By Jeff Johncox
WASHINGTON -- Tonight's meeting between Washington and Millwood in the second round of the Class 2A state playoffs will be the first for the two teams.
So neither of them really know each other that well.
There's one thing Washington coach Dennis McCray does know about the Falcons, though, that they're a talented offensive team with a tradition of state championships and long playoff runs.
In fact, Millwood has won four state titles since 2000, when it won three straight. Its last came in 2006.
But all that tradition doesn't mean a thing tonight, with both squads playing for their playoff lives.
"I'm very excited," Washington running back Chance Pistole said. "I'm ready to have a big game."
The Warriors (7-4) will likely need a big game from Pistole, quarterback Dakota Treat, wide receiver Justin Noel and the defense if they want to pull off the upset.
The Falcons (9-2) boast some of the most talented skill players in Class 2A, including running back Emilio Gatewood, who's carried the ball 138 times for 1,382 yards and 18 touchdowns.
They have a pretty good passing game, too. Quarterback Kevonte Richardson has thrown for over 1,500 yards and his favorite target is Brandon Swindall, who's caught 10 touchdown passes.
"They're a good team," Washington lineman Jordan Edwards said. "But if we play Warrior defense, we should be able to slow them down. Our offense is playing so good right now, we'll be all right."
So, how do the Warriors plan to slow down a team that scores 37 points a game?
"I don't know, keep them off the field," McCray said. "They pose a threat a lot of teams don't pose with their team speed. In a perfect world, we limit their snaps."
"It's about containment," Pistole said. "We need to play our spots, do our jobs, trust our teammates to do theirs."
Pistole certainly has plenty to build a foundation of trust upon.
The Warriors have allowed 21 points a game this year, but just 13.7 during their six-game winning streak.
And the offense has proved to be pretty potent, too.
Last week, Washington went to Plainview and upset the Indians (another squad averaging almost 40 points a game) 38-37.
"We're playing well right now," McCray said. "When you're an option team, everything revolves around the quarterback. (Treat) is just not the same player he was in the first four or five games of the year. You've got him playing at a higher level and the offensive line is playing at a higher level."
Treat's turned a slow start into a big year.
He's completed 74-of-136 passes for 1,193 yards and 14 touchdowns. He's thrown just two interceptions and has rushed for over 500 yards.
The Warriors might have another edge, too.
They've played in four one-point games this season, and they've won three of them, including last week's.
So Washington has seen plenty of pressure.
"We've been through the fire a little bit," McCray said. "You build off that momentum, that energy."
This also isn't the same Millwood team of the past decade.
The Falcons have their weaknesses, especially on defense.
Jones quarterback Daxx Garman torched Millwood and led the Longhorns to a 35-28 victory Oct. 2, though that was overturned when Jones was forced to forfeit all games Garman participated in at the end of the season.
Lexington fell to Millwood by just two points a week later, and Little Axe played the Falcons to a scoreless tie with 4 minutes left in the first half before Millwood took over.
Washington has a good shot, and the Warriors are ready to take it.
"We refuse to quit, refuse to lose," Edwards said. "No one really had faith in us at the start of the year, but we have faith in ourselves. That's what's going to get us through in the long run."
Jeff Johncox 366-3535 jjohncox@normantranscript.com
