VERSAILLES, Mo. - A Versailles offense that has been on an upswing with an influx of youngsters figures to be tested tonight.
The Versailles Tigers will travel to California tonight for a Tri-County Conference contest (7 p.m. kickoff).
Versailles comes in with a 1-2 overall record and a 0-1 league mark after opening Tri-County play last week with a 34-14 loss to defending champion Blair Oaks. The California Pintos come in 1-2 overall and 1-0 in the league after topping Warsaw 12-8 last week.
Last year's game between the two teams was a tight defensive battle, with Versailles clipping California 14-10.
After suffering three shutouts a year ago the Tigers shuffled things around with some youth. Sophomore Coby Williams was switched from wideout to quarterback and Versailles have improved to where it is now averaging 29.3 points per game.
In comes a rugged Pinto defense to test the Tigers. California hasn't allowed a point in the first half of its last two games and is giving up an average of just 18.3 points per game.
Last week the Pintos staged a goal-line stand in the final two minutes of play to preserve the victory against Warsaw.
The Pintos are under the direction of first-year head coach Mikel Gragg, who was head coach at Scotland County for two years prior to coming to California.
Like Versailles a year ago California has struggled offensively this fall, scoring an average of 10.7 points. The Pintos have been hurt by fumbles and penalties so far this season.
"I think their kids are like we were when I first got here - trying to decide what they're going to be good at," Versailles head coach Broc Silvers said of California. "He's trying to do everything he can to help his kids out. I've been there.
"They have started to run a lot of speed option," Silvers added. "They have two quarterback kids and kind of have a dual quarterback system there. They're trying to feel what they want to do. One quarterback throws well and one runs well."
After totaling just 20 points in the first two games, California got a pair of first-half touchdowns from senior running backs Liam Glenn (two yards) and Cory Friedmeyer (23 yards) last week.
But Silvers knows the strength of the Pinto team is on defense.
"Their defense is playing well," he said. "They've been in every game they've played. It's a sound defense.
"They're a 4-2 (defensive front). (Gragg) was a defensive coordinator by trade, like I was. They will have aggressive linebackers who may pose some problems for us."
For the Tigers, Williams has hit on 31-of-46 passes for 480 yards, three interceptions and five touchdowns. His top targets have been senior slotback Kooper Wilson, who has caught 16 passes for 338 yards and three touchdowns, and senior running back Taylor Dobbins, who has six receptions for 55 yards and a TD.
Dobbins paces the Versailles ground game with 274 yards on 43 attempts and two touchdowns while junior running back Grant Hutchison has 85 yards on 17 carries and a TD.
Junior end Michael Trotter paces the Tiger defense with 23 solo tackles - including six tackles for losses and two sacks -and 12 assists. Also for Versailles Wilson, at strong safety, has 20 tackles and Williams, at defensive back, has 20 tackles while senior end Jonathan Geier has 10 tackles, including 4.5 for losses.
Versailles played well against conference and state power Blair Oaks last week after the Falcons' standout quarterback Nolan Hair went down with an ankle injury in the first period. The Tigers outscored Blair Oaks the final three periods, so that might be used as a confidence-boost.
"It probably helped us when Hair got hurt in the first quarter," Silvers admits. 'After that we outscored them even though our cornerback got hurt.
"We're playing well offensively, but we had 190 yards of offense called back in penalties. We had 21 penalties called in that game. And we turned the ball over at the goal line with a minute to go. So we were a couple of plays from being in that game."