Cards to face off against Cougars
History has been on Dollarway’s side in recent games against Helena-West Helena Central.
Dollarway won all four meetings between 2012-15 and will resume its series against a Cougars team that is coming off an 0-9 record tonight at Cardinal Stadium. Kickoff against the Cardinals of Conference 3A-6 and Cougars of 4A-8 is set for 7 p.m.
Dollarway’s active roster has grown by 13 players from the start of preseason camp to 32, according to Martese Henry. But as the Cardinals’ fourth-year head coach works to establish depth at each position, he’s not taking a Central program that plays in a higher classification lightly.
He’s reaching deep into a young roster in hopes of building depth, with bigname programs such as Pine Bluff High School and Texarkana looming before conference play.
“We’re not all the way there as far as shape goes,” Henry said. “We’ll do a lot of rotations to make sure everyone gets a chance to showcase. A lot of guys have obligations and things of that nature and have to get physicals done. But I feel
good about the team.”
Despite going winless and averaging a 28.7-point margin of defeat, Central — which won 14 games combined the previous two seasons — lost three of its first four games in 2020 by four or fewer points.
“They were in a lot of games, just didn’t finish,” Henry said. “They are the same type of team as far as size and speed. We played West Helena in the past before. I know they’ll come to compete for four quarters. I don’t know how their numbers are looking. I do know it will be a good opening game for both teams.”
The Cardinals didn’t have it easy in 2020, either, with a 4-6 record but still got into the 3A state playoffs. They, too, experienced tough luck early on with narrow losses to Dumas and Pine Bluff.
“Last year, we didn’t have an opportunity to have spring or summer workouts at all,” Henry said. “We got conditioning in, and we got into the weight room, which will help us not just early but down the stretch.”
Those who have been at camp from the beginning are “solid” in their conditioning, Henry said. Yet, Dollarway will have to rely on two-way play from each of its seniors to push through tonight.
Henry is calling on quarterback and defensive back Briveon Sample, defensive back and all-around playmaker Eddie Collins Jr., linebacker and halfback Kenyon Carr, linebacker-fullback-offensive lineman Joshua Holloway, halfback and linebacker Micah Thomas, two-way linemen Kayvion Neal, Gerren Alexander and Terrence Nichols, and cornerback-halfback Devion James, among others.
“We’re working on a rotation where everybody will have an opportunity,” Henry said. “We have a tentative roster. We’ll probably dress out about 25 to 30. Everybody is pretty much going both ways.”