8-12-2022
 

Eagles, Tigers hold defensive scrimmage

Tanner Spearman, Sports Editor, Gainesville Daily Register

Valley View senior Lawson Links fights through a tackle Friday during the Eagles' scrimmage with Sacred Heart.

Tanner Spearman, Sports Editor sports@gainesvilleregister.com

Defense dominated at John Kassen Field on Friday as Valley View welcomed Sacred Heart for both schools’ first football scrimmage.

Valley View coach Curtis King said the Eagles made a few changes on defense this year, but the players are already adjusting well.

“I thought the kids flew around well for a first scrimmage,” King said. “First time they got to hit somebody else besides their teammate. In practice, we can’t match (Sacred Heart’s) speed, but we kept it scoreless the whole night. I was proud of that.”

Each junior varsity offense received two 12-play series to begin the action, then varsity did the same. The scrimmage closed with a live quarter between the two varsity squads.

The live quarter ended 0-0 as both defenses stood firm. The Tigers had two interceptions, though one was overturned by a penalty. Both sides made fourth-down stops.

Sacred Heart didn’t throw any interceptions during the live quarter, but Valley View senior Wyatt Huber picked off a pass during the scripted session.

Sacred Heart coach Dale Schilling said in this scrimmage, as usual, the defenses were ahead of the offenses in their preparation.

“I’m real pleased with the defense,” Schilling said. “Offensively, a lot of missed assignments. Nothing that can’t be fixed. Credit Valley View. They gave us a good look. They came off the ball good. We needed this.”

Valley View senior Lawson Links was the lone man to score for either team during the scripted portion. Freshman quarterback Tyson Price threw a deep ball down the left sideline for Links, who made the catch and ran into the end zone.

Valley View rotated two quarterbacks. Last year’s starter, junior Carson Pickett, started the scripted portion of practice and the live quarter, but Price got roughly the same number of snaps.

For Sacred Heart, freshman Clayton Bezner and junior Ryan Swirczynski both took snaps at quarterback.

In between the scripted series and the live quarter, fans got their first look at a pair of aspiring Valley View kickers. Sisters Molly and Emma Moss each took a turn kicking field goals, following the example of former Muenster kicker Martie McCoy as girls playing football.

King said it was cool to have the sisters out there.

“Love ‘em to death,” King said. “They work hard. They both run cross country, so they go to cross country practice, then come to football. They got a chance to both be really good.”

This was the only scrimmage of the season between two Cooke County schools, and it was an intriguing pairing. Valley View reported 272 high school students last fall for realignment considerations, compared to 72 at Sacred Heart.

Schilling said the Tigers needed the challenge of playing a much larger school.

“If you want to go play someone and beat ‘em six touchdowns to nothing, you really gain nothing,” Schilling said. “That’s just a glorified practice against a JV team. That’s the reason I wanted to schedule Coach King. They put a little leather on us tonight, and that’s what we needed.”

Both teams will host their second scrimmages Aug. 18. Valley View will host Collinsville, while Sacred Heart will welcome Willow Park Trinity.