By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
Despite losing their QB1 in the season opener against South, Salina Central (3-1) hasn’t missed a beat, and will return home to host Valley Center (3-1) on Friday night.
Many in the Salina community questioned whether or not the Mustangs could overcome the loss of all-state quarterback Gunnar Gross, but under the leadership of junior Jack Gordon, Central hasn’t just survived, they’ve thrived.
“I’ve been really impressed with Jack,” Mustang head coach Mark Sanbo said. “Obviously there are reasons that Gunnar was the starter but Jack is a great kid for us and I’m sure a lot of programs around the state would love to have him as their QB1.”
At the midway mark of the season, the Mustangs boast the #2 total offense (458 yds/g), #5 passing offense (265 yds/g), and #6 scoring offense (37.5 PPG) in Class 5A, with Gordon picking up right where Gross left off.
The junior has completed nearly 60% of his passes for just shy of 1,000 yards, tacking on 12 total touchdowns while throwing just three interceptions.
That level of production has kept the door open for big talents like Hunter Mowery, Ryker Grossner, and Sam Payne to continue torching opposing secondaries, paired perfectly with the rushing attack of Elijah Wilson.
Now, with their offensive foundation re-established, the Mustangs will turn their attention to a team that could not be more different, but one that has had equivalent success in Valley Center.
“Valley Center has a very physical, fast defense,” Sandbo said. “They fly around with guys who have the intent to hit and that’s a culture thing that Coach L’Ecuyer has created there. Offensively they want to come downhill at you and challenge you to stop them from getting 3-4 yards on every play. They’re content to win low-scoring games and try to command the time of possession.”
While the Mustangs rank top ten in almost all offensive facets but have, at times, struggled to keep points off the board, the Hornets rank second in Class 5A in both scoring defense (11.8 PPGA), and total defense (186.3 yds/ga), but have cleared the 21-point mark just once all season.
That’s not to say that Valley Center doesn’t possess good offensive weapons, and with five different rushers, including quarterback Hank Welu, averaging between 3-6 yards per carry, the Hornets have been a load for opposing defenses to stop all year.
For Central, the keys to this game lie in the fronts, where the Mustangs must create long-yardage situations for Valley Center, and find ways to take their shots when the rare cracks in the Hornet armor present themselves.
“This game will be won or lost up front,” Sandbo said. “We’re going to have to play great in the trenches on both sides of the ball and we’ve got to get them uncomfortable and behind the sticks. If we can do that and be solid on our interior I think this could be a really fun Friday night for us.”
Kickoff between the Mustangs and Hornets is scheduled for 7:00 at Salina Stadium and will be broadcast live as the Salina Post Game of the Week.
To stream this game for free with live video and audio commentary click the link HERE.