How the Bobcats Can Defeat El Paso Montwood Friday Night

SAN ANGELO, TX — The San Angelo Central Bobcats (0-1) square off against the El Paso Montwood Rams (0-1) in their second non-district game tomorrow, Sept. 2, at 7 pm, at San Angelo Stadium. After a near come-from-behind victory against Kileen Shoemaker in the second half last week, the Bobcats fell 31-24; they are primed and ready to seize their first victory of the season. Last year, the Bobcats narrowly achieved victory over the Rams, 34-29. The ‘Cats played a back-and-forth slugfest with the Rams that, after a lengthy rain delay, went well into the 4th quarter until a winner finally emerged.

Senior QB Tyler Hill and WR Jacob English need a repeat of last week for the ‘Cats to secure their first win of the season. Last week, Hill connected with English on 5 different passes for over 100 yards and a touchdown. If this connection persists, no one should be surprised if the ‘Cats’ offense looks nothing less than explosive. English’s speed combined with Hill’s arm is something to look forward to for the rest of the season.

Last year, the Rams scored most of their points on explosive plays that took little to no time off the clock. On the ground, the ‘Cats’ need to establish a solid push from the O-line to open up the running lanes for the backs so they can control the clock and limit what Montwood can do with the ball.

Defensively, the Bobcats held up well against the dynamic offense of Shoemaker in the second half last week. They forced the Wolves into several third-down situations throughout the game that forced Shoemaker to make big plays to convert first downs. The second-quarter injury to Senior Cornerback D’Andrae Young, who we all wish a swift and painless recovery, had a major effect on the defense’s mindset and morale for the rest of the first half. That shift directly changed the flow of the game and, in the eyes of some fans, led to the quick scores by Shoemaker before halftime.

When speaking to Head Coach Kevin Crane at the end of the game, he said, “D’Andrae got hurt, and I feel like that deflated us for the rest of the first half. Coming out in the second half, we obviously played a lot better.”

What that means for this week is that the Bobcats must limit explosive plays by Montwood. They have the capability to stop even the most athletic playmakers in their tracks if they play fundamentally sound defensive football. The secondary has to keep the Montwood receivers in front of them, and the linebackers and D-line must hold their own against a talented Rams’ offensive line.

All eyes are watching this young Bobcat team and the opportunities the ‘Cats and its second year coach Kevin Crane can exploit.