CRESTVIEW — Crestview High School’s football team takes to the field one last time in 2015 on Friday, when the Bulldogs host Fort Walton Beach in a District 3-6A game.
Friday’s game might not be do-or-die time for the respective teams, but both need a district win. The loser won’t be mathematically eliminated from the playoff race; they will face an uphill battle to make the post season.
“If we lose this game, Choctaw beats Niceville and we beat Niceville, Niceville is out," Bulldog Coach Tim Hatten said. "We (Crestview and Niceville) are both 1-2 (in district), but we have them on the head-to-head (playoff tie-breaker) because we beat them.”
It has been a tough year for the Vikings under first-year coach Tommy Johnson. Fort Walton Beach is 1-5 overall and 0-1 in district play. The lone Viking win was a 35-34 victory over Rutherford last month.
Fort Walton Beach has been outscored 271-111 this year. The Vikings managed to score more than 35 points just once: in the win over Rutherford.
Crestview (3-4), coming off a 29-28 overtime loss to Milton, has lost its last two games.
Hatten expects a tough game from the Vikings, although they have had a tough season. “They’ve struggled,” he said. “But Tommy does a good job with them and they are going to come to play. They are little bit down in the talent and depth departments because of coaching changes and other things — depletions (of the roster from players leaving the program).
“They play hard and they’ve got good skill players. If you turn the ball over against anybody, you get beat.”
Hatten said the Vikings will show a variety of looks on offense. At times, they might line up in a spread formation. Or, depending on the game situation, they could get into I formation.
He said basically they will try to find the scheme that gives them the best chance to win.
“Defensively, they are going to give us four or five looks as well,” Hatten said. “It all depends on down and distance, and the personnel you have in the game.”
WHAT: High school football, Fort Walton Beach at Crestview
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday
WHERE: Crestview High School, Jack Foster Stadium
UPCOMING
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview football coach expects tough game from the Vikings