Hornets hope to step up against Boling
By KRIS BAGLEY sports@leader-news.com

L-N Photo by Chris Barbee Indian Wrestler Clint Barrera wrestles a Ganado receiver to the ground after a complete pass complete at the Indians' 42-yard line with 4:40 left to play. Even with a great defensive effort, the Hornets fell to Ganado 20-13.

The 2-1 Hornets will host the 1-1 Boling Buldogs Friday as football action continues for Louise.

Head Coach Rodney Dowell and the Hornets started out the year 2-0, but fell to Ganado last week 20-13.

This week could be a chance for the Hornets to seek revenge over the Ganado loss. Boling defeated the Indians 54-21 before taking last Friday off.

"We need to win this game because we need to exercise some demons that we feel like we didn't take care of last week," he said. "If for any reason, to send a message to Ganado that they were lucky, because we beat the team that beat them."

Dowell admitted that it will be dificult for the Hornets to overcome Boling's swift offensive attack.

Led by running back B.W. McLeod, who has scored six touchdowns and rushed for 300 yards this season, the Bulldogs will be a tough opponent.

"They're as athletic as they can be. That big running back, I don't know if I've seen anything like him in a long time. He can take some- thing that's nothing and turn it into a 70-yard touchdown run.

"At the same time, everybody talks about their quarterback being gone from last year (Wayland Griggs). This kid that they've got playing now (Justin Hobbs), he might be just as good in a lot of aspects - especially throwing."

Hobbs has completed 22 of 32 passes for 320 yards and two touchdowns in only two games.

In order to win, Dowell said, the Hornets defense will have to smother Boling's offensive attack.

Louise's defense has been strong this year. They have allowed 368 rushing and 355 passing yards and only 26 points in three games.

"We have to shut down their offense," Dowell said. "They've got a high-powered offense. They're spread and shotgun the whole time. We've just got to do our best job of tackling, running the football and taking care of our responsibilities to beat them."

If the Hornets are to step up against the Bulldogs, they will have to do so without two key players lost in Friday's game with Ganado.

Ganado 20, Hornets 13

Quarterback Nick Barrera and running back C.J. Clements both left the game with knee injuries. The Hornets found out Monday that with anterior cruciate and medial collateral ligament tears, both seniors would be done for the rest of the year.

Louise has a deep roster of running backs, including Kyle Lawson, Antwon Parson and Chris Hicks to step up for Clements.

The Hornets will rely on Cory Hajovsky at quarterback now that Barrera is out. Dowell said Hajovsky did a good job Friday filling in and he only expects improvement in the next few weeks.

"I told Cory and Nick going into this year, that you just never know who you're going to need and when you're going to need them. I was thankful that we had Cory and we moved the ball with Cory."

After Parson returned the game's opening kickoff for a touchdown, Hajovsky led the Hornets in another score to take the lead 13-0.

"We had that one long drive, the first scoring drive, and Cory was quarterback the whole drive," Dowell said.

Clements combined with Hajovsky for some great runs in the game after Barrera's injury.

"We were very emotional about the game to begin with," Dowell said. "When Nick went down, it was like we even had more of a goal. C.J. took that so personal when Nick went down, that he just kind of took over the game."

Lawson finished off what Clements and Hajovsky started with a 6-yard touchdown run to put Louise in a good lead.

Clements later went down to injury and the Hornet offense was stunned.

The Indians came back with two touchdowns to tie the game and scored another one in the late seconds to claim victory over the Hornets 20-13.

The loss and injuries hurt Louise, but Dowell pointed out that his team is still a strong force for the season. He hopes Boling finds that out Friday.

"We certainly still have a chance to beat people," Dowell said. "Our cupboard is not bare just because we lost two guys. This team wasn't defined by two guys and it never will be. This is a big commitment by 30 guys. When one goes down, we've got to step up."