SMCC (6-0) is coming off of a 43-0 drubbing of Milan while Riverview (5-1) hammered Flat Rock 53-6. The Falcons won a shootout last season and have taken four of the last five in the series. These two teams are considered the traditional powers of the league based on all-time winning percentages.
SMCC continues it’s dominance of the league with the same rushing attack along with an opportunistic passing attack. The defense ranks one of the best in the state and has given up just 14 points in 5 league games.
Riverview has simply reloaded from last season. The running game has been solid and the Pirates are capable of throwing the ball if necessary. The Pirate defense has been solid as well this year and are giving up 12 ppg if league play.
This should be the stiffest test that SMCC will face in the regular season. The Pirates are big and athletic and should be able to move the ball. Stopping the Falcons will be a different story.
Although there is one more league game left after this week, this amounts to a championship game. If Riverview wins they could get a share of the title, if SMCC wins they most likely win the championship outright. Prediction SMCC 32 Riverview 14
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Smcc 33-0
Riverview doesn't stand a chance against CC.
This SMCC team would beat many of the past teams Jack has coached, man they are special.....up on riverview 27-0 at half
Too small???? Too slow???? Blah....blah....blah.... 27-0 SMCC at the half.....Go Falcons!
going to view to see a great game tonight may the best team win !
What was the score of the Huron game? How many points has SMCC given up/game this year? This club has the opportunity to set records this year.
Turnovers will be key come playoff time.
That was taken off of an mlive article. It was copied and pasted for the most part.
I was unaware Jim Nantz was a Huron League fan. LOL. Nice comments, Those percentages are since the teams started playing in the 60's. They do not reflect more recent times when head to head records have evened out considerably in the last 15 years.
Heres a few over the last 15, might even surprise you.
Jeff vs SMCC 8-7 Jefferson
SMCC vs View 11-4 SMCC
SMCC vs Airport 8-7 SMCC
Airport Vs Jeff 14-2 Airport.
Theres a little more parity with SMCC than I thought. Airport vs Jefferson is surprising.
Wow! Nice commentary.
Friday night's matchup is special in the way that Riverview football has never been voted for MLive Detroit Game of the Week. It also marks the first time ever that an out-of-area team, Monroe St. Mary Catholic Central, is one of the featured teams in the Game of the Week.
Also, it is the first time a Huron League game has been named MLive Detroit Game of the Week. Luckily, it is stacked up to be a good one.
St. Mary CC (6-0, 5-0) has been a dominant presence in the Huron League since it began in the late 1960's. Riverview (5-1, 4-1) has had a rich history of winning seasons in the Huron league as a well, and is off to its third 5-1 start in the last four seasons.
Here are five key things to watch heading into Friday night's 7 p.m. matchup:
1. St. Mary CC's defense is stifling: St. Mary CC does not succeed so well from year to year by luck. It does so by bringing a maximized and organized team effort to the field. This year, the Falcons defense has been nothing short of dominant, allowing just 27 points all season and just 14 in league play.
"We talk about the team, the team, the team," St. Mary CC coach Jack Giarmo said. "Every person has a job to do and they have a responsibility. When they do it, we can play good defense."
2. Potential for a "track meet" game: Even with St. Mary CC's defense performing so well right now, nothing is a guarantee when facing Riverview. Last year, the two teams combined to score 105 points, with the Falcons winning, 56-49. The year before, St. Mary CC won another shootout, 61-42. When Riverview last won in 2011, the 31-29 score seemed rather tame in comparison.
Could Friday's matchup continue the high-scoring trend?
"Possibly," Giarmo said. "That's what I'm scared to death about. I don't want that to happen and I don't think their coach wants it either."
3. Riverview's offense is keeping the pace after record setting season in 2013: Last year, the Pirates offense set a program record for points scored with 439 points in 10 games, an average of 43.9 points per game. Although the Riverview offense has not kept up that average through the first six weeks of this season, its 34.33 points per game is currently second best in program history.
Riverview got a boost last week when it beat Flat Rock, 53-6, scoring 33 of those points in the second quarter.
4. Riverview's balanced offense should test SMCC's speed on defense: If there is one thing that Riverview has been succeeding at this season, it is running the ball. With plenty of capable athletes to carry the ball, Eric Gant has been able to carry a bulk of the load this season. With the ability to pick up yards right through the heart of the defense, Gant is a dangerous weapon.
Yet, Riverview quarterback Drew Kroll is capable of throwing the ball around 25 times a game, helping balance out the Pirates' offensive scheme and keeping opposing defenses scrambling.
SMCC does have speed in the secondary and can really chase down the ball carrier. However, keeping to assignments will be key for the Falcons as Riverview has big-play potential.
5. St. Mary CC looking to build on historical success against Riverview: Despite some close games over the last few years, the Falcons have won eight of the last 10 meetings against Riverview, holding a 25-12 all-time record against the Pirates.
In fact, St. Mary's CC is the only team in the Huron League that Riverview has a sub-.500 all-time winning percentage against. Yet, the Falcon's .676 win percentage over Riverview is actually the lowest win percentage that it has against a league opponent besides Milan (.619).