NEWPORT — At different points this season, Scotty Dykes has seen his team’s mental makeup be tested.
That was the case again Friday night, as the Fighting Cocks battled for four quarters in a 41-38 loss to David Crockett on Homecoming.
And despite the loss, Dykes insisted that his team passed that test with flying colors.
“The way they played and how hard they played, they took a big step forward,” said Dykes. “Even in a loss, I think they gained some confidence.”
CCHS will look to turn that confidence into its first win of the season this week, as it travels 34 miles up Highway 321 to face Chuckey-Doak in Afton on Thursday night at 7 p.m.
The game was originally slated for Friday night, but CCHS AD Dr. Robert Vick informed The Plain Talk on Tuesday that the game would be moved due to severe weather that is expected Friday night.
The Black Knights enter the game at 1-4 overall and 0-1 in Region 1-3A following last week’s 56-3 loss to Pigeon Forge.
Meanwhile, CCHS is 0-5 overall and 0-2 in Region 1-5A.
Coming into this matchup, CCHS is focusing on its opponent, but also trying to work on itself.
Depth has been an issue so far, as has run defense, as Crockett took advantage of both in a game-winning drive last Friday.
“We’ve got to find a few more bodies to give more of a rotation and have us more fresh in the fourth quarter,” said Dykes. “Then maybe look at the schemes we’re running. We’ve got to continue to find ways to put our kids in the best spot to win.”
That will be put to the test again this week, as Chuckey-Doak has run the ball quite a bit in the first half of the regular season.
“They’re going to get behind their line and run right at us,” said Dykes. “I think they’ve had some injuries as well, but that will be our main concern.”
Speaking of injuries, Dykes said he feels better about where his team is in terms of health this week.
“I’d say we’re getting close to an 85% range,” he said. “This past week I want to say we had nine guys out, but a couple of them should be coming back.”
CCHS will look to use its returning guys, as well as skill players like Daniel Price and Tucker Hembree, against a 4-3 Chuckey Doak defense.
“We were able to run and throw pretty efficiently last week, so we’re pretty balanced,” he said. “I think they’ll load the box to stop the run, but I think Daniel and Talon (Leas) and Colton (Sane) ran the ball well and our receivers made big plays.
“They’re not as blitz heavy as some teams we’ve faced, but they bring pressure at certain times. They like to sit back and play coverage.”
That should give CCHS an opportunity to establish its running game early against the Black Knights, who are led by second-year head coach Billy Taylor.
But more importantly, it will help to reinforce more of the confidence that Dykes saw last week.
“They saw we can play with anyone that’s on the field with us, but we have to execute and can’t make repetitive mistakes,” he said. “So we’ll just continue to work on us, then look up at the end of the year and see if it’s good enough.”
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