Canyon Lake coach Matt Monzingo saw last week’s 38-15 loss to District 8-3A foe Wimberley as “the glass half full” perspective.
“I think we played one of our best games of the season,” Monzingo said. “We just got sloppy and eight turnovers killed us, but overall, I think we outplayed them.”
Quarterback Ross Wagliardo threw for 285 yards and two touchdowns, but five interceptions stymied the Hawks in the second half against the district-leading Texans.
“We’ve got to quit shooting ourselves in the foot,” Monzingo said. “I was proud of the kids for fighting hard, but we have to take care of the football.”
Sophomore Zach Henshaw rushed for 73 yards and has looked solid since he took over the starting job in the second game of the season.
The Hawks (3-3, 1-1) will need their “A” game tonight when they host perennial powerhouse Liberty Hill (3-3, 2-1) in a key district matchup that could have major playoff ramifications.
The Panthers torched district door mats Ingram Moore 76-0 on the strength of Ryan Fickel’s 15 carries for 161 yards and two touchdowns.
Fickel is the only starter who returns from last season’s state semifinal team, where he ran for 1,446 yards and 20 touchdowns for the Panthers.
The Canyon Lake defense, which gave up 17 fourth-quarter points to Wimberley last week, will have to own the line of scrimmage and contain the solid Liberty Hill offense.
“Liberty Hill has the kind of tradition that every team wishes they had,” said Monzingo. “They are a solid football team and they have a lot of ways they can hurt you.”
Offensively, the Hawks have many weapons for any team to cover, but it comes down to execution for the young squad.
Senior Eric Nelson, a 6-foot-5 receiver, leads the team with 406 yards on 29 receptions for a 14 yard per catch average, but the wideout has just one touchdown this season.
The reason for Nelson’s touchdown drought is that most teams double and triple team the talented receiver. That opens the field for the rest of the team.
Henshaw has opened up the Hawks ground game, as the sophomore has 622 yards and five touchdowns, while averaging 103 yards per game.
The rushing game is key for Monzingo to elevate pressure off Wagliardo and give him time to find his receivers.
The senior QB has thrown for 1,214 yards and nine touchdowns, but has 14 interceptions this season.
Wagliardo will have to protect the football and trust his offensive line to do their job against the Panther defensive front.
Last season, Canyon Lake was blown out 56-0 by Liberty Hill on the road, but that was last season.
The 2009 edition of the Hawks are more experienced, more confident and have the right attitude to make a run at the playoffs this season, and beating Liberty Hill would go a long way in attaining that goal.
“The playoffs are the goal of any team that takes the field,” Monzingo said. “We are a lot healthier than we were last season and our defense is really playing well. This is going to be a great game and it will come down to who executes their game plan.”
