Triton Central's talented defense preparing to face strong dual-threat quarterback at Centerville

FAIRLAND – Triton Central terrorized many defensive coordinators with a dual threat quarterback named Jace Stuckey.

Tim Able and the Tigers coaching staff are now preparing for that same type of threat in Centerville quarterback Jace Hollendonner.

Class 2A, No. 7 Triton Central (8-1) travels to Centerville (7-2) Friday for a Sectional 38 opener. The Bulldogs sophomore quarterback has rushed for 504 yards and four touchdowns and thrown for 1,934 yards and 29 touchdowns.

“He is good and he is only a sophomore,” said Able. “He is only going to get better. He can do it all. And he is the key that makes them go.”

Hollendonner is Centerville’s leading rusher, just ahead of senior running back Jeremiah Mull (351 yards, four touchdowns). Hollendonner’s top target is All-State receiver Maddox Pritchett (32 catches, 721 yards, 10 touchdowns).

“(Pritchett) is really good,” said Able. “We have to control him. We can’t stop him, but we can control him.

“If we can get them in second- and third-and-long then we know the pass is coming and we can dictate that. We have to stay ahead of the chains on defense and it’s the same way on offense. We have to stay ahead of the chains.”

Triton Central quarterback Matthew Wilkins (photo) returns to the role after missing the last three games with a shoulder injury. Able turned to running back Braden Brown to run the offense in Wilkins’ absence -- and run he did.

The senior set a program record with 387 yards rushing in last Friday’s 27-7 win over Indianapolis Scecina. He also completed 11-of-17 passes for 123 yards and two touchdowns when there was a need to throw over the last three weeks.

In the first six games this season, Wilkins completed 59% of his passes for 936 yards and five touchdowns.

With senior receiver Zeke Robertson (photo) finally out of his cast after suffering a broken hand earlier this season, the Triton Central offense is nearly 100%.

“We are pretty healthy other than Kellan (Dishman),” said Able of the starting lineman who is out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury. “It’s unusual for us this time of the year. Hopefully, we can keep that up. This is the time of year where you have to play your best ball and be focused.”

Seven of the eight teams in Sectional 38 have winning records and five have at least seven wins.

“We have to be the more physical team,” said Able (photo). “We have to bring it to them from beginning to the end on both sides of the ball. We have to get off to a good start.”

Triton Central has the strongest strength of schedule (115^th in the state) in the sectional field. For comparison, Centerville’s strength of schedule is 255^th overall.

The Bulldogs’ only losses this season are to Sectional 38 foes Winchester (28-19 on Sept. 12) and Northeastern (29-27 on Sept. 26).

“We’ve had those kinds of years where we kind of ramped it up in the end, but we have to ramp it up at the very beginning this year,” said Able of Triton Central’s sectional draw. “There are a lot of good teams in our sectional on both sides of the bracket. We have to be ready each week because, if not, somebody will be right there to take it away from us.”

If Triton Central wins Friday, it will host the sectional semifinal game against either Northeastern (8-1) or Shenandoah (6-3). The Raiders defeated Northeastern, 50-43, on Oct. 3.

CLASS 2A, NO. 7 TRITON CENTRAL (8-1) AT CENTERVILLE (7-2)

SITE: Craig Field at Centerville High School.

GAME TIME: 7 p.m.

COACHES: Tim Able, 118-41 in 13^th year at Triton Central, 243-139 in 32^nd year overall; Ryan Cole, 32-8 in fourth year at Centerville, 32-16 in fifth year overall.

SAGARIN RATINGS: Triton Central, 62.62, 90^th overall, 12th in Class 2A; Centerville, 49.06, 157^th overall, 26^th in Class 2A. Triton Central is an 11-point favorite.

LAST MEETING: Triton Central defeated Centerville, 56-0 on Oct. 30, 2015, in Tim Able’s third season as head coach of the Tigers.

CLASS 2A, SECTIONAL 38: Northeastern (8-1) at Shenandoah (6-3); No. 7 Triton Central (8-1) at Centerville (7-2); No. 3 Lapel (9-0) at Winchester (8-1); and Eastern Hancock (5-4) at Union County (1-8).

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