A-J to host Carterville for homecoming game
source="0a4dc08a7556cd5063a7f75287e1720b.jpg"
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The Carterville High School football team will visit Anna-Jonesboro at The Pit for A-J’s annual homecoming game this Friday night.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">“There will be a lot of excitement,” A-J coach Brett Detering said. “Our challenge will be keeping the kids focused on the game.”</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">The Wildcats enter the game with a 2-2 record. The Lions are 1-3.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">“That record is a little deceiving,” Detering said about Carterville. “They got some guys injured and they are slowly getting them back. They’ve got a lot of weapons.”</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Senior Lion quarterback Blake Hicks was injured earlier in the season and is back leading the attack.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Hicks, a 6-0, 172 pounder, was 14 of 30 passing for 151 yards and a lone interception in last week’s 30-29 loss to Du Quoin. </span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">His main target last week was senior Austin Swalls, 6-1, 171 pounds, who snared 4 passes for 49 yards. </span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Another target was senior Justin Parson-Nalley, 6-1, 185 pounds, who caught 3 passes for 44 yards, including a pair of touchdown passes.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">The top running back was junior Drew Moore, 5-10, 172 pounds, who rushed for 138 yards on 15 carries.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Other running threats are senior Blake Vaughn, 5-11, 178 pounds, and junior Isaac Beauchem, 5-11, 176 pounds. Hicks, who rushed for 1,800 yards last season, had 22 yards rushing on 16 carries in the loss to Du Quoin.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">The Lions’ offensive line has been built around senior Derek Mann, 6-1, 260 pounds. He was an all-conference selection last season.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Other offensive linemen are seniors Noah Ford, 6-1, 210 pounds, and Travis Hunsaker, 6-0, 217 pounds, and juniors Logan Brown, 6-0, 229 pounds, and Garrett Fozzard, 5-10, 254 pounds.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Defensive stalwarts are Mann, Parson-Nalley, Hicks, junior Darien Miller, 6-3, 186 pounds, and senior Brennan Lentz, 5-9, 190 pounds.</span></p><p class="p1"><span class="s1">Carterville coach Dennis Drust is in his 14th season coaching, while Detering is in his 19th. </span></p>