White Plains (0-1) at Hokes Bluff (0-1)
Last week: Southside 37, Hokes Bluff 10; Ashville 18, White Plains 7
Last meeting: Hokes Bluff 31, White Plains 0 (2011)
Series record: Hokes Bluff 2, White Plains 0
By Gene Stanley /Sports Correspondent
Don’t look now, but Hokes Bluff has suffered another setback.
Junior quarterback Chase Beggs suffered a sprained knee against Southside last week, leaving the Eagles in the hands of freshman Landon Johnson at signal caller.
“He’s week to week,” coach Mike Robertson said of Beggs. “But this week for sure, he’s out.”
Hokes Bluff is showing improvement and needs a victory in their Class 4A, Region 6 opener. The Ea-gles are driving the ball but not finding the end zone enough.
“Running from the 20 to the 20 doesn’t pay much,” Robertson said. “You’ve got to knock that 21 on the head, and we’re not doing that.”
The defensive problem is that the Eagles defense is giving up too many third-down conversions and too many big plays.
“We’ll play really well for a few plays, then give up a long pass,” Robertson said. “And we can’t seem to get off the field on third down.”
White Plains has a new coach in Larry Strain, and Robertson said that improvement is already showing.
The Wildcats went 5-5 last year in Heath Harmon’s sixth season at the helm.
“They run the spread and like to throw the ball,” Robertson said.