Defense stands out today during Aledo Bearcats spring football game

Having been Aledo's defensive coordinator for many years before taking over four years ago as head coach, Steve Wood was pleased with the defensive effort the Bearcats displayed today in the annual spring game this morning at Bearcat Stadium.

Unofficially, the "White" team defeated the "Orange" team, 17-0, although an apparent "pick-6" by cornerback Jeffrey "Scooby" Carter was not recognized on the scoreboard.

“I thought the defense got after it,” Wood said. “The defense watches our offense every day, and we have a lot of returners who have a lot of sports sense, and sometimes they called out the (offense’s) play before the ball was snapped.

“That’s the way it is. But in a game like this, in the end somebody is going to be happy and somebody mad after every play. But yes, the defense was physical, and I was proud of them. We should have a good defense and we have to have a good defense – we have never been real good when we didn’t have a great defense.”

Wood, however, as a head coach, was a little concerned with the offense. The first team offense did not find the end zone against the first-team defense, but the second/third offense scored twice - on a nine-yard touchdown run by tailback Gatlin Johnson and on a 40-yard pass from Hampton Fay to Mylen Hayhurst.

"We have some pretty good defensive players who were making it hard on us throwing the football, especially with the 1s (No. 1 unit)," Wood said. "Hampton improved unbelievably throughout the spring – he has come so far and he will be a great football player for us." Fay played receiver with the No. 1 offense.

“But in defense of the offense," Wood continued, "we were quick-whistling a lot of plays (including scrambles for positive yardage by No. 1 quarterback Jake Bishop) where there would have been more yards made because we didn’t want them to get hit.”

Ellison to wait on decision

Highly-recruited Aledo all-state defensive end Colt Ellison told The Community News that he will wait until late July or August to make a decision on where he will play college football. Ellison, who will be a senior, said TCU and Notre Dame are the front runners, but he also stated that could change.

“I need to take some more visits," Ellison said. "I am going to visit  Ol’ Miss (University of Mississippi) on June 6th and then University of Washington on June 21st. I will have one more (official) visit that I will take in July but I am not sure where.”

For more on Ellison and the spring game see the June 1 issue of The Community News.

Aledo receiver Mylen Hayhurst (23) races down the sideline toward the end zone on a touchdown reception this morning during the Bearcats' spring game.