Published: November 29, 2007 02:01 pm      

Cayuga peaking at right time

By SCOTT TYLER

H-P Sports Editor



BETHEL — The Cayuga Wildcats look to be peaking at the right time.

The Wildcats, coming off their first playoff win in school history, will be facing Maud Friday night in the Class A-Region III, Division II regional quarterfinals at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium in Kilgore.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

“We are playing with very high confidence right now,” Cayuga head coach Tommy Allison said. “Each of our players are believing in themselves and each other.”

In Cayuga’s first playoff win ever, the Wildcats (8-3) rallied from a 21-6 deficit against Lovelady to score 27 unanswered points, including 20 points in the second half to win.

Sophomore running back Traylon Shead rushed for 325 yards and four touchdowns. It was his second straight 300-yard rushing performance and third on the season.

Friday night, Shead and the Cayuga offense will be going against a stiff Maud defense that has allowed only 13 points a game and has three shutouts on the season.

While Shead, who has rushed for 2,674 yards and 32 touchdowns this season, is the focal point of the Cayuga offense, the Wildcats are going to have to be able to get the ball in other players’ hands Friday night if Cayuga wants to have success.

“We are going to have to use the entire field, both running and passing,” Allison said. “We are going to have to maintain our blocks and play mistake free football with no turnovers and no costly penalties.”

For Cayuga to spread the ball around, it starts with quarterback Broc January, who in his first-ever playoff game last week, completed 7-of-12 passes for 74 yards and no interceptions. On the season, January has thrown for 1,311 yards and 18 touchdowns.

“Broc has done a great job being the offensive leader on the field,” Allison said.

January also has been a part of a Cayuga defense that has stifled the opponent’s running game. Cayuga has allowed just over 110 rushing yards a game, including 120 yards to a run-oriented Lovelady team.

“We have been pretty good up front on defense,” Allison said. “Our defensive line has done a good job taking care of their responsibilities and that allows us to get into the backfield and disrupt plays.”

Cayuga, who has only given up over 150 rushing yards in two games this season, will have a big test against Maud’s run attack that features three of the biggest players Allison said his team has faced — two on the offensive line and the Maud fullback.

“They are a very good and very big football team,” Allison said of Maud. “We need to do a good job of hitting the right spots and being physical up front.”

Running behind the big offensive line and full back is 2,000-yard rusher Rob Hill, who had 288 yards and five touchdowns in Maud’s bi-district win over Beckville.

“He stays behind his blocks and is a strong runner,” Allison said of Hill.

Notes: Maud (9-2) trailed 21-0 to Quinlan Boles Saturday in the area playoff round but scored 42 straight points for a 42-21 win. ...Maud’s two losses this season came to Quinlan Boles earlier in the season, 28-21, and the season opener against Mount Enterprise, 39-0. ...Cayuga is averaging 400.6 yards on offense.