St. Vincent hits the road for another long trip

St. Vincent's football team might want to consider changing its nickname from Indians to Road Warriors.

If the Indians are going to play in the Show Me Bowl on Nov. 27, they will have to log likely more than 25 hours on the bus.

The Indians opened the state playoffs with a 24-7 sectional win at South Shelby High School in Shelbina, located in northeast Missouri. The Indians' quarterfinal trip will take them even farther north today for a 7 p.m. matchup at Salisbury High School, located about one hour northwest of Columbia.

So what do the players do on such a long bus drive?

Nothing out of the usual, said coach Keith Winkler.

"It's basically like any other bus ride," he said. "The kids bring their music on and listen to that."

Mixed in with the music are scouting reports and general football talk.

Winkler said the players are encouraged go through the game in their minds.

"We talk about mental imaging," he said.

After enduring the four-plus hour bus drive to Salisbury, the Indians (10-1) will have to face one of the two unbeaten teams left in Class 1. Salisbury (11-0) ended a three-year sectional losing streak to Tipton by beating the previously unbeaten Cardinals 15-13 win in rainy conditions Wednesday. Salisbury was ranked fourth in the Class 1 poll at the end of the regular season, while the Indians were ranked No. 6.

"They're very good. They have a really good running game," Winkler said of the Panthers.

Salisbury's offense revolves around the trio of quarterback A.J. Stock, running back Scott Humphrey and wide receiver Jordan Green. Those three will try to break through a stingy St. Vincent defense which has allowed only 83 points through 11 games.

"We have to make sure we contain him," Winkler said of Humphrey.

St. Vincent has relied on a running game that uses a deep backfield with Dustin Winkler, Kyle Kline and Waylon Richardet. Luke Guyot also gets some carries along with quarterback Alex Armbruster. Armbruster's top receiving threat is tight end Danny Rellergert.

"We feel good," Winkler said. "We know we have a tough game ahead of us."

St. Vincent's last appearance in the Show Me Bowl was 1998, and this year's group of players have not advanced this far previously. St. Vincent did not make the state playoffs in 2001 and 2002, and last year the Indians were eliminated in the sectionals.

"You get to this time of year you start as one of 16, now one of eight, and we hope to be one of four after tonight," Winkler said.

If the Indians hand Salisbury its first loss they still could be forced to go on the road for the semifinal round. Greenville would have to defeat Marionville in the quarterfinals for St. Vincent to host.

"As long as we can keep on winning ball games," Winkler said, "that's all we care about."