Breaking down Class 11AA finals
As we get closer to Saturday’s Class 11AA state finals matchup between Washington and Brandon Valley, it’s time to break it down further. I asked two coaches who played both the Warriors and Lynx to comment on what each team needs to do to win (and other observations):
AARON BEAVERS (Lincoln)
— Washington is playing its best football at the end of the year, but Brandon Valley has been steady all along. What will keep (the Lynx) in the game and possibly win the game is Chase Marso. The kid is poised. When he played us, I thought it was greatest display of quarterbacking that I’ve seen in my high school coaching career.
— Washington will try to double-up Vandeberg, so the key will be other guys in the mix: A.J. Garrow, Adam Bauer, Nate Winter. Those guys have to step up, which they have done in the past.
— (The Lynx) don’t get rattled very easily. They go about their business. I really envy that. It’s a Class 11AA team with a small-town atmosphere, and they’ve got a mission in mind.
STEVE KUETER (O’Gorman)
— Washington just needs to play their game. They run the ball well, throw it well, play great defense – there’s a reason they’re undefeated. If they just do what they do, they’ll be fine.
— To get a win, Brandon Valley will have to get some turnovers on Washington’s part.
— I’ll say this: Of all the teams in the state, Brandon Valley has as good a chance of knocking them off as anybody. We beat Washington last year because we blocked three kicks. (The Lynx) need to look at areas like that where they can maybe gain an advantage.
