CARROLLTON - For the sixth season in a row, the Carrollton Hawks are preparing for the IHSA Class 1A playoffs. Game time is 1 p.m. Saturday for the Madison at Carrollton playoff football game.
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Riverbender.com will broadcast the Saturday matchup live.
It’s almost business as usual. Carrollton carries an 8-1 and is seeded fourth in the south bracket. For their opposition this is experience is anything but normal.
The last time the Madison Trojans fielded their football team was 1998 until this past spring. For the previous two seasons Madison co-oped with Metro East Lutheran. Now they’ve gone on their own and have dramatically made it to the playoffs and got plenty of speed that has caused problems for teams all season long.
“They’re a very elusive team. Probably what sticks out more than anything is their overall play-making ability,” Carrollton head coach Nick Flowers said. “When it came to some of the games they won they did it with a lot of athletes.”
The Trojans are the 13 seed and hold a 6-3 record and won three out of their first four games. Overall they average 27 points per game on offense, but in the games, Madison has won the average goes up to 38. Madison does not belong in a conference and is independent. They haven’t played the toughest of schedules this season based on their opponent records, which is 22-48.
Quarterback, Rhyheem Samuels has thrown for 1,321 yards with 13 touchdowns and six interceptions. Wide receiver Malcom Conway has caught 14 passes for 393 yards and five touchdowns. Carl Moore, another receiver has 11 receptions for 314 yards and a touchdown. Deangelo Briggs and Artavius Stepney have tallied over 100 yards each as well.
For the Hawks, it’s about getting to Samuels.
“Without a doubt [Samuels] is our first priority. We gotta contain him and concentrate on not letting him scramble around because they’ll get some receivers open,” Flowers said. “He’s got a good arm. They’re throwing the ball a lot, so we’re going to have to put immediate pressure on him and make him throw the ball quickly or make him scramble to the point where we’re able to take him out of the play.”
Madison is very much a passing team, but that may play into the Hawks favor because the defense practices containing the spread offense every week. Flowers remains alert about the Trojans all-around athleticism. Incidentally, the only times Carrollton has come across anybody who has attempted several passes against them was Pleasant Hill and North Greene. The Hawks secondary will definitely be tested all game long.
“We feel confident defending these guys, but that still doesn’t take away that big play concern. We really have to pursue to the ball hard,” Flowers said. “We’re not going to be able to take a single play off. We’re going to have to play solid defense and be smart when it comes to kicking off and punting to them. That’s what it’s going to take to beat these guys.”
Carrollton, ranked sixth in the final Class 1A AP Poll is coming off of a tough 34-28 defeat to the Camp Point Central Panthers, which defied them of a perfect season. However, Flowers insists that the loss has only improved them as a team and won’t want to feel the pain of losing anytime soon.
“It’s one of those things that’s opened our eyes a bit,” Flowers said. “The boys have not liked this taste that was left in their mouth.”
Carrollton’s offense has averaged 41 points per game and the 28 points they scored last week was the least amount the Hawks have put up all season. Sophomore Quarterback, Hunter Flowers has thrown for 1,886 yards this season with 25 touchdowns and five interceptions. Junior wide receiver Nathan Walker has caught 44 passes for 916 yards and ten touchdowns.
Even though the Hawks will go through the air early and often, they will also look to let running back Byron Holmes loose on the Trojans.
“I think we’re going to be able to run the ball against them. Our run game has gotten better,” Flowers said. “We’ve gotten Byron Holmes in a lot of situations where he’s able to hit some skinny holes. What I’m looking most forward to is how we run the ball against Madison because I feel like we’re solid when it comes to our offensive line. That’s where I think the difference in Saturday’s game will be.”
Holmes has rushed for 767 yards on 121 carries and 14 touchdowns this season. Last week he managed to gain 125 yards on 18 carries and hauled in a 15-yard touchdown pass.
Madison has proved at times they’re no slouch at covering the spread offense. As a team, the Trojans have picked off 12 passes this season, including five by Conway and four by Stepney. Alphonso Rice and Fashaun Merritt each have five sacks. The Trojans have given up an average of 12 points per game.
Since 2012, Carrollton is 8-1 during home games in the playoffs and have averaged 35 points on offense in those games.
