After a very disappointing loss in Weatherford last week, the men of McGuinness will have to forget their defeat and refocus on the Woodward Boomers. The 3-2 Fighting Irish easily could be 5-0 if a few plays wouldn’t have gone the way they did. However, the Fighting Irish may have an easy time with Woodward at Pribil Stadium.

McGuinness’ total point margin in games lost is only two. Woodward on the other hand has been lit up with two games giving up 43 and 42 points, and one giving up 28 points. All of their losses are double digit defeats, and haven’t pulled together a win two straight weeks. Their two wins were against Piedmont (38-21, Woodward) and Deer Creek (21-3, Woodward). Beating Deer Creek in the fashion they did is somewhat of an accomplishment. And they had a solid win over a team that McGuinness beat into the ground, but the way it’s gone, McGuinness has just executed better than the Boomers..

Woodward overall isn’t threatening at all, let’s be perfectly honest. They don’t show any sign of giving the Irish a fight come Friday night. The Boomer defense has given up 993 passing yards on the year, which is about 200 per game. Woodward’s run defense is no better, giving up an average of 150 yards per game, and doesn’t have the playmakers on defense that of Bishop McGuinness.

To sum things up on how bad statistically the Boomers are, Woodward averages a 22-27 loss on the year, and this based on the total amount of points they force and allow.

Woodward was scheduled for Homecoming for a reason. The Boomer’s will not enjoy the bus ride home after McGuinness is done with them.

** Just a little side note for this game, Sam Crabtree is going to be sidelined due to a collarbone injury. IOD has confirmed with Assistant Head Coach Bryan Pierce that Crabtree will be out for the season.

The loyal McGuinness fans hopped on I-40 to cheer on the Irish on a very cold Friday night. The McGuinness Fighting Irish certainly had their hands full with the undefeated Weatherford Eagles.

The first play of the game was a bad snap on Weatherford’s part, and resulted in 2nd and 20. However, that was no indication of how the game would be going throughout the rest of the night.

The Irish fought through everything Weatherford tossed at them, but it seemed McGuinness always had an answer. The only thing that the Irish couldn’t do, was convert a two-point conversion to win the ball game. On the road, the Irish lost once again to a scary football team by a single point.

Early on, Weatherford took advantage of a McGuinness defense that couldn’t stop the Eagle’s run game. Weatherford broke the ice early with their offense, gaining a 14-0 lead.

Things picked up when LaRone Richardson and Camden Tharp started to take control of the offense. The Irish found their way on to the scoreboard mid way through the second quarter, and tied the ball game on the first possession of the third quarter.

Weatherford wasn’t too eager to let the game slip out of their hands, the Eagles attacked the Irish defense on some huge run plays. Weatherford’s home crowd went crazy when the Eagles went up 21-14 on McGuinness.

It would take last minute heroics to pull off the win against the undefeated, district rival. The Irish tried to pull off a 4th and 16 play, but weren’t able to convert. Luckily, Weatherford surprisingly drew up a pass play, and Bishop got the interception.

Camden Tharp drove McGuinness down field with less than three minutes, but not without anyone getting banged up. WR Sam Crabtree and RB LaRone Richardson both were shaken up, and stopped the action on the field.

LaRone wasn’t that too severely banged up; Richardson ran in the eight-yard touchdown that put McGuinness within a point. After the fans settled down from excitement, it was Weatherford’s turn.

McGuinness called for a two-point conversion, but Tharp was stuffed before the goal line. Weatherford remains undefeated, while the Irish stand at 3-2 on the year.

If anything, the Irish played a good game on defense, and did a good job of keeping it interesting on offense. In the end, Bishop ran out of luck. Weatherford will fly high into Piedmont, in their match-up with the Wildcats next Friday. McGuinness prepares for Homecoming 2009 against the Woodward Boomers.