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Preview: Anderson at Winton Woods

Anderson QB Jackson Kuhn (photo by Dan Bieneke/TriStateFootball.com)

There is quite the battle brewing for the ECC title. Our Blitz 5 Game of the Week focuses on two of those teams wanting a piece of that pie No. 20 Anderson travels to No. 5 Winton Woods. 

Being an independent for the last nine seasons, Winton Woods is playing for its first conference crown since 2011. With just two weeks left in the regular season, the home team Warriors as well as Kings and Turpin are sitting without a loss and tied at the top of the ECC standings. 

Trailing that group with just one loss, Anderson hopes to play spoiler as it tries to position itself for a share of that championship on Friday night. The Redskins last league title was shared with Milford and West Clermont in 2017. 

#20 ANDERSON REDSKINS (3-1, 3-1) at #5 WINTON WOODS WARRIORS (4-0, 3-0)
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m.
Charlie Fredrick Stadium
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PLAYERS TO WATCH: The Anderson offense is averaging 513 yards of total offense per game. Senior QB Jackson Kuhn has racked up 1,742 yards of total offense (1,486 passing, 256 rushing) and accounted for 18 touchdowns (11 passing, seven rushing). Classmate RB Andrew Williams has hit paydirt seven times (five rush, two rec) with 532 yards from scrimmage (298 rushing, 234 receiving). Senior WR Jerrick McClanahan, juniors WR Evan Upchurch and WR Joey Faulkner have all had at least four receptions in every game they have played. McClanahan and Upchurch have had at least six catches in each of their starts.

The Winton Woods’ backfield is a three-headed beast with senior QB MiChale Wingfield, juniors RB Emoni Steele and RB Tyrek Spikes. The trio has accounted for 95.5 percent of the team’s yards on the ground (880 of 921 yards) and 92.3 percent of the Warriors’ rushing touchdowns (12 of 13). Spikes leads the squad in both categories with 368 yards (11.9 yards per carry) and six trips to the end zone rushing. Wingfield has amassed 670 yards of total offense (398 passing, 272 rushing) and accounted for nine touchdowns (five passing, four rushing).

TEAM TRENDS: The last two times these teams met was in the playoffs. In 2017, Winton Woods knocked the Redskins out of the postseason in Round 2, 52-21. In 2018, the Warriors did it again beating Anderson 52-20 in the Region 8 championship game. 

The Anderson defense has shown vast improvement since the start of the season. The Redskins have allowed 130 points (32.5/game), but 110 of those came in their first two contests.

The Winton Woods’ defense has been very stingy. The Warriors are holding the opposition to just 182.2 yards of total offense per game and just 85.7 yards rushing.

ANDERSON’S KEYS TO VICTORY: The Redskins will have to play almost flawlessly to come out ahead in this affair. The offense must take care of the ball. Anderson will aid its cause immensely if they can win the war on special teams, in the return and kicking phases of the game. Doing all the little things that won’t show up in the box score will go a long way toward a successful night.

WINTON WOODS’ KEYS TO VICTORY: Get an early lead and allow the defensive front to take some chances with the rush. Making the Anderson passing game press and force the action prematurely should lead to interception opportunities for an outstanding Warriors’ secondary.

Prediction: Winton Woods 33, Anderson 20 

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