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Preview: #6 St. Xavier at #3 Winton Woods

St. Xavier DB Jakobe Clapper (photo by: Shelby Frieszell/TriStateFootball.com)

It’s a Division I, Region 4 second round playoff battle that has all the elements that could make this affair epic! St. Xavier travels to Winton Woods for the Blitz 5 Game of the Week. The home team Warriors moved up to Division I this fall and fans have been clamoring for battles like this since the announcement was made. The visiting Bombers

#6 ST. XAVIER BOMBERS (8-3) at #3 WINTON WOODS WARRIORS (10-1)

Kickoff: 7:00 p.m., November 8th,, 2024

Charles Frederick Stadium

Follow on X: @TSFootball

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Daniel Vollmer is a matchup nightmare for St. Xavier foes. The junior has amassed 1,042 all-purpose yards (551 rush, 195 rec, 296 ret) and has 16 touchdowns (12 rush, three rec, one KR). He hits paydirt once every 7.3 touches. Quarterback Chase Herbstreit has had a hot hand over the last four games going 29-41 for 408 yards with seven touchdown tosses and one rushing score.

The Bombers secondary is special with junior Jakobe Clapper leading the team in tackles. Classmate Brayden Reilly (two FRs, two INTs) and senior Lucas Bishop (three INTs, one FR) have combined for eight of the defense’s 17 takeaways.

Defense has been the shining star for Winton Woods all season long. Senior linebacker and Alabama commit Justin Hill headlines the marquee but it is a star studded cast surrounding him. Hill has eight sacks this year and 26.5 in his career. Classmate and defensive lineman Delan-Massey Wright 21.5 sacks in his career and a team high 10.5 tackles for losses. Defensive backs Seonta Stewart, Nate Dawson and Donmiel Rogers all have eight pass break-ups. Linebacker Landen Anderson has a scoop-and-score and a pick -six.

Running back Isaiah Garrett has taken his game up a level and that has meant good things for the Winton Woods offense. The sophomore has run for more than 100 yards in each of the past three games and 98 or more five times in the last six weeks with eight of his nine rushing touchdowns in that span.

TEAM TRENDS: St. Xavier is currently on its second four-game winning streak of the season. The Bombers have three shutouts, a 31.0 point average margin of victory and outscored their last two victims 103-0, in that span. St. Xavier is sharing the wealth with 10 different offensive players finding the end zone in the last two weeks.

Winton Woods has given up 80 points on the season, just 7.8 points per game, while holding eight opponents to seven points or fewer with four shutouts. The Warriors defense has forced 19 turnovers. They have returned seven of those for touchdowns (four IRs, three FRs). The unit boasts of seven different players having 6.0 tackles for losses and 70.0 tackles for losses as a team (37.5 sacks).

HEAD COACHES:

St. Xavier: Steve Specht (184-76 at St. Xavier, 21st year; 184-76 overall)

Winton Woods; Chad Murphy (43-9 at Winton Woods, fourth year; 76-67 overall, 13th year)

PLAYOFF HISTORY:

St. Xavier (31 appearances, 57-26 overall) – 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 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. 14 straight playoff appearances for the Bombers.

Winton Woods (16 appearances, 30-13) – 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021 (State Champion), 2020, 2018 (Regional Champion), 2017 (State Runner-up), 2013, 2012, 2010, 2009 (State Champion), 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005, 1998

XAVIER’S KEYS TO VICTORY: The top priority will be to take care of the football and stay error free. Nobody does a better job of making opponents pay for their turnovers than Winton Woods. In a close game like this the last thing you want to do is give away points and possessions. Stopping the run and forcing the Warriors to throw against one the Bombers biggest strengths, their secondary, will be a huge challenge. If that happens, this contest turns into St.Xavier’s favor very quickly.

WINTON WOODS WARRIORS’ KEYS TO VICTORY: Establish the run and that means all the backs need to make their presence felt. Taking the pressure off of Garrett will keep St. Xavier honest. Forcing the Bombers into more one-on-one mismatches will be a huge plus for the Warriors. Keeping that  opportunistic ferocity on defense and special teams can really deflate an opponent’s morale, Winton Woods has made a habit of doing that in 2024.

Prediction: St. Xavier 21, Winton Woods 17

 

 

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