Dixon preparing for Waleed Johnson, “run-first” Plano

The No. 3-seeded Dixon Dukes will host the No. 14-seeded Plano Reapers at AC Bowers Field in a Class 4A first-round playoff game at 7 p.m. Friday.

For the 8-1 Dukes, it will mark their ninth straight playoff appearance. For the 5-4 Reapers, it’s their third playoff appearance in the past five years (2018, 2021). Both teams enter the 10th week of the season looking to snap first-round losing streaks. Dixon is 0-4 in its past four playoff appearances. Plano is 0-3 in its past three.

One of those streaks will come to an end Friday night. The question is, whose will it be?

Dixon’s biggest challenge will be slowing down Plano senior running back Waleed Johnson. Johnson, a three-year varsity starter, has rushed for 1,190 yards on the season. Last week in a 48-21 win over Marengo, he gashed the Indians for 240 rushing yards and four touchdowns. To Dixon coach Jared Shaner, everything starts with limiting the star running back.

“We’ve had a chance to watch a little bit of video and check some things out and see them. They’re definitely a run-first team,” he said. “They have a very, very good senior running back. As a junior last year, he ran for about 1,300 yards, and he’s right about there [again] – he’s at 1,200 this year – so that will be a tough test for our defense. They are more of a tight end/wing type team, so we’ve seen that a few times this year in games like Byron and Genoa-Kingston, and maybe even a little bit of Oregon.

“But certainly, just a run-first team. They will throw it with some play-action when they need to, but you’ve got to stop the run first.”

Senior Armando Martinez, another three-year varsity starter for Plano, moved from quarterback to fullback midway through the season when starter Andrew Cox suffered a season-ending injury. He rushed for 146 yards and two touchdowns in last week’s win. Like Johnson, Martinez also is a leader on defense.

The Dukes have some playmakers on offense as well. Senior quarterback Tyler Shaner has completed 83 of 136 pass attempts for 1,256 yards and 16 touchdowns while throwing only five interceptions. On the ground, he’s piled up 697 yards and 14 touchdowns on 123 carries. Senior running back Aiden Wiseman leads the team in rushing with 1,016 yards and 11 touchdowns on 137 carries. Juniors Cullen Shaner (23 catches, 467 yards, 7 touchdowns) and Tyson Dambman (32-325-4) and senior Collin Scott (12-149-1) have been the leading receivers this season.

Junior Eli Davidson (115 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, 3 forced fumbles) and Wiseman (92 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, 3 fumble recoveries) lead a strong linebacker group for Dixon.

Offensively, the keys for the Dukes are basically the same as any other game. Defensively, they’ll emphasize stopping the run.

“From a defensive perspective, just assignment football. I mentioned the senior running back that they have. Trying to contain him, slowing him down. That’s priority No. 1,” Jared Shaner said. “They do have a couple of other solid kids, but he’s certainly the focal point of their offense. So, knowing where he’s at and doing a good job on him is the key on defense. And then offensively, a lot of the same things that we talk about week to week. Taking care of the football, not turning it over and really just executing drives and finishing drives along the way, those are some of the keys.

“We’ve done a good job recently, and hopefully, we can keep that going this week.”

Shaner is glad to have the friendly crowd and familiar surroundings for the opening round.

“That’s a huge plus. We’re fortunate this year. Our guys have done what they needed to along the way, finishing the regular season 8-1,” Shaner said. “And it’s always nice to be home. We had four home games this year. Great crowds during those four contests. It’s good to be home and you get to stay in a routine and not having to travel. I’m happy that that’s the case in week one [of the playoffs], and then as we advance through the playoffs, hopefully, with some wins, obviously you’ll have to go on the road at some point, but it is nice to have that first one at home.”