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Preview: Lakota West at Colerain

Colerain MLB Michael Bess (photo by Dan Bieneke/TriStateFootball.com)

What a great way to start season. Our Blitz 5 Preview sees Colerain hosting Lakota West in a battle between two of the top six teams in the Preseason Blitz 5 Top 25. It is the first time back to Colerain for former head coach Tom Bolden who now leads his Firebirds into the hostile environment of “The Cage.”

Until proven otherwise Colerain is still the king of the Greater Miami Conference and the best public school program in Southwest Ohio. The Cardinals have made the Regional finals four times in the past five years.This season will be all about how Lakota West handles success after going 7-4 last fall. The Firebirds now become the hunted, not the hunter. It is a rare position for the program to be in. Being a consistent winner has eluded Lakota West throughout the years.

#6 LAKOTA WEST FIREBIRDS (0-0) at #2 COLERAIN CARDINALS (0-0)
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m.
Cardinal Stadium
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PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Lakota West OT Tegra Tshabola (photo by Dan Beineke/TriStateFootball.com)

The best matchup of the night will be in the trenches with Colerain senior DL Dontay Corleone who is 6-foot-2 and 290-pounds pitted against Firebirds junior OT Tegra Tshabola who is 6-foot-6 and 315-pounds. Corleone, a University of Cincinnati commit has 12.5 career sacks. Tshabola has already declared that Ohio State is for him.

Colerain DL Dontay Corleone (photo courtesy of ScoutingOhio.com)

Another OSU commit for Lakota West is junior DB Jyaire Brown who transferred in from Warren Easton in Louisiana. He will get to showcase his skills against a formidable Colerain rushing attack. A classmate of Tshabola and Brown is talented DB Alex Afari. His offers include Cincinnati, Kentucky, Michigan State, Pitt and Virginia.

Firebirds QB Mitch Bolden started his last seven games as a freshman in 2019. This game will be a good gauge of how far he has come along. Two seniors, QB Tyler Prather and QB/DB Freddie Johnson will see time as the Colerain signal-caller. Each brings a different skill set to the position. Prather is more of a passer. Johnson flourished as a runner with 652 yards and 11 touchdowns rushing a year ago.

TEAM TRENDS:
Since Colerain’s state championship year in 2004, the Cardinals have gone a combined 83-4 at home. Colerain has won 20 consecutive GMC titles. The Cardinals currently have a 76-game winning streak against their GMC league rivals. The last time they lost a conference affair was on October 3rd, 2008 at Middletown, 42-39.

Lakota West has never beaten Colerain. However, Firebirds head coach Tom Bolden has never lost a GMC game at Cardinal Stadium.

Lakota West head coach Tom Bolden (photo by Dan Beineke/TriStateFootball.com)

LAKOTA WEST’S KEYS TO VICTORY: Mix the looks up on defense, make an inexperienced Colerain offensive line that has five new starters feel confused and doubt itself. This game will be a defensive battle. Finding a way to score an unconventional touchdown could be the difference in the outcome.

COLERAIN’S KEYS TO VICTORY: Getting defensive pressure in the Firebirds backfield and making Bolden uncomfortable whether he wants to pass or run will get Lakota West out of sorts. The quarterback combo of Prather and Johnson must play in melodic fashion. Being out of tune will lead to errors that Colerain can’t afford in a closely contested matchup like this.

Prediction: Colerain 20, Lakota West 13

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