The Dike-New Hartford football team will go on the road for a stiff test at #10 (2A) Wilton in a Class 2A first round playoff game Friday.
The Wolverines (5-3) are the 3-seed of 2A District 4, and are coming off last week’s 38-7 loss at Hampton-Dumont-CAL, where a win would’ve clinched a first round home game. In order to bounce back, Head Coach Don Betts says discipline will be a key; two special teams blunders in the first quarter gave the opponent insurmountable momentum.
“We’ve got to get back to the point where we’re not making as many mistakes, and that’s been a bug-a-boo for us all year long,” Betts says. “We struggle making mistakes and mental mistakes, physical mistakes, those kinds of things. When we’re clicking, we’re pretty darn good. And when we’re not, it goes the other way in a hurry. And we’ve got to try to clean up some of those mistakes and get back to the way we’ve played at times earlier this year.”
Wilton (6-2) is the 2-seed of 2A District 6, and only lost to #3 (2A) Mid-Prairie in district play. Their defense has been stout, recording 14 interceptions during the season, the third-most in 2A. Gatlin Rogers is among the 2A tackles for loss leaders with 18.5.
The kickoff will be at 7:00 p.m., and the winner will advance to next week’s second round against an opponent to be determined.
