Now, that’s not exactly how the 13-5A race has unfolded.
Both Temple and Ellison have clinched berths in the Class 5A Division II state playoffs entering tonight’s game at Leo Buckley Stadium, but it’s the resurgent Wildcats who are district champions.
Having already secured at least a share of Temple’s first district championship since 1999, the Wildcats (6-3 overall, 5-0 in 13-5A) are one win away from their first outright league title since 1995 and their first perfect district record since 1985.
Temple third-year coach Bryce Monsen said his Wildcats certainly want to complete their unbeaten run through 13-5A but added that they haven’t talked about it as much as one might think.
“It’s a lot of fun for the community and it’s important for the kids, but because they’re kids I don’t know if they realize how neat that would be,” said Monsen, whose squad hasn’t lost since Sept. 21. “For them, they’re just excited to get back out there and play somebody.
“I think at some point in time they’ll look back and think about this year, but all they’re focused on is who we play next.”
That opponent is surging Ellison (5-4, 3-2), whose Eagles have won three consecutive games and will be 13-5A’s No. 2 seed in the Division II bracket.
Coach Bret Boyd’s team would finish in a tie for second place if it wins and preseason district favorite College Station A&M Consolidated (4-5, 4-1) loses to Harker Heights. However, the Eagles would finish alone in fourth if they lose to Temple and Division I No. 2 seed Bryan (5-4, 3-2) defeats Killeen Shoemaker.
In any case, Ellison would love to clinch a winning season and prevent Temple from running the table.
“They have the best team in the district, and we want to see where we stand,” said Boyd, who’s guided the Eagles to their third straight postseason berth. “It should be a fun game. As a coach you want to see improvement from your team. We want to use this game as preparation for the playoffs.”
Last season, a 16-0 home loss to Ellison capped Temple’s 2-8 overall record and 1-5 mark in 13-5A. Despite that, Boyd says he expected the Wildcats to be significantly better this year.
“I’m not surprised at all with what Temple has done,” he said. “Coach Monsen and his staff have done a great job, and I saw their freshman class last year and those kids were pretty good. Going into each season, you just don’t know what will happen.”
One of those freshmen Boyd scouted last year is Temple sophomore running back Lache Seastrunk, whose quick moves and blazing speed - along with stellar blocking by his teammates - have made him the area’s premier 11-man rusher.
Seastrunk has 1,272 yards and 15 touchdowns (several of the long-distance variety) on only 108 carries in the Wildcats’ run-based Wing-T offense, and Boyd knows that Ellison must contain him and effective senior backs Adrian Reaves-Brown and Quentin Tuck to give itself a good chance to win.
“Temple is a big, physical, strong team and is pretty relentless with its offense - they’ll pound it on you,” Boyd said. “It feels like playing an option offense, because you have to be disciplined and you can’t go off chasing wherever you think the ball is.”
Added Boyd about the strategy against Seastrunk: “You don’t let him start. If he gets past the line of scrimmage . . . he’s in a whole different league.”
On the flip side, Monsen praised the abilities of versatile Ellison senior quarterback Ivan Delgado, a 6-3, 193-pound left-hander who’s racked up 1,796 yards total offense and 19 touchdowns as the proven leader of the Eagles’ shotgun-spread attack.
“Is he ever talented?” Monsen said. “He can run, he can throw and we’ve heard he’s being recruited by everyone in the country. We’re not going to stop him, but we have to contain him.”
Monsen identified end Patrick Reilly, linebacker Morris Winkfield and rover Daniel Cobb as the Ellison defense’s top performers.
As for his own team, Monsen said the gap of almost two weeks between Temple’s 54-19 win over Shoemaker and its regular-season finale has helped the Wildcats heal some nagging injuries and focus of academics.
Tonight, it’s all about trying to finish strong before postseason begins.
“For us and for them, it’s a big game in terms of momentum and where you’re headed,” Monsen said. “It’s a week early, but both teams will look at this like a playoff game and we’ll want to win for the right reasons.
“We want to run the table. Our fans are awesome and we want them to come over and support us."
gwille@temple-telegram.com
