By Mike Moore
Staff Writer
Jackson — Nearly 500 points in nine games.
An offense averaging more than 55 points per contest.
A team that put up 58 or more points five different times in 2016.
That begins to sum up what the Lumen Christi football team’s defense has heading to town Friday night in the opening round of the Division 6 playoffs.
“They run a high-risk, high-reward offense,” Lumen coach Herb Brogan said of Watervliet, the Titans’ opening-round opponent. “They’re going to be quicker than anyone we’ve seen. They get to the line and go. They don’t punt. They kick onside. You have to find ways to get them off the field and make plays.”
The Panthers closed the regular season 7-2, earning a spot on the postseason for the sixth year in a row and the seventh time in the past eight seasons.
And if you’re still trying to figure out Brogan’s comments, about the high-risk, high-reward attack the Panthers have, consider this, in the team’s two losses this year, they scored 30 and 58 points.
“Very impressed with what we’ve seen (on film),” Brogan said of the Panthers’ offense. “They have good team speed. They throw the ball well and can score points in bunches.”
That’s putting it mildly.
The Panthers scored 86 points in the season opener and never looked back.
Throughout the regular season, the team averaged more than 200 yards per game on the ground and 294 through the air.
The Panthers scored 69 total touchdowns, more than double the national average, according to maxpreps.com.
Senior quarterback Cameron Rendo completed 151-of-227 passes (66.5 percent) for 2,619 yards, 30 touchdowns and just five interceptions.
Junior Zachery Pickens led the team with 822 yards rushing. Rendo added 678 yards and 23 touchdowns on the ground.
“In order to beat them, we’re going to have to score,” Brogan said with a laugh. “But really, I think field position is going to be so key. If they don’t punt or they kick onside, we have to take the ball and take advantage of it.”
Lumen (7-2) closed the regular season on a six game winning streak.
Remember the concern when the team was 1-2 following a 24-14 loss to Harper Creek.
That was then, and this is now, a team on a roll that’s in the playoffs for the 19th time in a row and 20th time in 21 years.
“It’s exciting to start the playoffs,” Brogan said. Last year’s team fell to Clinton in the D-6 regional final. “It’s one and done, now. I think the psychological feel is so different compared to just last week. The preparation is different.”
And while the Titans prep for the Watervliet offense, they know the defense they are about to face is one that gives up plenty.
Lumen averaged 30.6 points per game this fall, while the Panthers allowed 25.8.
“We have to be consistent in what we do,” Brogan said. “I think it’d be nice to build a lead, but at the same time, I’ve seen them come from a couple touchdowns down to win.
While Watervliet does boast some video-game numbers, it’s also important to consider the opponents.
Of the seven teams the Panthers beat, they held a combined 20-43 record.
In fact, Watervliet faced just two teams with winning records all season, and lost both games. The game will air on JTV Saturday at 3:30pm and 9:30pm and again on Sunday at 9:30pm.
Mike Moore is a play-by-play commentator and Sports Writer for JTV Sports. You can reach him at mjm12@albion.edu. He’s also the author of ‘Love, Defined; A Dedication to the Love, Sacrifice, and Magic of Motherhood.’
Love, Defined is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Tate Publishing or by contacting Mike Cadirectly.
Visit http://lovedefinedbook.weebly.com for more information.
