Elmwood hopes to stay 'locked in' against unbeaten Liberty Center

Elmwood faced a big test last week, and passed it. By defeating Eastwood 28-7 in the Division V Region 18 semifinals, the Royals secured another week of football. And another test. Elmwood will travel to Perrysburg tonight for the Region 18 final against Liberty Center. The Tigers are 13-0. In three postseason games, they have outscored opponents (Port Clinton, Liberty-Benton and Coldwater) 136-27. "They're Elite 8," said Elmwood coach Greg Bishop. "This is the type of competition you want to play against, because everybody's good." Of course, Elmwood is pretty good, too. Last week, the Royals avenged their only loss of the season by rolling past Eastwood. In that game, the Royals showcased a ferocious defense. Cornerback Alex Arnold had a pick six, and Elmwood's defense was able to hold the Eagles in check. "We adjusted well to things coming into that game, and our kids, they were locked in," Bishop said. "That was the focus, being locked in: 'Do your job, and do it 100 MPH.'" When you talk about Elmwood, it's easy to focus on the offense. With quarterback Hayden Wickard, tailback Mason Oliver, receiver Mason Mossbarger and others, the Royals are averaging better than 42 points a game. But the Royals defense also has been stout. It is allowing a little less than 14 points a contest. "I think in today's day and age of football, everyone talks about spread offenses, and how many points a game you're scoring," Bishop said. "A lot of people forget, defenses, they have a role, too." Bishop said his defense has a big role. "Obviously, defense is very important to us," he said. "We have some playmakers on defense, and our kids are hard-nosed kids who play hard, play fast, and play physical." In Liberty Center, the Royals will face a run-heavy wing-T offense, which is something Elmwood is getting used to. Liberty Center running back Matthew Orr has run for more than 1,200 yards and 20 touchdowns. Another running back, Colton Kruse, has run for nearly 1,000 yards. Quarterback Zane Zeiter hasn't thrown the ball a ton, but he can also present problems. "He does a good job of when he does pass, he makes plays," Bishop said. "He can also hurt you with his feet. They run a lot in variations of formations, and run multiple things, run some different plays to window dress things. We've just got to be ready to go." Bishop said he wants his defense to play fast and loose. "It's always the name of the game defensively: force turnovers, tackle the first time, and swarm tackle everybody," Bishop said. "We do that, we'll take care of business come Friday." On defense, the Tigers have been exceptional. Of their 13 wins, five have been shutouts. The Tigers are led by Northwest Ohio Athletic League Defensive Player of the Year Owen Box, who had seven sacks this season. "They present some challenges with how physical they play, and they fly to the football," Bishop said. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.