Fort Dale faces fifth Top 10 team of the season
Published 12:00 am Wednesday, October 4, 2006
For the fifth time this season, the No. 6 Fort Dale Academy Eagles play a Top 10 team as they travel to take on the No. 9 Glenwood Gators.
The Eagles have dominated in recent weeks with wins over Monroe Academy and Taylor Road, but this week's opponent presents a new and different challenge.
“They run the single wing, the REAL single wing,” Fort Dale head coach James “Speed” Sampley said of Glenwood's motion offense. “They have all those people crossing around in the backfield and that's hard to simulate in practice.”
Sampley said the Gators effectively run the offense and his defense is going to have to play hard-nosed, assignment football in order to topple Glenwood.
“First and foremost, you have to tackle and we have the last two games,” Sampley said.
The main point Sampley wants his defense to remember:
“Play your responsibility,” Sampley said. “It's going to be a big, big key to playing and winning this ball game.”
For the Eagle offense, quarterback Ty Newton is continuing to progress and Sampley said that has been a key to the Eagles' recent success.
“He's made good decisions with the ball and has done a good job running the option,” Sampley said of his senior quarterback.
With the Eagles passing the ball more recently, Sampley said his team is better prepared for the tough teams they face in the coming weeks.
“We feel like (passing more) is something we had to do,” Sampley said.
Kickoff for Friday night's game at Glenwood is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.