Redlands Bulldogs vs. CMS Stags
Saturday, October 22, 2016
7:05 p.m. Kick-off in Ted Runner Stadium
Available through Live Stats, Stream, and Audio at www.goredlands.com
During the second half against Chapman, Redlands' defense allowed only three points while limiting the Panther offense to only 53 yards. This remarkable feat further supports the notion that the Bulldogs play even better in the final two quarters of competition. Once again, Head Coach Mike Maynard credits the strength & conditioning staff for contributing to this edge, particularly in the last few games.
"[Head Strength & Conditioning Coach] Joe Buckley and his staff have done an amazing job with our team," Maynard stated. "The team has been effective and we've been able to rotate guys to use our depth."
Defensively, this starts with a hungry class of upperclassmen with an undeniable sense of purpose and the skills to back it up. Senior defensive linemen Brian Keyser (Medford, NJ) and Jack Rulon (Huntington Beach, CA), senior defensive back Connor Hoffman (Tustin, CA), senior linebacker Justin Lantz (Corona, CA), junior linebacker Mitch Shepherd (Seattle, WA), and junior defensive lineman Trevor Raras (Novato, CA) lead the purposeful effort with on-field success and overall leadership.
"As upperclassman, it matters to them. They understand the responsibility that comes with it."
As a result of their strong tackling and exemplary execution, Lantz and sophomore defensive back DJ Hollingshead (Citrus Heights, CA) received the squad's defensive co-players of the week. The two combined for 17 tackles, including two for a loss of nine yards.
On the other side of the ball, junior Mitch Kidd (Salinas, CA) provided full command of the game at the quarterback position with a hot hand in the best way. He utilized a variety of targets, with junior wide receivers Cole Blackburn (Sammamish, WA) and Kyle Kabeary (Indio, CA) coming up with big catches for the Bulldogs. On the ground, Redlands relied on junior running back Alex Andrighetto (Portola Valley, CA) to continue his recent trend of explosive yards and scoring, but senior running back Devin Appleton (San Jose, CA) garnered the team's offensive player of the week award after rushing for 118 yards on just 10 carries.
"Not only was he rewarded for his offensive performance, but for the spirit-based, positive teammate that he is," Maynard commented. "Devin is the teammate everyone wants to have. People want to block and play for someone they respect."
Furthermore, junior linebacker Curren Lapes (Dana Point, CA) secured the team's kicking player of the week by serving as an effective long- and short-snapper, while junior defensive back Josh Silverman (La Crescenta, CA) received the prep player of the week honor after playing a variety of roles to provide a great look at what Chapman would do.
With the Chapman victory propelling them forward into the second half of the season, the Bulldogs refocus on defeating the CMS Stags, who entered last week's game as the only team in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) without a loss. But the Cal Lutheran Kingsmen halted that run with authority by shutting out the Stags in a 34-0 decision.
Nonetheless, Maynard approaches this week's game as if that loss never happened.
"We expect to see a fired up team coming into Ted Runner Stadium, a much different team than what we saw on film. We expect to see CMS' best that they have, with a lot of energy at our homecoming game."
Under Maynard's direction, Redlands holds a huge, 14-0 advantage when playing the Stags at home. Since he took over the program in 1988, the Bulldogs are 25-3 against CMS.
Offensively, CMS boasts a two-headed running attack that showcases the talents of freshmen Garrett Cheadle and Christian Curcio, who account for 686 rushing yards and eight touchdowns this season. According to Maynard, they are very similar in style as powerful runners and require a total-team effort to bring them down. Quarterback Trey Reynolds enters Saturday with the most snaps under center but has amassed as many interceptions as touchdowns so far with five apiece.
The Stags bring a very traditional game plan to Ted Runner Stadium, one with a methodical, time-consuming style intended to force the opponent into making mistakes as a result of impatience. Redlands works to counter that by taking advantage of every possession on offense.
In addition, the Bulldogs plan to further utilize their depth in order to wear down the opponents in the second half.
"We have a confidence level of about 2-3 deep at every position."
Finally, Redlands strives to be mindful of penalties against the team that is the least penalized competitor in the SCIAC.
As one of only two teams currently perfect in conference competition, the Bulldogs understand the importance of every little step toward achieving their goals in 2016. With tenacity and heart, Redlands anticipates nothing short of a great clash between respected opponents.
Saturday's kick-off is slated for 7:05 p.m. in Ted Runner Stadium on Homecoming night.
