Ethel football coach Dave McCrory lost a quarterback to a transfer, but found his replacement in the defensive backfield.
Jace Dean, a 6-2, 210 pound rising junior who played linebacker and tight end last year, was expected to fill the void at quarterback created by the graduation of Kendal Dotson. But after going through spring practice with the team, he transferred to Central Holmes.
Domingues Clark, a cornerback as a freshman last year, has stepped into the quarterback position and has impressed his coach despite being undersized at 5-8 and 135 pounds. “He throws the ball really, really well and he runs the ball well. He hasn’t thrown a bad pass.”
In 7-on-7 play, Ethel met Winona Christian in what McCrory termed a “glorified practice” and played six games in one day, each 15 minutes with a running clock. The Tigers went 2-4 with victories over Winston Academy and Sebastopol, two losses to Lamar School and one each to Winona Christian and East Webster.
In addition to Clark, McCrory was impressed with the play of his two wide receivers, Izik Stewart and Scott Walters. Defensively, cornerback Cyrus Rone and outside linebacker Kale Lowery played well. Lowery is a transfer from Georgia.
Ethel will have 7-on-7 scrimmages with French Camp, Kosciusko and Noxapater on successive days June 25-27.
The 2019 season kicks off August 23 with a home game against West Lowndes. The Tigers will compete in MHSAA Region 3-1A with Coffeeville, Leflore County, McAdams, Ray Brooks, Shaw, Hollandale Simmons, West Bolivar and West Tallahatchie.
