HERMLEIGH — Sterling City’s speed will be the main concern for Hermleigh’s defense in Friday’s non-district football game.
Hermleigh (1-1) rebounded from the Week 1 loss to White Deere by shutting out Rule, 56-0. Sterling City (2-0), which is No. 11 in the www.sixmanfootball.com Class 1A Division I poll, defeated Bastrop Tribe Consolidated 28-24 in the opener and shut out Buena Vista, 50-0.
Wyatt Cisco and Francisco Calderon lead the Sterling City running game.
“Sterling City is a very good team,” Hermleigh head coach Sam Winters said. “They play physical and we need to play that type of team. It will help us prepare for district. The two running backs are fast. We will have a chance to win if we can contain them.”
Winters said last week’s game helped players like senior Preston Carr, who ran for 90 yards, scored two touchdowns and returned an interception for a score.
“We were ready to come out and do things right,” Winters said. “Preston is one of the players we expected to play that way. He got his opportunity and thrived on it. Preston worked hard and earned everything.”
Carr will not be the only threat against Sterling City. Devin Hildebrand is Hermleigh’s leading rusher with 210 yards. Hildebrand also is a passing threat, completing 4-of-15 for 50 yards.
Five Hermleigh players caught passes during the first two game — Kelton Carroll (3-37), Tucker Barton (2-40, one touchdown), Carr (1-17), Austin Escobedo (1-41, one touchdown) and Payton Rivera (1-10).
“We have to be patient on offense,” Winters said. “The players are getting more comfortable. We will be ready for the game.”
Winters said the defense showed improvement from the first game and he hopes that will continue.
“The defense played well against Rule,” he said. “When you do that, it leads to big plays.”
Hermleigh will enter Friday’s game as the underdog, but Winters is confident his team will be ready to play.
“We must contain their sweeps and have more than one guy on the tackle,” he said. “We need to create turnovers and be patient on offense. I told the players games like this one help prepare us for district.”
Image
Body