Three Rivers’ football team heads to South Haven tonight with a 4-3 record and in need of winning its final two games to reach the postseason. On paper, the Wildcats should have little trouble with the 1-6 rams.
South Haven has scored just 20 points this season, most coming in a 14-3 win over Coloma last weekend. It has surrendered 28.71 points per contest.
The Wildcats have had their own offensive struggles this year despite having a bevy of playmakers. Exploding out of the gate with a 60-0 win over Wolverine Conference opponent Comstock, Three Rivers’ offensive output has seen dramatic shifts. The Wildcats lost a 14-7 game in Week 2 to Plainwell, outscored their next two opponents Allegan and Coloma by a combined score of 70-17, dropped a 40-22 decision to Edwardsburg, put up 35 points in an overtime thriller versus Berrien Springs and managed just seven points in a 14-7 loss to Dowagiac last Friday.
“Obviously, our playoffs start right now,” Three Rivers coach J.J. Wagner said. “We have no more room for error and South Haven will be a challenge. They are very athletic, especially on defense. On offense, they feature a multitude of formations and motions, so our alignment will be critical.
“Offensively, we are working to eliminate our mental mistakes which have plagued us this season. Defensively, we are focused on trying to create some turnovers. These last two weeks we are working to be more consistent in all phases, and make the playoffs.”