Marmaton Valley High doesn’t have to look far to find a team with a style similar to its upcoming opponent in the Kansas Eight Man, Division I playoffs.
Rock Hills High out of Mankato relies on a power running game, fueled by a mammoth offensive line and lightning quick running backs.
Sound familiar?
It should. That’s the same formula Marmaton Valley has used in rolling to a perfect 10-0 start.
The Wildcats will host Rock Hills at 4 p.m. Saturday in the second round of the state playoffs.
“Their line is big, real big,” Wildcat head coach Kent Houk said. “They’re a lot like us. It’s going to be a battle in the trenches.”
Both schools were impressive in their first-round matchups. Marmaton Valley blasted its way to a 28-0 lead in the first 10 minutes Tuesday in a 60-14 drubbing of Udall High. Rock Hills, 9-1, put up 72 points against visiting Peabody-Burns.
The primary beneficiary of the Rock Hills line is running back Clay Cosand.
“They have quite a few quick running backs,” Houk said.
The Grizzlies also can take to the air, when needed, targeting tight end Wyatt Flinn.
The Grizzlies, like Marmaton Valley, also boast of a powerful defense, allowing only a single touchdown in four of its past five games.
“They play defense a lot like Madison does,” Houk said. “They like to stack up the line of scrimmage like a wall.”
The Wildcats don’t plan to change much in their approach, either, Houk said.
“The key is being sound with our fundamentals and eliminating mistakes,” he said.
A stable of running backs, led by Cole Becker, Daylen Houk and Carlos Gonzales and quarterback Ryan Smith will be counted on for the tough yards against the Grizzly defense.
Saturday marks the third time in six years Marmaton Valley has advanced to the second round of the state playoffs, but the first time the Wildcats will get to host the second-round contest.
“That means a lot to us because we’ve enjoyed such tremendous community support,” Houk said. “When the kids come off the field, they notice the people cheering for them. They’re important for the community, and the community is important to them.”
Similar styles to clash
