The regular season is over, and it is time for the 1st Round of the IHSA Football Playoffs.
After a hard-fought loss against Johnston City last Friday, the Bulldogs knew their odds of hosting a first round playoff game were slim. With zero 9-0 teams and eight 8-1 teams win the southern 2A bracket, there were two teams with 7-2 records, Carmi-White County and Warrensburg-Latham. Warrensburg-Latham finished with just two more playoff points than the Bulldogs, giving them the 8 seed and sending the Bulldogs 189 miles north to Warrensburg.
The Warrensburg-Latham Cardinals are members of the Heart of Central Illinois Conference, a league created this season with the merger of the Central Illinois Conference and the Heart of Illinois Conference. Much like the Black Diamond Conference, the Heart of Central Illinois small school division is very top-heavy. 5 teams from the HOCIC made the postseason; Warrensburg-Latham (#8 2A South), LeRoy (#1 1A North), Gibson City (#3 1A North), Tuscola (#11 1A South), and Central A&M (#15 1A South).
This is Warrensburg-Latham’s first playoff appearance since 2018.
The Cardinals’ offense is one of the more dynamic the Bulldogs have faced this season. Much like Flora, Sesser-Valier, and CZR, Warrensburg-Latham will run a fully-spread offense, and they love to throw the football.
Their quarterback, Brayden Hickey (#4 6’3 205 lbs Sr) is a three-year starter, and he has saved his best season for last. Hickey has thrown completed 92 of his 149 pass attempts this season for 1,587 yards and 17 touchdowns. However, he has thrown 5 interceptions and has been sacked 8 times with a total of -66 rushing yards on the year.
Hickey’s favorite target is Catrell Lee. Lee (#3 5’11 165 lbs Sr) has caught 32 passes for 508 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Brennon Bonds and Lorenzo Wright will both see time in the backfield and out at wide receiver. Bonds (#5 5’9 165 So) has 20 receptions on the year with 365 yards and 4 touchdowns. In the rushing department, Bonds is the team’s leading rusher with 447 yards on 54 carries with 6 touchdowns. Wright (#6 5’9 185 Sr) has caught 18 passes for 148 yards and 1 touchdown to go along with 320 rushing yards and 3 rushing touchdowns on 49 carries.
Kaiden Alan-Gardner and Eastyn McKenzie will also get involved in the offense. Alan-Gardner (#7 6’2 170 lbs Sr) has 10 catches with 250 yards and 4 touchdowns, with one rush going for a 65-yard touchdown. McKenzie (#17 6’2 215 lbs Sr) will act more as a tight end and full back, he has 6 catches for 194 yards and 2 touchdowns, with 9 carries for 28 yards and one rushing touchdown.
The Cardinals have playmakers and athletes on offense, and their main goal is to get them the ball as soon as possible.
“They throw the ball a little over 60% of the time, and they have four kids that can run around and catch it,” said head coach CWC Kurt Simon. “We don’t see a lot of that throughout the year.”
The Bulldogs saw a little bit of spread this year against Flora, Sesser-Valier, and CZR, and they had their struggles. Simons says it will be key to put pressure of Hickey, and stay glued to their receivers.
“If we can get a pass rush, and disrupt his (Hickey) timing, it will help us a ton,” said Simon.
That Bulldog pass rush has been able to get home in the few opportunities they’ve had this year. As a unit, the Bulldogs have 10 sacks on opposing quarterbacks. A fully healthy Bulldog defense line will look to make it a long afternoon for Hickey and the Cardinals.
As for Carmi-White County, they enter the postseason playing their best football, winning 4 of their last 5 games and coming off a stout effort against the #8 ranked team in all of 2A. What makes this year feel different for the Bulldogs is the fact that they haven’t backed their way into the playoffs. In 2022 and 2023, CWC entered the postseason with a sour taste in their mouth, and it showed with back-to-back first round exits, but if Carmi can continue to play the way they have as of late, they have a legitimate chance to win this Saturday.
Despite rushing for just 92 yards last week, it has been a historic senior season for Noah Pollard. He currently sits at 1,681 rushing yards on the season, just 264 away from the all-time CWCHS record for most rushing yards in a single season.
With Pollard, Kade Stockton, and Kale Wiggins leading the CWC ground game, there is likely Warrensburg-Latham has not seen a rushing attack to this extent. The Cardinals have given up 1,829 rushing yards on the year, as a team the Bulldogs have rushed for 2,702.
“If we can run the football, and burn the clock so they don’t get many opportunities, we’ll be in good shape,” said Simon. “We cannot give them any other opportunities via fumbles or interceptions.”
The winner of Saturday’s game will face the winner of the 1/15 matchup between Johnston City (8-1) and Red Bud (5-4). If they Bulldogs win, they will play at home in the 2nd round, regardless of the opponent.
Anyone who has played football knows that there isn’t anything quite like Friday Night Lights, but there is something special about those Saturday afternoon playoff games, especially when you win them. The Bulldogs are looking to win their first playoff game since 2013.
Fans who can’t make the long road trip to Warrensburg will be able to watch and listen to the game on 97.3 FM WRUL and the WRUL Sports YouTube Channel.
Kickoff is set for 2 PM, the Taylor Eye Care pregame show will begin at 1:40 PM.
