Rockets jump ahead in scrimmage
Crittenden County is going to be largely a running team this season, and if the first scrimmage is any indication of what that will be like, it appears fairly exciting.
Sophomore running backs Jeramie Sorina and Rodney Robertson and freshman J.D. Gray did most of the damage to Muhlenberg North as the Rockets won their first pre-season encounter.
Crittenden jumped the Stars 26-0 Friday at Rocket Stadium before eventually winning 26-22.
The Stars three touchdowns each came late in the game against Crittenden’s reserve defense.
The running attack will be the main staple in this year’s offensive arsenal, coach Al Starnes said. It will be centered behind bookend lineman A.J. Thompson and Zeke Sorina. The junior and sophomore weigh in at 295 apiece.
After record-setting passing seasons the last couple of years, the Rockets will be much more ground-oriented this fall thanks to the prepense of some big linemen and four good running backs.
“We’re not going to throw it very much and when we do it will be play-action passes when the other team isn’t expecting it,” Starnes said. “We’re going to have to be able to throw it when we want to, not because we have to.”
Fans saw Friday that the Rockets will use a three-back set much of the time, either in the wishbone, power-I or wing-T set.
The team’s only passing touchdown last week came when freshman, third-string quarterback Allen Kirk hit Keathley Brown for a score.
Starnes was pleased with the overall performance of his team and believes the real question is how the team will respond this week against an opponent just as young and inexperienced as itself.
“Central Hopkins has about 50 kids on the team, but 39 are freshmen and sophomores,” Starnes said. “They are a lot like we are.”
With room for improvement, the Rocket coach will be watching closely how well the offensive line has progressed over the past week. Because his offense will be primarily a frontal assault unit, Starnes wants to see his linemen firing off the ball and throwing around its weight.