Tipton faces Santa Fe for second time in three weeks

Tipton quarterback Blake Fischer (11) calls out the play while Cameron Whisler (32) waits in the backfield during the Cardinals' game earlier this month against Santa Fe in Tipton.
Tipton quarterback Blake Fischer (11) calls out the play while Cameron Whisler (32) waits in the backfield during the Cardinals' game earlier this month against Santa Fe in Tipton.

TIPTON - The Tipton Cardinals are ready for their rematch against Santa Fe in tonight's Class 1 District 5 first-round clash.

The last time these two teams met Oct. 12, Tipton won 36-0. Second-seeded Tipton enters the postseason with a 4-5 record, while seventh-seeded Santa Fe is 1-8.

Tipton coach Tony Braby said the team is peaking at the right time, as the Cardinals finished the regular season with a two-game winning streak. He expects a different type of game from Santa Fe than what they saw the last time they played.

Kickoff is at 7 p.m. in Tipton.

"I don't think the weather will play a factor, so we know we have to play some good football," Braby said.

From what he has seen on film, Braby said he thinks Santa Fe will throw the ball a lot more this time.

"They have a good quarterback and they throw the ball well," he said. "On the film we had watched earlier they had success throwing the ball, so we expect their passing game to be better."

On offense, the Cardinals have been scoring plenty of points the last two weeks, as they scored 36 in their win against Santa Fe and finished with a season-high in the scoring column in last week's 46-31 win against Concordia.

Tipton quarterback Blake Fischer was 15-of-20 passing for 278 yards and two touchdowns against the Orioles. He also added 39 yards rushing in the win.

Braby said his team just needs to keep doing what it has been doing the last two weeks.

Meanwhile, Santa Fe snapped its eight-game losing streak last Friday with a 44-33 win against St. Paul Lutheran of Concordia.

"We had a lot of success running the ball against Santa Fe," Braby said. "We are hoping that we can get back to a 50/50 type of offense where we are run and pass and mix it up on them so we are not so predictable about what we are going to do."

Braby said playing at home will be an advantage for Tipton. He also said the Cardinals have to be ready for how Santa Fe responds to the fact Tipton shut out the Chiefs last time.

"Are they going to have a great week of practice, are they really looking forward to playing us again to try to redeem themselves?" Braby said. "I think they are going to be a little bit more dangerous and want to prove that they are a better football team than there were at the last game.

"The longer we let them stay around us and keeping that score close, I think the more dangerous they will be. If we can get out to a two- or three-touchdown lead, I think we will have the game in hand."

Braby said the team's run defense is strong right now, but they have some work to do against the passing game.

"I think they will throw the ball so we have to get better this week at defending the pass," he said.