The Kennedale Wildcats have finished preseason practices and scrimmages and are getting ready to start the season. The Cats, who have finished the last two years at 12-1, will face one of the strongest schedules they have had in recent years. {{more: Read more …}}
?Not bad, not bad? is Head Coach Richard Barrett?s assessment after two-days for the Cats wrapped up Friday with a scrimmage against Sherman.
Playing at home in Friday night?s scrimmage, Barrett said, ?We [starters] were a little banged up, so we just held them out for precaution. Since we are off this week, we said, what is the use of playing them Friday, and getting them hurt? So, what we did get, is a lot of good ?reps? for our number twos, which really worked out good for us. I would much rather for them [starters] to play, but our twos got some really quality reps.bye comes at good time …
Asked about the bye in the first week of play, Barrett said, ?In my 38 years, it has never happened. I really thought having week one off would really hurt. Right now, I am thinking that this comes at a really good time.?
Against La Vega (2015 4A state champs) two weeks ago, the Wildcats lost 2-0 in scrimmage play during first team vs first team. ?We did have one called back,? said Barrett, describing the scrimmage. ?We were on the five yard line and scored, but they called it back. Then we don?t score. Barrett shrugged, ?But really, all and all, I was pretty pleased and that was the state champs and they had 8 defensive starters back. We could move the ball but just weren?t consistent.?quarterback this year …
He hasn?t settled on a quarterback yet. ?I was hoping that one would separate from the other but that really is not the case,? said Barrett. ?We are still about even.? The two vying for the quarterback position, this year are sophomore Evan Jowers and senior Aaron Rinehart.
bright spots ?
?They [running backs] look really, really good, that?s tailback D.J. Kirven (So), fullback Jaden Knowles (Jr) and wingback David Roper (Jr).?
?We even threw the ball a couple of times Friday night and had a couple of completions. If we could throw it 6, 8 or 10 times, just to back them off, Barrett said thinking about the season ahead. ?We have a player, Jaden Smith, who had two fantastic catches. They were highlight reel catches. He is a sophomore playing wideout and about 6?2 and skinny as a rail with awesome hands. He is tall and jumps really well and has great eye/hand coordination. So athletic, that he can go up in a crowd and get the ball.?the defense …
The defense is our mainstay. That?s what, early on especially, is got to carry us is our defense. The other night, they were just ? woof. And all three starting linebackers didn?t even play. The number twos were in and we looked good. We did have a couple of breakdowns. We weren?t perfect by any means but we played pretty well. It was good to see.?
Kennedale will unveil its 2015 Wildcat team September 2 at Wildcat Stadium against Terrell with kick-off set for 7:30 p.m.
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