Published: October 22, 2009 06:08 am      

River Kings avoid talk of playoffs

Concentration is on regular-season finale

By Jon Gremmels

Herald Sports Editor

CLINTON — Iowa’s high school football postseason is less than a week away, but even though Clinton and North Scott already have qualified to play next Wednesday night, they’re approaching Friday’s regular-season matchup in Eldridge as if it’s the only game left.

The River Kings (8-0), ranked third in the Iowa Class 4A Associated Press poll, are hoping to finish off their first undefeated regular season since 1985 (the most recent one before that was 1947). North Scott (5-3) is seeking a third-place finish in the Mississippi Athletic Conference, as well as an 11th consecutive win against Clinton — the longest current streak by an opponent.

Neither team is worrying about the short week next week. All eyes are on Friday.

“We’re not looking at next Wednesday at all,” North Scott coach Kevin Tippet said.

“Maybe it’s easier for us to keep focused on Friday (with an 8-0 record), but all year we’ve been preaching one game at a time, and we need to keep practicing that,” Clinton coach Lee Camp said. “Last year, we were hoping and thinking about it, and I think maybe we got to looking ahead instead of preparing for Friday night. This year it’s all business as if Friday night is the only night we’re preparing for.”

Tippet also said it was no problem getting ready for Friday night, even though the Lancers aren’t playing for a conference title as Clinton is.

“I don’t think it’s hard to prepare at all,” he said. “We take the mental approach to our kids that the only game we look at is the next one. As far as Clinton, it’s a big game and our kids are excited about playing it. We’re not looking past it. We’re going to come out and play hard and play North Scott football.”

North Scott football utilizes both the run and pass and is a physical style, according to Camp.

“They’re a real balanced team,” he said. “They run and throw the ball real well, and they appear to be real physical in the lines both offensively and defensively. They’ve got a real good quarterback (senior Cody Manthe) who does a nice job of running it as well as throwing. They have a real good running back (junior Aaron Huber) to complement him and two good receivers (senior Jacob Mirfield and junior Travis Anderson).”

Tippet said the Lancers had progressed nicely this season.

“We’re young, playing a lot of juniors and a couple of sophomores here and there,” he said. “It’s Week 9, (though,) everybody’s got the same experience. Our kids have made strides. We’ve played hard the past few weeks and hope we’re starting to peak at the right time.”

Camp obviously hopes that Clinton’s best football is ahead of it, too. They’re just not ready to look past Friday quite yet.

While they don’t have to worry about whether their final game will get them in the postseason or not, the River Kings still have plenty to play for. They want to claim an outright MAC title. Then, there’s also that chance of going through the regular season undefeated.

“It’s surprising in the sense that I know what the conference is like and what’s it like to get through unscathed,” Camp said of sitting at 8-0. “In that sense, yes. But, on the other hand, knowing the kids, I knew the drive and potential was there; it was just a matter of whether all the pieces would fit in.”