Championship within reach for Bobcats
After smashing Darby 50-14 on Friday, the Superior Bobcats are just one win away from a District 6-B regular season championship.
“There are three things we’ve worked on all year,” Superior head coach Dan Lucier said. “Number one is to play with one heartbeat, number two is to be ultimate competitors, and number three is to finish.”
The Bobcats (2-1 conf., 5-2 ovr.) accomplished all three on Friday, starting things off with a bang. They forced a safety early in the first quarter as Darby’s long snap sailed into their own end zone while they attempted a punt after being pinned deep in their own territory.
Superior’s Christofer Eriksson would score three rushing touchdowns in the opening stanza, making it 21-0 before Darby could answer, as Aaron Johnston hit pay-dirt from three yards out.
In the second quarter it was all Bobcats again as Tanner Coon, Eriksson and Adam Kay each ran for scores, making it 42-7 and starting the 35-point running clock before half-time.
After a quiet third quarter, Superior’s Darian Haberlock and Darby’s Campbell each rushed for touchdowns in the fourth.
Darby fell to 0-4, 1-6 with the loss.
“Friday night was just kind of a culmination of things coming together,” Lucier said. “Everything was clicking so they did a nice job.”
Attrition has taken its toll on the Bobcats, like it does with any team this late in the season.
Lucier was quick to praise his underclassmen, who played the majority of the second half, and filled in for Max Sarmento, Matt Campbell, and Haberlock who were all hobbled by injury.
“We’re just filling with young kids who are doing a great job,” he said. “Kids like Billy Smith, Trevor Clark, Zach Benda, Kevin Ryan. Those guys have just stepped in and filled in very well.”
Lucier’s Bobcats will be carefeul not to celebrate too early, however, they try to re-write history versus a Loyolla team who beat them in a similar situation, 13-0, last year.
“We’re playing well, and we’re having fun, and we’ve got a huge, huge game on Friday night,” he said.
“It’s just going to take our kids to step up, and play hard together,” Lucier said. “We always play Loyola well, so it’s going be a dog-fight. We’re just going work hard to come out on top of it.”
If Superior wins, they’re in the playoffs, but if not, they’ll need Deer Lodge to lose next week against Florence or win by no more than four points.
“It’s up to us,” said Lucier. “We’re in control of our own destiny so that’s always great thing the last game. We’ve been in this spot quite a few times in the last 25 years and we’ve come out of it quite a few times so we’re counting on that.”
The Bocats will host Loyolla next Friday at 7 p.m.