Cody Hosts Star Valley Friday Night for the Class 3A West Title
Written by Cole Havens on October 17, 2019
WITH THEIR WIN LAST WEEK VS. POWELL THE CODY BRONCS HAVE SECURED AT LEAST A 2 SEED FOR THE PLAYOFFS. NOW THEY GET SET FOR AN UNDEFEATED SHOWDOWN WITH THE BRAVES OF STAR VALLEY.. THESE TWO TEAMS HAVE COMBINED TO WIN THE LAST FIVE STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS, CODY IN 2014 AND 2017, STAR VALLEY IN 2015, 2016, AND 2018. A LOT IS ON THE LINE: THEY ARE THE TOP 2 TEAMS IN CLASS 3 AND ARE PLAYING FOR THAT NUMBER ONE SEED AND HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE THROUGH THE POSTSEASON. CODY HAS A CHANCE TO KNOCK OFF THE DEFENDING STATE CHAMPS AND IF THE BRONCS CAN DO THAT FRIDAY NIGHT IT WILL BE THEIR FIRST WIN AT HOME AGAINST STAR VALLEY SINCE 1991. I SAT DOWN WITH HEAD COACH OF THE BRONCS MATT MCFADDEN AND HE TALKS ABOUT WHAT MAKES STAR VALLEY THE POWERHOUSE THAT THEY ARE.
“THEIR COACH HAS DONE A GREAT JOB SETTING UP THEIR CULTURE. ONE WHERE ITS NOT JUST ABOUT VARSITY FOOTBALL. IT’S IS ABOUT JV, IT’S ABOUT FRESHMEN AND IT’S ABOUT MIDDLE SCHOOL. THOSE CLASSES, THEY WANT TO BE A PART OF IT AND CONTINUE TO GROW. NO DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE DO IN CODY, BUT YOU KNOW THEY’RE GOOD AND THEY HAVE SOME REALLY GOOD ATHLETES. THEY HAVE A LOT OF TRADITION DOWN THERE IN STAR VALLEY. A LOT OF KIDS PLAY FOOTBALL, IT’S A BIG DEAL TO THEM. THEIR DADS PLAYED, THEIR GRANDPA’S PLAYED, AND YOU KNOW, THE BOYS PLAY FOOTBALL.
THAT BEING SAID THE BRONCS ARE UNDEFEATED FOR A REASON, THEY LEAD THE CONFERENCE IN RUSHING, ARE SECOND AGAINST THE RUN AND HOLD THEIR OPPONENTS TO JUST 12 POINTS PER GAME. AT THIS POINT IN THE SEASON COACH MCFADDEN SAYS IT’S LESS ABOUT ADDING NEW PLAYS AND SCHEMES AND FOCUSING ON WHAT YOU DO WELL AND WHAT GOT YOU THIS FAR.
“WE REALLY JUST HAVE TO EXECUTE. THAT’S WHAT IT COMES DOWN TO. WHO CAN EXECUTE? WHO CAN EXECUTE AGAIN AND AGAIN, AND WHEN YOU’RE TIRED AND WHEN YOU’RE SORE, AND IT’S FOURTH QUARTER CAN YOU CONTINUE TO EXECUTE? WE NEED TO EXECUTE FOR FOUR QUARTERS, DON’T BEAT OURSELVES, HANG ON TO THE FOOTBALL AND THEN MAKE PLAYS. WE’RE GOING TO GO OUT AND TRY TO WIN IT. WE’RE NOT TRYING TO HANG ON OR MAKE IT CLOSE. WE’RE GOING TO PLAY AGGRESSIVE FOOTBALL AND WE’RE GOING TO GO AFTER IT.”
LOOKING AT THE BRAVES OFFENSIVELY THEY ARE FOURTH IN CLASS 3 AVERAGING 312 YARDS PER GAME, THEY AVERAGE 187 ON THE GROUND AND 125 THROUGH THE AIR. COACH MCFADDEN ON WHAT MAKES THAT OFFENSE SO GOOD.
“THEY’RE A POWER OFFENSIVE TEAM. THEY’RE GOING TO BIG GAP SCHEME. IT STARTS UP FRONT WITH THEIR O-LINE AND THEY ARE WELL COACHED, DISCIPLINED, PHYSICAL, THEY’RE NASTY, THEY’RE EVERYTHING YOU LOVE WITH AN O-LINE. THEN ON TOP OF THAT, THEY’VE GOT SOME SKILL KIDS. THEY’VE GOT A BIG RUNNING BACK, KIND OF A HAMMER. THEN THEY’VE GOT A KID THAT’S LIGHTNING AND HE CAN GET AROUND THE EDGE AND HE’S REALLY, REALLY GOOD. SOLID QUARTERBACK AND THEN A WIDE RECEIVER THAT THEY’RE GOING TO RUN THE BALL WITH AND THROW THE BALL UP TO. A LOT OF WEAPONS ON OFFENSE.
FOR AS GOOD AS THE BRAVES ARE OFFENSIVELY COACH MCFADDEN SAYS THEY’RE EVEN BETTER DEFENSIVELY.
“THEY’VE GOT AN OUTSTANDING NOSE (TACKLE), PARKER MERRITT WHO JUST, HE WREAKS HAVOC IN THE BACKFIELD AND MAKES IT VERY DIFFICULT ON TEAMS TO RUN THE BALL BETWEEN THE TACKLES. WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEBODY LIKE THAT, THAT TAKES UP NOT ONLY ONE OR TWO BLOCKS BUT POSSIBLY THREE AND JUST WRECKS ALL YOUR SCHEMES IT MAKES IT HARD. THEIR DEFENSE, STARTS WITH HIM UP FRONT AND THEN THEY’VE GOT SOME VERY ACTIVE LINEBACKERS IN THEIR BLITZ SCHEMES.”
AND WITH ALL THE TALK ABOUT HOW GOOD THE BRAVES O & D LINES ARE… WELL DON’T FORGET CODY IS STACKED UP FRONT TOO.
“THEY’RE VERY TALENTED AND THEY’RE AS GOOD AS WE’VE HAD. THEY’RE VERY GOOD, THEY’RE VERY ATHLETIC, THEY’RE VERY SMART AND THEY’RE GOING TO BE IN A BATTLE. THIS GAME WILL BE WON IN THE TRENCHES, IN PARTICULAR RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE. SO CALLING OUT THOSE GUYS, I EXPECT THOSE GUYS TO HAVE A GREAT GAME, AND WHEN THEY DO WE’LL REAP THE REWARDS.”
IT’S THE BRONCS VS. THE BRAVES AT SPIKE VANNOY STADIUM FOR SENIOR NIGHT. #1 SEED FOR THE PLAYOFFS ON THE LINE, AS THE BRONCS LOOK FOR THEIR FIRST WIN AGAINST STAR VALLEY IN CODY SINCE 1991. YOU CAN HEAR ALL THE HARD HITTING ACTION ON THE VOICE OF CODY SPORTS. KODI AM 1400 AND 96.7FM. PRE-GAME GETS UNDERWAY AT 4:30 WITH KICK-OFF AT 5PM.
