Greyhounds Fight Back

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The Windsor Greyhounds found a way to beat the #1 seeded Skyline Tigers in C1D4 football finals to become District Champs. The impressive Skyline Tigers have had only one losing season since 2011. Of course, the impressive Windsor Greyhounds are State Champs and have been 37-3 their last three years. Just like last year it was a great match up. The Tigers surprised the Hounds and led 7-0 after the first quarter and 15-0 at the half, but Windsor came back to win 22-15. The game was played on Friday, Nov. 12 at the Skyline HS in Urbana. In a way it was similar to last year’s Greyhound 44-38 win over the Tigers in the 2020 District Championship game.
1st Half: Due to the very tough Tiger defense and possibly a very cold gusty wind the Greyhounds offense looked off in the first half. They had only one Red Zone drive but it was stopped by penalties and the Tigers’ defense. The Hounds fumbled on their very first possession and misplayed a second quarter on-side kick from the Tigers. The Tigers on the other hand scored on their first and fourth possessions. They were led by their strong RB Ricky Woodhouse and QB Lawson Beem. The Greyhound defense did force two Tiger punts and Payton Witherspoon pulled in one interception.
3rd Quarter: It is fair to say Coach Vencill and his team made some smart adjustments in the second half. Windsor started with the ball but had to punt, but their defense, often led by Corbin Terry, Cole Hesse, Rodrigo Chavez and Marshall Mankini, also forced Skyline to punt. It already felt like the Tiger’s coach, Brandon Shelby, might win the ‘clock management’ part of the game. But the Hounds came alive and scored and made it 15-6. Missing the PAT loomed big. Skyline faced fourth and long on their two third period possessions and were forced to punt on both. The Windsor defense kept the Hounds in the game.
The “Come Back”: So there it was, still 15-6 Tigers going into the fourth quarter with nobody capturing the momentum. The Hounds stayed on the ground and usually did not hide their ‘ground and pound’ strategy. Dalton and Dylan Witherspoon put the team on their backs and made it 15-14. Time was quickly becoming a factor. Skyline’s next drive looked like they were going to score and seal the deal, but penalties and the Greyhound’s defensive grit forced the Tigers to turn the ball over on downs. Like a boxing match the Greyhounds were coming off the ropes and somehow found new energy. I said last week the Greyhounds are physically and mentally a great fourth quarter team. They had to be in this game. The Hounds scored then added a 2 point conversion with a dramatic scramble and throw from Dylan to Payton. This made it 22-15 Greyhounds, their first lead. There was 50 seconds left for the Tigers to come off the ropes and steal the game back. Again penalties and the very tough Greyhounds forced the Tigers into desperation mode. The tired Tigers did come off the ropes swinging but could not land any punches.
What is next?: The Windsor Greyhounds move on to face Thayer on Saturday, Nov. 20 at 1 p.m. The Thayer Bobcats beat the undefeated Marionville Comets 24-0 to win their district. Go Hounds.