Turnovers continue to vex Wolves
PEARCY — In the midst of a three-game losing streak, Lake Hamilton gets no reprieve in rigorous 6A-West.
Following a 14-9 loss against Texarkana, the Wolves (2-3, 0-2) host defending Class 6A champion Russellville Friday night on Bank of the Ozarks Field at Wolf Stadium.
“Russellville is 2-3 so they’re kind of in the same boat we’re in; I think it’s a good thing for us,” Lake Hamilton coach Tommy Gilleran said. “The kids are doing fine. The big thing I try to tell them is every week is a chance to get better and a chance to win the next game.”
Ball security remains Lake Hamilton’s Achilles’ heel. The Wolves lost two fumbles and threw two interceptions against Texarkana, bringing their season total to 18 turnovers.
“We work on drills every week for that kind of stuff,” said Gilleran. “For the younger players, the speed of the game has increased over the last three weeks and it’s been a difficult adjustment. For my quarterback (Utah Aitken), he’s just got to make better decisions. We talk about all of that, and we think they can turn it around.”
To that end, Gilleran expects the Wolves to focus on the running game this week. Russellville boasts four returning starters in its secondary, headlined by Ryan Talley and all-state performer Josiah Woodard.
“Getting the groud game established is very important for us,” Gilleran said. “Their strength is their pass defense and we feel like our strength is the running game. It should be a good matchup.”
Sophomore tailback Malik Brewer has been a bright spot for the Wolves’ otherwise stagnant offense. Brewer has rushed for 100 yards in each of the last two games and leads the team with 409 yards and five touchdowns, averaging more than seven yards per carry.
“I think he’s getting better each week,” said Gilleran. “His growth in our offense has been tremendous and he has the speed to make us a complete team.”
Seniors Jacob Nichols and Jack Johnson will also see time in the backfield for Lake Hamilton. Nichols has 380 rushing yards and a team-high 159 receiving yards while Johnson has 126 yards on the ground with 89 yards and one score on a teamhigh six catches.
After a 1-3 start, Russellville got its season back on track with a 28-14 win over Sheridan. Talley and junior Rhett Adkins each took snaps at quarterback for the Cyclones, Talley finishing with 166 yards and two touchdowns while Adkins added 27 yards on four completions.
“We expect to see two guys back there Friday night,” Gilleran said. “The senior (Talley) probably has more composure, but we’ve got to be ready for both of them. They can both throw the ball and make plays.”
Adkins leads the Cyclones with 628 yards and eight touchdowns while Talley has 288 yards and four touchdowns. Woodard anchors the rushing attack with 222 yards and four touchdowns on just 35 carries.
While only midway through the season, Gilleran didn’t mince words when discussing the importance of Friday’s game.
“If we want to make the playoffs, this is a game that we need to win,” he said. “We need to get on a winning streak and it starts now.”
The Wolves play on the road the next two weeks before hosting 4-1 Benton and 5-0 Greenwood to close the regular season.