CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — If you look really hard, you might find a black-and-gold “Welcome, Lenox'' mat somewhere just outside the UNI-Dome entrance here.
Defending Eight-Man football champion and top-rated Lenox will make its fourth semifinal appearance in five years today when it meets sixth-rated Preston at 1 p.m. in a meeting of 12-0 teams.
“Some of the kids came up to me after our last win and said, ‘Coach, we're going home,''' Lenox coach Allen Dukes said. “They look at going up there and playing in the UNI-Dome right now as home field for us, because they've been there.
“The kids feel comfortable there. Unlike the first year we went up there, when it was like, ‘Oh, what are we getting into?'''
Lenox is on a 22-game winning streak and is 64-6 since the start of the 2004 season.
This group of Preston players hasn't played in the UNI-Dome, and Dukes hopes his team can use its familiarity to its advantage.
“If we come out and get on them right away, we might be able to put some doubt in their mind,'' he said. “We've got to start fast. That's been our trademark in the past. But they're 12-0, so they've done something right up there.''
Preston has two offensive players who surely have caught Lenox's attention. Senior running back Kyle Feller (5-foot-11, 170 pounds) has gained 1,526 rushing yards on 237 carries. He carried 27 times for 210 yards in Preston's 42-26 quarterfinal win over West Central of Maynard.
Sophomore quarterback Jason Feddersen (6-0, 155) has thrown for 766 yards and rushed for 584.
Lenox counters with senior fullback Eric Hensley (6-1, 200), who has rushed 181 times for 1,218 yards. He has scored 30 touchdowns. Junior tailback Austin Christensen (699 rushing yards) and junior quarterback Austin Hancock (676 rushing yards) are also ground threats. Hancock has thrown for 857 yards and 20 scores.
“Nobody can sit back and say, ‘OK, Hensley, No. 22, is going to get the ball 45 percent of the time,''' Dukes said.
Even with all the offensive numbers both teams have piled up, Dukes said it may not be a shootout. Both teams are allowing just under 14 points per game.
“The big thing we see on film is that their defense is just as stingy as ours,'' he said. “This could be a defensive battle.''
Contact the writer:
444-1055, kevin.white@owh.com
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