Power, speed set to collide

Tonight's football game between top-ranked Canyon Springs (1-0) and eighth-ranked Cimarron-Memorial (1-0) will be a contrast in styles: speed versus power.

Canyon Springs will bring its high-powered spread offense to Cimarron at 7 to face the Spartans' traditional straight-ahead rushing attack.

"They've got tough kids," Canyon Springs coach Matt Jenkins said of Cimarron. "(Cimarron coach Ron) Smeltzer, he's a legend. He's been coaching football longer than I've been alive.

"No matter how good or bad the talent is, they're always tough as nails. And if you're not fundamentally sound, they're going to beat you."

Those fundamentals betrayed the Pioneers on defense last week. Canyon Springs gave up 307 yards of offense before edging Snow Canyon (Utah) 42-35 in a shootout.

"Defensively, it was a rough game," Jenkins said. "The bottom line is this whole week, we've had to go back to basics. We did not tackle very well. We weren't real good in the secondary coverage-wise.

"It was a boot camp 101 deal, starting from the ground up."

While questions remain about the defense, Canyon Springs can score. Quarterback Devonte Christopher led the way against Snow Canyon, passing for 360 yards and four touchdowns, and rushing for 65 yards and another score.

Four of the team's six touchdowns were for 35 yards or more.

"The big thing is we just can't give up the big plays," Smeltzer said. "We've got to make them work for it, because they're a big-play team.

"We've got to be able to hold the ball and keep it away from their offense, because they're dangerous."

The Pioneers have a pair of returning all-state receivers in 6-foot-4-inch Juron Criner (six catches, 175 yards, three TDs) and 6-5 Raveon Samuel (two catches, 73 yards, one TD). But Smeltzer said the key will be not breaking down when Christopher begins to scramble.

"They do a lot of things with him scrambling around and throwing the ball down the field and the (defensive backs) come off the coverage," Smeltzer said. "We've got to make sure we stay in coverage until he crosses the line of scrimmage and then try and make the play.

"And even then, the kid's pretty good. He can shake and bake a little bit."

Cimarron will counter with its straight-ahead I-formation offense, led by running back Kevin Cormier, who rushed for 162 yards in the opener. Smeltzer said the key will come up front, with his team's offensive line.

"If we can't move the line of scrimmage, we're going to be three-and-out and they're going to be two-and-score," Smeltzer said.

Cimarron senior strong safety Darius Hogans thinks his offensive line is up to the challenge.

"I went to their last game, I've seen their defense, and I feel that we have an offense that can roll them up," Hogans said. "Not to take anything away from their defense or their coaching. They're good players, but I feel like our offensive line is going to roll them up, and we have good running backs, not far from last year's running backs, that can do the same job."