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Bulls to resume game Saturday night

By Donnie Biggers

Sports Correspondent

Published: August 22, 2009

It's not often coaches get almost a day to game plan the next play.
That, however, is the situation Hickory Ridge's Ragin Bulls and Carson High School will be looking at tonight.
The season prep football opener for both teams was put in a holding pattern due to lightning Friday night. The game will resume tonight at 7:30 at Hickory Ridge with the Ragin' Bulls leading 19-13.
"We made some pretty good adjustments during the game," said Hickory Ridge coach Marty Paxton. "Now we'll see what we can do with those adjustments, and like (Carson), we'll go back into the chalkboard a little bit and see what happens."
The game will resume two plays into the fourth quarter with Carson having the ball at the Bulls' 49-yard line after a 28-yard run by Shaun Warren.
Through the first three quarters Hickory Ridge certainly showed promise on both sides of the ball in taking the 19-13 lead. Slotback Cody Cothren took a reverse 68 yards for a touchdown on the Bulls 'second play from scrimmage for a quick 7-0 lead.
Paxton, however, was concerned with Hickory Ridge's execution at times through the first three quarters.
"Penalties, penalties and more penalties on our part...we shot ourselves in the foot," said Paxton. "Those kind of things happen in your first game, but at the same time that is still unacceptable."
Due to key penalties, potential scoring drives for Hickory Ridge never materialized while leading 13-0 in the second quarter and late in third.
At the time of the stoppage, Cothren and junior running back Brian Baltimore had turned in big games for Hickory Ridge. Baltimore had 117 yards on 17 carries while Cothren had 109 on seven.
Paxton, who said he had to play through a similar situation as a player at Concord High in 1993 at Piedmont, said the delay could aid his team.
"We started out like gangbusters, but then I felt like our guys got a little gassed," said Paxton. "I thought we were physically prepared but it was really hot out here tonight and I understand that they get tired running as hard as they do in that heat."
Carson was staying in the game thanks mainly to the play of Warren. After his 28-yard carry to open the final quarter, he has 167 yards on 17 carries and both Cougar touchdowns.