Timeout football: Andrean must be on top of its game against unbeaten KV
By Mike Hutton mhutton@post-trib.com or 648-3139 September 27, 2012 11:24PM
Andrean quarterback Matt Desomer passes in the second quarter against Hobart at Hobart High School Friday evening. | Jeffrey D. Nicholls~Sun-Times Media
Updated: October 29, 2012 6:58AM
Andrean coach Phil Mason knows Kankakee Valley is really good.
He knows the Kougars have rushed for more than 2,000 yards through the first six games of the season.
He knows they have perhaps their best team ever.
He knows they are so ruthlessly efficient that they rarely pass the ball because they just don’t have to.
He knows they go four deep in the running back department.
He knows their defense is solid, partially because they’re able to control the game with their offense.
He knows all this but with all due respect to KV, he doesn’t care.
Mason is more worried about how his team plays than he is about game planning for KV.
“Hey, they’re 6-0,” Mason said, “What can I say? I’m worried about us. We gotta take care of ourselves.”
Mason is fretting because the 59ers gave up a special teams touchdown and they allowed a turnover that turned into a touchdown for the Brickies in a 37-28 loss.
The Brickies, along with Lowell, are the one team that actually stayed with the Kougars for most of the game. They lost 27-21 — the lowest margin of victory all year for KV.
That is the good news.
The other bit of good news for the 59ers is that Mason believes he has the best player on the field in ultra versatile quarterback Matt DeSomer, a run-pass signal caller. DeSomer has helped Andrean average 42 points per game.
DeSomer can hand the ball off to Shamir Johnson and Trevor Berg, two pretty dynamic backs.
KV coach Brad Stewart calls DeSomer a “very athletic kid.”
He also believes the 59ers have as much speed in the backfield with Johnson and Berg as any team they have played.
For the Kougars, after winning six straight, it’s all about staying sharp and not listening to how great they are.
“We just don’t want to get complacent,” Stewart said.
One of the ways KV tries to stay sharp offensively is to force itself to pass the ball. The Kougars threw it four times last week against Highland and a few times against Griffith the week before.
They didn’t throw the ball once against Hobart.
If Andrean can get a lead against KV, it will be the first time all season the Kougars have trailed.
It’s something for the dynamic 59ers offense to think about.
Tyler Birky is the biggest offensive weapon for the 59ers. He has already rushed for over 1,100 yards.
“They don’t really remind me of anyone,” Mason said. “They are just good. They got a back you have to stop. We just need to limit the mistakes.”
