Every year, hometown rivals Coahulla Creek and Northwest Whitfield face off in a competitive, intense and passionate matchup. This year, the rivalry came to Creek Stadium, where the Colts battled from start to finish under the lights.
Although Coahulla Creek came up short in the season opener, the young Colts continued to improve throughout the night, building confidence and shaking off the nerves that come with the first game of the season.
Head Coach Drew Carter saw progress on both sides of the ball compared to the preseason scrimmage. With the playbook opened up more for both the offense and defense, the Colts showed improvement even though they were unable to turn that progress into the desired result.
“We were deeper in the playbook with our offensive and defensive teams this week, where we were very basic in the scrimmage or any preseason games,” Carter said. “We did see some improvements on both sides of the ball, although it didn’t come to any fruition tonight. Luckily, these non-region games give us time to really tune up for when the real season gets here.”
For Carter, the next step is less about making major changes and more about continuing to develop the fundamentals and allowing the team to become more comfortable.
“It felt like more fundamental stuff,” Carter said. “We had several missed tackles that led to explosive plays for the opposing offense. Then, offensively, we had some guys with nerves that cost us key penalties that killed us on some drives, or a missed block that led to a sack or a tackle for a loss, which also killed some drives. I don’t think it’s anything big, just continuing to master those fundamentals and gain confidence.”
That confidence will be especially important for first-year starting quarterback Fisher Blankenship, who Carter praised for his ability to remain poised and composed in difficult situations.
Blankenship understands that his composure can have an impact beyond his own performance. As a young quarterback leading a young team, he knows that his teammates can feed off his demeanor.
“Looking poised and being poised are both very different things, but I would say that I have improved over this season already by staying composed since I know that if I’m showing nerves, then my team around me will as well,” Blankenship said.
Blankenship also emphasized the importance of keeping his teammates focused throughout the game. Having built strong relationships with his teammates, he sees leadership as more than simply what happens between the lines.
“Well, I have always been really close with my team, so picking them up and keeping them focused on the goals that we have set has been fairly easy,” Blankenship said. “Although overall I always try to keep everyone with a clear mind and focused, whether that’s in the weight room or on the field.”
That team-first mentality was evident when Blankenship reflected on his own performance. Rather than focusing on himself, he pointed to the growth he saw from the Colts as a whole.
“I think not just me, but as a team this week, we have improved from last,” Blankenship said. “Not only on the field but also in practice. The main thing I felt that was better than last week was how the team rallied around each other this week and worked together.”
Senior captain Tyler Douglas echoed that emphasis on preparation and communication. Douglas and the Colts spent the week developing different schemes and strategies designed to attack weaknesses in the opposing defense. Once game night arrived, execution came down to communication.
“We discussed certain schemes and strategies to analyze the defense and create plays where there were weaknesses,” Douglas said. “When it came to game time, all it took was communication between the team to make it happen.”
As one of the team’s captains, Douglas also understands his responsibility to help settle the younger players and set the tone for the team. For the older players, confidence is something that must be demonstrated as much as it is spoken.
“Keeping their confidence up is very important,” Douglas said. “Me and the other captains talk very highly of what we are capable of and what we can do if we make it happen. When we older guys show we are not scared of other teams, it shows younger guys they don’t need to worry or be scared either.”
The captains also work to keep the team energized, especially when things become difficult.
“We, as captains, also try to make the game exciting by keeping everyone energetic and excited to play,” Douglas said. “When they are excited to play, it allows us to push through the difficult spots and play together as a team.”
For the young Colts, the season opener was another step in the process. While the result wasn’t what Coahulla Creek wanted, the team showed signs of growth and continued to rally around one another.
As the Colts continue to shake off the nerves and gain confidence, they will look to build on those improvements from week to week and game to game as the season progresses.
Article written by Brinkley Bennett