Football Xtra

Huskies to test the Hornets

MALVERN -- Harrison Central displayed is balance offensively in its latest win. Buckeye Trail aimed to keep the Huskies' passing game under wraps.

Head coach Anthony Hayes was more than happy to feed Mykel Quito the ball, who responded with multiple trips into the Warriors' end zone.

"We expected them to play off and take away the deep balls, and consequently, we saw a light box so we took what they offered up for us," Hayes admitted.

This comes a week after quarterback Hayden Cassidy and the Huskies' passing attack put on an impressive display against the Mustangs.

Neither the ground game, nor the passing game has to put the offense on its shoulders each week, though both can. The balance, and the confidence that comes with veterans at nearly every position is paying dividends early.

"A lot has to do with the experience we have playing on the offensive side of the ball," Hayes said. "We're able to pick what the defense gives us and go with that. We're able to be flexible and it's beneficial for us."

Two game down, two wins in the book -- a similar start to the 2022 season. Continuing to equal that feat and start 3-0 will require a balanced offensive attack as the Huskies face a Malvern (2-0)

defense that's yielded a whole seven points in two games.

"They are well coached and make adjustments as needed," Hayes said of the Hornets' defense. "When they faced Western Reserve, they are a physical football team with a nice dual threat quarterback who presented some problems. But they made adjustments and were a bend but don't break defense. When Western Reserve got near the end zone, Malvern shut them down."

Like Harrison, Malvern boats a balanced offensive attack led by junior quarterback Jared Winthrow. Through two games, Winthrow has passed for 322 yards and three TDs, completing 58 percent of his passes.

His two favorite targets -- senior Dylan Phillips and junior Rodney Smith -- have caught 15 of his 19 completions. On the ground, the Hornets turn to Drake Hutchison, who averages 72 yards a game and 5.8 yards per carry. Winthrow, while not compiling yards in bunches, is a danger with his feet and owns three rushing TDs to his credit.

"They are very athletic, fast, and play with the utmost confidence in what they do," Hayes said. That's not to say the Malvern line is a weakness -- far from it. Hayes feels its an underrated unit and is expecting as big a challenge in the trenches as out on the perimeter.

That's why the week of prep work leading up to Friday night will be paramount for Harrison Central.

"They are a well-coached, disciplined football team," Hayes said. "So we too have to be disciplined as well as mentally focused on the task at hand.

"We need to get quality reps in practice to maximize our abilities and if we can do that, we have an opportunity to execute on Friday.

"Our goal is to be as sound as we can be and the best way to do that is in our preparation."