http://macombdaily.com/articles/2009/11/07/sports/srv0000006777130.txt

"Deandre, you're too deep," the coach in the white cap yelled in the direction of Dakota safety Deandre Smith.

There was urgency in Greg Baur's voice, intensity on his face. His body language was that of a man under duress.

And this was with less than a minute left in the fourth quarter and Dakota, the team for which Baur is the defensive coordinator, leading Eisenhower by 18 points.

It's definitely football playoff time.

Relaxation is a risky proposition in November.

There's always something to improve, always something to teach.

"That offense is hard to stop," Baur said later, as the Cougars, 9-2, collected medals after beating Eisenhow

er 28-10 in a Division 1 district-championship game Friday night.

"Any time you have a quarterback who can run like (the Eagles' Tony Zerafa), it gives you fits," Baur said. "The first time we played them, we were very undisciplined, and the way you stop an offense like that, with all of its misdirection, is with assignment defense.

"These are the playoffs. Everybody's good. It's the disciplined teams that win in the playoffs."

Baur should know.

The defensive coordinator of Dakota's state-championship teams in 2006 and 2007, Baur filled the same role for Chippewa Valley's Division 2 title-winning team in 2001.

"It never gets old," he said of winning in the post-season.

The challenge facing Baur and his charges this week was to contain an Eisenhower offense that sparked the Eagles to a 24-8 Macomb Area Conference Red Division victory over Dakota in Week 8 of the regular season.

That outcome, which for Eisenhower followed a loss to Romeo and served as a springboard to the post-season, was a turning point in Dakota's season, too.

"It woke us up," Baur said. "It was a blessing in disguise."

Since the loss, the Cougars have been more attentive, the coordinator said.

Practices have been sharper. Film study has been more purposeful.

"We've been a more focused team," Baur said.

It showed against Eisenhower.

The Eagles' lone touchdown, scored by Zerafa on a six-yard run in the first quarter, came at the end a 20-yard drive that followed a Dakota turnover.

Eisenhower's other points, which Mason Krysinski provided with a 24-yard field goal, were scored late in the first half and gave the Eagles a 10-7 lead.

At halftime, Baur told the Cougars they were going to shut out the Eagles in the second half.

He was right.

Smith and Jordan Gay had an interception apiece.

Ryan Spicuzzi, Josh Wixson and Tyler Robichaud led a gang that harassed the Eagles, who were outscored 14-0 in the third quarter when Dakota had the wind to its back, throughout the second half.

"Today we were much more disciplined against them," Baur said. "After the first time we played them, we showed the kids film. We told them, 'Read your keys. Know what they're telling you.'

"You have to believe in what you are taught. I think now the kids believe."

If Dakota is indeed peaking on defense, it comes at a perfect time.

Dakota gave up 10 points in its playoff opener to Chippewa Valley, another MAC Red team, and has a defensive average of 10 points per game as it looks toward next weekend's regional final against Clarkston.

The Wolves beat Romeo 21-3 Friday in a district final. Clarkston is 11-0.

"This was a huge step for us," Baur said. "We did a pretty good job tonight.

"This is almost like a MAC Red post-season tournament. It'll be nice to finally play someone outside the Red. We'll see how we can do against Clarkston."