Apaches need win to get into playoffs

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Qualifying for the playoffs is pretty simple for the Gonzales football team.

“If we win, we’re in,” Gonzales coach Ricky Lock said.

But in order for the Apaches to qualify for the playoffs, they must accomplish one thing first – beat Smithville. Gonzales (6-3, 2-2 in District 26-3A) visits Smithville (4-5, 1-3 in 26-3A) at 7:30 p.m. today at Tiger Stadium in Smithville.

The 26-3A playoff race is a puzzle that still has yet to be complete. Only La Grange (8-1, 4-0 in 26-3A) has clinched a postseason berth as well as the district championship.

The Apaches are in with a win as is Cuero (4-5, 2-2 in 26-3A), who faces La Grange tonight. Yoakum (5-4, 2-2 in 26-3A) needs to beat Giddings (6-3, 1-3 in 26-3A) and have either Gonzales or Cuero lose to get in, while Giddings needs to win and have Cuero and Smithville lose to get in as the Buffaloes would be in a third-place tie with Cuero and Yoakum in that scenario, but would carry head-to-head tiebreakers over both teams for the playoff berth.

Smithville needs to win tonight and have Giddings and Cuero lose to get in. If La Grange, Smithville and Giddings all win tonight, there will be a five-way tie for second between Gonzales, Cuero, Giddings, Smithville and Yoakum, and a +/- 18 points tiebreaker would be needed to determine who goes to the playoffs.

The Apaches just want to win to get in.

However, Lock said his team will have its hands full tonight.

“Smithville is pretty good,” he said.

“They have a good defensive front, good free safety and a good middle linebacker on defense. Offensively, they run the football and have some good running backs.”

While Gonzales is notorious for running the football, Smithville is as well. In fact, the Tigers have fewer passing yards than the Apaches.

Gonzales quarterback Matt Hillman has passed for 744 yards and nine touchdowns, while Smithville quarterback Denton Cooper has thrown for 582 and three scores. Cooper was hurt in the Tigers’ 16-3 win over Giddings last week and will be a game-time decision.

If Cooper does not play tonight, Jeremy Kadlecek will be the starting quarterback. Kadlecek has run for 294 yards and four touchdowns, and also caught six passes for 82 yards and a score.

Smithville operates offensively out of the pistol or “black stack.” The black stack formation is a version of the stacked-I with a trio of backs lined up in an I-formation.

The Tigers’ main offensive weapons are running backs DeAaron Jackson and Gray Morris. Jackson has rushed for 656 yards and four touchdowns on 115 carries, while Morris has 585 yards and five scores on 76 carries.

Smithville’s top receiver is Khalil McCathern, who has 11 catches for 156 yards and a touchdown. Darrance James – Gonzales’ top receiver – has caught 24 passes for 467 yards and seven scores.

Lock hopes his team gets back to the basics tonight. He classified last week’s 41-14 loss to Cuero as “uncharacteristic.”

“We have to establish the run and get back to driving the ball,” Lock said. “We need to play physical.”

If the Apaches win, they will meet 25-3A champion El Campo in the Division I-3A bi-district round at a time, date and site to be determined. Gonzales tailback Cecil Johnson has 1,853 yards on the season and needs 147 to hit 2,000.

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