Shamrocks look to shore up front seven in playoff game against San Manuel

Coaches typically are satisfied after a 41-14 win over their team's rival. Then again Rhett Stallworth isn't your typical coach.
 
After Yuma Catholic's win over Antelope, the Shamrocks' coaching staff went back to basics on defense after allowing the Rams to rush for 172 yards. Antelope's Erick Hernandez picked up 130 of those yards and ran the ball in from 3 yards out for the Rams' only touchdown of the second half.
 
Stallworth said that the team's focus would have to change for Yuma Catholic (8-2 overall, 6-0 2A West) to have a shot at winning today's 2A playoff game against San Manuel (7-2 overall, 6-1 2A South) played at Ricky Gwynn Stadium at 7 p.m.
 
In the YC's first meeting with the Rams  Sept. 4 at Antelope, Hernandez was held to 21 yards on nine carries in the Shamrocks' 30-0 win.
 
"I think there was a focus issue last week. I think our kids expected to win and win big," Stallworth said. "We went out there on the first play of the game, of course, is a touchdown and the next thing you know, you're up 21-0. I think that was the issue."
 
The Shamrocks will once again face a top-caliber running back in San Manuel's Steven Cline, who has rushed for more than 1,100 yards this season and has scored 10 touchdowns.
 
"(Cline) can play, he's fast and he can get it done," Stallworth said. "His average is like 12-something yards (per carry), if you see him on film he can go."
 
But Stallworth is also concerned about San Manuel quarterback Matt Phelps, who has thrown for more than 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns this season.
 
The game is a rematch of the first round of the 2007 2A playoffs in which the Shamrocks routed the Miners 49-7. During that game San Manuel rushed for 235 yards.
 
"I think they're about 50-50 in run and pass after watching the film," Stallworth said. "We're more worried about controlling the line of scrimmage. If we can control the line of scrimmage I think it takes care of the run and the pass and normally we've done that this year. We just didn't do it as well as we would have liked to against Antelope."
 
For the Shamrocks to control the line they'll rely on defensive tackles Matt Osuna and Luke Hodges, who have been two of Stallworth's most reliable players. Osuna has also earned time on the offensive side of the ball at fullback and even catching a ball out of the slot position.
 
But Osuna and Hodges, along with the teams linebackers and defensive ends, will have have their hands full with San Manuel's offensive line.
 
"They're a lot bigger than us up front," Stallworth said. "They've got a lot of 250-pound guys. We've got one guy who's 235 and the rest are less than 200."
 
Osuna is less worried than his coach about the prospects of facing the Miners' offense.
 
"We're coached a lot better than them, we're tougher and we work a lot harder," Osuna said. "We're getting back to the basics, getting low, controlling our gaps and not taking teams lightly."