COMMERCE — Coaches and players from both sides are doing their best to ignore the hype and paint Friday’s as just another game.
Glossing over 69 years of history aint’t exactly easy, however.
And on top of a long and fierce rivalry, Commerce and Jefferson both enter Friday’s showdown at Ray Lamb Stadium coming off stellar 2014 seasons. Both are also undefeated and ranked in their respective classification’s top 10s. (NOTE: For a look at all of the area's Week 3 contests, click here).
In other words there is plenty that could distract and play on the minds of those on both sides -- if either coaching staff would let it.
“As a coach it’s a non-factor; it’s the next game and they’re the next opponent,” Commerce football coach Michael Brown. “We take each game and approach it the same way. I understand the aspect of the rivalry and the history between the schools, and I appreciate that. But from my perspective that has no bearing on getting our team ready to play Jefferson.”
“As coaches we treat it as the next game on the schedule,” said Jefferson football coach Ben Hall. “But realistically these kids have grown up together, have played against each other throughout rec ball and middle school, and it means a lot to them. And playing their neighbor, kids that they know, we find we’re having to tone our kids down, so any extra-curricular activities outside this facility won’t hinder us this week. But as coaches we treat it as the next game. We break them down and scheme them like everybody else.”
Even if you take away all the rivalry and background noise, Friday’s contest should have more than enough to keep fans riveted.
Consider that both teams enter the showdown on the heels of dominating performances and powerful rushing attacks. Jefferson (3-0) has done it with an imposing offensive line and the explosiveness of sophomore running back Colby Wood (619 yards rushing, 10 TDs). Commerce (2-0), meanwhile, has utilized a crop of talented backs, including Will Thomas, Cole Chancey and J’Varius Wood, along with quarterback Caleb Brooks to spark its triple option offense, which is averaging 351 yards per game.
So which style will reign come Friday?
“They’re very well-coached. They play hard; they play with passion,” Hall said. “I think they have nine kids back on offense, and they’re executing at a high level. Defensively they’re very sound, very well-coached. They’re running a bit of a different scheme this year, but the bottom line is those kids play hard, and it’s going to be a tough one for us Friday night.”
“Their offensive line is as good as I’ve seen in a long time,” Brown said. “Jefferson’s going to do what they do. That’s what I appreciate about coach Hall and his staff over there. They do what they do and they do it so well that they say, ‘hey, stop it.’ And they’ve been very successful with that formula the last couple of years and rightfully so. And we’re similar in that manner, and even though we run very different offenses we’re going to do what we do. That’s what we do, option the football and, we hope we can execute to the point where we can make it competitive.”
As strong as both offenses have been, both defenses have been just as stout. The Tigers have yielded just 13 points over two games, while the Dragons have given up just 24 points in three contests.
In other words, something will have to give on Friday night -- in an atmosphere that payers know will be electric.
“There’s just always a certain kind of atmosphere around the Commerce-Jefferson rivalry,” said Jefferson senior lineman Alex Corbett. “It’s just really like no other. And a lot of people want to look at it as a big rivalry, but we’re trying our best here just to look at it as another game and come out with a win.”
“It’s something you won’t ever experience anywhere else,” said Commerce senior lineman Cody Weaver. “It’s crazy how just the community comes together and how supportive they are of us, especially this Friday night.”
