Chargers still have eyes on playoff prize
After a 49-14 loss to Smithson Valley last Friday, a district title is out of question for the Boerne Champion football team but there is still a lot for the Chargers to play for.
Champion can still wrap up a playoff spot and is still playing for seeding in the district with two games left.
The Chargers visit Kyle Lehman Friday for a 7 p.m. contest and a victory over the Lobos clinches a playoff berth.
Champion may go into the final week of the season playing for seeding and may finish anywhere from second to fourth in the district, it depends on how the final two weeks of the regular season play out in 12-5A DI.
Chargers coach Blane Ellis said clinching a playoff spot would be quite an accomplishment, especially since they weren’t even picked to make the postseason this year.
“Dave Campbell (football magazine) had us as the sixth-place team in the district before the season started,” he said. “So, we’re moving in the right direction and I’m proud of our guys and our program.”
After looking at film of the Smithson Valley game, Ellis said it wasn’t as bad as the score indicates. The Rangers did force five turnovers in the game – 4 interceptions and 1 lost fumble – with the 4 picks coming on consecutive possessions.
“We did a lot more good than probably I had anticipated after the game,” Ellis said. “We did a lot of good things, but we had them in several third and longs and didn’t execute.”
The Rangers were able to get 1st downs 70 percent of the time when they were in a 3rd-down situation and Ellis said it hurt not being able to get Smithson Valley off the field.
“We have to be better defensively on third downs,” he said.
After digesting the loss over the weekend, Ellis said he dealt with a few emotions just because he knows his team can play better than they did.
“I was frustrated and disappointed to lose, but I wasn’t disappointed with the kids,” he said. “I was proud of our kids because they battled and fought hard.”
The Chargers were leading Friday’s game 14-7 at the end of the first quarter before it was tied at 14-14.
The Rangers took a 21-14 lead into halftime and Champion had a chance to knot it up at 21-all right before intermission but an interception turned them away.
“That first half, it’s how we thought it should go,” Ellis said. “We felt like we had our kids in a position to win.”
Smithson Valley’s defense starting blitzing Chargers QB Jordan Ballin.
“They brought pressure, they tried to make him as uncomfortable as possible and keep him from maintaining his presence in the pocket,” Ellis said. “They adjusted well. They were trying to get him off his mark and make him work.”
Lehman is struggling this year and stands at 2-6 overall and 1-4 in district. Their lone 12-5A DI win came against MacArthur last week, 42-0. (Champion hosts Mac next week to close out the regular season.)
The Lobos also picked up a non-district win against Lockhart, 41-31.
Ellis said they put the SV loss behind them already and are focused on Lehman.
“The biggest thing is getting back on track,” he said. “We still believe in what we’re doing.”
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