By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
With another senior night fast at hand, the Solomon Gorillas (2-4) will return home to battle the surging Herington Railers (4-2) on Friday night.
Both teams will be in search of a bounce back after falling to an 8-man power a week ago, as Solomon dropped their game with #3 Moundridge (6-0), and Herington fell in just their second loss of the season to Little River (4-2).
Solomon’s 2-4 record is a bit deceiving, as the Gorillas have gone toe to toe with some of the best competition in the state this season, they themselves lining up against Little River and 3rd-ranked Canton-Galva earlier this year.
Despite facing a gauntlet of a schedule, Solomon has chosen to grow through those games, rather than be frustrated by the results.
“We either win or we learn here and even when we win we’re learning lessons,” Gorilla head coach Andrew Capsey said. “We want to play against good competition and being able to face teams like that has made us better. It helps our guys understand what it takes to get to that level.”
Now, Solomon turns its attention to a rising Herington program, that has gotten off to a great start after struggling for the better part of the last decade.
Much of that success has come in the Railer’s ability to vary up their offensive attack and keep opposing defenses guessing week in and week out.
“Herington is probably the most balanced team we’ve played all season with a good mix of pass and run,” Capsey said. “They’ll play power football but sometimes they’ll spread it out and they have some really great athletes.”
While Herington has had the offense rolling all season, their defense has been far from impenetrable, allowing 20 or more in all but one of their first six contests.
“They stay in two different defensive sets for the most part and they don’t show any set tendencies,” he said. “Our guys will have to be prepared for both and they’re very disciplined so we’ll have to play really sound football this week.”
This matchup has also bloomed into a big one on the calendar between the two programs, and tensions will run high come kickoff this week.
“This is definitely a rivalry game so the records go out the window and the guys will be ready to go,” Capsey said. “It’s senior night so we want to get a big win for those guys to send them out the right way. If we win the turnover battle and fly around on defense we’ll be just fine.”
Kickoff between the Gorillas and Railers is set for 7:00 at Solomon High School.