For the first time all season, the Eudora High football team is in the unfamiliar position of being the underdog tonight.

Consider it the ultimate motivation.

Undefeated and top-ranked Fort Scott (12-0) will roll into Eudora for a 7 p.m. Class 4A semifinal game, and for the first time in nearly two seasons Eudora isnâÂÂt the favorite.

âÂÂItâÂÂs kind of weird having kids in your own school coming up to you and saying you probably wonâÂÂt win the game,â senior Joe Born said. âÂÂBut itâÂÂs firing us up for Fort Scott.âÂÂ

The Cardinals (11-1) have a few things going for them, though.

Playing at Laws Field means theyâÂÂll have a raucous home crowd and coach Gregg Webb is no stranger to being deep in the playoffs. In 16 seasons at Claflin, Webb won five state titles and was in the championship game nine times. This is his sixth straight semifinal appearance.

Having someone like that on your sideline is comforting to players who lost in the quarterfinals the past two seasons.

âÂÂThatâÂÂs a big deal because he knows what it takes to win,â senior running back Andrew Pyle said. âÂÂJust to have that experience has been huge. HeâÂÂs told us that weâÂÂve not playing good enough to go all the way. WeâÂÂre not there yet, but we know he has.âÂÂ

Eudora, which lost 13-12 to Sabetha in last seasonâÂÂs playoffs, has been close, but never this far into the playoffs. To get over that hump, the Cardinals will have to defeat a team that won titles in 1996 and 2000, and lost in the championship game last year to Wellington.

When you talk about 4A football, the Tigers are one of the first teams mentioned.

Fort Scott dominated Topeka Hayden, which entered the game 10-1, holding the Wildcats to just 29 yards in the first half. It was similar to smoking Louisburg, 35-7, the week before. The Tigersâ defense embarrassed Louisburg, which had been 9-1.

ItâÂÂs the type of defense that makes opposing coaches shudder.

âÂÂWeâÂÂve played well on defense, especially in the playoffs,â Tigers coach Bob Campbell said. âÂÂWeâÂÂre not huge on defense by any means. WeâÂÂre probably undersized, but weâÂÂve got good quickness and we get a lot of people the football.âÂÂ

Webb just bristles at the thought of Fort ScottâÂÂs front line.

âÂÂHeâÂÂs not blowing smoke,â Webb said. âÂÂHis front seven are as good as weâÂÂve seen all year. TheyâÂÂre just physically and fundamentally sound, and you donâÂÂt see that too often. ItâÂÂs going to be a great challenge for our offense.âÂÂ

And the Cardinalsâ defense.

The Tigers average 275 rushing yards a game and can throw when needed, totaling 824 yards passing this season. But itâÂÂs the running game that will occupy EudoraâÂÂs attention. Running back Donnie Hampton has 1,355 yards on 214 carries, and fullback Joseph Lattimer has 720 yards on 129 carries.

Quarterback Ross Holt is a threat as well, amassing 527 yards through the air. With an offensive line that averages 6-foot-1, 233 pounds, the Tigersâ size is matched only by their aggressiveness.

âÂÂWhat makes them so good is they play so hard on every play,â Webb said. âÂÂThatâÂÂs what IâÂÂm trying to convince our kids to do. WeâÂÂre going to find out if weâÂÂve achieved that level yet.âÂÂ

Eudora is close. With Pyle (2,039 yards), fullback Tyler Jackson (942) and quarterback Tyler Cleveland (476), the Cardinals have the weapons, itâÂÂs just a matter of how effective they are.

Of course, playing at home will help. Just ask Campbell.

âÂÂGoing into their place, I know their kids will be ready to play,â he said. âÂÂWe have to match their intensity. If we come out and weâÂÂre not mentally focused, weâÂÂre going to struggle.âÂÂ

Needless to say, the Cardinals are approaching this game as if it were their last Ãi¿½” particularly the seniors, who have won 29 games the past three years.

If thatâÂÂs not motivation enough, Pyle doesnâÂÂt know what is.

âÂÂWe know that going into this game, itâÂÂs going to be the biggest game weâÂÂve played all year,â Pyle said. âÂÂWeâÂÂre this far and trying to play for the state title. ThatâÂÂs what weâÂÂre hoping for.âÂÂ