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By Fred Guarino

The Lowndes Signal

“We are getting better even though the score is not a great indicator of that,” said Central High head football coach Michael Perry Jr., following the Lions’ 55-6 loss to the Highland Home Flying Squadron on the road, Friday, Sept. 7.

“These guys have not played much football and we are still learning how to play,” Perry said. “We are running a newer system than in previous years in which we are in situations where we are still one block away, not reading holes, and (having) minor alignment issues.”

But, Perry said, the Lions’ goals are simple, and his team is getting better with each snap.”

“Our motto as a team is “focus, detail, and play for the other 10,” Perry said.

The first-year head football coach at Central also said his team is showing signs of embracing that motto with a “total buy in. “

Against regional opponent Highland Home, Perry said strong safety Resard Moore came on strong on defense along with outside linebacker Londell Hill.

“These are two guys who fly all over the field and are not shy of contact,” he said.

Also, Perry said, Nathan McCall, an eighth grader had a big output on kickoff returns, putting the team in favorable field positions.

Perry said Daylan Preyear led the team offensively when he started reading holes and running downhill.

“When he sticks to doing what he is told, he runs the ball well,” Perry said.

Justin Taylor scored the only touchdown for Central against the Flying Squadron on a 2-yard quarterback sneak. But on the extra point play, Taylor suffered a concussion, according to Perry.

“We will be without Justin Taylor this week (Friday, Sept. 14) versus New Brockton,” Perry said.

Perry said of the upcoming game against New Brockton on the road, “Our goal this week is just to continue to work on us, find our identity as a team.”

Central is 0-2 overall and 0-1 in 2A Region 3 football.

For the game against Highland Home, Central had 115 yards of total offense, all on the ground.

Preyear accounted for 102 of those yards on 14 carries. Also for the Lions, Hugh Smith had one carry for 5 yards, Nathan McCall had two carries for four yard and Moore had two carries for 4 yards.

Taylor’s only carry was for the 2-yard quarterback sneak.

Defensively, Moore led the Lions with 10 tackles and five tackles for loss, and Hill had seven tackles, one assist and four tackles for loss.

On Friday, Sept. 14, Central will travel to New Brockton for a regional encounter.