As promised, every Lee Academy player played during the 2018 District 1-AAA Football Jamboree last Friday at North Delta School. The Colts lost a competitive 6-0 contest to District 1-AAA Bayou Academy then fought to a 0-0 deadlock against District I-AAAA foe Magnolia Heights in the second game.
“We had some kids who melted down,” said athletic director and head football coach Rick Johnston. “It was hot as blazes over there.”
The head coach said his team played well but missed several opportunities both offensively and defensively.
“We should have intercepted three passes at least,” he pointed out. “And Brett didn’t seem comfortable at quarterback. Hopefully he will as the season progresses.”
The regular season starts Friday night as the Colts travel to Holly Springs to play District 1-AA powerhouse Marshall Academy, who went deep into the playoffs last season and only lost the quarterback that took them there.
“Marshall is an unknown quantity this season,” Johnston says. “We will just have to do what we do and do it well.”
The head coach says his team is not deep and cannot afford injuries during the season.
“We’ve got good speed but don’t have the numbers and can’t afford injuries,” he says, adding: “And we are not as big as we need to be. But, we will play hard.”
Johnston will stick with the starting eleven he went with in the jamboree on offense. Wilson will be the signal caller with senior running back Hayes Clegg at running back with junior Gage Murphy seeing a lot of playing time. The slots will be senior Evan Watts and junior Seth Campbell with junior Phillip Brownlee and sophomore Nickos Nolan handling the wide out positions.
An undersized offensive line will be led by junior Rutledge Agostinelli at center flanked by guards senior Owen Williamson and junior Shane Griffin. The offensive tackles will be senior Crawford Allen and sophomore Andrew Williamson.
Defensively, Johnston will start Clegg and Griffin at the tackle slots with senior Jackson Young seeing a lot of playing time. Andrew Williamson and Allen will man the defensive end positions with Watts and senior Jeffrey Corso at the outside linebacker positions with junior Landon Wong seeing a lot of playing time at the position. Campbell and Murphy will be the inside linebackers.
Senior Andrew Morson and Nolan will serve as the cornerbacks defensively with Wilson doing double duty as the safety.
Wilson will also punt for the Colts while sophomore Michael Basha will handle kickoffs and placements and Luke Crumpton will hold the placements.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
