#CFC50 HS game preview (NS): Phoenix ready for another tough battle with Cheetahs

The #CFC50 No. 38 Citadel Phoenix and Charles P. Allen Cheetahs will square off this Sunday in what looks to be an action packed week 2 NSSAFFL matchup. Coming off their 2015 championship run, the Citadel Phoenix are a team that has established a foundation of consistency along with a true team mentality.

The Charles P. Allen Cheetahs are coming off a 5-3 season, and if the past history between these teams is any indicator, Sunday’s game in Bedford, N.S. will be four quarters of must-watch football.

Citadel’s co-Head Coach and offensive coordinator, Jon Dyer, is confident with the direction his group of players is going in as they gear up for another challenging game against the Cheetahs. Heading into Sunday’s matchup, coach Dyer is pleased with his team’s development so far.

“We had a pretty good camp this year,” coach Dyer said. “Great turn out again at tryouts and we had to make some difficult decisions. I think our team has come along nicely thus far but we are a long way away from where we want to be.”

Coach Dyer is preparing for another close game against the Cheetahs, and he knows that his team needs to be at their absolute best to defeat one of their most difficult opponents.

“We really need full focus this week in practice,” Coach Dyer said. “This will be one of our toughest games of the season and our guys need to lock in.”

With the Cheetahs possessing a ton of skill this season, Citadel will need to win at the point of attack on both sides of the ball in order to keep the momentum on their side.

“Our offensive and defensive lines are going to determine the outcome of this game,” coach Dyer said. “If we can control the line of scrimmage, we will be successful.”

Sunday’s game will include an intriguing quarterback dual between Citadel’s Monecko Clayton and Charles P. Allen’s Ian Oyler, two talented athletes who can hurt opposing defenses in more ways than one.

Citadel’s defense will have their hands full on every snap as they try to slow down the dynamic and talented Cheetah offense.

“We need to shut down their rushing attack and contain their mobile quarterback,” coach Dyer said. “They have some really skilled players and a lot of guys can make an impact for them.”

When it comes to other side of the ball, Citadel’s coaching staff knows that the keys to success on offense are to play smart football and fight for every inch until the very last whistle.

“We have to make good decisions,” coach Dyer said. “Whether it’s picking up a block, throwing a check-down, or avoiding big penalties, this game is going to be a tight one and every yard counts.”

Citadel have the ultimate team mentality, and even though they are dealing with some injuries this week, the Phoenix are a team built on the idea that winning is a result of the group effort.

“We’ve got some guys banged up but so does everyone else,” coach Dyer said. “It’s a next guy up attitude in our program and one or two players will never determine the outcome of a game.”

Rather than being able to focus on stopping a small handful of key players on Sunday, the Phoenix will need to be ready to face a well-rounded Cheetahs roster that presents numerous challenges.

“I think they are talented and deep across the board,” coach Dyer said. “We need to worry about what our guys are doing as a collective.”

This game will be a great showcase for high school football in Nova Scotia, and with the recent game history between these two talented teams there is naturally a high level of respect held for the opponent.

“They’re one of the top programs in the Maritimes and we’ve had some tight battles over the last couple years,” coach Dyer added. “Sunday night will be a wild atmosphere in a game with a lot at stake. If we control the line of scrimmage on offense and tackle well in our back end, we have a great shot to win.”

Sunday’s game in Bedford will most certainly be an exciting showdown, and we think that this is guaranteed to be an edge-of-your-seat game once again between these two familiar opponents, staying close all the way to the end.

We expect Citadel to come out on top in this one, and look out for quarterback Monecko Clayton and running back Jack Campbell to really shine in this pivotal matchup.

This game between the Citadel Phoenix and Charles P. Allen Cheetahs is set to kick off at 7:00 PM on the Cheetahs’ home field in Bedford, N.S.

                     

 

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