INDIAN RIVER – It’s go-time for Inland Lakes football.
The mission? Return to Marquette and finish the job.
The Bulldogs (9-0) are looking to take their first step in achieving that goal when they host Blanchard Montabella (6-3) in a 7 p.m. MHSAA 8-Player Division 1 regional semifinal at Shanley Field on Friday.
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Here are some keys for Inland Lakes:
Foot on the pedal
The Bulldogs don’t need anyone to tell them this, but getting off to a fast start and keeping their foot on the accelerator is key, especially against an opponent they don’t know much about. The Mustangs might have three defeats, but Inland Lakes will certainly take anyone it faces seriously.
To advance to the next round, a fast start would be ideal for the Bulldogs, who feature offensive superstars in Aidan Fenstermaker and Andre Bradford, as well as a dominant line consisting of Avery Enos, Chris Foldenauer and Jack Wilson.
Last week, Inland Lakes had a rough start against Gaylord St. Mary until picking it up and pulling away in the second half. This week, they’ll intend to start better, build a lead, and capture a win.
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Defense must stay aggressive
As much as the offense is talked about with the Bulldogs, their defense has played at an elite level all season long. When I-L’s offense was struggling against St. Mary in the first half, the defense rose to the occasion, made big plays and wore out the Snowbirds for another Ski Valley title.
Defensive leaders as of late have been DJ Buhr, Wyatt Hanel, Mitch Crawford and Bradford, Bulldogs capable of making game-changing plays. If the defense sets down the tone early on Friday, look out.
Don’t overlook anyone
As I’ve mentioned many times before, Inland Lakes never seems to have a problem of not taking an opponent seriously. Whether it’s Martin in the state championship or one of the worst teams in the Ski Valley Conference, the Bulldogs always come out in a business-like manner.
When the Mustangs come to town, the Bulldogs must have that mentality of not thinking ahead to potential matchups, something us sports writers enjoy doing.
If it wins Friday, Inland Lakes will likely be traveling for its next postseason game when it goes to Alcona for a rematch of squads who faced off last year. Because of playoff points, the Tigers (8-1) would be the host. Last season, the Bulldogs captured a 22-6 first-round victory on a rainy night at Shanley Field.
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A rematch with Alcona sounds epic, but the Bulldogs understand they need to take it one game at a time if they want to go on another magical playoff run like they did last November.
Let’s see what happens on Friday.
WHO
Blanchard Montabella (6-3) at Inland Lakes (9-0)
WHAT
MHSAA 8-Player Division 1 Football Playoff Regional Semifinal
WHEN
Friday, Nov. 1, 7 p.m.
WHERE
Shanley Field, Indian River
Contact sports editor Jared Greenleaf atjgreenleaf@gannett.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter@sportsCDT