August 29, 2002 12:44 AM
Rockton Honohegah Indians
at Rock Island RocksGame facts
7:30 tonight, RI's Almquist Field
Sophomores start at 5:30
Coverage: Marc Nesseler
Radio: WLLR-AM 1230
4th
Rock Island's ranking in the first Associated Press Class 7A poll.
35-14
Rock Island's victory over Hononegah in last year's season opener. Maurice Jones gained
188 rushing yards and 2 TDs. No other RI back gained more than 41. RI led just 21-7 going
into the fourth quarter.
10-17
Last year's combined records of RI's first three nonconference opponents (Chicago
Westinghouse and Collins are the others). Hononegah was 3-6 last year, 3-5 and in 6th
place in the NIC. The Indians haven't been to the playoffs since '99.
50-50
RI coach Vic Boblett says he'll split QB duties down the middle for seniors Tom
DeBroeck and Chase Stephens. ``We will alternate them for the first two games,'' said
Boblett, ``and grade them on a 5-point scale. And the end of the second game, we'll
average out the scores and that guy will be our quarterback. Game-wise, it doesn't matter
(who's No. 1), but it definitely matters for practice because you want your starter to get
80 percent of the repetitions. Otherwise, you don't get as good as you can get.''
5
RI starters who will miss the opener. Junior kicker Jason Reda will, instead, be with
the soccer Rocks at a Rockford Auburn Invitational. Senior WR Mike Adamson found out
midweek he has mononucleosis and will miss a minimum of two games. Senior RBs Ricky
O'Conner, Keenan Wright and Sterling Miles will miss the first two games because of
team-rules violations.
Still, the Rocks shouldn't miss a beat. ``The neat thing is that we started 44
different players in last week's Red/Gold game,'' said Boblett. ``And with five guys out,
we'll still start 22 different players against Rockton.''
Filling in for Reda will be senior Mike Leonard, who kicked as a sophomore. Punting
will be Luke DePron. At wideout, Derek Goetzl and Kyle Each looked good at Adamson's spot,
the coach said.
FB John Saldana will join WB Dillon Smith and TB Wayland Ryan in the backfield.
10
Number of returning starters for Hononegah, four on offense. The Rocks have 16, a
whopping eight on both sides of the ball.
The Indians' offense centers around senior QB Justin Haedt, senior RB Grant Miller and
a pair of 6-foot-4, 185-pound WRs, Josh Ballard, a senior, and Ryan Robinson, a junior.
Haedt started the last three games of last season after the regular starter was injured.
Ballard is the top returning receiver, with 216 yards on 16 catches. Miller, a 6-foot,
250-pounder, gained 445 yards on 102 carries in '01. He finished fourth as a heavyweight
in state wrestling last February.
Copyright 2001, Moline Dispatch
Publishing Co. |
