Prep Football: Repeat Performance

There's no question that the Eldorado offense was electric in its 34-8 win over Fairfield last week. A victory that kept the Eagles in the conversation for the Black Diamond Conference Championship.

But talk to EHS head coach Brandon Hampton and he'll tell you the recipe for success in the win over the Mules was Eldorado's defense.

That defense will need to have a repeat performance as they prepare to play host to rival Johnston City Friday night at Boz Adams Field.

The game also has implications for the BDC crown as Eldorado and Johnston City are two of four teams, joining Fairfield and Carmi-White County that are atop the league standings are 6-1.

"They're 6-1 for a reason," Hampton said of the Indians. "They have a very talented roster. They have an SIU commit in offensive line Luca Gauldoni. He's as talented as a player as there is in the diamond. They have a proud history and they get their kids to play extremely hard. They'll do the same when they come over here to Eldorado.

The Eagles have given up the fewest of any BDC team on defense, limiting the opposition to a total of 65 points on defense all season. Johnston City isn't very far behind at 72 and because of that, Hampton knows how physical Friday night's game will likely be.

"It will be a hard fought, tough, physical game," he said. "Johnston City has a lot of team speed. They do a lot of things offensively and historically, they have always played us tough on defense.

They don't give up many points, they have had a lot of shutouts, so they play good defense and they've always played good defense under Dan (Mings) the last four or five years."

The game will also be Senior Night for Eldorado, an event that is always special for Hampton.

"To me the message to the team is we have to do a great job as individuals, but collectively as a team to send our seniors out of Boz Adams Field the right way," Hampton said. "This senior class has been a part of some great teams and is having a fantastic year. We have a chance to accomplish some really special things and we owe it to our seniors to put them in position to have success Friday night."

Michael Dann covers prep and college sports for the Harrisburg Daily Register and Eldorado Daily Journal. Follow him on Twitter: @spydieshooter.