Thursday, April 25, 2024
EYE IN THE SKY: Tolar coaches use a drone to film their Monday practice as the team prepares for a Friday game against Tolar.
Tolar High School’s football squad (1-0) takes a big step up this week as it plays host to Class 3A Early (1-0), and the Longhorns look like a massive challenge for the state’s Class 2A No. 16-ranked Rattlers.
Early did everything it wanted against Bangs in the “Battle of Brown County” as the Longhorns rolled up 479 totals yards on offense and limited the Dragons to just 68 yards on the ground defensively.
There are plenty of similarities between Tolar and Early, and you can start with both teams have a Jackson/Jaxyn starting at quarterback, and both Jackson LeCluyse and Jaxyn Price had great season openers.
Price torched Bangs for five touchdowns as he completed 16 of 19 for 228 yards, while LeCluyse was 9 of 12 passing for 142 yards. LeCluyse could easily have had more significant numbers, but he was pulled in the second half. Coach Jeremy Mullins wants LeClusye healthy, and he put in south-paw Isaac Blessing, who responded by throwing a touchdown and running for another.
The key to chalking up another win for Tolar this week will be Early’s receivers — Cedric Morelan, John Stewart-Gordon, Jeremy Brown, Trea Beam, Caleb McCullough, Ki Houston and Jeremy Brown.
Early is dangerous with this many players capable of taking the ball to the house. Running back Beam is a double-threat out of the backfield and caught and ran for touchdowns last week.
Early stepped up on defense against Bangs, too, allowing just 68 passing yards. That’s a number made more impressive considering the Dragons were allowed only 6.18 yards per pass attempt.
Tolar proved it has plenty of firepower last week in demolishing No. 12 Post 48-0 as LeClusye passed for three scores. Wyatt Jones proved he could adjust to either of Tolar’s passers as he caught three touchdowns.
You can expect the Rattlers to work their running game a little more this week after averaging just 2.8 yards per carry. Freshman Peyton Brown’s 5.24 yards per carry average against Post will likely lead to more totes than the five rushes he had last week.
Friday’s kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.
Russell@hcnews.com | 817-573-7066 Ext. 231
