After starting the season with 40-7 victory against Wichita Southeast, Dodge City High School head coach Dave Foster said his team has a new challenge this week.
“Our challenge going into week two is to improve on the things we did not do very well on in week one” Foster said. “But also becoming aware every week is a different week and our mental approach has to be exactly the same regardless of who the opponent is. We have to regain focus.”
The Red Demons will go on the road to take on Wichita Northwest on Friday. Northwest lost its first game 24-7 to Kapaun Mount Carmel, but Foster said he expects the Grizzlies to play tough.
“Southeast has to be out of site and out of mind because the team we are going to see, Northwest, is a more talented and deeper football team,” Foster said. “It will definitely be a more difficult challenge.”
AJ Thurman was Northwest’s biggest threat in the opener as he averaged just over 10 yards a carry, rushing for 81 yards and a touchdown.
Last season, both Northwest and Dodge City’s season came to an end at the hands of Derby. Northwest lots its first playoff game 24-14 after going 7-2 overall.
Foster has said earlier this season, that he does not look much at stats and records from last year, because everything changes every season.
The game will be the Demons first road game of the season, but Foster said he does not think it will make much of a difference as the team prepares the same way.
“It is exactly the same,” he said. “Everything timing wise we are going to do the same. The difference is, we don’t have that home field excitement that we had last week. You know, what a great experience coaching in that environment and these players playing in that environment. Everything, the crowd, everything that goes into it, makes Dodge City Football games … special.”
Foster said there was a lot he took out of his team’s first game.
“I like a lot of the things I have seen,” he said. “I saw some aggressiveness. … The ability to be explosive offensively. We have guys that can take it to the house on any given play. I have learned we need to take huge steps in our special teams. I have learned we are not perfect and we are going to get better week in and week out. Both as coaches and as players.”
