Senior Night Welcomes Lafayette Jeff

Lafayette Jefferson Bronchos visit Fishers Tigers on SENIOR NIGHT.  Tigers are ranked 6th in the state at 6-1 and Bronchos are 1-6.  As the final home game of the regular season, excellent football weather and a team looking to close out the conference schedule with 2 more wins to take the conference, we expect a loud and proud crowd!

Bronchos bring the fastest individual football players in the state with 2013 IHSAA 100m champion, QB Matthew Johnson, speedy RB Darian Green who was a teammate of Johnson's on the state championship 4X100m relay team, and WR Tim Wilson, himself a state finalist in the 100m and 300m hurdles.  Matthew Johnson and Darian Green are both on their way to Ball State to continue playing football.  Darian Green has been hobbled by ankle injury the last 2 games and that was further aggravated during the Avon game last week.  At the time of this write up, we are not sure what his game time condition will be.  Prior to the ankle injury, Green was averaging 180+ yards per game.

Defense is led by DB Woody Archibald who is a threat with 4 interceptions so far this season and 7 last year.

Lafayette Jefferson's games so far this season:

Aug. 23	at Zionsville	L   7-14
Aug. 30	at Harrison (West Lafayette)	W 26-  0
Sep. 6	McCutcheon	L 15-18
Sep. 13	at Noblesville	L 13-24
Sep. 20	Hamilton Southeastern	L 22-42
Sep. 27	Brownsburg	L   0-28
Oct. 4	at Avon	L 14-54

A pre-season writeup from the Lafayette Journal and Courier with 2012 stats:

LAFAYETTE JEFF BRONCHOS

Head coach: Andy Kennedy (13-39 in fifth season at Lafayette Jeff; 22-40 in sixth season overall) 
2012 results: 3-7 (3-6 Hoosier Crossroads Conference); lost to Hamilton Southeastern 41-13 in sectional quarterfinal 
Class: 6A, Sectional 1 (Crown Point, Lake Central, Merrillville) 
Sectional championships: 5 (1981, ’82, ’89, ’91, 2002)
Stadium: Scheumann Stadium, 1801 S. 18th Street 
Returning starters (offense/defense): 4/7 
Offense: Spread 
Defense: 3-5 

Returning leaders
Rushing: Darian Green (5-9, 175, sr., RB) 204-1,394 yards, 14 TD 
Passing: Matt Johnson (5-11, 180, sr., QB) 56-149, 794 yards, 6 TD, 12 INT 
Receiving: Tim Wilson (6-0, 185, Sr., WR) 16-285 yards, 2 TD 
Tackles: Woody Archibald (5-9, 160, Sr., WR/S) 109 
Interceptions: Archibald 7 
Others to watch: Austin Albrecht (5-11, 175, Sr., WR); Teddy Martin (5-10, 190, Jr., DE); Justin Gordon (6-0, 220, Sr., TE/LB); DeeAndre Venters (5-10, 275, Sr., DT); Chad Brown (6-1, 305, Jr., DT); Irving Madden (5-9, 180, Sr., LB); Mitchell Sterner (6-0, 175, Sr., CB); Alex Baker (5-9, 165, Sr., K)

 
Outlook: There won’t be many teams who can put more speed on the field than the Bronchos. After back-to-back three-win seasons, Jeff wants to take another step in its final season in the HCC. 

The big names are on offense, but the Bronchos have more experienced depth on the defensive side of the ball. Archibald returns to roam at free safety and Sterner is back at corner, where Johnson should also see more snaps this season. Vinters and Martin lead things up front, while Gordon, Madden and Alex Gualajara form the nucleus of the linebacking corps. 

Green is a four-year starter at running back, and he and Johnson have both committed to play at Ball State. Wilson and Albrecht give Johnson a pair of experienced targets. But with a completely new offensive line, the Bronchos must protect Johnson and open up holes between the tackles.

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Lafayette Jeff senior safety Woody Archibald puts up big numbers on the stat sheet.

As a junior, that meant 105 tackles and seven interceptions, both team highs.

Yet the numbers on the roster don’t exactly intimidate. The 160-pound weight might be accurate, and the 5-foot-9 height is probably a bit generous.

“I wish I was bigger; the hit would be a lot bigger,” Archibald said. “But I like being a little guy, because the coaches on the other team don’t really expect it. When I bring it, they’re surprised.”

The Bronchos are no longer surprised. Archibald is the heart of a fast, experienced Lafayette Jeff defense that hopes to take a step up this season.

“He’s small, but he brings that powerful punch,” Jeff senior linebacker Irving Madden said. “He really makes our defense whole, like a unit.”

Dennis Archibald Jr. acquired the nickname “Woody” shortly after birth. He’s not certain of the origin, though one theory credits the main character of the movie “Toy Story,” which came out around the time he was born.

“Everyone in the school calls me that,” Archibald said. “I don’t really like teachers calling me that, but they end up calling me that at the end of the year.”

While Archibald’s frame might not make him an obvious fit for safety in the Bronchos’ 3-5 stack defense, his attitude does.

“He’s just got a great nose for the ball, which is what makes him so good at safety,” Jeff coach Andy Kennedy said. “He’s not afraid to take on bigger guys.”

Lafayette Jeff allowed 33.6 points per game last season, a number that must come down if the Bronchos want to challenge for their first winning record since 2008. Archibald is one of seven returning starters on defense and part of a senior class that is motivated to point the program in a new direction.

Each big play from the smallest guy on the field provides Jeff an emotional lift as well.

“It makes everybody else get hyped up, and it makes everyone else feel like they can make those big plays too,” Jeff senior linebacker Justin Gordon said.