It was about 4:30 p.m. when Tiger football players arrived at Robinson High School for their final scrimmage of the 2022 pre-season.
But with rainfall throughout the state of Texas for much of the week, including Thursday when the two teams met up, the Tigers were forced to wait. RHS head football coach and at h letic di rec to ry Jacob Campsey said that the junior varsity ended up not and that his varsity getting to play squad had a shorter scrimmage that began at 8:30, four hours after they first arrive.
“The hardest part was that we arrived in Robinson around 4:30 or 5 o’clock and had to sit around until 8:30,” Campsey said. “There was rain and lightning the entire time and the sub-varsity didn’t even get to play.”
“Our varsity had to sit around in the locker room for three and a half hours before all of the sudden going out and playing,” he said.
However, the third-year Tiger coach thought there were benefits for his team being put in a situation like the one they were in.
“I think that this was good for us,” he said. “I think having to go through something like that is a plus at this time of the year.”
When the two teams finally were able to hit the field, the Tigers didn’t waste anytime.
The two teams took some time to work on offense and defense, then ended their long they played one live quarter short ly thereafter. The Bl u e and-Gold ultimately evening on a high note, thanks to a Robert Owens pick and a Blaydn Barcak touchdown that gave RHS a 13-7 victory in the live portion of the scrimmage.
“The controlled part of the scrimmage was pretty even,” he said. “We had a running clock, so it was very quick.”
“But I thought we ended up getting work that we needed done,” he added. “Also, after waiting around and not being to do anything, the kids had to get into focus fast. They got after it.”
Campsey also noted that Cruz San Migel, who has made the transition from linebacker to safety this season, made an interception late in the live quarter that led to Barcak’s touchdown, which won the scrimmage.
Overall, the Tiger coaching staff was impressed with how they ran the ball and how his team’s defense played.
“I think we ran the ball better than we did in the game before,” Campsey said. “On defense, we got a look at a team that is similar to us and we did a good job of limiting big plays.”
The Devine native said that the Tigers were able to stop Robinson a couple of times on third and fourth downs as well.
TEAGUE— On Friday evening, RHS football players lace up for their season opener more than 90 miles away from Rockdale High School in Teague.
Similar to the Tigers in District 10-3A-I, the Lions are picked to place fifth by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine, right outside of the playoff bubble in District 8-3A-I.
According to the magazine, THS has some “hard-hitters” on defense that include linemen Hayden Lummus and E’maje Holmes, who also plays running back on the other side of the ball and brings a bit of speed up front. Other hitters mentioned by the publication are linebackers Korey Silar and Dax Linscomb, who transferred to the Freestone County school after his father, Zach, was hired as the head coach this past spring.
The elder Linscomb used to coach at Rockdale and was a part of Robbie Clark’s staff during the 2004 and 2005 seasons.
Campsey says the Lions resemble the Tigers, in many ways.
“They’re similar to us,” he said. “They got some size up front and they have some skill.”
“It’s a little like watching yourself on film,” Campsey added. “They run the same system that we do, so we’ll be playing what we’ve been practicing this last month, which isn’t a bad thing.”
Going into their f irst of four non-district contests, the goal for the Tigers is not only to end the night victorious, but to keep penalties to a minimum, something that plagued the 2021 Rockdale team.
“The number one goal is to win,” he said. “But generally speaking, our goal is to control what we can control. “One of the things we didn’t do well in our scrimmages with deal was penalties. We had a lot of penalties and we have to eliminate them. We have to play clean and we have to choose discipline, that’s what I’ve been telling our kids.” For more information about this week’s upcoming game, see box on page 1B.
JUNIOR VARSITY— Rockdale’s junior varsity squad also plays their first game of the 2022 season this week and faces Teague, but they play on Thursday and get to stay at home.
Kick-off is 6 p.m. at Tiger Stadium. JUNIOR HIGH— RJH football players make their debut on Thursday, Sept. 8, against Lee County neighbor Lexington.
The games will take places at Tiger Stadium.
Rockdale High School junior Mason Lillard drags away one of the tackling dummies used during the Blue-and-Gold’s scrimmage with Robinson on Friday, Aug. 12. Willard and the Tigers hit the road this Friday to take on Teague in their season opener.
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