Isabella tonight will try to take the next step in the program’s development under second-year coach Lanny Jones: a playoff win.

Standing between the Mustangs (7-3) and that goal is a 7-2 St. Jude team that likes to throw the football.

Ivey Moscatiello has completed 112 passes out of 178 attempts for 1,743 yards and 23 touchdowns. Many of his throws find either George Price (31 receptions for 482 yards and seven touchdowns) or Rimeek Ford (31 receptions for 568 yards and five touchdowns).

Much of the task of containing the Pirate passing game will fall to Isabella corners Norman Craig and Brian Donovan and defensive ends Austin Haigler and Willie Stacy.

Stacy has nine sacks on the season to lead the area, and Haigler has four.

“I feel like we can put a lot of pressure on the quarterback and make him throw early,” Isabella coach Lanny Jones said.

If not, Moscatiello will look to connect on deep throws.

“We’ve been drilling against that all week,” Jones said.

Craig is perhaps Isabella’s best defensive back, but he is playing for the first time since Week 8 because of an ankle injury.

Donovan is a workhorse running back that will be needed to help contain St. Jude’s tall receivers.

“We’re going to put our most athletic ones on theirs,” Jones said.