As we get ready for week six action here are our takeaways from Southgate vs Taylor in week five.
Barbosa the menace!
Chase Barbosa terrorized the Taylor defense on Friday night. Barbosa had 92 yards on 17 carries which were good for 5.4 yards per carry and a touchdown. He also had two receptions for 24 yards, and he had two returns for over 30 yards. On defense, Barbosa continued his terrorizing pace as he added 10 tackles and six sacks on the night. Barbosa showed that he is a versatile player on both sides of the ball, and as a junior, he can terrorize the Downriver League for another season.
Not all heroes wear capes!
New Southgate Anderson head coach Bobby Martin came in off of a few down years and hasn’t made the Playoffs since 2011 except for the 2020 season when everyone made it. Martin came in and beat both Edsel Ford and Taylor which was a feat that last year’s team couldn’t accomplish, and they also had a surprisingly big victory over Wyandotte by winning 42-14. Martin has changed the culture big time in Southgate, and that could position them to make the playoffs this season.
Taylor isn’t that bad.
Taylor may be 1-4 so far this season but you can see a difference in the mentality of the team. Coach Michael Pitts is in his third year as the man in charge, and quite frankly I don’t think anyone else would have the patience to stick out the rebuild that they’ve had to tackle at Taylor. The team has more talent now and a staff that wants the best for the kids and the community. It’s a combination that makes us favor Taylor down the stretch for them to win the most games since before the merger of Truman and Kennedy in 2018.
Laurent Dounamou…..That is the takeaway!
Laurent Dounamou is a beast on the field. Dounamou is a player to be feared when left alone which is why teams don’t do that. Southgate doubled and tripled him on the defensive side of the ball on Friday which is why he barely made a mark. Southgate also mentioned after the game that they identified where Dounamou was on the field and ran plays away from the 6’3 250lb edge rusher.