PREVIEW: Garrison Runs Into Surging Alto in Week 4

Garrison Bulldogs (1-2)

vs.

Alto Yellowjackets (3-0)

7:30 p.m. Friday
Cam'Ron Matthews Field, Alto

Coaches

Garrison: Larry Prince
Alto: Ricky Joe Meeks

Last week

Garrison: def. Tenaha, 48-39
Alto: def. New Diana, 32-14

Next week

Garrison: vs. Joaquin, Sept. 28
Alto: vs. Corrigan-Camden, Sept. 28

Players to watch

Garrison

RB/LB Sebastion Porter, Jr., 5-9, 180
DL Wyatt Reneau, Sr., 6-1, 250
QB Drew Wise, Sr., 5-9, 165
HB/LB Chace Rodriguez, Jr., 6-0, 205
OL/DL Adam Renfro, Sr., 6-3, 280
WR/DB Austin Colle, Sr., 5-5, 135
WR Canyon Holmes, Jr., 6-1, 152
LB Blake Greer, Sr., 6-0, 155

Alto

RB/DE Fred Thacker, Sr., 6-3 (8 carries, 84 yards, 3 TDs)
WR/DB Skylar Atkins, Sr. (27 catches, 387 yards, 3 TDs)
RB Jerrion Skinner, Jr., 5-9, 132 (18 carries, 212 yards, 2 TDs)
QB/LB Harmon West, Jr., 6-2, 200 (38-of-62, 451 yards, 4 TDs, 5 INTs; 27 tackles, 7 for loss, 4 sacks, 1 fumble recovery)
Dalton Mabry, Sr. (25 tackles, 7 for loss, 2 sacks)
LB Cayle Irvin, Jr., 6-0, 220 (27 tackles, 10 for loss, 2 sacks, 4 fumble recoveries, 1 INT)
RB/LB Vi’Darious High, So., 6-1, 190 (77 carries, 788 yards, 8 TDs)
OL/DL Hunter Nicholson, Sr., 5-10, 175 (14 tackles, 6 for loss, 4 sacks)
OL/DL Todd Duplichain, Jr., 6-1, 185
OL Foster Hall, Jr., 6-2, 195

Just the facts

Dating back to 2008, the series is tied 3-3. Garrison won the most recent contest in 2017, 50-36.
If Alto wins, it can match its win total (4) from last season.
The Yellowjackets have four players ranked among the top East Texas players in tackles for loss and two among the sack leaders.
Alto is putting up 43.6 points per game and giving up 23 for an average margin of victory of 23.6 points.
Garrison is averaging 36.3 points per game but giving up 38.3.
The Bulldogs lost but just one point to Tyler Bishop Gorman in week 1.

Key matchup: Alto rushing attack against the Garrison defense. Vi'Dareous High burst onto the scene with 420 yards rushing in Week 3. He, along with Jerrion Skinner, give the Yellowjackets a solid couple of running backs. That often opens up things for quarterback Harmon West, who has passed for more than 400 yards this season thus far.

Garrison has a few playmakers on defense with Sebastion Porter and Blake Greer. If the Bulldogs hope to have a chance at winning this one, they should look to lean on these players to hold High and the rest of the rushing attack in check.

Don't be surprised if: The Alto defense comes up with stops down the stretch. This is a defense that looks like it has the makings of being a stalwart. West, in addition to playing quarterback, is a key on defense at linebacker. He already has four sacks and seven tacklers for loss. He is ties with Cayle Irvin, who was four fumbles recoveries, as the leading tackler. Alto has allowed less points which each passing week, and though it'd be shocking if Garrison scores less than 14, it won't exactly be easy on the Bulldogs either.