Longhorns ready for Abbeville

LINDEN — Marengo Academy (11-0) has spent the week preparing for the balanced option attack of Abbeville Christian as the two squads ready to meet in the AISA Class A semi-finals Friday night.

ACA enters the game at 10-2 and riding a five-game win streak. Over that stretch, the Generals have outscored their opponents 182-67.

“They’re pretty much a spread team. They’re double slots and trips. They run a lot of zone stuff offensively. They’re about 50-50 run-pass. They make a lot of play-action plays,” Marengo Academy coach Robby James said of Abbeville’s high-powered offense that has posted 453 points over 12 games this season.

While the style of play in the region opposite Marengo Academy is typically more wide open, James did liken the Generals’ approach to that of Pickens Academy, the runner-up from Class A Region 1.

“Just looking at them, I think they’re more like Pickens, but they’re a little better. They’re a little bigger on the line than Pickens. These guys compare to Pickens but with a few more athletes,” James said.

The Longhorns last saw Abbeville Nov. 2, 2012 in the first round of the state playoffs. Marengo came away with a 15-13 win in that contest.

“I think they’re a little quicker,” James said, comparing the current Generals to their 2013 predecessor. “They’ve got more weapons than that had last year it seems like. They’ve got a young football team, but they’ve got some good athletes. The quarterback is maybe a little faster and throws the ball well. Their size on defense, they’re not quite as big. But I think they’re a little quicker there too.”

As his team eyes its next test, James looks to last week’s 51-14 dismantling of Chambers as a good blueprint for success this week.

“I just think we came out there and got after it like we’re supposed to and I’m proud of that,” James said. That’s the way you’ve got to start games. If we can do that, we’re in good shape.”