Page 17 - Demo

TRI-LAKES EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE FOOTBALL PREVIEW | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2018
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HOT SPRINGS TROJANS
Future bright for young Trojans, coach says
BY SAM PIERCE
STAFF WRITER
The Hot Springs Trojans scrimmaged
against Glen Rose High School two weeks ago, and the biggest takeaway from it for first-year head coach
Darrell Burnett was the determination shown by his players. Hot Springs was down 28-0 in the second quarter but was able to score on just two plays right before halftime, Burnett said.
“They didn’t hang their hat, and that is some- thing we have been trying to do this season,” Burnett said. “If something goes bad, we have to overcome it. It is still not what we wanted, but we did better than I thought.”
Hot Springs finished 1-9 last year under for- mer coach Chris Vereen, who left for the same position at Star City. Burnett said the Trojans will install a base Spread for this season, but it doesn’t mean “we are going to throw it every play.”
“We are young for the most part, so the bulk of our team is coming back for the next year,” Burnett said. “That is the bright spot.
We didn’t get a spring or a true summer.” Burnett said that for the Trojans, that’s the biggest thing to look forward to — seeing the
light at the end of the tunnel.
“The biggest goal for us is to compete and
give effort and take coaching,” Burnett said. “The biggest thing is to be disciplined. We still get into the bad habit of wanting to do somebody else’s job. We want to understand the game and give ourselves a chance to compete and win.”
Hot Springs opened the season Thursday against Fountain Lake High School in the First Security Bank Classic. The Trojans started four seniors on offense and two on defense.
Quarterback Aaron Williams played running back and quarterback for the Trojans last year. Burnett said Williams is a great kid and is very accountable.
“He has the intangibles, but it is all new to him, including the footwork and the technique,” Burnett said. “It was more of his work off the field that helped him secure the job. We still have some others that can play it, so nothing is guaranteed. You can have it one week and be out the next.”
HOT SPRINGS TROJANS
AUG. 30 ................................FOUNTAIN LAKE SEPT. 7 .............................................@MENA SEPT. 14 .............................. LAKE HAMILTON SEPT. 21 ............................. LR MCCLELLAN*
The biggest
goal for us is
to compete
and give effort
and take
coaching.”
DARRELL BURNETT
HOT SPRINGS HEAD COACH
their bodies. They don’t look the part. “So we are working on their nutrition and getting a lot of rest. We have them eat peanut butter and jelly and work out every day. If we aren’t happy with the results, then we will lift on
Fridays, too.”
SEPT. 28
OCT. 5 ......................................@DE QUEEN* OCT. 12 .......................................MAGNOLIA* OCT. 19 ................................... @ARKANSAS* OCT. 26 ...........................CAMDEN FAIRVIEW* NOV. 2 ................. @HOT SPRINGS LAKESIDE*
*DENOTES CONFERENCE GAMES
Burnett said senior running back Damien Walker (6-1, 210) is a great athlete and, for the most part, has had a good summer. Burnett said Walker is good in space and can catch the ball.
Senior Ramello Cason (6-3, 240) will anchor the offensive and defensive lines for Hot Springs, the coach said.
“We hit the weights every day,” Burnett said. “One thing we’ve got to do is change
......................................... @HOPE*
HOT SPRINGS LAKESIDE RAMS
Strong summer practice highlight for Rams
BY SAM PIERCE
STAFF WRITER
For the first time in 20 years, the Hot Springs Lakeside Rams faced Lake Hamilton. Rams head coach Jared McBride, who is in his ninth season with
the Rams, said the game means “a lot to our kids and our community.”
“We have been competing well around the state, and we felt like it was time to bring back this ballgame,” McBride said. “It is neat for our kids to play and for our community to be excited.”
McBride said the Rams have had a good month of practice. They scrimmaged against Sheridan High School earlier this month, and the coach said the game reassured answers to a few questions and showed a few areas where work was needed.
“For us, it is always going to be sustaining our blocks a little longer,” McBride said. “We have some young kids, and they were able to gain some varsity time and gain experience.”
The Rams finished 6-5 overall last season, finishing second in the conference before losing to Harrison in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs.
Senior Taylor Gillham returns at quarterback for the Rams. McBride said Gillham has gotten bigger and stronger over the offseason.
“He has worked hard on throwing the football down the field,” McBride said. “He has improved on that.”
McBride said the goal, offensively, is to be pretty balanced.
“If we are balanced, we are a better football team,” the coach said.
Returning at running back is senior Dorecus Ferguson, who also started at linebacker a year ago. McBride said Ferguson will be the Rams’ featured back.
“He’s a big physical kid, and he’s got some agil- ity and is a punishing runner,” McBride said. “He finishes off all of his runs really well.”
Starting at wide receiver are senior Richard Gaston, senior Keelan Fleming, senior
Sawyer Lamb and sophomore Will Perrigo. “[Will] is a tough physical kid; he is more like a tight end than a wide receiver, in that he is a physical guy and enjoys blocking,” McBride said.
“He has won that job.”
The coach said sophomore Logan White will
rotate in at wide receiver and will also play at free safety on defense.
Senior tackle Adrian Masias will start at left tackle, and McBride said Masias is “a big, physical kid and is very physical at the line of scrimmage.” Senior John Fuller is an all-state lineman and will play both sides of the ball, the coach said.
“Defensively, we are a multiple front, with a four front or a three front,” McBride said. “Se- nior Ryan Pelt will start at nose guard, and senior Aaron Killian will start at linebacker.”
Senior Enrique Ayon (5-3, 128) will start at safety. McBride said the rest of the guys will be new starters.
“We have work to do everywhere,” he said. “We have a new kicker, snapper and holder, and defensively, we will need some guys to step up.”
HOT SPRINGS LAKESIDE RAMS
AUG. 31 ............................... LAKE HAMILTON SEPT. 7 .............................. @FOUNTAIN LAKE SEPT. 14 ..................................... @MALVERN SEPT. 21 ...................... @CAMDEN FAIRVIEW* SEPT. 28 .....................................MAGNOLIA* OCT. 5 ........................................ARKANSAS* OCT. 12 ........................................... @HOPE* OCT. 19 .......................................DE QUEEN* OCT. 26 .............................@LR MCCLELLAN* NOV. 2 ....................................HOT SPRINGS*
*DENOTES CONFERENCE GAMES
McBride said the goals for this season are to compete in nonconference play and get ready for conference play. He said the addition of Texarkana and Little Rock McClellan will make the conference more difficult.
“We should compete each week and battle for the top,” McBride said.