It wasn’t the prettiest win, but Sumrall opened its season with a 14-7 win over South Jones last week.
Unlike most games, the Bobcats played on a grass field and battled unfavorable field conditions, and mustered just 181 yards of total offense.
“I thought the effort was just outstanding from our players,” Sumrall coach Shannon White said. “The preparation from our coaches was right on task and right on target, and we won a close ball game. It wasn’t the best field circumstances. We didn’t have a turnover. It was kind of that night from that standpoint, and I thought our kids handled it well. We had no turnovers, which is outstanding. We’ll expand the offense. I didn’t think last Friday was the night to try some things in our offense.
“Overall, I really like the effort. The defense played lights out. The special teams, kicker, punter and holder did super. Offensively we have a way to go, but you can see a glimmer of hope and improvement from the jamboree. Our young guys up front have to grow up in a hurry.”
The Bobcats found success switching between quarterbacks Landon Hawkins and Trevor Daniels. Hawkins threw for 73 yards and two touchdowns, while Daniels ran for 57 yards and completed one pass for five yards. Jonathan Nelson was the biggest key for Sumral,l as he hauled in three catches for 74 yards and scored both touchdowns.
“They both bring something to the table,” White said. “I think we utilize both of those guys. Trevor plays some running back, and Hawkins can play some receiver. We have got two quarterbacks that serve our team. We’ll see where that goes. As of now, they both complement each other and offensive tackles very well.
“The offensive line is a work in progress. For a lot of guys, that was their first high school game. There’s a high ceiling for us. We can’t afford not to improve every week if we want to beat the teams we’ll be playing later.”
On defense, linebacker Luke Maskew racked up 11 tackles while Jordan Ware recorded an interception, and Brenden Lewis recorded a fumble recovery.
This week, the Bobcats will take on Bay High, who suffered a 28-7 loss to West Harrison. Last year Sumrall defeated the Tigers 41-14, but Bay High finished the season 8-4 and reached the second round of the playoffs.
“Defensively, they give you a little bit of pressure, and the defensive line is really active,” White said. “They are a true spread team, and they are going to run zone. They run triple option out of it. A lot of teams don’t run that. They are a screen team and will throw it 20 to 25 times a game, so they make you defend the whole field. They spread you out, so you have to make sure your gaps are sound. It’s a totally different game defensively than last week.
“The offense runs through the quarterback. When you run this kind of offense, you have got to be a good thrower. They ask him to run the ball and to make reads. I think the tailback is a good player, but they are huge upfront. They have as big of an offensive line that we may face this year. They are always that way, so it’s no surprise. Being able to handle their size and taking care of our gaps would be a challenge for our defense.”
Sumrall will go on the road to face Bay High, with kickoff set for Friday at 7:30 p.m.
