Wolves look to keep focus against Pointers
PEARCY — Lake Hamilton football has caught its stride in the last two weeks, picking up quality wins against Mountain Home and at Siloam Springs.
This week the Wolves (3-2, 2-1 6A-West) are on their home turf, hosting the Van Buren Pointers (1-3, 0-2 6A-West). This could be a statement game for head coach Tommy Gilleran and the Wolf Pack.
“No doubt, I think so,” Gilleran said. “I think our kids continue to get better and better each week. I think defensively we are getting a little better each week, too. I feel like we are shoring up a lot of parts there.
“I think a lot of it is our younger kids are getting experience. Now, they have got five games under their hat. I feel like now that they have played that many games that they are starting to understand what we want from them and what they can do to win.”
Depth of the Wolves was a big question going into the season.
Gilleran said, “They have answered it for sure.”
“They have continued to come out and work each week and continue to get better on both sides of the ball, but also understand what we need to do to be successful Friday nights. I think the overall leadership of the team is pretty good and they have bought into what we want to do. We knew early in the year we were going to have some struggles just because of the youth. As the year has gone on they played better and better and that is giving us an opportunity to be successful.”
To beat Van Buren defensively will be a tall order. Gilleran discussed what the Wolves must do.
“Van Buren is pretty skilled on offense,” Gilleran said. “Their quarterback is pretty good. They have a really good receiver and the running back runs the ball well. They have got three pretty good players that we have to really monitor and keep our eyes on. If not they can get behind us and stretch the field because of the speed they have.”
Leading the Lake Hamilton defense is senior linebacker Evan Payton. Payton has collected 38 tackles in the early part of this season.
“It is going to take motivation and staying locked in the whole game,” Payton said. “We can never let up. Lining up is something we work all week.”
Gilleran highlighted Payton’s talents.
“Evan is our starting linebacker,” Gilleran said. “In fact, Evan was our starting running back last year, but because of a shortage on defense he has transferred over there to defense. He is our starting inside linebacker. Overall, I think he has really done well. … This spring we had lost all of our linebackers so we started working some other people and Evan, he looked the best out of the kids we had out there.
“I said, ‘Hey man, we really need you to transfer over there and give us a chance to be successful on defense.’ Evan has taken that role and bought in and made us better each week on defense.”
Payton is beginning to see some offensive touches as the year progresses.
“It really is a lot of work,” Payton said. “I will have a full defensive practice, then go over offense and get some work in there. It is good work. My favorite play on offense would have to be 21 counter and on defense it is a blitz, alpha.”
Payton said he absolutely likes sacking the quarterback.
Changing positions is never easy, especially going into your senior year. Gilleran said he has done what is best for the team.
Gilleran’s offense started clicking in the last two weeks, putting up over 40 points in both contests.
“They are just getting used to the system and also the offensive line has gotten better,” Gilleran said. “Overall, each week they have just gotten better at all of the things we needed to do. Overall, I think they just understand what we want and then I think we are doing the things we need to do to give us a chance to be successful on offense.”
Gilleran talked about the Pointers’ defense.
“Defensively they are about the same as they have been in the past,” Gilleran said. “They move around and do some things different. We just have to make sure we know our blocking assignments and we can execute our offense the way we need to.”
Payton talked about what he will say in the locker room pregame.
“Stay locked in and stay focused,” Payton said. “If there is a big play, just move on to the next one.”