Local Sports
Bobcats take aimat huge grid upset
By HARVEY SIMPSON
Dispatch Sports Editor
VIENNA — Dooly County High’s Bobcats will be out Friday night to make sure Twiggs County’s Cobras end 2009 regular season play here the same way they started it at home — on a losing note.
Based upon what the 8-1, 5-0 Jeffersonville-based visitors have done since their 16-6 debut defeat by Wilkinson County, though, members of coach Darryl Silas’ 5-4, 2-3 host squad know that’s a goal that’s going to be difficult to achieve.
Since that loss, the Cobras have rolled past Hancock Central (62-6), Southwest Macon (28-0), Wilcox (48-14), Turner (48-7), Irwin (14-7), Hawkinsville (39-0), Telfair (43-0) and Calhoun, S.C. (48-0).
Dooly has met five common opponents, beating Telfair (49-7) and Turner (28-6) and falling to Hawkinsville (31-24), Wilcox (28-6) and Irwin (39-34). The Bobcats have, however, won three of the previous five meetings between the schools.
“This definitely ranks as our stiffest test of the season as Twiggs, which has already clinched our region (2-A) title, is coming in here with a team that’s very good on both sides of the football,” Silas said earlier this week.
“Offensively, they employ the wing-T and do a good job of moving the football both on the ground and through the air.
“They have at least three good running backs (Ernest Butts, Davin Bell and Jeremy Stanley), a great receiver (Darqueze Dennard) and a line that’s strong, big and quick and comes off the football very aggressively.”
Butts last year ran for 1,246 yards and 15 touchdowns while Bell rushed for 642 yards and three scores in 2008. Dennard had receptions that produced 992 yards and 18 TDs last season when Twiggs handed Dooly a 34-21 setback.
“With their head coach (Dexter Copeland) having served as my offensive coordinator when I was the head coach at Baldwin County, I know what he’s going to have his team doing,” Silas said. “Being able to stop it, though, could be a different story.”
In evaluating Twiggs’ defense, Silas said the Cobras base out of a 5-3 front and primarily play man coverage.
“They use their best 11 guys both ways as all those guys that do so well in the offensive line also stand out up front on defense as do their skill position guys when they over to the linebacker and secondary spots.”
Asked what impresses him most about the Cobras, Silas said it’s their speed, quickness and overall abilities.
“They’ll be a handful to deal with on both sides of the football as their offense can hurt you on the ground or through the air and their defense is tough to run or throw against.”
In addressing the keys to Dooly’s hopes of ending the season with a winning record rather than a break-even campaign, Silas said the primary one is limiting the number of big plays the Cobras make.
“We want to make it a respectable game and for that reason our kids will put forth a good effort as they have a lot of pride about themselves.
Please see BOBCATS page 2B
“Losing (39-34) like we did last week (at Irwin County) when we felt a late opportunity we had to score and win was taken away on a controversial interception ruling (that awarded Irwin possession) really hurt.
“Knocking off Twiggs would take a lot of sting out of the disappointment of not making the playoffs, but in order to possibly come out on top we’re going to have to turn in the best four quarters we’ve played all year long.
“It would be nice, too, if we could have a big home crowd cheering us on as that would motivate our kids to get out there and do better. It would also be a positive statement from our community about the way it supports our team.”
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