC level of physicality and preparedness in state finals, it’s a beast. But if there’s a team who can rise to the challenge, it’s these Lucas Cubs. The ultimate question is if they can play their A+ game and hold it all together. Lose a fumble, and it could be enough to be kept at bay. Miss an assignment and keep getting exploited with the one narrow disadvantage at D (wherever it could come), and it could spell doom. Not at all a slight toward the Cubs— when you’re in the state finals it takes a state finals performance to win. And against Marion Local or any MAC Goliath on this stage, that margin for error is slimmer than the width of grass in between the Cubs’ big uglies up front on offense.
Good luck, Cubs. You have fans down here, and they believe in you guys.