Du Quoin visits A-J in big conference game
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Du Quoin High School football coach A.J. Hill would like to forget about last week’s game.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">“We played kind of sloppy,” Hill said. “We came out kind of flat and never got in to it.”</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Du Quoin lost 33-21 to Sparta and will travel to The Pit this Friday to take on host Anna-Jonesboro.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Game time is set for 7 p.m. The game will be aired on WIBH radio in Anna.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">“It doesn’t get any easier,” A-J coach Brett Detering said. “The two teams we have left are 2-1 in the conference. In our conference, every Friday is a tough team this season.”</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">After Du Quoin, the Wildcats host Sparta, 5-1, and travel to non-conference Benton, 2-4, to close out regular season play.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">The Indians are 3-3 overall and the Wildcats are 2-4.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">The Indians have been led at quarterback by junior Caleb Vogel, 6-3, 160 pounds. He was 7 of 17 passing for 118 yards, but with two interceptions.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">The Du Quoin backfield attack is led by junior Zayne Fornear, 5-10, 185 pounds. He rushed for 142 yards in 24 carries in the loss.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Another backfield threat is junior Bryce Clarry, 5-8, 190 pounds. He rushed for 20 yards on 4 carries.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Top offensive linemen are sophomore Cullen Higgins, 6-3, 230 pounds and senior Ryne O’Rourke, 6-3, 245 pounds.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Defensive stalwarts have been Clarry and juniors Devin Jones, 6-4, 240 pounds and Chandler Stevenson, 5-9, 190 pounds.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1"> “We’re a young team,” Hill said. “To win, we’ve got to go down there and make sure we clean up our mistakes and play heads up football.”</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Detering hopes the homefield advantage puts A-J back on the winning track after three consecutive losses.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">“Hopefully, it will be to our advantage,” he said.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">A-J could still be in the running for a playoff berth if its finishes out the season with a pair of wins and finish at 5-4.</span></p>