Coaches Webb, Moss provide season outlook at Rockwall Rotary meeting

(ROCKWALL, TX — Aug. 25, 2016) The road to becoming 2016-17 state champions may seem like a long and difficult one, but that’s not swaying the optimism of Rockwall Yellowjackets Head Coach Rodney Webb and Rockwall-Heath Hawks Head Coach Mickey Moss.

The Rockwall Rotary Club welcomed Coach Webb and Coach Moss at its noon meeting today, who provided their thoughts on how they think they’re teams will fare in what looks to be a very tough season schedule for both squads this year.

The Yellowjackets square off against Highland Park on the road for their first game of the season tomorrow night. In the last 17 years Highland Park has only lost one game at home, going 88-1 in that time span, with their only loss coming against Arkansas-area Pulaski Academy and its trick-play-heavy offense. The Jackets will then face another test in Week 2 versus rival Rowlett at the Cotton Bowl, and will then host the Southlake Carroll Dragons in Week 3. The Jackets will then open district play on the road versus Tyler in Week 4.

“We play a tough schedule because we want to play the best and be the best,” Webb said. “We want to make sure that any weaknesses that we have get exposed early, so that we know what has to be addressed. And believe me, the teams we will play are going to expose our weaknesses.”

Rockwall’s standout receiver/free safety Sam Crawford returns as a senior this year, along with senior running back A.J. Blacknall and the Orji brothers – junior middle linebacker / running back Alston Orji and sophomore defensive back Anfernee Orji. As star quarterback Will Reed moves on to play ball at the next level at Hardin Simmons University, Matthew Jones – a three-year varsity player and backup to Reed for the past two seasons – will step under center as a first-time starter this year.

“It doesn’t even feel like we have a new quarterback,” Webb said. “Matt’s been with us so long, knows the system so well that we expect he’s going to pick up right where Will Reed left off.”

The Rockwall-Heath Hawks face their first challenge of the season tomorrow night at Wilkerson-Sanders Memorial Stadium versus Wylie East. The Hawks will look to figure out how to contain Eno Benjamin, arguably the best running back in the state this year, who will man the Raiders’ Wildcat offense at the quarterback position this season. The following Thursday will see the Hawks go up against West Mesquite on the road in Week 2, versus Irving MacArthur in Week 3 and then a district opener in Week 4 against Tyler Lee at home.

With both teams in Division 6A this year comes the return of the highly anticipated showdown between the Hawks and the Yellowjackets in Week 5 on Sept. 23.

Moss said the Hawks have a young squad yet again this year and will probably start only a handful of seniors this year, with juniors making up the rest of the starting varsity team.

“What I challenged our juniors with was that they have to learn to grow up a year early,” Moss said. “They have to show the maturity that a senior would because they’re going to have to be the leaders for us.”

The Rotary also welcomed Rockwall ISD Athletic Director Russ Reeves, who said the district couldn’t ask for two better men to lead the Rockwall and Rockwall-Heath football programs.

“We’re blessed to have them,” Reeves said. “The thing that I love about these two coaches is that they’re focused on not just the winning but creating men that are going to represent our community, our state and our nation the way we want kids to do.”

Story and photos by Austin Wells, Blue Ribbon News editor.

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