South Callaway launches District 5 play tonight at home against Principia

MOKANE, Mo. - South Callaway head coach Zack Hess sees the postseason as heady stuff that singles out special teams.

Hess' Bulldogs (8-1) are the No. 2 seed in Class 2 District 5 and will host the seventh-seeded Principia Panthers (4-4) in a first-round game tonight. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

"A couple of things were mentioned in our meetings (Monday) about mental toughness and the importance of wanting to continue on," Hess said. "You get to that point in the season, a lot of times it comes down to that - what team is more mentally tough."

South Callaway - ranked 10th in Class 2 in this week's Missouri Media Rankings - owns a five-game winning streak and benefited from Brentwood's 21-7 loss to Ste. Genevieve in last week's regular-season finale. The Bulldogs - who ended the regular season with a commanding 59-7 win at Van-Far - switched places with the Eagles in moving up a slot to the second seed.

A win tonight against Principia would guarantee South Callaway another home game next week for the District 5 semifinals.

"Naturally, you're always excited whenever you move up any slots, and to go from three to two and secure that second home game was a good feeling," Hess said. " Any time you get to play at home, it's an advantage.

"There's just a level of comfortability there, playing at home, that helps out."

The Panthers - who closed the regular season with a 34-13 victory against Metro East (Ill.) Lutheran last week - are averaging 23.5 points out of their double-wing offense.

Principia is led by quarterback Justin Jennings, a 6-foot-2, 165-pound senior. Jennings is 18-of-31 passing (58 percent) on the season for 438 yards, eight touchdowns and no interceptions.

Senior wingback Nicholas Saucedo (5-9, 160) leads the Panthers in rushing with 525 yards (5.0 average) and 11 touchdowns. Fellow senior wingback Garrett Sheets (5-8, 155) has also gained 370 yards (5.0 average) and scored three times.

Wisdom Thomas (6-1, 175), another senior wingback, has rushed for 326 yards (6.2 average) and one touchdown.

Senior tight end Jeremy Fox (6-0, 175) tops Principia with seven catches for 195 yards (27.9 average) and three scores. Fellow senior tight end Jack Adler has five receptions for 166 yards (33.2 average) and three touchdowns.

"(It's) one formation, a handful of plays that they really like to use, and they do it well," Hess said. " There are a couple of pass plays that they like to use that are pretty effective whenever it's run, run, run, and then lull the secondary to sleep and go over the top."

The Bulldogs' defense limited Van-Far to just 142 yards of total offense, including a sparse 69 yards rushing, and tallied three sacks last week.

Hess stressed South Callaway will need to put the Panthers in down-and-distance dilemmas tonight.

"It's a frustrating type of offense because they're three or four yards and three or four yards, then you get a first down-type of offense," Hess said. "We've got to do a good job of winning on first down and setting up those second- and third-and-longs."

On the defensive side, Hess explained Principia operates out of a 4-3 base alignment. The Panthers are giving up 27.4 points per game, surrendering 65, 46, 31 and 45 points in their four losses.

Sheets paces Principia with 86 tackles from his linebacker position, while Saucedo is second with 67 from his defensive back spot. Thomas also has a team-high eight sacks at defensive end.

"(Sheets) is one of their inside backers and he does a pretty good job of getting downhill and being physical," Hess said. "They do a good job of putting athletes in good positions for their defense."

The Panthers will have to contend with South Callaway's quick-strike offense that features a variety of options. Senior quarterback Landon Horstman ran for two scores (2, 16 yards) and also threw a touchdown pass (29 yards to senior wide receiver Jarrett Livengood) last Friday.

Senior tailbacks Kaden Helsel and Dalton Stone, junior tailback Peyton Leeper and junior fullback Bradyn Belcher also had touchdown runs for the Bulldogs. South Callaway generated 410 yards of total offense.

"Hopefully we keep that going," Hess said. "It's easier to call plays when you feel comfortable with the guys you're calling them for to make those plays.

"We try to put them in good positions to be successful and trust that they're going to make a play."

In tonight's other District 5 first-round pairings, top-seeded North Callaway - ranked seventh in Class 2 - hosts No. 8 Montgomery County, No. 3 seed Brentwood is at home against No. 6 Father Tolton, and No. 4 seed Hermann hosts No. 5 Hallsville.

Related media:

South Callaway Bulldogs Football Podcast [Principia preview, Oct. 20, 2017]