SNOW TAKES ON PHOENIX
ON HOMECOMING WEEK
by Adam Mason

Badgers Homecoming Week Game

Ephraim-It is homecoming week at Snow College and the No. 6 ranked Badgers (5-0, 7-1) are hoping for a victory when they take on the Phoenix College Bears (2-2, 3-3) on Saturday.

The Badgers are looking to continue their pursuit of a national championship by winning their conference (Western States Football League). Last week they beat Eastern Arizona 30-24 and holding the second best team in rushing yards per game to 217 yards as the Gilamonsters came in averaging 321 yards.

“The defense took a lot of pride because we did so poor against the last option team we played (New Mexico Military),” said defensive coordinator Justin Decol. “We wanted to come out with energy.”

The offense also put up 30 points a game against the fourth best team in the nation in overall defense as the Gilamonsters came in only giving up 15.3 points per game. That is also the best in the conference.

“They play a lot of man coverage and don’t usually have safeties,” said offensive coordinator Tyler Hughes. “We needed to counteract that with some big plays, which we did.”

Snow now knows its focus is now Phoenix who will be looking to bounce back from their loss to Scottsdale 47-7 last week. Snow also knows that teams tend to rise up to play their best against great teams, at least according to Decol.

“One way to salvage a tough season is to beat a highly ranked team,” Decol stated. “So we know Phoenix will play their best game against us.”

“We really need to come out with good focus and good energy,” said Hughes. “Be consistent and do it for four quarters and we’ll be ok.”

Phoenix was at one time ranked in the top 20 in the NJCAA poll this season and even last year finished second in the conference just behind Snow. So the Badgers know there is a good tradition that exists with this school.

The Snow College Badgers have their next two games at home including this one against Phoenix, but the team is remaining focused one game at a time.

“It’s a long season,” Hughes stated.  “If you’re too up or too down it can cause problems.”

“One of our team sayings is ‘focus up on the one’,” Decol said. “We haven’t won six games in a row, we’ve won one game six times.”

And hopefully after this week it will be one game seven times.