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Looking ahead

Licking Valley boasts similar traits as high-powered Indians

Tribune Chronicle file / R. Michael Semple Girard quarterback Mark Waid, right, shown here in a game against LaBrae earlier this season, has helped the Indians reach their first final four in school history. Girard takes on a Licking Valley team that presents similar challenges as the Indians.

The Girard Indians will see a familiar foe this weekend.

Well, sort of.

Girard will take the field against Licking Valley at 7 p.m. Saturday at Dover Crater Stadium in the Division IV State Semifinal. The Panthers are coming into the contest with a 10-3 record and, much like the Indians, bring with them an offense that averages over 30 points per game and is powered by a standout quarterback.

Senior Chase Whisner is a dual threat in his own right, Whisner has gone over 1,000 yards in both passing and rushing this season. Whisner has posted a 63 percent completion percentage, while throwing for 1,448 yards and 10 touchdowns. He has added 1,168 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground.

Adding to the offensive power for the Panthers is leading rusher Conner McLaughlin. He has rushed for over 1,800 yards while posting 27 touchdowns.

“They are extremely well coached,” Girard coach Pat Pearson said. “They play very, very hard. They are disciplined. They have a big physical line. They have a lot of playmakers in the backfield and receivers on offense.”

To compliment the offense, Licking Valley has two very strong linebackers. Noah Hopkins has tallied 69 total tackles, 17 tackles for loss and seven sacks. Teammate and fellow linebacker, Colin Kozlowski, brings 95.5 tackles on the year, including six sacks and 11 tackles for loss.

“Their linebackers are very, very active,” Pearson said. “They are very sound in what they do, and they play really hard and really physical.”

Girard will have to play to its own strengths to counter the Panthers, who has outscored their first three postseason opponents, 122-48. To stop that run will mean defending against the spread offense of Licking Valley.

“They run the ball,” Pearson said. “Quarterback, tailback, jet motion, they find ways to get the matchups they want, but they run the ball. We have to just do what we do. We have to play chain gang defense. Eleven guys at the ball.”

The Indians counter with a high-powered offense that has been on a roll all year. The catalyst, of course, is quarterback Mark Waid, who has now thrown for 3,747 yards while completing 225-of-335 passes (67 percent) for 44 touchdowns and six interceptions. He also has 1,580 rushing yards and 22 TDs on 189 attempts.

He’s flanked by a deep receiving corps. Aidan Wargo has a team-high 61 receptions for 870 yards and seven TDs. Nick Malito adds a team-best 1,039 receiving yards and 13 TDs on 45 receptions (an average of 23 yards per catch). Terrence Davis (36 catches, 690 yards, 10 TDs) and Jimmy Jones (30, 515, 6) present even more threats to a loaded offensive attack.

Adding one more wrinkle is running back Morgan Clardy, who has 696 rushing yards and 13 TDs to go along with 27 receptions and another 475 yards receiving.

The defense is coming off a big performance, holding Hubbard to just 18 points in the regional final. That side of the ball is led by senior defensive lineman Jack DelGarbino, who leads the Indians in tackles (110) and tackles for loss (28).

They have a tough task against a prolific Licking Valley offense that averages 36 points per game. Preparation is going to be key this week at practice. For Girard, it will be business as usual.

“We are going to prepare the same way we prepare every week,” Pearson said. “We are going to draw up our gameplan. We going to try to get our kids as educated as we can of what we want them to do, and what the opponent does.”

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