Greg Webb
ALEDO — Although the Aledo Bearcats and Stephenville Yellowjackets have been steered in different paths this season, regarding starting lineups, the rivals have as many similarities as the squads prepare for their Class 4A area playoff battle on Friday. With both schools suffering early, pre-district losses, their respective district schedules have been an exercise in dominance.
Stephenville has plowed its way through their District 8-4A opponents at a clip of 38-9, while the Bearcats have compiled a 48-12 average margin to win the District 6-4A title.
The difference, since the season-opening meeting between the teams, which Aledo won, 20-16, is the Stephenville squad will encounter a few different faces due to changed starting lineups for Aledo, while the Yellowjackets depth chart looks much the same.
What will most likely not change is the contentious battle shaping up in the 2009 rematch.
“I’m afraid so,” said Aledo head coach Tim Buchanan, when asked about the potential for a veritable war on the gridiron. “It looks like it’s going to be a heck of a football game.”
The venue, amazingly enough, will be a vastly different atmosphere. Though the Bearcat Stadium is certainly nothing to sneeze at, as top-notch football fields and surroundings go, the Cowboys Stadium in Arlington adds a whole new dimension to the potential-distraction meter.
“We are hopeful over the years [the kids] have gotten used to the playoff atmosphere,” said Buchanan. “That’s one of the reasons we’ve let them suit up for playoff games since they were sophomores, so they know what it’s like, and there are no surprises for them.
“As far as the stadium goes, I think that will be no big deal.”
After all, the dimensions are the same.
With the storied past of Aledo football, Buchanan has little doubt his squad will be mentally prepared, counting on peer leadership to help get the team ready.
“The seniors are the ones we’ve spent most of our time talking to,” he said. “I tell them about the potential, when we play our last game, it will likely be the last game for most of them as a football player.
“I try to explain to these kids that the sense of urgency may not be there for the sophomores and juniors, so they have to do a good job of motivating those underclassmen."
Regarding the multi-year rivalry, and the familiarity with each other Aledo and Stephenville will bring to the playoff game, the potential of introducing a new wrinkle could be a crucial factor in the contest.
“Oh, I’m sure we’ll both have some tricks up our sleeves,” Buchanan said.
Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m.
