Miners make the best of scrimmage
MARTIN COUCH Sports editor

TOTIN' THE MAIL BOB MCADORY PHOTO Bauxite's running back Steven Brooks breaks free down field for a 48-yard touchdown run.

The Bauxite Miners got a preview of what this week's season-opener against Bald Knob could be like.

The Miners defeated the Murfreesboro Rattlers 33-8 in last Thursday's scrimmage game.

Head coach Jon Watson was pleased overall with the team's performance.

"You don't know a lot until you look at the film, but there is a reason we have a scrimmage and that's to try to point out to the kids some of the things they are doing wrong, so they can see it live," Watson said. "It was a great scrimmage. It gave us a lot of good stuff to work on. I thought our kids as usual played with class and that's real important."

Josh Cauldwell and Rustin Kidd anchored the defensive line for the Miners and had several stops in the first two Murfreesboro series. It took a while for the Bauxite offense to get comfortable with back-up quarterback Ty Hughes, but as the second quarter started, Hughes led a drive that was capped off by a 1-yard run by Blake Wood.

TACKLED BOB MCADORY PHOTO A host of Bauxite Miner defenders bring down the quarterback.

Hughes added the extra point for a 7-0 lead.

Bauxite scored again when Steven Brooks broke loose for a 48-yard touchdown run. Hughes added the kick to make it 14-0 before halftime.

Caleb Perry recovered a Murfreesboro fumble early in the third quarter and Tan- ner Bates scored on a 1-yard run.

The Miners fumbled the ball to Murfreesboro on an ill-advised last second pitch by quarterback Hayden Davis. The Rattlers marched the field and scored their first points to make it 20-8.

Bauxite came back with Hughes back under center. He hit Dakota Hill in stride on a slant for a 62-yard touchdown run. Defensively, Austin Hicks, Zac Moore and Alex Brooks combined to make stops and Brooks had a deflection on a pass attempt.

Hughes capped off the scoring in the game with a 16-yard run.

"Considering the circumstances, the pressure that Ty Hughes has been under, I was proud of what he gave us in the ball game," Watson said. "He brought a lot to the game. He will be the first to say the kids around him did a good job, too. If these guys come around some more, we might put a pretty good team on the field."

HANDOFF BOB MCADORY PHOTO Miner quarterback Ty Hughes hands off to runner Blake Wood.