Game of the Week Preview: Brawley vs. Southwest
There are only three more to go in the local high school regular season, and at this point in the slate it’s very tempting to think of the die as being well and truly cast, that the season’s narratives are known quantities and all the outcomes of certain matches are foregone conclusions.
It can and has been said, for instance, that this whole Imperial Valley League season has simply served as one long preamble to Oct. 26’s Bell Game, that Brawley and Central have distanced themselves from the proverbial pack and that the rest is just for show.
But like any good narrative, it can only remain upright if unbothered. Fate always seems to have plenty of sticks on hand to poke through the spokes.
Last week, Brawley took one that would’ve sent most teams over the handlebars, when, during a Monday evening practice, starting quarterback Casey Kline re-injured the shoulder that sidelined him for much of 2017’s back nine.
It’s a less than ideal development for the Wildcats — whose success this season has been due in no small part to Kline’s imposing physicality on both offense and defense — making tomorrow’s game against the Southwest Eagles into more of a test than it might otherwise have been.
Playing against Palo Verde last Thursday … Brawley made do. Which is to say they knocked the stuffing out of the Yellowjackets, beating them 41-3.
A body with an only half an eye on the box score might not even have noticed that Kline was missing from it. Junior Jacob Ramirez did it up grand, holding the reins steady and letting the horses gallop.
So that’s it, right? Narrative fixed? Brawley back on the fast track? Maybe.
It’s difficult to draw any conclusions from a game against Palo Verde. They’re unfortunately not much of a barometer for greatness, or even adequacy. The Yellowjackets have managed to win three games this year, which is already one more than they managed in 2017, but those three wins came over out-oftowner doormats Hamilton, Excelsior, and Desert Mirage. They’re winless in four tries against Valley area competition.
Before falling to the Wildcats they lost to the Southwest 41-21 — and the Eagles are definably in the middle of a rebuilding year.
So Brawley’s win should probably be served up with a pinch or so of salt.
But regardless of Palo Verde’s spot in the standings, it was still a complete victory, and one that showcases the ways in which the Wildcats are better equipped than most to overcome the loss of a player like Kline.
Brawley is a running team. Ramirez was forced to throw all of six times in his debut, which is actually the exact same number of attempts Kline had in the ‘Cats much narrower win over Imperial.
They look to run it, run it and run it some more, and — thanks to their well-heeled offensive line — that’s worked for them (for years, actually).
The quarterback position is still integral to success, but less so than if Brawley was a team that aired it out 30 to 40 times a game. As long as they’ve got Michael Moreno and company, they’re going to be able to move the ball.
The feeling around the team is one of cautious optimism.
Senior guard Jaxon Ray admits that losing Kline is “kind of hard” due to his status as a senior leader, but says that the team is trying to push past it by focusing on “getting used to our new quarterback.”
Safety Reyes Lizagarra said the playbook has been somewhat simplified to ease Ramirez’s installation, but otherwise he doesn’t anticipate there being any offensive hang-ups.
Both players stress the importance of staying focused on what’s in front of them as they try to bring home an IVL title.
Southwest has been, as previously mentioned on the downswing so far in 2018. They’ve had their moments here and there, but have yet to pull off a signature win.
The walloping they took in last week’s City Championship game (they lost 46-7) is more or less indicative of the way their season’s gone, in that they’ve been unable to compete with top-tier teams or get it done on the road where they’re 0-4.
Still they’ve shown in the past that they can be a tough out, and in certain (home) games this year have looked in the neighborhood of decent.
It would be wrong to assume out of hand that they can’t at least show the Wildcats a few wrinkles that they didn’t get from Palo Verde.
The real question mark for them is their line.
Against Central it was more Swiss cheese than not. Nobody was able to get anything going on the ground, and only a lone 72-yard TD by Tristan Smith kept them out of the negatives in rushing yards.
They’ll need to buck up if they want to tangle with the Wildcats.
Kickoff is at 7 p.m. on Friday at Warne Field.