‘Playoffs have started for us:’ Newman locked into postseason mode for Week 7 matchup with Hall

STERLING – At 3-3, with three regular season games left to play, Newman and Hall find themselves in similar situations entering a Week 7 Three Rivers Mississippi showdown in Spring Valley.

The Red Devils, who began their season 1-3, are on the upswing, having beaten Mendota 66-45 and Kewanee 26-15 in back-to-back weeks. The Comets, conversely, are coming off a 36-0 loss to undefeated Princeton in Week 6.

Currently, Newman resides in fifth place in the TRAC Mississippi with a 1-2 conference record – without a realistic shot at the conference championship – but Hall and Week 8 opponent Mendota are both within striking distance, and a playoff spot is still up for grabs as the season winds down.

Entering Week 7, with only three games left to secure a postseason berth, the sense of urgency is high for the Comets.

“We’ve looked at it this way: playoffs have started for us. We need to get six wins, and that’s what’s in front of us, but it’s one game at a time,” Newman coach Mike LeMay said. “Fortunately, we’re in a situation where we go on the road and it’s a 3-3 ball club that we’re playing, so at this point, it’s a really good playoff game. Everyone’s fighting for making the postseason; this is starting early for us, and I think our kids are ready to rise to the challenge. They’ve certainly shown that this week.”

For the road game in Spring Valley, Newman players are anticipating a playoff-like atmosphere. The importance of this week’s game – and the next two – is not lost on them.

“Very important. It’s pretty much a playoff game,” senior running back/linebacker Hunter Luyando said. “We’ve gotta win out the rest of the season to make it to playoffs.”

“It’s extremely crucial. We have to get to six wins, which means we have to win out,” senior wide receiver/linebacker Jaesen Johns added. “And like Hunter said, it’s a playoff game. And so are the next two games after that. It’s really important to us, and we need to lock in on it.”

As they make their final playoff push over the next three weeks, a few challenges await the .500 Comets.

This week, the challenge comes in the form of Hall quarterback Mac Resetich, who’s scored 10 touchdowns in the last two weeks, with seven coming against Mendota. Shutting down No. 4 will be the primary point of emphasis this week, as the Comets defense attempts to rebound from last week.

“They’re a team that can put up a lot of points,” LeMay said. “They have a really dynamic quarterback. He is really good. He is a physical runner. He is the majority of their offense, so we know, on defense, we’ve got a lot ahead of us to prep for.”

To limit Resetich’s impact – and come away with a much-needed win – the Comets will need all hands on deck defensively.

“Playing team defense, getting aligned correctly, and getting 11 hats to the ball. I know our effort has been really good at times, and we need that on every play to slow him down, if not stop him. And that’s going to give us the best chance of winning this week,” LeMay said.

Johns and Luyando know everything starts with No. 4 from a defensive perspective. If they can hold Resetich in check, the Comets should have a chance to win their fourth game of the season.

“Blocking, and when we’re on offense, making the push for as many yards as we can get,” Johns said of Newman’s points of emphasis this week. “And then on defense, containing their quarterback. He’s really a big point of emphasis for us, to shut him down entirely.”

“They’ve got a good quarterback. He also plays safety,” Luyando said. “They’ll be a good team and beatable, just gotta play hard and block and then just keep going, and we’ll be good.”