Tippecanoe Valley gets set to run a play vs. Wawasee | Photo courtesy of Darci Jordan Walters
Week 2 Keys: “Bell Week”
By Baylen Hite | 107.3 WRSW
Christmas comes early or so they say this season for Tippecanoe Valley and Rochester. With the “Bell Game” being played earlier than week 5 for the first time since 1986. Opening up a new set of challenges for each team. Such as a smaller window to prepare and make a adjustments, less film to watch for coaches, and how to deal with the hotter than average temps of a week 2 match up.
Let’s dive into some keys for Death Valley if they plan to ring the bell once more after the scoreboard clock shows zeros in Rochester on Friday night.
Special Teams
I’ve been beating this drum all week long and so has each coach. When you match up so early in the season with any team, let alone your rival the little things are what can make or break a win from a loss. Special teams are often the biggest little thing that coaches call back to. Valley puts themselves in a great situation heading into week two with their kicking game looking good thanks to the leg of Gage Overbey. Overbey was 3-4 knocking down a school record 46 yard field goal on Friday. The Vikings will need a repeat performance from their whole unit to help take down the Zebra’s. Rochester didn’t have to test their kicking units very much last week after picking apart Wabash 56-7.
How these two unit’s compare could easily show in the final result.
Ride the Hot Hand
Tippecanoe Valley had 8 different players register a carry last week. Nate Parker led the way with 19 carries and 79 yards. Wawasee did a good job limiting Parker throughout the early portion of the game. Parker was able to break loose a few times but it was a pretty pedestrian night by Nate Parker standards.
Look for the Vikings to try and get Parker going early in the game. See if he can catch fire running the football like last season vs. Rochester when Parker ran wild collecting 311 all purpose yards. If the Vikings spread the football out among a few carriers listen for names like Brock Derf, Grady Moriarty, and Brandon Stiles all to mix into the equation on the ground.
This could play an even larger factor with the expected high temperatures which brings us to our next key.
Handle the Heat
As of writing this temperatures are expected to be in the high 80s at kickoff. Both teams have had to manage practice times this week because of the heat and I expect that be the case on Friday. How does Valley mix and match their defensive line against a run-heavy offense like the Zebras? Coach Moriarty was happy with the defensive substitutions last week players like Cam Mason who’s is coming back from an injury last season saw a healthy workload. Asher McGriff who made the most noise with a pick-6 saw time at the line and Kolyn Grossman subbed in.
Both teams will have to manage the heat but the team the coach that is able to push the right buttons will have the upper hand in what’s expected to be a muggy match up.
Bonus Key: Ride the Wave
For Valley this is their lone “conference game” as if there was any added motivation this is it. Play like there is something on the line but don’t let it get out of hand. If the Vikings can handle the emotions especially playing at Barnhart field in enemy territory the game could come down to who is able to ride the wave the best.
So often we see teams succeed because of one sequence where they were able to respond from a called penalty (or uncalled), a turnover, or just poor execution. The team that is able to bounce back from the first sign of adversity will have a massive edge throughout the game.
Regardless of the year Valley and Rochester always put on a show. Make sure to tune at 6:30 pm on 107.3 WRSW for pregame coverage with Baylen Hite, Micah Lukens, and the legendary Rita Price. Kickoff will be at 7 pm from Barnhart Field in Rochester.