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Playoff Preview: Lawrenceburg vs. Concordia

If you like offense, Lucas Oil Stadium is the place to be on Saturday afternoon. The Indiana Class 3A state title game has all the makings of being a very entertaining affair. Lawrenceburg lights up the scoreboard at a clip of 47.2 points per game. Their opponent, Concordia is averaging 42.7 points per contest. The team that has the ball last could very well be the one who wins with a final score.

Lawrenceburg LB Mason Parris (photo by Greg Shoemaker/TriStateFootball.com)

Lawrenceburg LB Mason Parris (photo by Greg Shoemaker/TriStateFootball.com)

LAWRENCEBURG TIGERS (13-1) vs. CONCORDIA LUTHERAN CADETS (12-2)
Kickoff: Saturday, November 26th, 3:30 p.m. – IHSAA Class 3A state championship at Lucas Oil Stadium
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PLAYERS TO WATCH: Concordia quarterback Peter Morrison has been nothing short of spectacular this fall. The senior has thrown for 3,615 yards with 46 touchdown tosses and only four interceptions. His top target is classmate Mark Mallers, who has 61 receptions for 1,117 yards with 24 touchdown catches. On defense, Mallers is second on the team with six picks. Drew Bordner leads the Cadets with seven interceptions. Concordia averages three takeaways per game.

Lawrenceburg running back Austin Bowling became just the ninth player in Indiana history to run for at least 3,000 yards in a season with his 190-yard outburst last week against Brownstown Central. Appropriately nicknamed the Red Rhino, Bowling also has 52 touchdowns to go along with all of his yardage. Quarterback Reid Strobl has 28 scoring strikes on the year. Jordan Houze has been on the receiving of 12 of those touchdowns passes.

Larenceburg RB Austin Bowling (photo by Greg Shoemaker/TriStateFootball.com)

Larenceburg RB Austin Bowling (photo by Greg Shoemaker/TriStateFootball.com)

The Tigers defense loves to bring the heat. They have 36 sacks on the year. Linebacker Mason Parris leads the charge with seven quarterback takedowns. The junior is the only person in the entire school at Lawrenceburg to have won a state championship. He did so last winter in wrestling. Parris currently has offers from Cincinnati and Ball State.

TEAM TRENDS: Concordia has won 11 games in a row after starting 1-2. The Cadets have scored 54 points or more five times in their last 10 outings. This is the first trip to the state title game for Concordia. They have won three regional championships, all in the last 12 years.

Lawrenceburg has put up 40 points or more 10 times in 14 games. This is the fifth straight winning season for the Tigers and their first trip to the championship game since 1985. Lawrenceburg won titles in 1975 and ’78.

CONCORDIA’S KEYS TO VICTORY: Bowling is going to get his touches and big runs. The Cadets need to stop the other Lawrenceburg players from making big plays. It is one of the main reasons that the Tigers have been so successful this season. The offense has to make the most of every possession.

LAWRENCEBURG’S KEYS TO VICTORY: The Tigers have to find a way to make the Concordia one dimensional by making life miserable for Morrison when he drops back to pass. Pressure by the Tigers d-line and linebackers will go a long way in achieving that goal. Morrison doesn’t make many mistakes so any turnovers by him and the Cadets must be capitalized on. Special teams have come up big for the Tigers, they will need that kind of effort in this phase of the game.

Prediction: Lawrenceburg 35, Concordia 31

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