BROOKINGS – It’s a brand new season when Thursday’s playoff game between the fourth-seeded Bobcats and No. 5 Mitchell kicks off.
Brookings closed the regular season with two straight 21-7 wins – at Huron last week and over Sioux Falls Lincoln two weeks ago.
The new season outlook could be good for the ‘Cats, considering they suffered a 28-14 loss to the Kernels in the second week of the season.
“We didn’t play very well the first time that we played them, and we certainly like the opportunity to play them again to prove ourselves,” said BHS head coach Lee Schmidt. “We need to play a four-quarter game instead of waiting until the third quarter to try to catch up.
“They’re a good team; they have a lot of good players; they’re physical; so we have our hands full. They have a heck of a running game, so we’re going to have to try to contain that and force them into throwing the football.”
Brookings’ comeback against the Kernels fell apart with a late turnover.
“You have to take care of the ball,” Schmidt said. “Last week, we were able to get some takeaways – that’s part of the game. Our kids have been doing a pretty job of creating a balance and we need to do that – we need to keep stripping the ball and gang tackling – we improved defensively quite a bit since that second game.
“I really think that second game made visible some of our weaknesses defensively that we need to work on and improve on. Since that time, we have played pretty good defense and that will be a key because I think it will be a low-scoring game. Defensively, we can’t give up 28 points, or even 21 points. It’s going to be one of those games – 17-14 or 14-10 – somebody missing an extra point might be the difference in the game.”
The ‘Cats have momentum on their side with two wins to close the season and putting up a 5-4 record.
“It’s a whole different mentality when you’re coming off wins on how you go about practice and what you get done in practice,” said Schmidt. “I think the last two weeks have been pretty good in the sense that our kids have come out, worked hard and had quick, snappy practices and got a lot done in a short amount of time.
“There’s a lot at stake – some of these seniors have been through a couple (of tough years) – one year they didn’t even make playoffs and another year we put ourselves on a collision course with Pierre. This year, instead of a toss-up, the kids feel good about themselves; they feel good about getting a couple of wins late in the season after that tough schedule in the middle.
“But I think that tough schedule in the middle made us a better football team, too; made us tougher; made us have to fight and scrap a little bit more; make us a little bit hungrier for getting some wins and playing better – let’s hope that keeps going Thursday night.”
Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at Dana J. Dykhouse Stadium.
