Greencastle ready for Brown County

For several weeks, Greencastle head football coach Dave Stephens had told anyone who would listen that he believed his team was better than results had shown. 

The last two weeks have definitely proven his point, as the Tiger Cubs knocked off North Putnam in the regular season finale and then blasted Pike Central, 52-21, on the road in the opening round of the Class 2A Sectional 39 tournament. 

"It is a special feeling. Any time you can play into November, your team is doing something right. It is one of our goals every year. Our boys were able to take care of business in week one," Stephens told The Putnam County Post. 

In the win last week, Greencastle got two defensive touchdowns from Kaiden Tomasino, as well as a school record 50-yard field goal from Ian WIlliamson and 216 yards through the air from quarterback Cole Stephens. 

Stephens said Tomasino has been huge to Greencastle's defense this season. 

"He had a heck of a game. He is a great kid. He is a kid you want to go to battle with. When the score isn't going your way, you wave the white flag a little and put the jv in, he's a kid that is going to be frustrated for coming out. If you can get 11 dudes like that on your team, that is what you want. It is good to see him get after it and make some big plays," Stephens said. 

The Tiger Cubs face a familiar foe in Brown County, a team they were in the Western Indiana Conference with last season. The game is the GIANT fm WREB Game of the Week with pregame coverage starting at 6:40 p.m. and kick at 7 p.m. from Greencastle. 

A year ago, Greencastle defeated the Eagles 84-0. Brown County enters with a 6-4 record and defeated Mitchell 21-6 last week in the sectional opener. 

"The thing that I will tell you is different in Brown County, I don't know how much better they've gotten in a skill position from last year to this year, but one thing Coach Bell has done a phenomenal job of doing is they are 500 percent more aggressive than they were," Stephens said of the Eagles. 

Stephens said he anticipates seeing Brown County try to load the box defensively .

"If they are going to give up a play, they are going to give up a play by being over aggressive. They play aggressive defense, run the ball and try to shorten games. It is a much improved Brown County team and we look forward to the challenge," Stephens said. 

While the Tiger Cubs won easily last year, Stephens maintains that was last year. 

"You are never too far away from having some humility in your life. I don't think our kids will take anyone lightly with our record, where we've been and how difficult it can. At this time of the year, you aren't playing just to beat someone, but you are ending some senior's career and every team is fighting to extend their seniors' year by one more week," Stephens said.