One day away, Part 1

ALBANY — Being undersized is nothing new for the Deerfield-Windsor Knights. Such has been the case all season for an undersized defense.

Typically, the Knights counteract the size differential with speed and leverage. It won’t be so easy on Friday.

“Their pad level is the best we have seen,” coach Allen Lowe said. “They come off the ball so low and hard. They have depth on the line of scrimmage where they are not having to play everybody on both sides of the ball.”

Deerfield has seen bigger lines before. Specifically, Southland lined up seniors weighing as much as 300 pounds on its front. But George Walton not only has a size advantage, but a depth advantage, as well.

GW has only a few players running on both sides of the ball up front.

“They run an offense where the ball gets in there so fast it is hard to get a negative play,” Lowe said. “We have to control the tempo on our side of the ball.”

UNTESTED?: Deerfield-Windsor endured a few tense moments on its path to the state championship game, but won both by two scores.

They certainly haven’t dealt with stress like George Walton has.

The Bulldogs needed to block an extra point in their first-round game to beat Stratford, 21-20. Last week, they made two defensive stands in the final minute to hold on for a wild 26-24 victory against Tattnall Square.

It was GW’s first victory against Tattnall since 2003.

BUILT FOR 2010: The George Walton Bulldogs aren’t built to win in 2009. They are a program ready to peak in 2010.

GW has only three seniors on a team that is junior heavy.

The good news for Deerfield-Windsor and the rest of the GISA is that George Walton is moving to the GHSA next season.

The Bulldogs are the latest in a line of private schools to move over. Lowe says he will be watching to see how they compete, but that is nothing new.

“We always follow everybody,” Lowe said. “Riverside has been in playoffs both years in AA ball. GW could be a real quality playoff team. I still follow private schools like Savannah Christian, who I have played before, they are still in it and just beat Miller County. Wesleyan is the team to beat. Whether or not they win state titles, they are competitive. And if they hit the right year, if the brackets work out you can make a run.”