First-year head coach Dave McCrory realizes it is going to take time to turn around the Ethel football program.
The Tigers lost 36-13 to undefeated Leake County on Friday night in a game that was much closer.
“I thought we played well until the last 30 seconds of the first half,” McCrory said. “We gave up a hitch pass and three guys missed tackles and they took it 80 yards for a touchdown with five seconds left in the half. It should have been 8-0 at the half but instead it’s a two-score game and they have all of the momentum. When you get down by two scores, you have to be a little more careful. And then the next thing you know, you are down three scores.”
The Tigers will host Hamilton on Friday for homecoming festivities.
The Lions are 1-5 on the season and have lost five straight games after a season-opening 42-12 win over Coldwater. Their losses have been to Nettleton (34-0), Hatley (59-14), Nanih Waiya (46-0), West Lowndes (38-31) and Noxapater (48-0).
“I think we are very similar football teams,” McCrory said. “They love to throw the football. They probably throw the ball 75 percent of the time. The quarterback is sort of (Johnny) Manziel-like in that he knows how to be evasive. They have a really good wide receiver who is their best player. We will have to contain him.”
Last year, Hamilton won 42-0.
After going up 16-0 at the half last Friday night, the Leake County Gators added two more third-quarter scores to go up 30-0.
“Probably the best thing I can say is the Ethel of the past would have quit when it was 30-0,” McCrory said. “But we moved the ball down the field on them and scored a touchdown. Their coaches were livid and one of them got ejected. So they come out when it’s 30-7 and run a double reverse and put the ball on the ground and we scooped it up and went and scored so it’s 30-13 at that point.”
The Tigers first score came on an 11-yard pass from Kendal Dotson to Isaac Stewart. The fumble recovery and return was made by Isaac Stewart.
“After it got to be 30-13, their coach calls timeout and runs a trick play where he puts 10 men on the field,” McCrory said. “Then he runs a guy out at the last minute and throws a fade to him. They were still trying to run trick plays and I was trying to get some kids in the game.”
The Gators added one last score for the final margin.
“We have only given up like 135 points but aren’t scoring as many points as I would like,” McCrory said. “It’s getting better, but it’s a slow process and old habits die hard. Most of our games have been close.”
