Throughout practice this week, Jefferson City head coach Ted LePage and the rest of the Jays' coaching staff have reminded players today's game could be their last.
It wasn't meant to be demeaning or put added pressure on the Jays as they enter Week 2 of the playoffs. It was simply used as a motivation tactic.
"Just to remind them the urgency it takes to play in the playoffs," LePage said Thursday before practice. "Letting them know this is an opportunity that doesn't come around very often. When it doesn't come around very often, take the opportunity that you have and expand upon it."
LePage took it a step further by reading a quote to his players from Derek Jeter as the future Hall Of Famer embarked on the final season of his illustrated career in Major League Baseball.
"The last thing you want to do is finish playing or doing anything and wish you would have worked harder," Jeter said. "When I'm done the last thing I'll be able to say is I cheated myself."
That's the approach LePage wants his team to take when second-seeded Jefferson City (7-3) hosts third-seeded Fort Zumwalt West (7-3) at 7 p.m. today in a Class 6 District 3 semifinal game at Adkins Stadium.
"I told our players, "That's pretty relevant right now,'" LePage said. ""If you do everything during the week, how can you have any regrets when it's over? So let's do everything right during the week.'"
Fort Zumwalt West is coming off a 62-41 win against Rock Bridge - a team that claimed a 36-31 victory against the Jays in Week 6. The Jaguars complied 570 yards of total offense while allowing 550 on defense against the Bruins.
"We're going to have to play really, good, solid, fundamental football," LePage said. "That's sounds so cliche, but this is a team that is kind of a Wild Wild West team. They don't care if it's 62-61. They don't care what they have to do. They're going to take what ever risk to win the game.
"From that standpoint, what you want to do is make them one-dimensional. You want to control the tempo, you want to control the clock, you want to control the game. Anytime we've had success in beating them, we've been able to go out and do that."
Jefferson City is also coming off a big win. The Jays claimed a 39-0 victory against seventh-seeded Hickman in the first round of the playoffs And perhaps more importantly, Jefferson City was able to rest its first string after the third quarter.
"I don't know if it's the best game we've played on any specific side of the ball," LePage said. "It might be the best collectively. Offense, defense, special teams - I thought all played at the top of their game. I thought we played a pretty complete game."
Jefferson City knows it will have its hands full tonight against the Jaguars - a triple-option based team that resembles the offense the Jays saw against Rogers (Ark.) before beating the Mounties 37-21 in Week 5.
But instead of quarterback Chase Brown lining up under center, the senior will play in a shotgun formation and will have the option of handing off to running back Ethan Staskewicz or throwing the ball down field to one of four Jaguar receivers, who all have put up similar numbers this season.
Staskewicz is one of the main threats after running for 1,212 yards on 170 carries and 18 touchdowns this season.
"He's very fast," LePage said. "He's not a power runner, he's not one of these guys that is going to pound it between the tackles for 50 carries, but he may get the ball 50 times, just being in various parts of the field."
Brown has also been a productive player for the Jaguars, completing 129-of-214 pass for 1,729 yards with 14 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
"He runs the ball effectively, he can hand it off, but he's very effective in connecting with his passing game once they do use the play action," LePage said.
Defensively, Fort Zumwalt West likes to blitz - a lot. The Jaguars use a 4-4 front, meaning they commit eight players into the box.
"They tell you to throw the football, but they're very, very good at recovering to take away your throw," LePage said. "Most teams can't get it off."
And the Jaguars have one goal when they're on the defensive side: get the offensive unit back on the field as fast as possible.
"When we started putting together our game plan, one thing we told our offensive guys is, "They're going to get us,'" LePage said. "There's going to be some plays that we're going to have some negative plays or no-gain plays. That's going to happen.
"With them playing that kind of defense, if you can break it, which a lot of teams have not - they're a very good defensive ball club - but if you're just consistent and patient, there are plays that can go for big yardage also."
Jefferson City hosts Ft. Zumwalt West - Updates on Twitter: @jhall04. Listen live online: kwos.com or klik1240.com.
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