The senior class of football players have never beaten the Hallsville Indians on the gridiron.
The idea of not beating your arch-rival one time during your high school career should be motivation enough for Tanner Smith, Brian Kent and the other seniors.
Tanner Smith
However, Eagles coach Trent Tracy says that while everyone knows this week is rivalry week for the Eagles and Indians, the game will be won by the team who makes the most plays and the fewest mistakes.
No doubt, the rainy weather and a sloppy field could come into play.
And why not?
The last two SoBoCo-Hallsville games have involved delays – weather in 2014 and the now-infamous “midnight football” game last season – and a sloppy field and a wet ball…..anything could happen.
But that should not be the case.
Friday’s game is a great opportunity for the Eagles to go to 4-0 for the first time ever.
SoBoCo will rely early on their running game with Tanner Smith, Jackson Sartain and Colby Phillips.
“We will have to keep their defense loose and put the ball out on the perimeter,” said Tracy of his passing game, “but that also depends on the weather – we may not know our game plan until we have a better idea of the conditions.”
The Eagles know that Hallsville likes to throw the ball down the field as they did successfully in their wins over Mark Twain and Putnam County.
The defensive keys are simple – to execute well, the Eagles will need to realize what the Indians offense is trying to make happen.
“Our defensive backs will have to be ready and we will have to recognize what their formations are before the snap of the ball,” Tracy said.
But in an early fall, rainy weather game, Tracy says the game will be won up front.
“We have to have a big game from our big guys,” Tracy said. “This game will be won on the line of scrimmage.”
Even with Dominic Lawrence missing his second connective game (thumb injury), this will work in favor of the Eagles.
Look for SoBoCo to run the ball right at Hallsville – with more success than they had against Eldon.
Look for Sartain to get the ball outside and turn it upfield for gains of 10 and 15-yards.
Look for short, crisp passes from Eagles quarterback Spencer Taggart to Kolton Schupp and Sam Stichnote.
Look for Hallsville to have a hard time stopping the Eagles offense.
This week’s game will be played in lousy, wet, muddy conditions.
If the Eagles minimize their mistakes and play as physical as they did last week, they will defeat Hallsville – for the first time since 2011- in the mud.
September 9, 2016 SoBoCo at Hallsville Game Roster
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