PREP FOOTBALL: Tough draw for Dadeville in second round

Kyle Caldwell doesn’t cut a very imposing figure behind center for Dadeville.

The junior, in his first year starting at quarterback for the Tigers, stands about 5-foot-8, tips the scales at about 140 pounds and wouldn’t look that out of place in a Dixie Youth 12-and-under team photo.

“Folks look at Kyle and all they see is a little bitty kid,” Dadeville coach Richard White said. “Until you’re out there and actually see him play in a game, he’s a factor that teams don’t usually put into the equation where they’re playing us.

“But this little bitty quarterback can beat you.”

And he has. Ten times this season, to be exact.

Caldwell has completed 62 percent of his passes (133-of-214) for 2045 yards and 20 touchdowns against seven interceptions for the 10-1 Tigers this season, putting up comparable numbers to graduated quarterback Eric Vickers in Dadeville’s first year under the spread last season.

Caldwell can also hurt teams with his legs, but not in the way Vickers did.

While Vickers was more of a threat to run than Caldwell, the current starter has 65 points kicking this season, making 7-of-10 field goals and 44-of-50 extra points.

“He’s just really smart and he probably knows the offense better than Eric did,” White said. “He sees things out there that the coaches don’t see. People tend to overlook him, and that’s what we hope Cordova’s doing.”

Cordova is the reigning state runner-up, the second-ranked team in Class 3A, the team that has gone 36-5 over the past three seasons.

The team that is welcoming No. 8 Dadeville into Hudson/Kirby Stadium for the second round of the playoffs Friday.

When White looks at the Red Devils this season, he sees a defense that is much improved from the one that gave up 31 points per game last season. An improved defense that goes along with a group of rangy, athletic playmakers on offense that includes the backfield tandem of Jake Howton (6-2, 185) and Ryan Smith (6-2, 200).

Smith is a three-star recruit that committed to Kentucky last month.

“He’s just a phenomenal athlete. They put him all over the place and get it to him the best they can,” White said. “But they’ve got several weapons. If you concentrate on him, someone else is gonna hurt you.

“We’ve just gotta play within ourselves and play close into the second half. Hopefully the pace of our offense can wear them down. I know they play a lot of kids both ways.”

Just two years ago, while Cordova was enjoying the highs of a dominating 15-0 championship season, Dadeville was mired in the well-documented lows of its first 0-10 year in more than a decade.

But then the Tigers embarked on an equally well-documented 10-0 campaign in 2008 and carried that momentum into this season, setting them on a collision course with one of the best in their class.

Better now than never.

“We would’ve had to play them somewhere along the line,” White said. “It’s just one of those things that we get them sooner rather than later.

“And if we beat them, well, that’s one of the tough ones out of the way.”

dmorrison@oanow.com | 737-2568

No. 8 Dadeville (10-1) at No. 2 Cordova (10-1)
Dadeville Key Players: QB/K Kyle Caldwell (Jr., 5-8, 140); WR/DB Kieran Sturdivant (Jr., 6-0, 185); RB/WR Clint Westbrook (Jr., 5-9, 175)

Cordova Key Players: WR/LB Malik Harris (Jr., 6-2, 190); RB/DB Jake Howton (Sr., 6-2, 185); QB/DB Ryan Smith (Sr., 6-2, 200)

Stat Pack: Caldwell has 20 passing touchdowns and 65 points kicking ... Sturdivant leads the Tigers with four interceptions ... Both Howton and Smith have more than 1200 yards of total offense.

Series Information: First meeting