The Ironmen (7-1, 7-0) will look to secure a second straight outright Big-Twelve conference championship when they host the Peoria Lions (7-1, 6-1) Friday.

The Big Twelve title, Ironmen head coach Mr. Jason Drengwitz said, has been the team’s “first and foremost goal throughout the year.”

Last season, Community swept the conference, something the Iron “want to do it again.”

“We don’t really have any interest in sharing a conference championship,” Drengwitz said.

A loss to the Lions would mean the two teams share the Big 12 title.

An outright title won’t come easy, as the Lions are formidable in all three phases of the game, Drengwitz said.

“They’re big, they’re faster, athletic and really well coached.”

The 4th-ranked 5A Peoria Lions can score at any time, from anywhere on the field, something they showcased last week against the Bloomington Purple Raiders.

The Lions, trailing 20-14 at the half, put up 30 unanswered points with three third-quarter scores.

Two of those scores came after the Lions successfully recovered onside kicks.

The onside kick, a key aspect of Peoria’s game plan, is something the Ironmen fully expect to see Friday.

“Their kicker is freaking outstanding,” Drengwitz said, “really good” at placing onside kicks.

Two seasons ago, the Iron suffered the consequences of failing to gain possession after Peoria’s distinctive strategy.

Community fell 64-30 in that contest, suffering their worst loss of the season, after the Lions “recovered four or five onside kicks,” Drengwitz said, “and converted them to touchdowns.”

That’s a strength of this Peoria team, too, as there isn’t a lot Peoria’s offense doesn’t do well, Drengwitz said. They’re “really good up front,” “they have dynamic playmakers all over the field–from quarterback to running back to wide receiver” and they show multiple formations.

Schematically, the coach said, “They do what they do, and they do it really, really, really well.”

Among Peoria’s offensive threats is junior running back Detaurion Pollard. The Lion’s leading rusher ran for 230 yards last week and reached the end zone twice.

The Lions “block extremely well” and are “really physical at the point of attack,” Drengwitz said, which has translated to success in the ground game. The Lions average over 300 rushing yards and nearly four rushing touchdowns a game this season.

The Lions can maul you in the passing game, too.

“They throw the ball really well,” Drengwitz said.

Tossing the pigskin for Peoria High is Breon Green, a recipient of the WEEK25’s Athlete of the Week honors in mid-September.
Green’s “just tough,” Drengwitz said. “He can throw it, he can run [and] just when you think you got him caged up, he’s going to squirt out.”

Green’s number one target is TQ Webb, a “special high school player,” Drengwitz said, who’s “a great route runner [and] a big play threat.”

“We have to be ready to meet those challenges,” Drengwitz said, “which I think our kids are excited about.”

Linebacker Jase Wilson, cornerback Mar’Quan Gary and safety Craig Bennett will be critical in shutting down the Lions’ passing game.

Wilson, the head coach said, “has done a great job all year” for the Iron, success showcased in Week 7, as Wilson recorded two interceptions, one he returned for a score.

As for denying the strong Peoria running game, the Ironmen will lean on A.J. Montoya, Aramis Simmons and Winton Carlock.

The senior trio has led an Iron front that has held opponents to a mere 50 rushing yards a game, surrendering only two touchdowns this season.

Community has allowed a Big Twelve-best 50 points over seven conference games. Peoria trails at second, allowing 130 points in their conference

contests.

The Lions defensive line is anchored by six-foot-two senior Dorsey Doss, a defensive edge able to get off the ball and “pressure the quarterback,” Drengwitz said.

In the secondary, the Lions primarily play man-to-man, Drengwitz said, a base coverage that they “present a lot of different challenges” out of.

Offensively, Drengwitz said, the Iron “need our best players to play. They don’t have to play out of their mind; they just have to do what they do and do it well.”

Community and Peoria High kickoff at Dick Tharp Field at 7 p.m. tonight in the final regular season game of the season.