Wylie takes on Iowa Park in Playoffs

By MARK WILSON / Staff Writer

FORT WORTH - Iowa Park has already faced the No. 1 Class 3A team in the state, so the Hawks may not be intimidated by Wylie's 10-0 season record.

On the other hand, the Hawks didn't fare that well when they took on unbeaten Vernon in a District 5-3A contest on Oct. 18. The Hawks played well in the first half, and the game was still 0-0 going into the second quarter. But with two defensive backs and their tailback sidelined with injuries, Vernon eventually ended up taking a 42-7 win.

Coach Hugh Sandifer's District 6-3A champion Bulldogs will take on Iowa Park, the District 5-3A runner-up, tonight in bi-district.

"Vernon and Iowa Park traditionally have a real strong rivalry," said third-year Iowa Park head coach Weldon Nelms. "The wheels fell off in the second half. We made some mistakes trying to get back in the game."

Nelms said having already faced the top-ranked team may have helped his players get prepared for the postseason.

"The kids realize we could have played them a lot tougher," he said. "I think it has a good, positive affect going in."

Sandifer said, "The first quarter-and-a-half they played even with Vernon. That shows what type of team they've got. I would think it has to give them confidence that if they put a full game together, they can play with anybody in the state.

"We can't get caught up in (the thought) that we're a district champion playing a runner-up. People forget we've been the district runner-up the last two years and we beat a district champion the last two years. We have to prepare to beat a very good football team."

Wylie reached the state semifinals two years ago, and won two playoff games last season before falling to Springtown. The Bulldogs posted their 15th win in 16 games going back to last season when they defeated Clyde 44-6 in a district showdown on the road.

Iowa Park qualified as the runner-up behind Vernon with a 22-11 win over Bowie last Friday, as the Hawks earned their second straight playoff berth under Nelms.

"Last year we seemed to really turn the corner," said Nelms, whose Hawks were 0-10 in 1994, his first season there after coaching at Class 3A Wimberly. "The tradition here has always been strong. It's sort of a good feeling to see the winning and the tradition come back."

The Hawks feature an outstanding athlete at quarterback (Todd Yeager) who teams with tailback Shawn Fulfer and fullback Brandon Brown in the I-formation to form a dangerous backfield that has combined for 2,059 yards rushing. Yeager runs and fakes extremely well, and can pass when necessary. He has thrown only 90 passes and completed 44 for 688 yards with five touchdowns and only four interceptions.

"He's definitely a very good quarterback, and we're going to have to contain him," Sandifer said. "When he runs, he makes a lot of things happen. He has a great knack for getting outside on the option. They want to run the football. They keep the ball away from you and control it."

Iowa Park's defense takes some risks at times. Middle linebacker Brandon Holley often leads the charge on blitzes.

"They blitz more than most teams we've played," Sandifer said. "Holley is quick and likes to blitz. Their strong safety, Brandon Brown, is also a very talented player. They have good quickness on defense. The thing that stands out is their physical style of play and they like to put a lot of pressure on you with the blitz."

The Hawks have been hit by several key injuries this year, losing five players for the season along the way. Last week they got another scare when Yeager left in the third quarter after he suffered a puncture wound just over the elbow and experienced swelling on his right (throwing) arm. But Nelms said Yeager has had a good week of practice and will be ready to go tonight.

Nelms stressed that the game will hinge on which team is able to control the line of scrimmage. He added that he expects Wylie's defense, which has two shutouts this season and has allowed an average of just 12 points a game, to be the second-best his team has faced this season behind Vernon.

"We're still improving and our mental attitude is pretty good, and that's what you like to see," Nelms said. "We'd like to think we've got a pretty good shot."