BASTROP, Texas — After another lengthy lightning delay last Friday, Seguin will face a different challenge tonight as the Matadors hit the road on a short week hunting for their first district victory.
Seguin travels to Bastrop ISD Memorial Stadium to face Bastrop Cedar Creek with Head Coach Gary Gutierrez looking to find the consistency that has eluded the Matadors early in the season.
Seguin showed flashes of that consistency against Manor last week, particularly early in the game as the Matadors began moving the chains with Avery Franklin back at quarterback. Franklin has completed 19 of 34 passes for 144 yards, one touchdown and one interception in two appearances this season.
But penalties and other mistakes have repeatedly put the Matadors behind schedule, compounding the struggles of an offense still searching for its footing.
Seguin has been held to just 24 net rushing yards on 82 attempts through three games. The passing attack has accounted for another 138 yards, leaving sustained drives at a premium for an offense Gutierrez wants to keep on the field longer.
“We got to be able to handle adversity when adversity strikes, because it’s coming in every game for every team in every level,” Gutierrez said. “We got to make sure we’re able to overcome those things.”
That task comes with an unusual turnaround this week.
Seguin’s game against Manor was interrupted by another extended lightning delay, with the Matadors not getting out until after midnight Friday. Now they return to the field one day earlier than usual with tonight’s trip to Bastrop.
Rather than complicating the game plan on a short week, Gutierrez said Seguin intends to simplify things and concentrate on executing consistently.
“We’re going to maintain that mantra of being simple so we can grab our footing and develop some consistency,” Gutierrez said. “The biggest thing we can’t do is shoot ourselves in the foot with penalties and get behind the chains.”
Cedar Creek enters Thursday at 2-1 after suffering its first loss of the season against Boerne Champion, 55-0.
The Eagles present a physical challenge for a Seguin defense that will need to win at the line of scrimmage. Gutierrez pointed specifically to Cedar Creek’s size up front, with the Eagles featuring massive offensive tackles and an offense designed to lean on opponents with its running game.
“They have incredible size on the offensive side of the ball,” Gutierrez said. “They’re a run-you-over team, and so we’re definitely going to have to control the line of scrimmage and force them to throw the ball to be successful.”
John Hernandez will be at the center of that effort.
The junior has emerged as the Matadors’ most prolific tackler through three games, recording 35 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and half a sack. Gutierrez described Hernandez as a player whose work ethic has earned the respect of his teammates.
“John’s a good kid. He’s a great kid,” Gutierrez said. “He’s a really quiet, humble leader and is a worker.”
Hernandez has plenty of help around him. Nathan Walter has three sacks and three tackles for loss, while Kyler Forehand has intercepted two passes as part of a Seguin defense that has shown an ability to create disruption despite the team’s difficult start.
Keeping that unit fresh will put additional importance on Seguin’s offense.
The Matadors want to sustain drives, avoid penalties that leave them behind the chains and protect the football. Gutierrez expects Cedar Creek to take a similar approach, potentially making Thursday a battle for possession and control of the clock.
“Whoever controls the clock and has less turnovers can be successful tonight,” Gutierrez said.
For Seguin, those two areas tie directly into the larger challenge Gutierrez has emphasized through the opening weeks of the season: putting together a complete performance.
The Matadors have shown stretches in which they have been able to move the football and make plays defensively. Thursday night, they will try to turn those stretches into four quarters while searching for their first district win.
Kickoff between Seguin and Bastrop Cedar Creek is scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday at Bastrop ISD Memorial Stadium.
Pregame coverage with Reily Chestnut and coach Dan Hernandez begins at 6:20 p.m. on KWED and SeguinToday.com.