Bombers’ sights set on Wayne

Adair-Casey heads into Friday as the state’s top scoring team, regardless of classification

By Drew Herron - NT Sports Editor / Nov. 7, 2013

ADAIR – The Bombers are right where they want to be in early November.

Tradition-rich Adair-Casey is unbeaten, ranked No. 3 in the state, and sits one step away from its first trip to the UNI-Dome since 2009.

As the Bombers have ripped through their schedule, and through the first two tests of the playoffs, few teams in the state have displayed the kind of offensive might that AC has shown.

Now, on the cusp of reaching another team goal, talk of playing indoors at the UNI-Dome is in play for the Bombers, who can punch their ticket with a win over Wayne of Corydon Friday night.

“It was definitely a goal we set earlier in the year, but once the season started, we haven’t really spoken of it,” AC head coach Wade Anderson says. 

“Once we started with CAM in Week Zero, we haven’t mentioned the Dome since then. But now, we talked to the guys this week, and they have earned the right to start to discuss it again because that’s the prize ahead of us if we beat Wayne. We need to come out and play a great game against Wayne if we want to get there.”

Adair-Casey comes into Friday night as the state’s top-scoring offense (747 points) regardless of classification, and the fifth most effective rushing team with 3,746 yards on the ground through 11 games.

Senior running back Clayton Plowman is knocking on the door of 2,000 yards for the season, having already amassed 1,855 and 36 touchdowns on the ground with a yards-per-carry at 9.2.

If any team hopes to defeat the Bombers this season, they might have to score 100 points to do it.

“Offensively, we are executing awfully well,” coach Anderson said this week. “Our line, our wingbacks and fullbacks are really creating some lanes for our running backs and quarterback to run through. We are able to throw the ball as well, (Traeton) Jensen has shown that, and that’s going to be more important as we progress along. We are going to have to be more well-rounded, and it starts with Wayne.”

Jensen has somewhat quietly racked up 1,192 yards through the air with 57 percent completion (55-of-97) and a tidy 23 touchdowns to three interceptions. He’s also ran for 851 yards and 15 TDs on the ground, making for a true dual threat under center for the Bombers.

On deck for AC is Wayne, perhaps the hottest team in 8-Man right now. After starting the season 2-2, the Falcons have gone on to avenge a pair of previous losses to Murray and Victor H-L-V to reach their state quarterfinal matchup with the Bombers.

Wayne’s offense is a balanced one, equally capable of moving the ball through the air as it does on the ground. 

Junior running back Clayton Kiefer (10) has 1,509 yards and 34 touchdowns with a YPC of 7.9, and senior quarterback Dillon Lain (12) has passed for 1,164 yards on 45 percent completion (53-of-117) with 22 TDs to three picks.

“They are a well-rounded and athletic team,” coach Anderson says of Wayne. “They have a very good running back in Kiefer, he runs hard and he’s very fast. But they also have a quarterback and a couple ends who are very good as well.”

Stopping both the run and the pass presents its challenges for any defense at any level of football. In 8-Man, that balance might even put more stress on a defense.

“It’s definitely a challenge, you can’t just focus in on one guy,” coach Anderson says. “We need to depend on our brothers to do their individual jobs, and go out there and perform to the best of our ability. They are going to come right at us, they are the hot team right now, so we need to play good, sound football.”

Should the Bombers knock off Wayne and advance to the UNI-Dome, they will face the winner of Don Bosco and Springville next Thursday in Cedar Falls.

But don’t expect AC to go looking too far ahead. The next step here is Wayne, and the Bombers count on a physical battle that is likely to be won or lost in the trenches.

“We need to win at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball,” coach Andersons says. “That’s the case for us every week, but ultimately (Wayne) is a lot like us, they love to run the ball, but they are able to throw, so it’s going to be won at the line of scrimmage.”