Week 1 preview: Zebras will try not to let Southwood get Mo wins

BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS

Sports Editor, RTC

Rochester at Southwood, 7 p.m.

The Rochester football team has not won a regular season game since 2019. Southwood, ranked No. 6 in Class 1A, has not lost one since 2017.

They are also the defending Three Rivers Conference and sectional champions.

Both teams will be debuting new quarterbacks: Aaron Swango for Rochester, Mo Lloyd for Southwood.

Lloyd, who is also the catcher and leading hitter for the conference and sectional champion baseball team at Southwood, could also be a factor at inside linebacker.

“They take their quarterback and put him at inside backer, and he’s probably one of the best athletes on their team,” Shaffer said of Lloyd. “So we’re going to know where Mo Loyd is all the time.”

Southwood has outscored Rochester 105-7 in their last three meetings. Rochester has not beaten Southwood since 2014.

Rochester coach Ron Shaffer said blocking and tackling have been emphasized in practice this week. He also said the defense has worked on formation recognition.

“They like to get in several different formations, some complex formations,” Shaffer said of Southwood’s offense. “So we want to make sure our kids are lined up correctly and know what to do from those positions.”

Shaffer said he wants Swango to “control the game” and make sure the players are lined up correctly.

Shaffer also said that Alex Deming will start at fullback and that Antonio Schlosser and Payton Luhnow will start at halfback. Wesley Meadows could also rotate in at fullback, and Colton Ferverda and Gavin McKee will see time at halfback.