Wildcats face Murphysboro in home opener Friday night

The 1-0 Anna-Jonesboro Community High School football team is scheduled to play its first home game of the 2013 season Friday, Sept. 6, against 0-1 Murphysboro.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. The game will be aired on WIBH radio. The game also can be heard on line by visiting www.annanews.com.

The Red Devils were defeated 43-0 by Jackson County rival Carbondale last Friday in their season opener.

“We got inside the 10 (yard line) several times and we shot ourselves in the foot,” Murphysboro coach Gary Carter said. “You’ve got to score when you get down there.”

“I never read too much in scores, positive or negative,” A-J coach Brett Detering said. “These are 17-year-old kids and you never know about them.”

Detering said that turnovers had a big impact on the outcome of the game.

The Red Devils will attempt to bounce back this week behind senior quarterback Austin Reed, 6-0, 165 pounds. He was 2 of 6 passing for 39 yards against the Terriers.

Junior Patrick Stanton, 6-4, 170 pounds, was the leading receiver with 31 yards on one reception.

Senior Aeian Baird, 5-9, 189 pounds, was the top rusher with 72 yards on 20 carries. Junior Da’Shon Battles, 5-10, 170 pounds, added 64 yards on 6 carries.

The Murphysboro offensive line is anchored around senior Sheldon Klaus, 6-3, 205 pounds; Drew Hopkins, 6-0, 210 pounds; junior Taylor Streeter, 6-0, 210 pounds; senior Justin Stilley, 5-11, 205 pounds and junior Lance Anders, 5-11, 220 pounds.

Defensive players that Carter is counting on are Battles; Klaus; senior Kaleb Jarrett, 5-10, 165 pounds; junior Austin Helfrich, 5-7, 150 pounds; and junior Lance Anders, 5-11, 220 pounds.

Carter knows what it will take to beat the Wildcats. “We can not give up the big play against them,” Carter said. “And, we can’t let them score in 5 seconds.”

Carter said his defense will have to stop the one-two punch of quarterback Jay Kemp and running back Damian Reed to have any chance of being competitive in the game.