It’s not the opponent Littlefield was expecting, but it might not even matter.

Hodge

The Wildcats are as motivated for the round as much as the team they’ll be facing in it after last year’s loss to Muleshoe in the area round. Littlefield (10-1) was fully expecting a rematch with the Mules, but River Road (8-3) took care of that, and instead it will be River Road taking on Littlefield today at 7:30 p.m. at Greg Sherwood Memorial Bulldog Stadium in Plainview.

“We would have liked to have another shot at (Muleshoe),” receiver/safety Barrick Hodge said. “But this team beat Muleshoe. It was a big attention-grabber. If this team is good enough to beat Muleshoe, then we’ve got our work cut out for us. We don’t want it to be like last year. That motivates us.”

As much as the results of last year, the motivation comes from the preparation the week before. Head coach Bryan Huseman said the feeling this week has been much different than that of the area round last year. It might have to do with the fact that Littlefield is favored this year as opposed to being the underdog last year.

Littlefield had beaten Muleshoe the previous two years in the playoffs but struggled against the Mules in 2008. Huseman said the approach taken that week in practice was not conducive to winning that game.

“I think the kids last year were more worried about if they were going to get beat than just being ready to play,” Huseman said. “It was almost like we went throughout that week playing not to lose rather than to win the game.

“This has been a good week for (the players). We’ve done well and I feel like we’ve prepared well. The kids this year I hope have learned from that experience. We understand we have to prepare every week the same for every opponent. This week has been good.”

Littlefield’s mental state will be crucial as it continues to battle injuries. Starting running back Patric Barrio might not play; his availability will be a game-time decision because of a knee injury that has kept him out of the past two games. Barrio has rushed for 953 yards and 21 touchdowns on the season, but Littlefield’s depth has helped make up for his absence.

Quarterback Tracy Huseman has rushed for 832 yards and 10 touchdowns on the year, while Thomas “Cheeto” Richardson has amassed 750 yards and three touchdowns. Last week, Patrick Silvas, called up from the junior varsity, rushed for 42 yards on eight carries when slot back Will McDowell left early in the second half with cramps.

It has been that depth that has been a big part of Littlefield’s success, Huseman said.
“A lot of people thought that would be a factor for us coming into this year,” Hodge added. “They could make excuses that we were young and stuff. But that just motivated a long of the young guys coming back. We grew up real quick. We started out shaky but now we’re into the season and feel older and more prepared.”

Being older and more experienced are the key factors that have allowed River Road to emerge from a 10-year playoff slumber this season. And by beating Muleshoe, River Road picked up its first playoff victory since 1998.

“This senior bunch is a good group and they’re leading a good bunch of juniors,” River Road coach Bryan Welps said. “The seniors we have now have been playing on varsity for two years. They were real young back in the day and had to go through some growing pains, but they’ve come on and really led this team.”

River Road has leaned mostly on its running game. Averaging 438.6 yards per game as a whole, River Road has rushed for 3,466 yards on the season, led by tailback Chris Perez, who has rushed for 1,235 yards and 17 touchdowns. But River Road can also throw the ball as quarterback Sheldyn Van Winkle has thrown for 1,379 yards and 18 touchdowns.

But, kind of like Littlefield last year, River Road has had to find the right mindset going into this week coming off the upset of Muleshoe.

“We’re real excited about last week’s win,” Welps said. “It was one of the biggest ones in school history here. But we let that out of our heads on Monday and got ready for Littlefield.”

CLASS 2A Division I Area Playoff River Road vs. Littlefield

7:30 p.m., Greg Sherwood Memorial

Bulldog Stadium, Plainview

Radio: KZZN 1490 AM (Littlefield)

Records: River Road 8-3; Littlefield 10-1

River Road vs. Littlefield

beat Muleshoe 25-21 Last week beat Alpine 29-12

438.6 Total offense 407.5

288.0 Total defense 257.6

34.8 Points scored 39.4

18.2 Points allowed 15.8

RB Chris Perez Player to watch WR Zach White

(1,235 rushing yards, 17 TDs) (532 receiving yards, 8 TDs)High school football

• What: Class 2A Division I Area Playoff

• Who: River Road vs. Littlefield

• When: 7:30 p.m. today

• Where: Greg Sherwood Memorial Bulldog Stadium, Plainview

• Records: River Road 8-3; Littlefield 10-1

• Radio: KZZN 1490 AM (Littlefield)

To comment on this story:
george.watson@lubbockonline.com 766-2166
courtney.linehan@lubbockonline.com 766-8735