The Griffon News

The Griffons football team is coming off a demoralizing 42-35 lost to the Northwest Missouri State Bearcats. The Griffons enter this Saturday’s game with a 1-2 record, and now run smack dab in to a very tough 14th ranked Pittsburg State Gorillas, a team who has to be foaming at the mouth, after suffering a 39-32 loss last year to the Griffons in “The Jungle”, which the Griffons hadn’t done since 1984. With the MIAA being as stacked as it is this year this game could be considered a must win game. Something no athlete or coach wants to hear.

“It’s one of those years anybody can beat anybody in the conference,” said head coach Jerry Partridge. “It’s one of those years, you have to have blinders on.”

Besides blinders, the Griffons are going need some “four and outs” from their defense. In three games this season, they have given up 116 points combined to their opponents, and are currently ranked last in the MIAA in total defense, giving up 428.7 yards per game this season. With 301.7 of those 428.7 yards coming through the air. Senior defensive back Jarrett Morris hopes he and his comrades can up the Griffons defense starting this weekend against their heated rivals, the Gorillas.

“We just need to make plays. We need to make stops on defense that’s really what we need to do, taking the ball away is always good but we got to get off the field sometimes we got to make a stop,” Morris said. “Every game is a must win game but being 1-2 and 0-1 in the conference, this is definitely a must win game. We can’t fall another game behind, so we need to win this one.”

This is easier said than done when you’re facing a team like Pittsburg State. The Gorillas are 3-0 and 1-0 in MIAA play this year. Senior quarterback, Mark Smith, has thrown for 510 yards and 6 touchdowns. Smith has also ran for 198 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Coach Partridge knows how dangerous Smith can be.

“Pittsburg State is always a great offensive team” Partridge said. “Mark Smith is a great athlete, he runs the ball well.”

The Griffons also have a great athlete on their offense. Cedric Houston, who Gorilla fan should remember fairly well. Houston scored on a screen pass late in the third quarter of last years game between the two schools. Houston has gotten off to a fiery start, catching 17 balls for 389 yards and 4 touchdowns, and a virtuoso performance against Minnesota-Duluth, which included a Devin Hester like 80-yard kick off return.

There is a lot on the line for both teams in this game. Western doesn’t want to fall to a 1-3 record, and the Gorillas sure don’t want to suffer another loss at the hands of their bitter rivals. One thing is for sure, September 20, 2008, both teams will come to Spratt Stadium with a must win mind set.