Kyle Kwong and James Le have steadily grown into bigger roles in the running game, but running the ball against QO’s defensive front is a different proposition. The Cougars have been giving opposing quarterbacks precious little time to get comfortable.
That puts the game squarely on Humphries and offensive coordinator Dave Mencarini. Churchill needs to find ways to create explosive plays through the air, stay ahead of the chains and avoid letting QO turn the game into a fourth-quarter clock-killing exercise.
And then there’s the other side of the ball.
Churchill’s defense gave QO problems last year, so the Bulldogs know they can at least make the Cougars work. The formula hasn’t changed much: frustrate QO, force a turnover or two and hope the Cougars make some mistakes of their own.
The problem is that all of it needs to happen early. If QO gets a two-score lead, the Cougars can unleash the ground game, bleed the clock and make a comeback increasingly theoretical.
Churchill has a puncher’s chance. But punching QO in the mouth and keeping them there for four quarters are two very different things.
Prediction: Quince Orchard 35, Churchill 14
