By JON WEBB
It’s just another football game.
At least that’s how Monroe coach John Petett considers his Falcons’ Friday night, state-semifinal rematch with Fort Campbell. The defending 2A state champions eliminated Monroe from postseason play one game away from the state title game last season.
Forget that Fort Campbell has outscored its opponents by an average of 43 points per game this year. Forget the 13-0 record.
Petett just plans to stick to his team’s strengths.
“We’re going to do exactly what we’ve done the last two or three playoff games,” he said. “We feel like we’ve got some good athletes, and we’ll see if we can get a few blocks.”
Fort Campbell has its own share of good athletes.
Two Fort Campbell players — quarterback Antonio Andrews and tailback Troy Turner - have both rushed for more than 1,00 yards and 20 touchdowns this season. Andrews has also thrown for 1,520 yards and 26 touchdowns, many of which went to receiver Tre Powell, who has garnered 742 yards and 17 touchdowns in the passing game.
“In my book, (Andrews) is one of the best players in the state of Kentucky and a Mr. Football candidate,” Petett said. “I saw him last year. I can sum it up this way: he’s just a phenomenal athlete.”
Andrews leads the highest scoring offense in class 2A. Campbell has posted 668 points on the year, an average of more than 51 per game.
All of this could spell doom for a struggling team. Luckily for the Falcons, they’re playing their best football right now.
Petett said his team is still improving even this late in the season, and described its play over the last five or six weeks as “spectacular.”
Neil Wilson was nothing short of it against Green County Friday, rushing for 169 yards and three scores out of the Wildcat formation. Wilson also returned an attempted Dragon onside kick for a touchdown and intercepted a pass late in the first half.
Wilson’s efforts helped secure Monroe’s third straight win in a postseason that’s seen the Falcons outscore their opponents 130-35.
The easy win was in stark contrast to Fort Campbell’s near-scare at the hands of formerly undefeated Murray. Campbell escaped, winning 28-21.
Petett said Murray stuck to the ground game to wear down Campbell’s defense and keep its much-lauded offense off the field.
“They controlled the clock and did what they do well,” Petett said. “They power ran it and eventually broke one. And Fort Campbell turned it over a few times.”
Offensively, Monroe will do what they do well. On the defensive side, they will do what they should do well.
Petett said his defense has stuck to the fundamentals in practice this week.
“We have to line up correctly in every formation (Campbell) has,” Petett said. “We just have to play sound, alignment assignment football.
“If we don’t, they’re going to burn us.”
The Falcons will hope to avoid a repeat of last year’s state semifinals, when Andrews and Turner combined for 250 yards and four rushing touchdowns.
Stopping such a repeat would give Monroe its second milestone in as many weeks. The school had never won back to back regional titles. And now it hopes to advance to its first state championship game.
But before all that, there will be breakfast.
Monroe will host a community breakfast at the high school at 9 a.m. Thanksgiving morning. After the meal, the players will hold an open practice, listen to a guest speaker and return home by noon to spend 24 hours with their families.
And then, Fort Campbell will come calling.
But, after all, Monroe’s heard that call before.
“The best thing for us is we saw Fort Campbell last year, so we’re familiar with them,” Petett said. “Our kids really feel like it’s just another football game.”
