The Redskins (11-0) are averaging 361.2 rushing yards and 47.6 points per game. That’s more explosive than Moeller, whom the Middies dominated 45-10 in last week’s quarterfinals.
“Anderson is a very good offensive team,” Krause said. “Their offensive line is solid and the quarterback is pretty good. They are kind of scary.”
Anderson quarterback Brandon Bornhauser and running back Kyle Slater are 1,000-yard rushers this season. Slater is the top rusher with 1,422 yards, including a 261-yard performance in a 24-21 first-round win over Lakota West last week.
Bornhauser has 1,270 yards rushing, and Krause said he is the one the defense has to stop.
“Slater is a very good back, but everything runs through the quarterback,” Krause said.
The Middies (10-1) pose the same problem for Anderson, though their statistical numbers don’t match up.
Middletown’s leading rusher is Antonio Banks, a downhill power runner with speed. He’s totaled 939 yards and 17 touchdowns, but much like the Redskins, everything for the Middies runs through quarterback Caleb Watkins.
Watkins ran for 182 yards and two touchdowns and threw for 176 yards and a TD in leading the Middies to their first playoff win in 19 years last week.
“We’ve played some great athletes this season, but not anyone with the speed Middletown has,” Anderson coach Jeff Giesting said. “They have so many weapons, and Watkins plays with a lot of confidence. It’s very difficult for anyone to match up with them.”
But Anderson has plenty of confidence, too. The Redskins won the Division II state championship in 2007 and were runners-up last year. They have won 23 of their last 26 games, and 36 of their last 41.
“This is a different team with different kids,” Giesting said. “But we’re still going to go out and do what we do, which is run the ball. This is not the time of year when you want to change anything.
“We have to run the ball efficiently which is what we have done all year,” Giesting said. “No turnovers. We had two last week, but we were able to overcome them. I don’t think we’d be able to do that this time.”
The Middies are plus-12 on turnovers this year, turning six of them into touchdowns.
“This is like a five-round championship fight,” Krause said. “We won round one and now we have to come out, be physical and find a way to win round two. We’re just focused on Anderson.”
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