The road to the BlueCross Bowl… Hampton hopes home field is an advantage against Oneida
Published 1:03 am Friday, November 15, 2019
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File Photo/Larry N. Souders The Bulldog defense spent almost the entire game in the Cosby Eagles backfield just a few weeks ago. That same defensive effort will be needed tonight against Oneida.
BY ALLEN LAMOUNTAIN
STAR CORRESPONDENT
A team Hampton has lost the last five games played between the two rivals returns to J.C. Campbell Stadium tonight for the second round of the TSSAA 2-A BlueCross Bowl playoffs.
The Oneida Indians have beaten the Bulldogs the last four times in the regular season since 2009 and once in the playoffs in the last 10 years.
The last Bulldog win over the Tribe came in 2007 and was a 14-12 regular-season win and a 17-3 win in the second round in a season that saw Hampton finish 13-1 with a loss to South Pittsburg in the semifinals.
“I know coach (Tony) Lambert well,” Bulldogs head coach Michael Lunsford said. “He has some good-sized boys on that team but we think we have an advantage in speed.
“The power run game might just play into their hands defensively. I think that is the strength of both teams. I think we may be smaller but faster.”
Senior quarterback Elijah West has some decent weapons at his disposal and the Indians averaged a healthy 27.0 points per game offensively. Senior RB Bryson Buttram and junior tailback Kolby Morgan have size and run effectively inside and outside.
Senior WR’S Trace Sexton and Josh Orick, as well as junior WR Joel Couch, present a multitude of problems for the Bulldogs defensively.
But Lunsford thinks his team is up to the challenge saying, “They have a lot of weapons on offense. Traditionally they are a good defensive team and it will be a chore trying to score on them. We hope to be able to do some things with our speed. They are big up front so we have to challenge them with our speed.”
The ‘Dogs have speed to burn in senior tailback Isaiah Greenwell who rushed for 102 yards in last weeks 50-0 whitewash of Cumberland Gap and in WR Jonah Jones who caught three passes for 63 yards and a touchdown.
FB Caleb Oaks is a bruising runner with deceptive speed that Lunsford uses in a multitude of ways.
“Caleb has played well all year and is a do-everything kind of guy,” said Lunsford. “He catches touchdowns, throws two-point conversions and runs hard.
“We also use him on the defensive line. Isaiah is a good football player and teams have had problems matching up with his speed and quickness.”
Sophomore quarterback Conor Jones started slowly against Cumberland Gap but finished the night 5-for-7 for 92 yards passing and two touchdowns and he has weapons in TE Max Cash and has a deep RB corps in Matt Hughes, Macon Barden, and Aiden Vines.
Hampton will be at home as long as they continue winning and that is an advantage Lunsford likes saying, “You always want to have big games like this at home. You never want to have to travel in the playoffs.”
The weather forecast is for severe cold and that can hamper teams, especially in the passing game, and as he said after the win over the Panthers, “You have to be able to pound the ball in cold weather games and get behind the big uglies upfront.”
Game time is 7 pm
