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Region Championship Games are taking place in the Midlands on Friday night and one of the top match ups is going to be the Gilbert Indians (7-2, 4-0) travelling to take on Brookland-Cayce Bearcats (6-3, 4-0) for the 3A-Region 5 Championship.
The Game: This game, because of the more recent success of these two teams, has turned into something of a rivalry. Both teams have been tested this season, with the Bearcats playing a murderer’s row of non-region play. This game will be physical and potentially high scoring.
Gilbert – The Indians come into the game with the strongest backfield duo in the Midlands. Junior Jaden Allen-Hendrix and senior Alias Graham-Woodberry have combined for more than 2600 yards and 28 touchdowns this season. They
can throw the football, though the passing game lacks efficiency, but not so much that it can’t compliment the offense. Defensively, this team is strong with LB Brendan Boutwright leading the way with 97 tackles and 11 for loss. Jake Torbett and Jordan Smith have combined for 5 interceptions on the season.
Brookland-Cayce – The Bearcats abandoned attempts at a passing game weeks ago and opted to run multiple run formations, mostly verstions of a single wing attack, and have been successful moving the football. RB Naahzekiel Mays is the third leading rusher in the class, behind Woodberry and Hendrix. QB Tanner Staton has been transformed into a running back in this single wing rotation of backs along with Mays and junior Deshaun Washington.
Defensively, the Bearcats have been vulnerable to strong run games. But sophomore Trequan Singleton is a menace in the defensive trenches and Jadyn Johnson is one of the more under rated athletes in the Midlands, playing LB, DB and lining up on offense as well.
The Breakdown: Both of these teams are fairly one-dimensional on offense, with Gilbert beginning to get better in the passing game. Brookland-Cayce has been shaky on defense this season and more than a couple of teams have had success running the football on them. I don’t think they can stop the Gilbert running attack so they will have to try to have an offensive shootout with them.
My Pick: Gilbert
