Lafayette Prepares for District Tilt with Center Hill

By Adam Brown
Sports Editor
adam.brown@hottytoddy.com

The Lafayette Commodores look to take the momentum of a region victory into their game with Center Hill this week. Kickoff for this game will be at 7 p.m. on Thursday night.

The Commodores are coming off of a 35-14 victory over the Grenada Chargers into a short week.

“It will change practice today and tomorrow,” Head Coach Michael Fair said. “Thursdays are our walkthrough, and we will miss out on that day. We will have a different type of practice (Wednesday) the day before. It puts a little bit more pressure on the next two practices we have to make sure that our kids are locked in.”

Lafayette (3-2, 1-1) played strong against Grenada in the first region win of the season. 

“It was nice to get back in the win column,” Fair said. “Against a good Grenada team… Our kids played really hard, with a great effort in all three phases of the game after dropping one the week before to West Point.”

Lafayette has had success on the offensive side of the ball this season as quarterback Tyrus Williams gets better with each snap that he takes. 

“Doing a really good job with getting the ball in the playmaker’s hands,” Fair said. [Williams] has some good receivers that are doing a really good job of getting open.”

The Commodores running back Jayden Reed is having the game slow down for him.

“He is coming into his own,” Fair said. “As a sophomore, each snap that he gets under his belt, the more confidence he gets at what he is doing.”

This season, Lafayette’s offensive line is made up of underclassman.

“We are made up of two sophomores and three juniors,” Fair said. “They are really talented with a lot of room for growth there. The offensive line is a tough position because of so many variables and fronts that people run against them … they have to be able to pick those things up.”

Over the past several years, the offensive line for Lafayette has been centered around a run blocking scheme. Although this season, the style of play has changed.

“We have been a running team and a majority of the time in practice was built on run blocking,” Fair said. “Trying to move the line of scrimmage. I think our line coaches Jason Russell and Jamie Everette have done a really good job of incorporating more time into pass protection. It is fun to see these young guys out there competing and doing a good job holding off linebackers every play against Grenada.”

Center Hill comes into the contest 4-1, 2-0 region on the season after a 24-22 win over Columbus.

“They are a really good team,” Fair said. “This is the best Center Hill team that we have played in my five years’ time [at Lafayette]. They are a triple-option football team on offense… A quarterback that might be the fastest guy on the team… It is going to take a great game plan to beat these guys.”

According to Fair, what separates the current Center Hill teams from past Center Hill squads is that they are more skilled in throwing the ball.

“They get everybody looking at the option, and the next thing you know, a guy runs right by you,” Fair said. “We have to be disciplined on the defensive front and in the backfield, to make sure our eyes are on our own keys. “