Chiefs prep for Trojans in quarterfinal match

COLUMBUS — Ronan High School coach Matt Detwiler was surprised with how well his team handled the six-hour trip to Columbus en route to their 43-29 victory in the first round of the playoffs Saturday at Columbus High School.

“They handled traveling super well,” Detwiler said. “It was weird. Even when Columbus scored to take the lead, we both looked up and you would have thought our team was winning. Our kids were excited and flying around. They had their heads down and we knew were going to score again. It wasn’t ‘oh no, I hope we score again.’ I knew we were going to score again.”

Detwiler credited the Chiefs’ success to the emergence of the run game.

“Against Columbus it was kind of weird, and our team was more comfortable,” Detwiler said. “I have a lot of confidence in our run game. Being on our turf next week and barring weather, I think it’s going to make us pretty dangerous. Having both of those threats makes our team able to be more balanced.”

With the victory, the Chiefs advanced to host the quarterfinals against Whitehall (9-1) at 1 p.m. Saturday at Ronan High School football stadium.

Detwiler said the run game gave several opportunities for opening up the passing game for the Chiefs’ QB Kasey Mock.

“I think they prepared for the pass fairly well and we had three or four balls batted down,” Detwiler said. “They kept preaching that to their defensive backs. They give us a five or six man box, and they made adjustments. We just were able to run the ball on them.”

Whitehall defeated Cut Bank 17-14 in overtime last Saturday at Cut Bank.

Detwiler said he felt his Chiefs match up better against Whitehall than they do Cut Bank.

“If Whitehall watches our game film from last week against Mission, we threw only two total passes,” Detwiler said.

Detwiler said both teams are “similar.”

“Once you get to the playoffs, every team is good,” Detwiler said. “We have been somewhat lucky injury wise and you never know what the other team may be coming in with after nine or ten weeks of football. It could be a completely different team we are preparing for from the beginning of the year to the end of the year (because of injuries).”

According to Detwiler, the Chiefs are going to be focused on stopping the major component of the Trojans’ offensive attack: Andrew Simon.

“Simon is a really good athlete and they line up with him everywhere,” Detwiler said. “They will try to line him up at running back, tight end, wide out or anywhere where they can get him the football. He’s just a great athlete.”

The Chiefs will also have to worry about the versatility of Trojans’ QB Braden Larsen, according to Detwiler.

“They have a QB that can really scramble and play pretty well,” Detwiler said. “We really have to not let him extend the play and get first downs. If we can just take care of Simon, we can take care of everything else but I think we have athletes, too. We could match up with him pretty well.”

The Chiefs will have a distinct advantage being able to play on their own turf. Ronan is a team that is built for speed and the weather shouldn’t’ shut down the game of their dangerous wide receivers.

“When you are on grass, it feels different,” Detwiler said. “There is muscle memory when you a make a cut. It is probably not going to feel the same way on a grass field. You have to get through all of our offensive stuff and tackling, and see what we are capable of when there is a ball in the air or you go for a pick and tackle. When you do that on grass, it isn’t quite the same and it huge for us to be playing on our surface.”

Detwiler said the feel of hosting their first playoff game since the Chiefs hosted Sidney in the semifinals in 1992 is “different.” Detwiler was 1-year old the last time Ronan hosted a home playoff game.

“It’s been a crazy day and at the same time, it’s been awesome football all year,” Detwiler said. “People are excited about it and it’s nice to be able to get the team back in that position. To bring the playoffs back to the community, I don’t really even have words for it.”

CHIEFS STAT PACK

Ronan 43, Columbus 29

Note: 6B Ronan (6-4) will host 5B Whitehall-Harrison (9-1) in quarterfinal game and whoever emerges victorious will face winner of Eureka vs. Shelby in lower half of the bracket 4B conference champion Columbus finishes 5-4.

Both QB Mock & TE Blood were lined up in backfield. Blood took the snap, then threw to Aaron Misa at about the 5-yard ln for a gorgeous strike.

Ronan 7 15 6 15 – 43

Columbus 7 7 12 3 – 29

R – Zeke Misa pass from Kasey Mock (Brendon Blood kick)

C – Eddie Foos 20 pass Dylan Raihl (Mario Sabo kick)

R – Misa 55 int return (Blood kick)

R – Aaron Misa 20 pass from Blood (Mack run)

C – Foos 22 pass to Chuck Miller (Sabo kick)

C – Miller 1 run (conversion failed)

R – Collin McGuyer 20 run (conversion failed)

C – Raihl 1 run (conversion failed)

C – Sabo 35 field goal

R – Mock 2 run (McGuyer run)

R – Mock 2 run (Blood kick)