Gore head coach Brandon Ellis gives an offensive play to receiver Jaykob Taylor to take into a recent game. The Pirates will host Haileyville on Friday night. (Mike Erwin•TIMES)
Kickoff at Smokey Cox Field is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
Haileyville is 4-3 for the season and 4-3 in the league after the Warriors shut out Warner 42-0 last week. Haileyville is tied with Quinton for fifth place in the district, and both teams are only a game behind Gore (5-2) and Savanna.
“Haileyville is so much improved from last year,” Gore head coach Brandon Ellis said. “They have two backs (Dominic Herring and Josh Copeland) that can really go. One (Herring) is shifty and the other (Copeland) is a big bruiser. They’ll line up in a triple-I formation and run toss-sweep, trap and power.
“Our defensive line has to play great like we did against Talihina. If we play like that I think we can shut them down. We played outstanding last week. We also have to contain (No.) 5 (Herring) and not let him get to the outside.”
Herring is a 5-foot-6, 170-pound junior and Copeland is a 6-foot-2, 225-pound senior.
Other key offensive players for the Warriors are quarterback Cody Irish (6-3, 200, senior), wide receiver Jordan Caldwell (6-2, 170, junior), guard Alec Suter (6-0, 200, junior) and tackles Matt Ross (5-8, 210, sophomore) and Gabe Loman (6-3, 220, sophomore).
“On defense they’ll run a 5-2 and a 4-4, depending on how we line up,” said Ellis. “No. 25 (Copeland) is a linebacker and a pretty good player, and (No.) 5 is their right cornerback.
“On offense we have to hold on to the football, sustain drives, don’t turn the ball over and take advantage of short field position.”
Other key defensive players for Haileyville are Caldwell at defensive back, Wayne Emerson (6-3, 210, sophomore) and Jody Walters (6-3, 160, sophomore) at the defensive end positions and Loman and Ross at nose guard.
Ellis knows the importance of Friday’s game for both teams.
“They are a lot better than last year, that’s a given,” remarked Ellis. “They have a shot to be in the running for a playoff position, and that’s a big confidence builder for them.
“This is kind of a do-or-die situation for us, and it all comes down to how bad do you want to play in Week 11 (playoffs).”
Gore defeated Haileyville 36-6 in 2008.
