Lafayette Jeff football keeps focus on self improvement entering sectional

LAFAYETTE - Football seasons are long and grueling.

Even the best teams will go through ups and downs over the course of spring football, summer sessions and preseason, followed by nine regular season games.

The Lafayette Jeff Bronchos are no exception and through all of those grinds, coach Pat Shanley assured his team it would be the best version of itself come Oct. 28.

Now it's time to find out if that's true.

"We're just trying to be at our best today, this rep, this set, this weight room session, whatever," Shanley said. "Whether you are or you're not, you are going to find out this time of year."

If you are, you get a chance to extend your season for at least another week.

If you're not, that's when things compound and seasons end, sometimes even if you are the perceived better team.

So the Bronchos are not looking at Lake Central's 4-5 record. They aren't focused on the fact they've beaten the Indians handily the past two seasons.

"Lake Central is our main focus. We are focused on getting details on them so we can move on," senior receiver Abram Ritchie said. "We're more worried about this week than any other week.

"This week we are not focused on score predictions or anything. We're focused on playing football how we know how to play football."

A week and a half ago, Lafayette Jeff got a chance to see if that consistent growth, to be at its best entering the sectional, could play out on the football field.

Facing a 16-point deficit late in the third quarter against an undefeated Kokomo team, the Bronchos rallied at Scheumann Stadium to win 32-30 thanks to a touchdown in the final minute and an interception by the defense.

"It definitely felt like a playoff game. Going into the game, I am not going to lie, I think we were underestimating them a little bit," senior linebacker JoJo Houston said. "It was definitely like a playoff game for them. They were 8-0 and trying to be 9-0. It was a playoff feel, a tough game, last game of the season."

For players like Houston and Ritchie, along with 24 other seniors, the next loss will be their last.

That's extreme motivation to be at their best. Fourteen of them were starters in Jeff's regular season finale against Kokomo.

"It's a lot different. We're playing for people's seasons," Ritchie said. "We're playing for hardware. It is a lot more important to a lot of people."

There's still a few days remaining before kickoff Friday night.

To Shanley and his staff, that's still time to get better, to be at their best by the timeline set as soon as last season ended.

"We've got to continue to get better," Shanley said. "It was a good win against Kokomo. There were a lot of good moments, but there's a lot of things we need to continue to get better at. That is the beauty of playing those kinds of games that time of year. It is going to continue to reinforce things you need to continue to improve upon. ...

"No matter the circumstances of the game, and you can say that for the season, our kids don't waiver and our coaches keep coaching. ... If there is an identity, that is it. Our kids are competitive kids. No matter what, they are going to compete until the clock hits zero."

Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @samueltking.

Lake Central (4-5) at Lafayette Jeff (7-2)

Time: 7 p.m.

Sagarin ratings: Lake Central 67.31, Lafayette Jeff 77.07

Series history: Lake Central won the first meeting in 2014, but Lafayette Jeff has won in the sectional the last two years, including 54-7 last season.

About Lake Central: The Indians average 20.1 points and allow 18 per game. ... Lake Central has lost eight straight sectional games. ... The last time the Indians won a sectional game, it was at Lafayette Jeff in 2014. ... Statistical leaders - Passing: Chase Kwiatkowski (29-63, 368 yards, 3 TD, 4 INT). ... Rushing: Xavier Williams (185 car., 1,158 yards, 10 TD). ... Receiving: Lamarr Richardson (11 rec., 302 yards, TD). ... Tackles: Jeffrey Lucas (74), Nick Arcella (65).

About Lafayette Jeff: The Bronchos average 44.2 points and allow 18.2. ... Lafayette Jeff has won at least one sectional game in four of the last five seasons. ... The Bronchos are 2-2 in games at Scheumann Stadium this season. ... Statistical leaders - Passing: Ethan Smith (53-75, 970 yards, 11 TD, 3 INT). ... Rushing: Glenn Patterson (99 car., 737 yards, 7 TD), Siah Powers (41 car., 377 yards, 10 TD). ... Receiving: Asa Koeppen (25 rec., 570 yards, 9 TD), Abram Ritchie (22 rec., 438 yards, 5 TD), Brandon Jackson (20 rec., 297 yards, 5 TD). ... Tackles: Jordan Scowden (63), Joshua Milian (60). ... Sacks: JoJo Houston (2.5), 4 with 2. ... Interceptions: Micah Lillard (2), 4 with 1. ... Kicking: Joel Garrido (43-47 PAT, 3-4 FG, long of 39).

Coach Shanley's take: "They are a couple plays away, really they've been in every single game but maybe Crown Point. But if you watch the film of that game, they were very competitive in that game. They were within two scores of Merrillville. They are a good football team in a good conference. Coach (Richard) Good has a good playoff pedigree. You can see the advancements he's made with that program in a year."

This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Lafayette Jeff keeps focus on self improvement entering sectional