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Preview: Lakota West at St. Xavier

St. Xavier C Brian Parker (photo by Dan Bieneke/TriStateFootball.com)

What a way to start the 2021 season as the reigning Division I state champion and top-ranked team in the Preseason Blitz 5 Top 25, the St. Xavier Bombers, welcomes No. 2 Lakota West in the Blitz 5 Game of the Week. 

The game is a rematch of last year’s Region 4 Final in which St. Xavier scored the game winning touchdown with less than 30 seconds left in the fourth quarter to capture a 10-7 victory. The Firebirds are out to avenge that heartbreaking loss.

#2 LAKOTA WEST FIREBIRDS (0-0) at #1 ST. XAVIER BOMBERS (0-0)
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m.
RDI Stadium, Tom Ballaban Field
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PLAYERS TO WATCH: The Firebirds return three All-Ohio players and three FBS commits from a defense that allowed just 5.7 points per game and posted four shutouts in 2020. Secondary members Alex Afari, a Kentucky commit, and Jyaire Brown, an Ohio State commit, are as good as any duo in the country. They both earned OPSWA Division First Team All-Ohio honors last season. Lineman Bryan Henderson had 5.5 sacks and three fumble recoveries as a junior. He has committed to Buffalo. Linebacker Aden Miller was a OPSWA Division Third Team All-Ohio selection in 2020. He led the team with 6.5 sacks.

The Firebirds’ offense will be led by junior quarterback Mitchell Bolden, who is back for his third year as a starter. Having his back is monstrous lineman Tegra Tshabola. The 6-foot-5, 340-pound senior is committed to Ohio State.

St. Xavier returns nine starters on offense. The Bombers are led by quarterback Brogan McCaughey. The senior threw for 2,708 yards and 28 touchdowns in 10 games last season. He is protected by a line that returns all five of its starters and a tight end. Center Brian Parker and tight end Max Klare have committed to Duke. Lineman Cam Collins and McCaughey also have Division I college offers. Running back Carles Kellom led the team with 14 touchdowns (10 rushing, four receiving) a year ago.

TEAM TRENDS: Something has to give in this affair. The Lakota West defense is one of the stingiest in Cincinnati. St. Xavier can light up the scoreboard at a frenetic pace. 

Since the beginning of October 2019, Lakota West is 12-3 with two of those losses in the playoffs to eventual state champion St. Xavier (2020) and state runner-up Elder (2019). In that span the Firebirds’ defense has held 13 opponents to 14 points or less, nine to seven points or fewer with five shutouts.

Six times in the last eight games (all victories), St. Xavier has scored 43 points or more. The victims on that list include St. Ignatius, Moeller, Elder and Pickerington Central. The Bombers are averaging 40.1 during their current winning streak.

HEAD COACHES:
St. Xavier: Steve Specht (154-58 at St. Xavier, 17 years, 151-58 overall)
Lakota West: Tom Bolden (15-5 at Lakota West, two years; 148-26 overall, 15 years)

Tom Bolden has lost just 26 games (13 in the playoffs) in his 15 years as a head coach. Nine of his career losses have been to St. Xavier and Steve Specht (five in the playoffs).

PLAYOFF HISTORY
St. Xavier (27 appearances, 52-23 overall) – 2020 (State Champion), 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016 (State Champion), 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011 (Regional Champions), 2010, 2009, 2007 (State Champion), 2006, 2005 (State Champion), 2004, 2002, 2001 (State Runner-up), 2000, 1999, 1998 (State Runner-up), 1997, 1994, 1993, 1992 (State Runner-up), 1987, 1981

Lakota West (seven appearances, 5-7) – 2020, 2019, 2014, 2013, 2009, 2006, 2004

XAVIER’S KEYS TO VICTORY: They need to make things chaotic for Lakota West. Get out to an early lead and force the Firebirds to play catch up. Defensively, the new faces must play well in the center of the field. Leadership needs to come from seniors Grant Lyons at linebacker, Sam Buerkle up front as well as Eli Kirk and Alex Kemper in the secondary, when the going gets tough. 

LAKOTA WEST’S KEYS TO VICTORY: The Firebirds must find a way to put points on the board and keep the potent Bombers offense off the field. Establishing the run game with Cam Goode would be a huge plus for West. An unconventional score and big plays could be the difference in this contest. Jayaire Brown can make that happen in all three phases of the game.

Prediction: St. Xavier 20, Lakota West 14

 

 

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