EDWARDSVILLE – Edwardsville’s 3-0 football team is at home tonight against 1-2 rival O’Fallon. Game time is set for 7 p.m.
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O’Fallon will definitely be a challenge tonight with its offensive quickness, Edwardsville Coach Matt Martin said.
“O’Fallon has speed at the receiver position and their quarterback is a dual-threat kid,” Martin said. “Their quarterback can throw and run. Their linebackers are two of the best we have played so far and their offensive line is big.”
O’Fallon lost its first game to Hazelwood Central 21-7, then beat Normal West 48-35 and lost 34-23 last week to Belleville West. Edwardsville defeated Quincy, Rock Island and Collinsville in the first three games of the season.
Dionte Rodgers has been spectacular for the Tigers so far in the backfield. He has 470 yards rushing in 49 carries and has nine touchdowns. Rodgers’ longest run this season is 72 yards.
“We have to be aggressive to stop the run against O’Fallon,” Martin said. “They looked like a good team when I watched them against Belleville West. Belleville West won a turnover battle in that game.”
O’Fallon has been competitive against Edwardsville in recent years and Martin said the Panthers are well-coached.
Statistically, O’Fallon quarterback Mason Hewitt has strong stats both rushing and passing. He has 476 yards rushing and 563 yards passing on the season.
If there is a game cancellation, it will create problems for Edwardsville because the Tiger Ambush Drum and Band Competition is set for 2 p.m. through the evening on Saturday on the football field. Rain has also been predicted for the morning. Most of the athletic directors are taking tonight to game time to see if there will be any lightning.
Coach Martin said he hasn’t experienced two rain-stopped and rescheduled games in one season as a head coach. The coach said he is not a fan of having to reschedule the games because he said it gets the team out of its normal routine.
“It messes up your preparation for the following week,” he said. “We like to finish up watching the Friday night game on Saturday and the coaches start preparing for the following week on Sunday.”
In the hopeful case that the game does go on, the game will be shown live on EdGlenToday.com.
