Prep Football: Looking to get right
The Bulldogs' backs are now against the wall in regards to the post season.
Harrisburg, which finished 7-3 a year ago, are now 1-3 to start the season with four of their next five games at home, starting with Massac County Friday.
Harrisburg will need four more wins, coming from either the Patriots, Benton, Murphysboro, Herrin or Carbondale to make the postseason's requirements of five wins.
The opposition stands at 9-11 overall, meaning that if the Bulldogs have any shot at the playoffs, it likely starts with the Patriots (1-3).
Their loss to West Frankfort Saturday was one that Harrisburg head coach Al Way knows his team should have won as they squandered a second half 27-14 lead. Still, he says the psyche of the kids has been good.
"Anytime you're losing, you're always concerned about kids keeping the right frame of mind," he said. "That's always a concern. So far, our kids have been real good. We haven't missed a practice, they're trying to pay attention. It's not that they aren't trying. So, I can't fault the kids, it's just that we don't do things in crucial situations, the little things like lining up wrong or reading our keys. 3rd-and-15 seems to be like an automatic first down for the other team and it's been like that for two years. We're grasping at straws right now, we really are. We're trying to figure out our best personnel and of course every time we turn around, (Blake) Drue is out, then (Jordan) Bartok and now (Cole) Ferrell. We're having to play kids at different positions or kids that normally wouldn't play that spot and that doesn't help the situation."
Way feels like Harrisburg could get Bartok back into the starting rotation Friday, adding that the junior's performance at fullback against Du Quoin, was one of his best games of the season.
"Even then, you have to be concerned he doesn't get injured again, because then you lose him for another week or two or three more," Way said of Bartok. "It's a Catch 22. Yes, it would be nice to get him back offensively and defensively. He had the best game of his career at Du Quoin. That is the best I have ever seen him run, even though he had some great games last year, I've never seen him run over people the way he did that night. He seemed so quick to the ball."
There is some solace for Way knowing that Harrisburg also plays their next four of five games at Taylor Field. The lone road trip in there being at Murphysboro on October 7.
"You always like to play at home," he said. "Not having to make trips and this whole West Frankfort deal was such a fiasco. We should have finished the game Friday night, then we have to go over there on Saturday and the scoreboard doesn't work and it's just been one of those years where nothing seems to go right. There is no flow, whether it's the weather or injuries, nothing seems to flow well."
That lack of flow has been evident from defense this year where the Bulldogs have given up 1,303 yards of total offense, while only putting up 1,281 of their own.
It's a case of the good mixed with the bad for Way and the Bulldogs.
"We're kinda scuffling right now. Offensively, I think we're getting better. We threw the ball a lot better at West Frankfort, we ran the ball better, our pass blocking was better and those were some things we were concerned about. We just can't figure it out defensively. That's a big concern. You can't score 33 and get beat, it's that simple."
Michael Dann covers prep and college sports for the Harrisburg Daily Register and Eldorado Daily Journal. Follow him on Twitter: @spydieshooter.