By DAVID PIERCE
Sports Connection Team
The Gosnell Pirates have spiraled since an opening game win over Greene County Tech. Since the team has lost back-to-back games to Missco rivals Rivercrest and Osceola.
Can the Pirates right the ship? It may be a difficult task as they are sailing through rough waters on their way to a matchup against Highland - one of the 4A-3 Conference preseason favorites.
Last season, the Rebels (2-0) snapped a 10-game losing skid to Gosnell with a 26-25 win.
Highland, though, has not played football since Sept. 6 when they defeated Mountain Grove, 14-6. The school district decided to cancel the Sept. 13 matchup against Riverview after the tragic death of a Highland High School student in a car wreck.
Will their first game in 21 days slow the Rebels?
The team is paced by senior running back Kegan Statler who has rushed for 246 yards on 23 carries for a whopping 10.7 per carry average and has reached the end zone four times.
A pair of sophomores are contributing at two skill spots with Austin Christy quarterbacking and Jimmy Jenson at receiver. Christy, who steps in for Zac Huckabee, has thrown for 224 yards and two touchdowns with Jenson being his receiver of choice averaging 56.5 yards per game. Jenson also has a rushing touchdown.
The Rebel 3-4 defensive scheme has surrendered just 20 points, picked off four passes, and has 12 tackles for loss.
Junior Cole Boyer leads the team in tackles with 12 through two games, while Statler isn’t far off the lead with 10. Jenson averages 4.5 tackles per game from his safety position. Ronnie Brewer, a senior, has three of the Rebels four interceptions and has forced a fumble. Sophomore outside linebacker Lexxon Johnson has forced the opponents to cough up the football twice.
Gosnell, meanwhile, has experienced its share of offensive troubles as quarterback play is shaky with sophomore Jamar Allen and junior Chase Perkins sharing time at the position. Neither have been able to take a firm grasp of the job leading the coaching staff to install different offensive packages. The team has run from the Wildcat with Jai Jacobs, who leads the team with four touchdowns, and Daniel Smith taking snaps.
The team’s offensive struggles have resulted in the team falling behind and being unable to gain any ground on their opponents. In fact, of the Pirates four touchdowns in the past two games, three have come in the fourth quarter when the team has been trailing by 20 points or more.
Marcus Anderson, just a sophomore, is a quick, elusive back and leads the team in rushing and could provide some much-needed spark to the offense. Still, Osceola limited Gosnell to just 85 yards on 32 carries.
Questions are abound for the offense but defensively the Pirates appear to be solid. They have surrendered an average of 24 points per game over their previous two but still limited Rivercrest, which is averaging 42 points per game, to three touchdowns and Osceola the same amount. The oppositions’ other points came on special teams and on the defensive side of the ball.
The unit is anchored by leading tacklers Bubba Lucas, JD Young, Daniel Smith and Asarias Gonzalez and will target slowing Statler out of the backfield.
Gosnell will look to halt its two-game skid and get back on the winning track but it will be challenge as they travel to Hardy to face the Rebels.