Three teams are currently tied for second place in District 2-I, but once the smoke clears Friday night, the winner of this week's Bishop-Lynch-Prestonwood Christian matchup will most likely hold sole possession of that spot. The Friars (4-4, 1-1) and Lions (6-2, 1-1) collide in Plano with kickoff scheduled for 7:00 pm. John Paul II (6-2, 1-1) is also involved in the current three-way tie for second but faces a tall task Friday against district leader Parish Episcopal. Friday's game between Bishop Lynch and Prestonwood can be streamed live here:
http://www.prestonwoodchristian.org/live.
Prestonwood Overview
Those expecting to see the Lions air it out like in years' past will be in for a surprise as Prestonwood has shifted to a more run-controlled offense, opting to throw the ball less than 20 times a game. While this change may have resulted in less scoring, the results in the win column have stayed consistent. Also, the Lions have been dominant on the defensive side, especially against the run. Prestonwood coach Chris Cunningham and his staff have done a great job adjusting the offensive and defensive philosophies to the personnel, instead of vice versa. The Lions had won five straight before last week's 44-19 home loss to Parish Episcopal.
Prestonwood Offense
SCORING AVG: 27.1 points — TOTAL OFFENSE: 315.4 yards
PASSING AVG: 122.9 — RUSHING AVG: 192.5
TURNOVERS: 14 — FUMBLES LOST: 7 — INT THROWN: 7
Dual-threat QB Jacob Switzer will have the ball in his hands often, having passed for 884 yards and rushed for another 466. Unlike past PCA signal-callers, accuracy isn't his strongest suit, having completed just 57 percent of his passes (76-of-133) and more interceptions (7) than touchdown passes (6). On the ground he's rushed for a team-high nine scores. Randell Holmes (761 yards, 6 TD, 6.0 avg.) is the team's leading rusher while Nate Stafford (28 receptions, 301 yards, TD), Riley Wilson (20-337-3) and Dayton Toney (13-171) are Switzer's favorite targets. Freshman kicker Troop O'Neal is untested, having attempted just one field goal this season, which he converted from 30 yards. He's also hit 17 of 22 PATs.
Prestonwood Defense
SCORING AVG: 18.3 points — TOTAL DEFENSE: 269.9 yards
PASSING AVG: 172.9 — RUSHING AVG: 97
TURNOVERS: 14 — FUMBLES REC: 4 — INT FORCED: 10
The Lions have allowed 20 or more points in only one of their six wins (42-28 over Liberty Christian), while holding opposition to 10 of fewer points in four of those contests. In their six wins, Prestonwood is allowing an average of 11.3 points. In their two losses, that number inflates to 39 points. The Lions' suffocating defense is led by Graham Hill, who through eight games has posted 87 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and a pair of interceptions. Walker Lunsford (65 tackles, 8 TFL, 2 INT), Will Warren (52 tackles, INT), and Aeden Combest (team-high 4 sacks) have made major contributions. Ryan Rucker has a nose for the ball with two fumbles recovered, an interception and forced fumble.
Looking Ahead
The Friars are in Plano again next week for their regular season finale against John Paul II. The TAPPS Division I playoffs begin the following week. Bishop Lynch can secure a home game in the first round by finishing as one of the district's top two teams. The third place team will play at a neutral site, while the fourth and fifth teams play road games in the first round.
