Sweet Springs football: 'Hounds need to be ready to race

The 'Hounds may look to the arm as well as the feet of senior quarterback Billy Martin to beat University Academy. (Hobby King/The Concordian) [Click to enlarge] [Order this photo]

University Academy Charter of Kansas City will bring plenty of thoroughbreds to the Center High School field Wednesday when it hosts Sweet Springs in the MSHSAA Class 1 Regional round of the playoffs.

The Gryphons' athleticism will be but one challenge for the visitors, who have seen their last two post-season runs end quickly with one-point losses -- to Westran in 2000 and Cass-Midway last year.

"We haven't won a playoff game in 19 years," noted Sweet Springs head coach Tim Smith, referring to a 13-12 victory over Orrick in the 1990 sectional -- which was followed by a 12-7 quarterfinal loss to Archie. "So that's a bit of motivation."

University Academy (8-2) has never won in the post-season. In fact, the seven-year-old program had never before appeared until last year's 42-0 loss to Tipton, the Greyhounds' District 8 nemesis. However, Damon Paul -- the only head coach the Gryphons have known -- as steadily built this club to the point where it believes in can contend.

He certainly has the impact players, most notably senior quarterback Darrenn White, a Wyoming recruit. He's run for 1,495 yards and 20 touchdowns and passed for 1,538 yards and 17 scores, a total offense averaging 303.3 yards per game.

"He's the one who makes them go," Smith observed. "You never feel comfortable until he's down on the ground."

White isn't the only threat, but he's such an innovator that "when a play breaks down, he makes something happen," Smith said. "What's not there, they make something else."

Sophomore running back Brian Smith had gained 878 yards, at 9.4 yards per carry, and gotten into the end zone 10 times lining up right beside White in shotgun of the spread option.

White has four main targets for his throws, the No. 1 being senior tight end Auston LaBlance with 20 catches for 457 yards and four TDs.

LaBlance is even more dangerous from his defensive end position. The 6-foot-3, 230-pound college prospect has 99 tackles, including nine sacks.

"A lot of teams run away from him, but he'll run down the quarterback or running back," Smith explained. Often using a tight end on LaBlance's side, "we'll try to get a hat on him."

Sweet Springs hasn't shown much of a passing attack, but they'll need it against the aggressive Gryphon secondary.

"They'll jump the run pretty quick," Smith said. "If we can have some play-action success, we'll be able to pass on them."

Athlete for athlete, the Greyhounds (5-5) will face some difficult match-ups, which is why fundamental soundness -- including textbook execution -- will have to be their focus.

"We're going to have to tackle," Smith admitted. "They turn two- or three-yard gains into touchdowns."

If Sweet Springs can "grind out first downs and scoring when we get the opportunity," according to Smith, it can move on for a possible rematch with the Cardinals. Having been on the playoff road before could help.

"The seniors what it's all about now and seem pretty excited," Smith remarked. "The jitters we should have gotten over last year, so now it's just line up and play football."