Week 3 Football Preview: Hillsboro travels into Hurricane
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
HILLSBORO — This week will be another first for a majority of the Hillsboro football team … their first away game.
The young but improving Hillsboro Indians are set to travel and face the Wilmington Hurricane at Williams Stadium, on the campus of Wilmington College this Friday, still looking to gain their first win of the season.
Hillsboro is coming off a tough and heartbreaking loss from the Goshen Warriors last week by a 28-26 score at Richards Memorial Field, but that is all in the past, and the Indians learned from the experience of losing a close game last week.
In that game, HHS had touchdowns from Christian Cundiff, Christian Wildey (twice) and Tyrand Cumberland. Cumberland's TD was a 50-yard reception from Cundiff.
One of the positives for HHS in their two losses has been they have held a lead at one point in each game, and that is something that hasn't gone unnoticed to Hillsboro head coach Brian Spicer.
"I'm happy for the improvement we've had since the season has started, but there is still room for more improvement," Spicer said. "Our defense has given up points, and if we give up points, that is easy to blame for a loss, but we need to not have any three-and-out on offense either. Our offense becomes our ally on defense because we need to put ourselves in position to gain first downs."
The Hurricane defeated the Miami Trace Panthers 16-10 last week with running backs Damian Tomlinson and Kyle Davis leading in the rushing category with Tomlinson gaining 85 yards on 24 carries and Davis with 62 yards on five carries, including a 29-yard run. Austen Kessler had two rushes for 34 yards.
As a team last week vs. Miami Trace, the Hurricane totaled 175 yards on the ground. The WHS passing game goes through Cody McCune, who was 7-of-17 for 50 yards.
Defensively the Hurricane have lined up in a 3-3 Stack, but they are also a 4-4 and 4-3 team on defense.
"They (WHS) will be the second-biggest team we'll face this season, and that is a problem for us," Spicer said. "They have big backs and have shown they will wear teams down in the fourth quarter as they get stronger.
"Their line will wear you out, and we understand what we need to do. Their strengths play to our weakness."
Spicer spoke about what his team needs to do this week to have improvement for a third straight week.
"We'll line up based on what they show, but we need our kids to go to the ball," he said. "I think we got a little lost last week. We weren't focused enough at times, and we weren't focused on stopping plays.
"We need to stay on our blocks, get to the ball carrier … create mismatches. Our approach won't be any different than it has been all season."
Though it doesn't show in the standings, the Indians are improving and learning each game. Remember, this is a team with four players having varsity experience, with one of these players out for the season.
"There have been more positives than not. There is still that fear we are playing our first away game, and it is most of the kids' first away football game ever," Spicer said. "There are just so many things the kids are learning, but we are headed in the right direction, and that's exciting.
"This first road trip will be interesting just to see how we handle it. We've had to walk the team through some things they haven't done yet … a lot will have to do with the mental aspects of the game."[[In-content Ad]]
The young but improving Hillsboro Indians are set to travel and face the Wilmington Hurricane at Williams Stadium, on the campus of Wilmington College this Friday, still looking to gain their first win of the season.
Hillsboro is coming off a tough and heartbreaking loss from the Goshen Warriors last week by a 28-26 score at Richards Memorial Field, but that is all in the past, and the Indians learned from the experience of losing a close game last week.
In that game, HHS had touchdowns from Christian Cundiff, Christian Wildey (twice) and Tyrand Cumberland. Cumberland's TD was a 50-yard reception from Cundiff.
One of the positives for HHS in their two losses has been they have held a lead at one point in each game, and that is something that hasn't gone unnoticed to Hillsboro head coach Brian Spicer.
"I'm happy for the improvement we've had since the season has started, but there is still room for more improvement," Spicer said. "Our defense has given up points, and if we give up points, that is easy to blame for a loss, but we need to not have any three-and-out on offense either. Our offense becomes our ally on defense because we need to put ourselves in position to gain first downs."
The Hurricane defeated the Miami Trace Panthers 16-10 last week with running backs Damian Tomlinson and Kyle Davis leading in the rushing category with Tomlinson gaining 85 yards on 24 carries and Davis with 62 yards on five carries, including a 29-yard run. Austen Kessler had two rushes for 34 yards.
As a team last week vs. Miami Trace, the Hurricane totaled 175 yards on the ground. The WHS passing game goes through Cody McCune, who was 7-of-17 for 50 yards.
Defensively the Hurricane have lined up in a 3-3 Stack, but they are also a 4-4 and 4-3 team on defense.
"They (WHS) will be the second-biggest team we'll face this season, and that is a problem for us," Spicer said. "They have big backs and have shown they will wear teams down in the fourth quarter as they get stronger.
"Their line will wear you out, and we understand what we need to do. Their strengths play to our weakness."
Spicer spoke about what his team needs to do this week to have improvement for a third straight week.
"We'll line up based on what they show, but we need our kids to go to the ball," he said. "I think we got a little lost last week. We weren't focused enough at times, and we weren't focused on stopping plays.
"We need to stay on our blocks, get to the ball carrier … create mismatches. Our approach won't be any different than it has been all season."
Though it doesn't show in the standings, the Indians are improving and learning each game. Remember, this is a team with four players having varsity experience, with one of these players out for the season.
"There have been more positives than not. There is still that fear we are playing our first away game, and it is most of the kids' first away football game ever," Spicer said. "There are just so many things the kids are learning, but we are headed in the right direction, and that's exciting.
"This first road trip will be interesting just to see how we handle it. We've had to walk the team through some things they haven't done yet … a lot will have to do with the mental aspects of the game."[[In-content Ad]]