Chesterfield's Marquette Takes On Lafayette In Key Football Season Finale Game

THURSDAY NIGHT LIGHTS – PREP FOOTBALL GAME PREVIEW

Lafayette Lancers (7-2)  vs.  Marquette Mustangs (3-6)

Thursday, October 27, 2011 – 7 p.m. – Marquette High School

BALLWIN – Two teams facing different final week of the high school football regular season fates will wage an intriguing matchup Friday night at Marquette High School, when the host Mustangs take on Suburban West Conference rival Lafayette High at 7 p.m.

The visiting Lancers are coming off an excruciating 16-7 loss last week to No. 1-ranked CBC, which rallied in a magnificent defensive battle against Lafayette, to score two late touchdowns to pull out a win and maintain its perfect record.

That loss gave Lafayette, which is 7-2 on the season, a 1-1 record in district play. Parkway South is also 1-1, while CBC is 2-0, and Marquette is 0-2, with one game to go for each team.

As far as playoff implications go, CBC is the team in the driver’s seat.

The Cadets are perfect in district play and a plus-22 in playoff points.

The most any team could lose in any single game is minus-13 points, so at worst, the Cadets would be 2-1 with plus-9 points if they were to lose their final game against Parkway South.

Lafayette is plus-4 and Parkway South is even, so even though the scenarios are difficult, it is possible that both teams could vault over CBC, if they both win big on Friday.

Parkway South would need to win by two touchdowns to get to plus-13, and if Lafayette could win by at least one touchdown, the Lancers would be plus-10 or -11, which would be enough to lift both teams over the top-ranked Cadets.

But those scenarios don’t seem particularly likely, especially with CBC averaging nearly 45 points a game.

So Lafayette’s best shot at securing a playoff spot this year, would seem to be focusing only on their own game, and to concentrate its efforts on beating Marquette by as many points as possible.

Running backs Deonte Robinson and Kevin Hampton figure to play a key role in Lafayette’s plans on Friday, having combined for nearly 1,100 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns this season.

Scoring big on the Mustangs might be easier said than done for the Lancers, as a Marquette, which has already been eliminated from playoff contention, but still doesn’t give up a whole lot of points, and would seem primed for its opportunity to spoil Lafayette’s season.

It’ll also be Senior Night at Marquette High, and emotions will be high as the Mustang faithful say goodbye to their 15 seniors, who’ll be playing their last high school game, including three-year varsity starting lineman Nick Thomas-Smith.

Fans of both programs can tune in to Patch.com late Friday night and early Saturday morning for the full story on final game of the season between Lafayette and Marquette.