CEDAR CLIFF AT SOUTH WESTERN
7 p.m. FRIDAY, MUSTANG CORRAL
RECORDS: Cedar Cliff 1-0; South Western 1-0.
THE COLTS: Exactly what you would expect from this offense in the opener. We’ll get to those numbers later. Granted Conestoga Valley is a team that will struggle in 2013 in the Lancaster-Lebanon League. But the Colts’ first-team defense pitching a first-half shutout as Cedar Cliff built a comfortable 41-0 lead is definitely a first step in the right direction for this group. South Western’s balanced offense will certainly provided a stronger test Friday. So a new challenge awaits, but the defense passed the initial test with flying colors by holding the Buckskins to less than 250 yards and forcing four turnovers. So the offense led by senior QB Andrew Ford picked right up where it left off last season. Ford completed 17 of 20 passes for 209 yards and four touchdowns. And he was a spectator most of the second half. Six receivers registered catches from Ford. And TE Nick Barowski scored on two of his three catches.
THE MUSTANGS: Obviously unprepared for this complex passing attack a year ago when these clubs met on a Thursday night at West Shore Stadium. Ford threw seven TD passes by the early part of the third quarter. The offense hasn’t changed, so South Western knows exactly what is headed its way. Mustangs QB Tyler Sterner had a fantastic debut as the full-time starter against Gettysburg with 214 yards through the air and a trio of TD passes. Sterner’s 10 completions went to seven different receivers. RB Dillon Thomas pounded out 160 yards on only 16 carries with a pair of touchdowns.
THE CRUX: Cedar Cliff is going to get its points. That’s a given. The number of opportunities is the key. Can South Western control the ball and limit the Colts’ chances? Turnovers will be twice as deadly in this contest. It would be risky to try and go up-and-down the field with the Colts. But if the Mustangs feels they have the horses why not give it a shot?
SHAY SAYS: This was the best game the Cedar Cliff (-26) defense played a year ago. And the offense went nuts and scored at will. The Mustangs are better equipped to keep pace, but high-octane offense vs. high-octane offense the Colts win going away.
SHAY ON TWITTER: @APShay
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