Petersen looking for improved consistency against Albany

CHRIS ROUSH/DAILY FORUM
South Holt/Nodaway-Holt sophomore running back Westyn Williams outruns the Stanberry defenders during a 60-28 loss against the Bulldogs in Week 2. The Spartans face Albany at 7 p.m. Friday.

For South Holt/Nodaway-Holt head coach Josh Petersen, Week 5 represents more than the half waypoint in the season, it also represents an opportunity for his squad to put it all together.

The Spartans sit at 2-2 on the season after picking up wins in Week 1 and Week 4 against South Nodaway/Jefferson and East Atchison. They’ve dropped tough road losses to two top-five teams, Stanberry and St. Joseph Christian.

“I think it helps them realize they can play with great teams, except for the four-minute meltdown against St. Joseph Christian,” Petersen said. “It was a drawback from the week before when we played Stanberry. After we played Stanberry and if you take away the last four minutes of the second quarter against Christian, I think our kids realize they can play with the top-rated teams in the state and that’s a positive.”

Last week, the Spartans won 30-16 over East Atchison, but Petersen thinks his squad can still get better.

“Well the first half wasn’t anything impressive,” Petersen said. “I thought our defense played better than what it had the last couple of games. We were still struggling on the offensive side of the ball, but hopefully now we have our line figured out.

“Once we get everyone back, I think we’ll be a lot more competitive in the second half of the season.”

This week, South Holt/Nodaway-Holt welcomes the eighth-ranked Albany Warriors (2-2), coming off an 88-58 loss to Worth County. The Warriors offense has had early-season success, averaging 50.5 points per game led by seniors quarterback Seth Cline and running back Drake Naylor.

Cline’s thrown for 307 yards and five touchdowns, while Naylor’s racked up 435 yards and seven scores.

“They’re going to play physical,” Petersen said. “They’ll probably be another team like Stanberry and St. Joseph Christian where they’re going to run the ball, but they have the ability to throw.

“With Albany, they have seven or eight different formations that (Spartans assistant coach Kevin) Dodson’s drawn up. Just the fact that they’re going to be more spread out than Stanberry or St. Joseph Christian, it might present some problems, but I think we can figure it out.”

The Warriors offense will go against a Spartans defense that’s allowed the ninth-fewest points per game in 8-man football — 37.5.

“If our defense can play the way it did basically the last game and a half and we minimalize penalties and turnovers, I think we have a pretty good chance,” Petersen said. “It’s going to be a tough game and I’d say Albany is favored, but if we do the little things right and run the ball well on offense, I think we have a pretty good shot.”

Through the first four weeks of the season, the Spartans have averaged 30 points per game. The team will have its starting quarterback, junior Alan Ottman, back for the first time since Week 1. In Ottman’s absence, junior all-purpose back Brody Day has been tasked with leading the offense.

“It was nice to have Brody step in for (Ottman),” Petersen said. “The one thing about Brody running the offense, and this isn’t a knock on him, but most teams know we’re not going to be able to throw the ball downfield, so teams can load up on us knowing that we’re pretty much one-dimensional. With Alan back, it pretty much keeps everyone honest because he can throw the home run ball.”

On Friday night, when the Spartans host the Warriors, Petersen knows it’ll take a total team effort to pick up the victory and he knows his squad can get the job done, but it has to do the simple things right.

“Blocking,” Petersen said. “Blocking, not turning the ball over, and holding penalties have plagued us in three games. Alan’s back, so we should be able to throw a little bit more. We’ve tweaked our offensive line, so hopefully we’re able to run the ball a little bit more physically and keep our blocks.”

South Holt/Nodaway-Holt will play Albany at 7 p.m. Friday night in Graham.