STAFF REPORTS
Every Friday the Hermleigh Cardinals coach records a podcast about his team’s upcoming game.
This Friday he actually sent a link of his recorded interview to the Jaybirds before the game. This was the Cardinal coach’s scouting report of the Jaybirds: “They are athletic, they’re quick, they’re not big, they’re not physical, they are finesse players. Basketball is kind of a finesse game and they’re extremely good at basketball being state champions. They play like basketball players on the football field, just highly skilled, fast, quick finesse, they’re not going to out-tough you, they’re just going to try to out-finesse you.”
Needless to say, it was not a welcomed message by the Jaybirds, who took offense to their evaluation and rolled into Hermleigh with an intent to out-physical the host team.
That is exactly what they did, to the tune of a 68-22 beatdown and an early 3rdquarter merciful end.
The truly interesting stat of the night was that it was the “finesse” Jaybirds who owned the line of scrimmage and pounded the rock 184 yards on 12 rushes (15.3 yards per carry) while the “physical” Cardinals rushed for just 22 yards on 14 carries (1.5 yards per carry).
Apparently these basketball players know a thing or two about football as well.
The standout on the night was actually a fillin. With injuries limiting the starting defensive line, special teams ace Cutter Lee, a junior, was thrust into action.
Coach Josh Stanaland had high praise for Cutter after the game: “Just incredible, I don’t know if he played 20 plays or 25 plays but he did the right thing on every single snap. Man, he was awesome tonight. He’s been a little bit underutilized, but man, he can go. I’m very proud of Cutter. He stepped up tonight. What he gave us defensively in the middle of the second quarter, it changed the ballgame. He swung it for us with his spread rush and his discipline and you talk about a kid with a motor. He’s just a motor guy.”
Stanaland closed with praise for his substitute lineman and his full squad. “I love coaching those types of kids, I couldn’t be more proud of what he did tonight.”
In reality, Cutter’s play was indicative of this entire team that stepped onto the field to prove their toughness and thanks to their play, now Hermleigh knows it too.
Here’s the link to the Hermleigh podcast if you need it: https://hermleighisd. mixlr.com/
