Four Downs: Maumee vs. Oak Harbor

By JEREMY SCHNEIDER

IMA SPORTS

One of the greatest things about sports is, anything can happen. Games aren’t played on paper, and what’s “supposed to” happen doesn’t always come true.

While acknowledging Maumee’s great start to the football season, most people outside of the Panthers team and community follow it up by saying some version of, “Yeah, but now it’s Oak Harbor.”

And sure, going off recent history, the Rockets should be the favorites tonight. They’ve won nearly 90 games over the last decade, made five playoff appearances and are the defending Northern Buckeye Conference champion.

Between the lines and against this Maumee team, that could mean very little.

It’s all on the table for the Panthers tonight – beat Oak Harbor, claim an inside track to the NBC title and improve your chances to host at least one playoff game.

So what does Maumee need to focus on to pull off the win? Here are four factors to watch.

The Panthers need to meet the moment. Inside sources have told me (OK, that inside source is my son) that practice this week has been intense, and the energy, leadership and determination is coming from the players themselves. Every coach will tell you, when the players start leading the program, good things happen.

None of these players have faced a moment like this on the football field. This is an incredible chance to put Maumee football on the map. Can the Panthers keep their focus and not let the emotions and expectations weigh them down?

Panthers coach Evan Karchner has repeatedly said they want to be a program with expectations. Well, here’s their chance.

The battle will be won in the trenches. It’s an old football adage, that games are won in the trenches between the two lines, but just because it’s an old and (maybe) tired cliche doesn’t mean it’s not true.

The pressure will be on the Maumee offensive line to perform tonight. The Rockets lost some talented skill players and linemen, but you can be sure they’re still rough, tough and ready to be physical. The Panthers will need to meet and exceed their opponents on all those fronts.

Maumee broke in four new starting offensive linemen this season. They’ve had a full offseason and three regular season games to get in gear. It’s time to see if they’re up to the challenge.

If Maumee wants to ring the victory bell against Oak Harbor, the offensive and defensive lines will need to control the line of scrimmage. / Jeremy Schneider

Can Maumee play a full four quarters? With blowout wins against Bryan and Bowsher the last two weeks, Maumee starters haven’t played much of the third quarter and none of the fourth since Week 1.

True, it’s been good to keep the wear and tear on guys like Cody Wulf, Keishon Midcalf, Carson Graetz and Ben Kubicz to a minimum. To use another cliche, there isn’t much wear on those tires.

While I’d love to see the Panthers put a running clock up to start the third quarter again this week, that’s probably not going to happen. Really for the first time all season, the starters and top-line players will need to put in a full 48 minutes of football.

The Panthers front 7 will need to control the pace. One of the most pleasant surprises for Maumee this season has been the play of its defense. The starting core has yet to give up a score.

The defensive linemen and linebackers have largely controlled the game for Maumee in the first three weeks. They’ll need to dig even deeper this week to keep Oak Harbor’s experienced quarterback and running back in check.

Losing a player like Tristen Dotson to injury doesn’t help matters – his ability to stuff the run and play the pass at linebacker was a huge plus – but as Karchner said this week, it’s next man up for the Panthers.

Just like on offense, Maumee needs to control the line of scrimmage and not allow the Rockets to chew up yardage in the rushing game.

Reach IMA at insidemaumeeathletics@gmail.com