Brainerd Dispatch: Sports | Brainerd, Minnesota | Brainerd Lakes Area Sports on brainerddispatch.com

Home > SPORTS >

Friday, September 18, 2009

E-mail

Forums

Warriors to see another new coach, different offense

High school football

By MIKE BIALKA

Sports Editor

For the second straight week the Brainerd Warriors will face a program that has undergone a coaching change and runs an unconventional offense.

This fall, the Bemidji Lumberjacks welcomed back head coach Troy Hendricks, who last coached them in 2001, and ran an option offense. Friday, the Willmar Cardinals will run a spread offense with no huddle under first-year head coach Jon Konold.

Warriors at Willmar

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Hodapp Field, Willmar

The series: Brainerd leads 21-17. The Warriors won 40-0 in the 2008 regular season.

"They're a direct contrast from a week ago," Warriors coach Ron Stolski said. "Where Bemidji preferred to run, but threw effectively, Willmar prefers to throw, but can run effectively. For those who watch a lot of football, particularly the college game, it's the spread offense, one back, no backs, no huddle, they throw the ball everywhere. It's very difficult to defend."

Konold, the offensive coordinator last year at Mankato West when it won the Class 4A state title, has the Cardinals 2-0 and ranked ninth in 4A. Willmar opened with a 26-19 win over Bemidji, which beat Brainerd 15-13, and followed with a 31-21 win over Fergus Falls.

"We've been playing really opportunistic defense," said Konold. "We've caused 10 turnovers in two games. We've been kind of getting on opponents, then kind of forcing them to throw the ball a little bit.

"Our guys have been able to make plays, and we're causing some turnovers. We've had some big special teams plays in the return game. We had one kickoff returned for a touchdown. That always helps and our coverage units have been pretty good.

"Offensively, we've been able to mix the run and the pass. We've been able to run the ball enough to keep the defense honest, and we've been able to throw the ball as well."

Quarterback Mark Dunham has passed for 333 yards and a touchdown. Jeremy Schendel leads the receivers with eight catches for 93 yards. Blake Graves and 6-foot-6 Taylor Filipek each have five catches and have combined for 153 receiving yards.

Brainerd has passed the ball better than it has run. Quarterback Reid Mimmack has thrown for 354 yards and two scores, both to top receiver Kyle Crocker, who has 13 catches for 227 yards.

The Warriors have run for only 165 yards in two games and have scored just two touchdowns. Stolski said Brainerd must sustain its drives and become more physical.

"We can't leave our defense on the field that long," he said. "Until we establish a physical presence when we have the ball we're going to run into some difficulties. Part of it is, certainly, a lack of experience on our offensive team. We simply have not made enough first downs to feel like we're playing good offensive football.

"With that said, we are a team. It's not a separation of units, but we'll help ourselves if we make first downs.

"The running game, I attribute that to inexperience. Plain and simple, we have not been physical enough. ... It's been breakdowns here and there. We need to establish the running game and everything will take care of itself."

MIKE BIALKA may be reached at mike.bialka@brainerddispatch.com or at 855-5861.

Note: Comments are not edited and don't represent the views of The Brainerd Dispatch. Please read our posting rules in the terms of service policy. To report a post that may be inappropriate, click the triangle alert icon.