The Corrigan-Camden Bulldogs (2-1) will visit the Leon Cougars (1-2) for their last road game of the regular season Friday.
It has been a season of home field dominance, but struggles on the road for the Bulldogs, as they look to break that trend this week in Jewett versus the Cougars from Leon County.
Last week’s 46-28 homecoming victory over the Normangee Panthers helped lock in a playoff spot for Corrigan with two district games remaining versus Leon and the Centerville Tigers to finish.
The Bulldogs now have a chance to win out and ultimately compete for a district title with Centerville and the Hearne Eagles at the current top spots.
“It is great to be undefeated at home, but we desperately need to find that road win and this is the game to do it,” said Bulldog head coach Brett Ratliff. “It will also help our seeding for the playoffs and give us an opportunity to play for a district title the following week.”
Ratliff expects a more aggressive mindset from his players this week with a potentially bigger prize up for grabs, minus the pressure of playoff positioning.
“This group is the type that needs to play loose and relaxed,” Ratliff explained. “Not having the weight of the playoffs on our shoulders is going to help. I am glad we had [that last game] at home where we were more comfortable.
“This next match is like a playoff game with a lot at stake, although it is a bonus game. We achieved our playoff goal, but our ultimate goal is championships. We definitely want to go out and perform to give us that opportunity.”
Leon won its first district match in a 34-0 shutout at home over the Normangee Panthers. However, the Cougars are coming off a two-game losing streak.
In week two of the district schedule, Leon lost 35-16 visiting Centerville, and fell 32-21 last week at home versus Hearne. According to Ratliff, the Panthers are also in good sitting for the postseason.
So far this season in district and non-district play, Leon has scored an average of nearly 30 points while allowing 18.
The Panthers finished last year with a 3-2 district record and got bounced in a 58-0 shutoff loss in the first round of the playoffs against the Garrison Bulldogs.
Corrigan fell 27-22 at home in last season’s match against Leon, as the Panthers exploded early and costly errors stopped the Bulldogs’ ability to rally late.
Under third-year head coach Derrick Thomas, the Panthers will rely again on a power run game this time around. Corrigan’s offense will work to counter the run gaps and protect the edges against Leon’s defense.
“Leon is a very physical football team and they are fighting for seeding a lot like us,” said Ratliff. “They have size up front and their skill players are strong. So they will ground-and-pound, trying to control the clock. Defensively, they are sound with some of the better defensive ends we have seen.”
Leon junior quarterback Landon Thomas will control the handoffs between junior running back Brady Rohrer and junior fullback Cotton Brigner as the primary offensive weapons.
“[Rohrer] and [Brigner] are their key playmakers. [Thomas] makes the machine go at quarterback,” Ratliff said. “He is not necessarily running it a lot, but does a great job as ‘the dealer’ within that offensive style.”
Kickoff for Friday’s district match is set for 7 p.m. in Jewett.
