Teams go to work • MA in scrimmage Friday at West Memphis


Thursday, August 4, 2011
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Teams go to work
• MA in scrimmage Friday at West Memphis

By BARRY BURLESON
Editor

Photos by Barry Burleson

Holly High players go through stretching exercises during their first practice Monday morning.

Patriots practice tackling technique Thursday afternoon.

Barrett Donahoe rated his team’s first week of football practice successful.

“The kids are buying into what we are doing,” said the first-year Marshall Academy head coach. “It’s exciting.”

Last week was the only one of two-a-day practices. The Patriots worked out in shorts and T-shirts Monday through Wednesday of last week and then put on the shoulder pads Thursday and Friday.

“The kids are in a little better shape than expected, which can be attributed to how hard they worked in the summer,” he said.

Donahoe said the coaches were able to install the biggest part of the offense, all special teams and review a lot of the defensive schemes learned last year under assistant coach Bart Jenkins.

“We’re a little ahead of where we want to be, but we have a long way to go in all aspects before we will be a good football team,” he said.

The weather last week was hot but at the same time, the Patriots were blessed with some clouds at times and a bit cooler temperatures.

“With two-a-days, the biggest thing is to be able to work hard in a safe way,” Donahoe said. “We went out at 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. – so we would not be practicing in the heat of the day. I think it was a smart move.”

The Patriots will go to West Memphis Christian for a scrimmage this Friday, August 5. They will face West Memphis (Ark.) at 6 p.m. and Rossville (Tenn.) in the next match-up. Admission is $1, and concessions will be available.

Photos by Barry Burleson

Marshall Academy players run through drills during a practice session Thursday evening.

This week the MA players will report at 3 p.m. each day for weight-lifting and then take to the practice field.

“We want to go ahead and get them in the routine of a typical game week,” Coach Donahoe said.

A Holly High player “gets loose” Monday morning.

The Patriots will play in a jamboree at North Delta School in Batesville on Thursday, Aug. 11. They are tentatively scheduled to play Indianola Academy at 6 p.m. and Carroll Academy at 8 p.m.

They will kick off the regular season on Friday, Aug. 19, at Magnolia Heights in Senatobia.

Holly Springs, H.W. Byers, Byhalia and Potts Camp football teams opened practice on Monday of this week.

The Hawks were among the first of the public schools to take to the field at 7:30 a.m. August 1.

Head coach Marcus Autry welcomed about 35 Hawks on a hot morning.

Holly High will play in a jamboree at Corinth on Friday, Aug. 12. It starts at 6 p.m. The Hawks will open the season at home versus Coldwater on Friday, Aug. 19.

The Potts Camp Cardinals will play in a jamboree Saturday, Aug. 13, at Ole Miss. Their opponent will be Houlka. A kickoff time has not yet been announced.

Then in week one of the season, Friday, Aug. 19, Marshall County rivals Potts Camp and H.W. Byers will collide. The game is scheduled for Potts Camp, where a new field is under construction.

Holly Springs Hawks go through exercises to start practice.

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