Region A Championship #1 Lafayette vs #2 Lake Taylor
- Thread starter DEVILSLB99
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-Both teams play great defense (only 2 shutouts posted in Round 2 by their respective Ds)
-Both teams run old school smash you in the mouth offenses (Wing T & Veer)
-Both teams have exceptional coaches who every year re-load (Linn & Sawyer)
What are the key things that could tip the scales either way during the game:
1. Lafayette’s ability to pass the ball a little more?
2. Turnovers?
3. Home field?
I agree with and earlier post that both teams need to adjust defensively. It seems like LT has a stud RB. As he goes, do they go from an offensive perspective? Help me out 757!
Devils, please give us your thoughts on matchups as you’ve played both teams.
-Both teams run old school smash you in the mouth offenses (Wing T & Veer)
-Both teams have exceptional coaches who every year re-load (Linn & Sawyer)
What are the key things that could tip the scales either way during the game:
1. Lafayette’s ability to pass the ball a little more?
2. Turnovers?
3. Home field?
I agree with and earlier post that both teams need to adjust defensively. It seems like LT has a stud RB. As he goes, do they go from an offensive perspective? Help me out 757!
Devils, please give us your thoughts on matchups as you’ve played both teams.
Based on the Phoebus with LT game I would expect LT to load the box on defense and blitz the gaps to disrupt the wing T. I would expect Lafayette to blitz the gaps on the veer similarly. I would expect J. Harvey to be doubled covered, short and deep. I would doubt our KO would be straight away with their return capability. Glad we are on our turf that we are familiar with.
I know absolutely nothing about LT.....not much more about Lafayette. I do know Lafayette is very well coached and has a very good defensive scheme.
I would think between some from Norcom, Smithfield and Churchland who all have now played both we could get a pretty good insight on this game. But for once no one is talking, not even DevilLB99. Why??
What kind of adult questions kids? Are there a bunch of rogues running around playing for LT. They don't pick up Personal Fouls for being chippy they get penalties for being aggressive. That has nothing to do with keeping composure.
My honest opinion on the the game is it will be a tough matchup both ways. I've seen both teams in person and on film countless times. I think Lafayette has yet to play a defense as aggressive and fast as LT all season, and will have to be able to throw the ball. LT will have to be disciplined on defense and don't get lulled to sleep. Coach Linn does a good job of having counters off of plays with the same action you've been getting all day. Lafayette isn't that big up front defensively, but is very aggressive and flies to the ball. I think up front LT will be ok, but can Lafayette DB's guard the LT receivers if LT QB is given time? I think the team that can establish some sort of passing game to compliment their run game will win. Looking from a straight statistical standpoint LT is the better throwing team of the two, but Lafayette has been so dominant all season they haven't had to throw the ball. Maybe that continues Friday? Now back to scheduling soccer games I go!!!
Thanks Devil. It mirrors my thoughts that the passing games of each will be key. The poll is about split. That verifies that this is a very tough game to call and predict. Turf and good weather should make it a good environment.
To be honest, since I haven't seen Lafayette play, it's hard to compare the 2 teams. If the question is whether this Lake Taylor team is comparable to their previous championship versions, I'd say yes they are.
Quality, convincing wins against 11-1 Maury (5A Finalist) and 11-1 Freedom-Woodbridge (6C Finalist). A close battle to defeat Phoebus (3A Finalist). The loss to I. C. Norcom to me is a lesser issue given that the Greyhounds are still playing vs Phoebus AND I believe that the Titans lock down DB was out for that game.
No one thinks it's going to be anything less than a battle. The Titans are tested, so are the Rams. With the Rams beating a loaded King's Fork team last year, it's clear to me that Lafayette has a program ready to break through.
Sorry, no specific knowledge on either team's game plan. But this is, in its simplest terms, a Wing T vs Veer Option game.
Quality, convincing wins against 11-1 Maury (5A Finalist) and 11-1 Freedom-Woodbridge (6C Finalist). A close battle to defeat Phoebus (3A Finalist). The loss to I. C. Norcom to me is a lesser issue given that the Greyhounds are still playing vs Phoebus AND I believe that the Titans lock down DB was out for that game.
No one thinks it's going to be anything less than a battle. The Titans are tested, so are the Rams. With the Rams beating a loaded King's Fork team last year, it's clear to me that Lafayette has a program ready to break through.
Sorry, no specific knowledge on either team's game plan. But this is, in its simplest terms, a Wing T vs Veer Option game.
The Rams haven't been tested this year as of yet. What's the story with Norcom? Didn't something change on their roster after the first few games? Lafayette beat them badly the first game of the year. Then they end up beating LT and Hopewell.
Norcom is healthy now, they had some key players out earlier in the season with likes of Antwaun Powell-Ryland and now that Casaan Dixon and Taurus Jones are healthy they are a really tough out now
Actually Lafayette was tested twice. Once in the first half of their Warhill game in the regular season several weeks ago when they went to the half down 3-0 until they came back 26-3. The second time to Poquoson going for the 2A region championship winning 13-3, seeing a great defensive effort by Poquoson.
Well... I am not sure on this one... It is the same old same old with these two for me. I don't think Lafayette has played anybody really so I don't really know how good they are. Lafayette played Norcom when they were banged up. However, every year despite it all they are right there. I just never know how good this team really is. Regarding Lake Taylor, I just worry about turnovers being a factor. I think Lake Taylor has a higher celling but more mistake prone. I wish I had more insights into what happened to LT vs Norcom. LT did beat 3 really good teams! I think a lot depends on the pace of this game too.
I will take Lafayette by 3. Blocked extra points or a FG decide this one.
I will take Lafayette by 3. Blocked extra points or a FG decide this one.
Bay Rivers is better than people want to give them credit for. I'm a fan of contrarian offensive football so I wish I could see this one. Warhill and Poquoson, York and New Kent all have great coaches and the commitment to get better in football has been in place in the Bay Rivers and throughout youth football around there for the past few years. Lake Taylor has to take care of the football to win, Lafayette is this best at what they do in the area with that wing T. It's going to be a great game. Malik Newton is a grown man for LT and I eagerly await the results from this game. Huge fan of Hank Sawyer's veer and how those coaches developed a mult- look to attack teams from it.
Lafayette gives up 5.8 points per game
Lake Taylor gives up 18 points per game
Lafayette averages 46.8 points per game
Lake Taylor averages 46.2 points per game
Lake Taylor lost to Norcom 33-13
Lafayette beat Norcom 49-12
Lafayette beat Smithfield 42-6
Lake Taylor beat Smithfield 63-21
Lake Taylor has played an overall tougher schedule it looks like. Is this the year the Rams take it to next level.
Lake Taylor gives up 18 points per game
Lafayette averages 46.8 points per game
Lake Taylor averages 46.2 points per game
Lake Taylor lost to Norcom 33-13
Lafayette beat Norcom 49-12
Lafayette beat Smithfield 42-6
Lake Taylor beat Smithfield 63-21
Lake Taylor has played an overall tougher schedule it looks like. Is this the year the Rams take it to next level.
So lets talk about the IC Norcom games. The team Lafayette played was missing a lot of key players and Lafayette straight up whipped them. Lake Taylor plays ICN short handed and ICN beat them picking on the replacement kid. Two different ICN teams, but I dare somone to please play the results game as it burns your more times than not. I think the schedules are no where near comparable as the toughest team Lafayette played was 2A Poquoson (13-3 win) meanwhile Maury, ICN, Phoebus, and Freedom from LT schedule are still alive.
So the Rams have not proven themselves against tougher competition as opposed to Lake Taylor, who only lost to Norcom when they were tougher picking on a replacement player. Lafayette played the watered down version of Norcom. Gotcha.
At this point in the year, it doesn't matter who they played 2 months ago.
I agree the results game is a minefield. Three weeks ago 8-3 Warhill shuts out Lafayette in the first half of the game, last week in the playoffs 2nd round Lafayette scores 35 in the first half on a Warhill team that flat out pasted Heritage NN the week before. Players in, out, dinged up and just not feeling up to be speed affects it all and not always apparent. It will be match ups and how each team adjusts to a style of play they have not seen. I saw on hudl the LT/Phoebus game. Lafayette’s scheme on offense is totally different from Phoebus. My question is how often has LT played against a wing T this year? I don’t think at all. Has Lafayette played against the veer? No. Now it’s hard to predict. I saw the LT stack the line on Phoebus. How does Lafayette attack that? Pass, but how to avoid the sacks like KF? On defense who do you assign to the QB to force the issue and cause some turnovers? Do you have top 2 LBs and they are excellent run blitz to foul up the veer? I really couldn’t pick a score. But I think turnovers will determine the outcome.
I've got LT winning this one. They have to protect the ball and limit the big play. You can never judge teams bu common opponents. It's how those two teams match up that matters. More times than not team A beats B, B beats C and C beats A
As the poll suggests, flip a coin on this one. The weather will be clear though a little cold (fumbles??) and on turf, so no slick spots, no bare spots. That leaves it down to execution. Both teams do that well.
Sounds terrible when you put it that way, but true. ICN caught LT not at 100% and Lafayette caught ICN not at 100%. Injuries however are a part of the game.
Hopewell beat Norcom in first week 14-0
Norcom beat Hopewell 14-12 last week. Simple logic does not work here. That's why we can't compare games.
Absolutely. Players play different, coaches coach different, etc...
Totally agree And the difference between the games were. Hopewell's best playmaker WR/DB/KR/PR Sean Allen went down early in the game and Briggs their best RB didn't even play. And ICN had their guys back healthy who missed the Week 1 game. That Week 1 win is meaningless now!!
You never know in these games. If you do not yell at me some Spartan team was hammered last year in the regular season but won by one point in the playoffs. 
The latest info has Lafayette’s leading rusher Dea Mario Tyler, all 210 pounds ready to go on Friday nite. With that Lafayette should be full strength.
There’s no way he’s “full strength” if he sustained the injury he did last week. He may be 75% but i assume he can’t be “full strength”
My comment meant Lafayette has all their starters playing. Tyler may be at 75%, 95%... we will see on Friday night. At this time of the season many of the players are not at 100%, they’ve played 11-12 games.
In a nutshell, Lafayette’s defense could not contain the veer all night especially when the QB kept the ball. On offense the running game worked well in spurts but the over thrown passes, two for certain TDs were key. The Qb usually on target, was not tonite. The pass rush was intense. LT was the far better team.