Green v. Lake Game Preview: Federal League Champs, or Mix-up?
A Lake win secures them a share of the Federal League championship, but Green isn't going down easy.
Tonight (10/20/23), the Bulldogs will take on their Federal League rivals on home turf. Eyes are focused on Green vs. Lake tonight, as playoff seeding and a potential Federal League championship are on the line. Lake needs to beat Green to win a share of the league title, sharing it with McKinley, and Green can secure a sure spot over Lake in regional rankings. Lake's season has seen only two minor hiccups, losing to Alliance and McKinley. Like Lake, Green has had games all within one score or less.
Also, it’s Green’s senior night! Woo-hoo!
Here's what you need to know before the last game of the regular season.
The Comeback Kid and Defensive Dominance
Shaking up this week's matchup for Lake is the return of Josh Sedmock. The WR/CB suffered a knee injury before the season and was shaping up to return midseason. He returned in week eight to play Cornerback and then lined up as a slot receiver against Perry last week. He caught two passes for 50 yards and finally got to lead as a captain on the field instead of on the sideline.
Lake's league-leading rusher, Nate Baker, rushed for 149 yards against Perry. He currently leads the league in rushing yards with over 1,000 yards on the ground. Lake's passing game has similar numbers, split between Noah Kubasky and Cale Jarvis. Combined, the duo have 900 passing yards, which is still less than Samino Manson's total passing yards (even though he's been out since week five).
It's a safe assumption that Lake will focus primarily on a rushing attack, as Green has had some issues stopping the run all year.
Regarding Lake's defense, one of the key players on the team is junior LB Charlie Christopher. He's been a dominant force on the field, leading the team with 89 tackles, with ten resulting in a loss. Additionally, junior DE Ryan Lippe has been the team's top performer, racking up an impressive 19 TFL, 11 sacks, and four forced fumbles. Their exceptional performances have been critical to the team's success this season.
Green: Focused on Victory, Not Playoffs
Green High School enters week ten following a victory over Hoover, striving for a seven-win season. However, head coach Mark Geis hasn't shifted his focus toward the playoffs just yet.
"We are only focused on week ten and Lake. When we wake up Saturday morning, we will shift our attention to the playoffs, but we won't even think about it before then," Geis affirmed.
On the defensive side of things, the dynamic senior Josh Just and junior Antonio Martin form a formidable secondary duo with a combined ten interceptions, with Just currently leading the Federal League with six picks. Adding to the defense, junior AJ Fortunato and senior Matt Galemmo play pivotal roles on Green's defensive front. Fortunato, in particular, has been a standout with an impressive 59 solo tackles this season.
Earlier in the season, Green's five-wide offense provided a solution to counter the absence of a dominant running game. However, the emergence of Jorden "Beyldozer" Beyl has changed the equation. Beyl's performance last week against Hoover, where he rushed for 84 yards on 16 carries, showcased his ability, and he's expected to be a key asset in tonight's game.
On the line of scrimmage, Green's trenches have been solid. Junior two-way lineman Michael Schaal has recorded 12 tackles for loss, while his senior brother, Nick Schaal, has ten of his own.
Summing it up in Coach Geis' words after their match against Hoover, it's all about one thing for Green tonight:
"Beat Lake."