By: Zachary Harmuth
That makes the Irish 1-1 against very good teams- since they lost their opener against Overton (4-0).
This week, the Irish play a very good team, the Ensworth Tigers, on the road in a conference game. Ensworth (3-0) has not lost yet this season and leads AA Division II.
A lot could pivot on this game for the Irish. A win would legitimize them as maybe the best team in AA-II, and one of the best in the state; a loss would put them at 3-2, and 1-1 in AA-II. Not a great place to be in such a talented conference, with such a tough schedule coming up, halfway through the season.
This game might also show just how far the Irish can fight this season; Ensworth ranked, by Maxpreps ranking system, as the best team in the state and 18th in the country.
Father Ryan, by the same ranking system, is 21st in Tennessee and 742nd in the country.
But teams have underestimated the Irish at their peril this year. Ask BA.
On paper, they do not look all that different or unequal.
The Tigers are averaging 215 rushing yards, and 150 passing yards, per game this season with a 5 to 1 touchdown to interception ratio.
The Irish are averaging 229 rushing yards, and 131 passing yards, per game this season with a 5 to 2 touchdown to interception ratio.
The Tigers have scored better. They score, on average, more points per game (46) than points all teams have scored against them all season (42). For the season, they are winning games on average 46-14.
The Irish, by comparison, average only 31 points per game, but are just as good on defense, allowing on average 13.5 points.
So it will be up to quarterback Cameron Towns, his main targets Tyler Shoop and Dekeivus Perry, and running back Joseph Holzmer to help make up that difference. And up to coach Bruce Lussier to find a way to slow down the high-scoring Tigers.
We will see what kind of luck the Irish have Friday, at 7 p.m.
