The teams met in a second-round playoff game last year and in 2014, both wins for the Firebirds. There were also GMC title implications on the line in a 2004 matchup. West could have spoiled East’s GMC title that year (or forced a three-way share if Colerain lost its finale), but the ‘Hawks joined the Cardinals as the two teams unbeaten in conference play to share the crown.
The stage is especially great for East this time after losing to Fairfield on a last-minute touchdown in Week 9 to enable West to clinch early. The ‘Hawks had a lead in the fourth quarter before the Indians tied the game and then won it with two scores in the final five minutes. Otherwise, Friday’s game would be for an outright title for both teams.
“We’ve bounced back this week in practice and still have a shot to win a league championship or still tie for it at least,” East coach Rick Haynes said. “It’s going to be exciting. Should be a great crowd, and we’re excited to play.”
The East-West game always has some fire to it because of the nature of the rivalry, but with the title on the line, that just adds more fuel, West coach Tom Bolden said.
West isn’t interested in sharing. Princeton also has just one conference loss and could potentially force a three-way tie if East wins.
“We don’t want to share it,” Bolden said. “We want to win it outright. In our eyes, other than the first game (in 1998), which I wasn’t here for and that was probably a huge game, arguably this is the biggest one since then.”
Bolden said he hasn’t had trouble keeping his players focused this week even with the title already in hand. Players have been “locked in” he said, and that’s exactly what he will need from them on Friday to be able to keep tabs on East’s triple-option offense.
The Hawks were without quarterback T.J. Kathman last week and had at least one other injury pop up in the game against Fairfield. Haynes said they are just “banged up like everyone else in Week 10,” and Bolden is expecting to face East’s regulars.
Kathman has 741 passing yards and is the team’s second-leading rusher with 603 yards and 11 touchdowns on 99 carries. Eric Davis paces the Hawks with 798 yards rushing and eight touchdowns on 134 carries, and Charlie Kenrich adds 492 yards and five touchdowns on 83 rushes to go along with 219 yards receiving and two touchdown catches.
“We have to play assignment football on defense, handle the fullback, quarterback and the pitch, and just stick with our assignments, and offensively, we have to take care of the football,” Bolden said. “Coach Haynes will be ready. They are going to get after it. Their starting quarterback didn’t play and one of their best players got hurt at the end of the third quarter, which I think a lot of people overlooked that last week. I imagine they will be full strength and fired up for this one. Coach Haynes will have them locked in and ready for a pretty epic battle.”
West went through its share of injuries early in the season but players have gradually healed and now the team seems to be humming along.
Junior quarterback Mitch Bolden ranks among the top three in the GMC with 1,225 yards passing and 12 touchdowns, while adding 483 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground. Cameron Goode leads the running game with 575 yards and 11 touchdowns on 106 carries.
Defensively, the Firebirds have been dominant all season, allowing just 57 points combined over the last eight games following a 31-14 loss to St. Xavier to open the season.
“We’re getting healthy, and that’s a huge part of it,” Bolden said of his team’s success. “Individual players are getting better and better each week. We’re athletic and fast on defense, and that’s the tough part. We’re just kind of a smothering defense, sideline to sideline, cover a lot of ground. As long as they do assignment football, we’ll be in a good position.”
Haynes praised his senior class and its leadership and experience for getting East into a position to be competing for a conference title. The Hawks’ last title was in 2004, while West has now claimed four since then.
He’s expecting a good matchup Friday.
“We can’t turn it over, and we’ve got to limit big plays,” Haynes said. “They have explosive players, and we have to hold onto the ball and try to keep them off the field. They’ve got good players and when you have good players that are well-coached, it makes for a dangerous team.”
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