Sports

Crowded Backfield to Fuel Jackson Offense

Posted on: Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Coming into this season, the Jackson has a big bullseye on its back.

After an undefeated season, it is the team to beat in the SEOAL, but head coach Andy Hall and the Ironmen are not fazed. This season is all about the mindset of exclusively concentrating on one opponent, week by week.

“It’s literally one game at a time,” Hall said. “There’s not an opponent on our schedule that cannot beat us.”

An experienced roster could prove to be crucial in the hunt for a second straight SEOAL title. Starting quarterback Hunter Sexton is back for this third year under center, and he will be accompanied by a wide array of running backs. Derek Rafferty is out, but Raymond Potter, Johnny Farley, Reagan Conley, and Blake McCoy are back t pick up the slack.

“With those guys rotating in will give us a great opportunity, like we did last year, to run a lot of guys,” Hall said. “It won’t be a one or two man show, it’ll be four or five guys running, and of course we have our quarterback to run the ball as well.”

While Jackson remains one of the top teams in its conference, a difficult non-conference slate lies ahead. Jackson’s non-conference performance will determine its postseason fate with the Ironmen only playing in three SEOAL games..

“We understand that it’s a grueling schedule and it’s week after week opponents that have different types of styles of play; whether it’s a run-power team or a lot of these spread teams we’re seeing now,” Hall said.

The season starts off in a big rivalry game at home against Wellston and the challenges will continue to add. Jackson will host old SEOAL rival Chillicothe, and then head to West Jefferson the following week.

The remainder of Jackson’s schedule goes as follows

Vs. Granville

Vs. Wheelersburg

@ Warren

@ Logan

@ Meigs

Vs. Oxford Talawanda

Vs. Gallia Academy.

“We’re excited about the challenge,” said Hall. “It’s something that fuels our program for us to be able to get to that next step, that next level you have to play teams like that.”