MANDATA - First things first.
If Line Moumtain is going to bounce back from its first loss of the season, it's going to have to do it without the services of quarterback/defensive back Cole Rickert.
And make no mistake, that's a valuable resource the Eagles won't have at their disposal when Newport visits Glenn Ressler Field tonight.
Rickert injured an ankle two weeks ago in a relatively easy victory over Juniata. He gave it a shot last week against Williams Valley, but left the game in the second quarter. He didn't do any more damage to his injured ankle, but at the same time he wasn't able to do the things he and the coaches felt he needed to do in what turned into the Eagles' first loss of the season.
So Codi Morris, the senior who replaced Rickert against the Vikings and turned in a solid performance, will once again be under center.
"Cole is not going to play this week, and that's something we're going to have to take week by week," Line Mountain coach Rodney Knock said earlier this week. "He didn't do anything worse to it (ankle), and he felt alright before the game, but he wasn't able to run on it the way he should have. And, Codi (Morris) did a fantastic job replacing him at quarterback."
For the record, Morris completed four of six passes for 132 yards, including touchdowns of 60 and 56 yards to Jeremy Renn.
In fact, it may have been on the defensive side of the ball where Rickert was missed the most. He's the leader of the defensive backfield and without him on the field, Williams Valley threw for three touchdowns, including a 79-yarder to Owen Daniel.
"Really, Cole is even more important to us on defense," Knock said. "He's the leader back there, he makes sure people are in the right spots."
Against Newport, the Eagles won't face the same talent level as they did against Williams Valley, but the Buffaloes will no doubt be driven.
Todd Rothermel, a former player, assistant coach and head coach at Line Mountain, is in his first season as the top man at Newport. The Buffaloes are only off to a 1-3 start - their lone victory was 26-7 over Pine Grove - but Knock knows what to expect from them.
"They're young," Knock said. "But they'll be ready and well-prepared.
"They have good coaching. Todd (Rothermel) was on the staff here when I played, and I know how good a coach he is."
Offensively, Knock says, Newport does many of the same things Line Mountain does.
Brian Auxt, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound sophomore, is the Buffaloes' leading rusher with 184 yards and a touchdown on 45 rushes. Jordan Clegg, a 6-1, 140-pound senior is the leading receiver with eight catches for 170 yards and two scores, while quarterback Justin Temple, a 5-8, 160-pound junior, has completed 16 of 43 passes for 269 yards and two touchdowns as the quarterback.
The biggest question for Line Mountain might be how well it bounces back from the first loss of the season.
"I think we'll come out solid in the first quarter," Knock said. "We've been preaching that all season. ... Come out strong, and I think we will."