Durango, LV to rely on ‘D’

Spencer Patterson

Friday, Nov. 23, 2001 | 10:56 a.m.

When Durango football coach John Mausbach predicts this week's 4A state semifinal between his Trailblazers and the Las Vegas Wildcats could be determined by field position, it's more than a coaching cliche.

After all, the two teams, which will match up Saturday at 7 p.m. at Las Vegas High with a berth to next week's 4A championship at stake, feature two of Nevada's stingiest defenses, rarely allowing opponents to go the length of the field to score.

And that means the battle for field position, for all its simplicity and lack of pizazz, could determine the winner.

"We're making people go the length of the field, and that's kept us in games," Mausbach said. "With Vegas being as explosive (offensively) as they are, you don't want to give them a short field. They can go 95 yards in one play; you sure don't want to give it to them at the 20."

For the Blazers, that effort to push the Wildcats back as far as possible begins with senior Fred Coleman, the team's kicker and punter. Since transferring to the school from Louisiana this year, Coleman has worked hand in hand with the Durango defense, consistently kicking off into the endzone and dropping many of his punts in close as well.

"He's been huge for us," said senior captain Robby Martinez, a starting outside linebacker on a defense that has allowed just 7.9 points per game over its past eight contests while pitching two shutouts in three playoff games. "He makes teams drive on us, and our defense thrives when teams have to go all the way down the field.

"It's nice to know a team's got to go 80 yards instead of 50. It makes a difference. Without Fred, we wouldn't be in the position we're in."

His contributions to field position aside, were it not for Coleman's game-winning 37-yard field goal in the closing seconds of a 16-14 win over Centennial two weeks ago, the Blazers' season would be long over.

"That was definitely my most memorable moment right there," Coleman said. "I was feeling confident. We had ripped it all week in practice, and coach had been warning me all year, 'A game is going to come down to you.' "

Coleman knows a field goal could play a role again this week. But above all, he's focused on backing up the Wildcats' high-scoring offense as much as possible, to let his defense do what it does best.

"I try to kick off into the endzone and hang my punts nice and high to give them a long field," Coleman said. "Especially with (state leading rusher) Antione White on the other side, I've got to keep the ball as deep as possible."

The Wildcats also come into Saturday's game knowing about the importance of field position. In last week's 41-34 come-from behind win at Foothill, Las Vegas scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns after long special teams returns, first a 25-yard kickoff return by Corey Williams and later a 30-yard punt return by Stanley Copeland.

Both plays saved precious minutes on the clock and gave White and Co. short distances to cover en route to the endzone.

"We needed the short field to get some momentum," Wildcats coach Kris Cinkovich said. "Our philosophy is to have our best guys back there (on returns). On punt return, you want kids who are going to catch the ball no matter what."

Copeland, a sophomore called up from the junior varsity early this season, fits that description perfectly. Despite being leveled by Green Valley's Anthony Guadagna in round one of the playoffs, Copeland continues to be fearless on punt returns, opting not to call for fair catches in an attempt to help his club gain yardage.

"I know if I have a chance to get the ball, I can help out the offense with field position," Copeland said. "I don't want to have any fear. When you're in the game, you don't even think about (fair catching). I just think about catching it and running with it."