ROSSVILLE — It wasn’t just getting a victory in last week’s season opener that
helped Rossville eliminate most of the sour taste left over from a humbling 2-7
2017 season.
No, it was more about the who and how.
The Bulldawgs opened the 2018 season with a 26-14 road
win over Centralia, which returned enough key players from last year’s 8-3 team
to open the season ranked No. 2 in Class 1A. And Rossville secured the win by
outscoring the Panthers 13-0 in the fourth quarter.
“I just think it was a good way to start the year,
especially rebounding from what was a sub-par year,” Rossville coach Derick
Hammes said. “I thought it was important and the quality of the opponent we
beat was a good thing for us, as well. ... It was good that we got the win, but
I thought we were tough in getting it. You don’t beat Centralia if you’re not
tough. Winning that fourth quarter was a huge indication of what we can be down
the road.”
Whether Rossville can return to its position of state
championship contender or not remains to be seen. But the Bulldawgs will get an
even better indicator Friday night if that’s their potential.
Up next is none other than arch rival Silver Lake in
Friday’s War on 24 game at Rossville. The Eagles, No. 2 in Class 2A, are also
1-0 after rolling past St. Marys 46-7.
“We have two really good teams right off the bat,”
Hammes said. “We’re looking forward to it. We still have a lot to learn about
ourselves and things we’ve got to improve on, and that’s what you’ve got to do
if you want to be a good football team. I enjoy this, getting to play good
people and seeing how far this group of kids has come along.”
Silver Lake got off to a bit of a slow start in its
opener, trailing 7-0 after the first quarter. But a revamped defense clamped
down on the Bears the rest of the way, and the Eagle offense eventually hit its
stride as Silver Lake cruised.
“I thought they played well after the start,” Silver
Lake coach C.J. Hamilton said. “St. Marys kind of threw a wrinkle at us we
weren’t prepared for, and the kids were stunned by the different look. But they
adapted pretty well to the situation after that. They came together and handled
the change pretty well. ... Defensively, I was pretty pleased with the way we
played.”
With Silver Lake trailing 7-0, a defensive stop following
a blocked punt jump-started the Eagles. Instead of going down two scores,
Silver Lake roared back with 21 second-quarter points to take control.
Christian Stoner, who missed much of last season with
an injury, ran for 168 yards and three touchdowns, while returning quarterback
Mason Griffin threw for 151 yards and a touchdown and also scored on a pair of
short runs.
“It took awhile to get in sync, and once we did it
looked a little better,” Hamilton said. “We’re still trying to figure each
other out. We’re kind of green in some spots and they just need to get those
nerves settled down. I hope that’s what it was, but we played a lot better
after the beginning of the second quarter.”
Arguably the biggest question mark Rossville had
entering the season was who would take over at quarterback for departed Sheldon
Hulbert, who accounted for the bulk of the Bulldawgs’ offensive production a
year ago. Senior Garrett Carver emerged from a three-way battle for the
starting job, and against Centralia, he proved why he got the nod.
Carver looked every bit as capable as his predecessors
(including All-Staters Tucker Horak and Jacob Bradshaw) in handling the job.
Carver ran for 204 yards and three touchdowns and also threw for 173 yards on
12-of-15 accuracy.
“We kept plugging away and finally got a rhythm in the
second half,” Hammes said. “At times, we could be a good offense. When I looked
at last Friday night, the kids we had returning improved and they played like
experienced players should. We also had a lot of new faces on the field and it
was encouraging to see them start to figure things out as the night went
along.”
Despite all of its woes a year ago, Rossville played
one of its best games against the Eagles, particularly defensively, losing just
14-0. Silver Lake out-gained the Bulldawgs 408-191, but saw two turnovers and
110 yards in penalties hamper their efforts.
“We battled them,” Hammes said. “I would say from
their perspective they felt like they made some mistakes that allowed us to
hang around. What we got last year was a real consistent effort from the kids,
which we lacked a lot of last year.”
Hamilton fully expects the same kind of effort again
this year.
“They’re better,” he said. “They played a lot of young
kids last year who got experience. I’m sure they’ll have them ready to play.
Right now, we’re more concerned about ourselves and our progress. It will be a
good measure to see where we’re at, and I’m sure Rossville feels the same way.”
