ELKMONT FRIDAY NIGHT RESULTS

Elkmont wasn't able to overcome the more experienced and older Brooks Lions team last night.  The Red Devils are in a rebuilding year and the roster reflects that as more than half are underclassmen.  They are learning and gaining valuable game experience with each snap but the process of rebuilding is never as fun.   Hopefully, our team will have recovered from the various injuries from the Ardmore and Brooks games as they line up next Friday at Wilson High School.

Link to Articles across the area:
Decatur Daily  
*Brooks 28, Elkmont 13: Brooks (2-0, 1-0) defeated Elkmont (0-2) in each team’s first region matchup of the year.

Florence Times Daily 
*It was not pretty, but a win is a win. In a game much closer than the score would suggest, Brooks (2-0, 1-0) defeated Elkmont (0-2, 0-1) 28-13. 

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE BROOKS LIONS?

The Elkmont Red Devils are traveling this week.  The Brooks Lions are on the schedule this Friday.  So the question is, what will Elkmont be facing?

Brooks finished 5-5 last season and missed the playoffs for the first time since 1999. The Lions lost a few assistant coaches throughout the summer, but brought in four assistants earlier this month, including AHSAA Hall of Fame coach Jackie Ferguson, who boasts three state championships. Black also touts former head coaches Jeff Peek and Barry Daniel on staff.  The Lions opened their 2015 season at Sheffield and sent the Bulldogs back to the doghouse, winning 56-20.

Offense
Senior Tyce Thomas will be starting at quarterback for the third year in a row. Thomas is a threat both running and passing.“Tyce has really matured, both physically and mentally,” Black said. “He is a really good athlete as well as an excellent leader for us. This could be a big year for him.

The Lions have another weapon in junior Kolton Medley, who will be starting for the third year. Medley will be used at running back, receiver and possibly even quarterback. Joe Gurley and Lazarius Decatur give Brooks two big-play threats at wide receiver. Marcus Haataja and Deondre Hampton take over at running back. The offensive line is led by senior center Eli Parker. Junior tackle Sawyer Hanback and sophomore guard Kameron Stutts are returning starters.
“Our guys know they have something to prove because we struggled offensively at times last year,” Black said. “They are ready to do things now which they just were not physically and mentally ready to do because we were so young the past two years.”

Defense
Eight starters return, including four linebackers. Senior Jake Whitehead is a two-year starter at inside linebacker. Sophomore Seth Yerby also started last year and he will be joined by junior Collin Anderson, who returns to Brooks after one year at Fairhope. Andrew and Matthew Rainey return at outside linebacker. “This may be the best group of linebackers we’ve had since I’ve been here,” Black said. “These guys have played a lot the past two years. Everyone is back and we’ve been able to build some good depth.”

The secondary should also be a strength with Medley, an all-area candidate at safety. Gurley, Brandon Atkinson and Decatur all have experience at cornerback and safety. The defensive line has experience with juniors Trent Tidwell and Payne Correll, along with senior Nick Spanides returning.

New Coach
Brad Black, an 11-year veteran assistant coach, will pace the sidelines as a head coach for the first time this season. Junior linebacker Colin Anderson said there really isn’t a difference in coaching styles between Black and Hill, although he noted that Black is a bit more vocal.“They’re both pretty much the same,”
 
Extra Points

In addition to starting at wide receiver and cornerback, Gurley is also one of the area’s top kickers. … Brooks finished 5-5 in 2014 and missed the playoffs for the first time since 1999. “Not making the playoffs last year really hurt, and our kids know that it is unacceptable here,” Black said. “That has been a huge motivator for us during the offseason.” … Black said the key for the Lions is how the players mesh as a team. “The best teams we have had here have been the ones that are the closest,” he said. “They have to play together and play for each other. If these guys can become a true team then the sky is the limit for them.”

 
Roster:

FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS

Elkmont is traveling to E.D. Redding Stadium to play the Brooks Lions this Friday.  The Lions roared through their season opener beating Sheffield, 56-20.  The Red Devils weren't able to pull off a win in their season opener vs the Ardmore Tigers.  With players nursing injuries, this game will be even tougher to win.  Kick off: 7 pm

Decatur Daily Prediction

Where: E.D. Redding Stadium

What: Class 4A, Region 8 game

Records: Elkmont (0-1); Brooks (1-0)

Last season: Elkmont won 41-35

The skinny: Brooks junior Deondre Hampton ran past Sheffield to the tune of 239 yards and six touchdowns, while quarterback Tyce Thomas rattled off 214 passing yards to beat Sheffield 56-20 last week. … Elkmont running back Eli Hobbs ran for a touchdown and quarterback Jordan Nelson tacked on a score in last week’s 33-20 loss to Ardmore.

The Daily picks: Brooks 42, Elkmont 28

source: Decatur Daily

GAME INFORMATION

• Weather - humid, low 30s, slight chance of rain at kickoff

BROOKS GAME IN PICTURES

Elkmont caged the Brooks Lions 41- 35 last Friday.  However, the game is always more than the score so the Hill Spirit has the day in pictures.

Special thanks to all those who contributed pictures.  Down Home Portraits has 158 great photos of the Elkmont/Brooks game.  If you are interested in ordering, you can message them on their facebook page.

ELKMONT TAMES LIONS

Hill Spirit Thoughts:  Great win for the Elkmont Red Devils.  Three papers had coverage of the game but the best one is the Florence Daily Times.  If you would like a hard copy of the game article, the Daily Times is the one to pick up.

Elkmont got its second win of the season, running out to a 41-0 lead and holding off a Brooks rally to post a 41-35 victory in the Class 4A, Region 8 opener.  Trailing 41-0, Brooks scored five touchdowns, using a long punt return and two onside kicks to spark the comeback.

Elkmont (2-0, 1-0) recovered a final Brooks onside attempt with just over two minutes left and ran out the clock for the win.  Jared Bailey led Elkmont with 83 yards and three touchdowns on nine carriers.

 For Brooks (1-1, 0-1), quarterback Tyce Thomas passed for 194 yards and added 75 yard rushing. He passed for two touchdowns and ran for a third.

Elkmont lead 27-0 at the half and 41-7 to start the fourth quarter.

 “It’s hard to fight back when you get that far down,” Brooks coach Jerry Hill said. “Elkmont is big and strong and we felt we could use our speed against them. We finally started doing that in the fourth, but it was too late. I am proud of the way our kids fought back.” 

Bailey got the game’s first two touchdowns with runs of 27 and 23 yards.  A 47-yard run by Mike Tucker, who was later injured, and a 9-yard run by Bailey pushed the lead to 27-0 at the half. 

Elkmont’s lead grew to 34-0 on a 39-yard run by Eli Hobbs. Jordan Nelson’s 2-yard run made it 41-0 with 2:59 left in the third. Brooks finally ended the scoring drought with 40 seconds left in the third when Thomas passed 26 yards to Kolton Medley for a touchdown. Joe Gurley kicked the extra point.

After a Elkmont punt, Braden Tank scored on a 3-yard run. Brooks then recovered the first of two onside kicks with 9:33 to play. Thomas scored on a 14-yard run, and after the second onside kick was recovered, Austin Moore ran in from 5 yards out.  Following an Elkmont punt, Thomas passed 27 yards to Lazarius Decatur on fourth down and 15 to get Brooks within 41-35. But Elkmont finally recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock to secure the win.

 source: Florence Daily Times

Facebook Info on Mike Tucker:

He went to Huntsville hospital. Everything checked out fine. He had got some tingling in his neck right when he got hit and it went right away.  

Mike's X-rays were good. He has been released and is heading to Elkmont to join his team mates! God is good!!

WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE BROOKS LIONS?

The Elkmont Red Devils start region play today as they host the Brooks Lions.  Kickoff is at 7 pm.  Please respect reserve seating on the home side.

2014 Brooks Lions Breakdown

Offense:

The Lions were not much of a threat throwing the ball in 2013, something head coach Jerry Hill expects to change this season.  Brooks returns all of its skill players and all but one offensive linemen from last season. That includes running back Braden Tank, who ran for almost 800 yards, along with junior quarterback Tyce Thomas.
 

"Tyce was new to our team last year and he didn't have a clue what he was doing early in the season because we just threw him into the fire," Hill said. "He is miles ahead of where he was a year ago. He went to several camps this summer and really worked to get better.  The other thing that hurt our passing game last year was that all of our receivers were freshmen. They have matured a lot and all of them are 6-foot-1 or taller. We feel like we'll be able to throw it around this year."
 

Joe Gurley leads the young group of wide receivers. Sophomore Kolton Medley will also be used at wide receiver. Medley emerged as a play-maker last year as a freshman and will again be utilized in a number of different ways.

"Kolton will line up everywhere," Hill said. "We'll use him at quarterback, running back and in the slot. He's a guy that is very dangerous with the ball in his hands."

Seniors Matthew Moon and Peyton Brewer will be the leaders on the offensive line. Hill loves the fact that none of his offensive linemen will be asked to play defense this season. Brooks will continue to run a multiple offense, which includes the veer option. The Lions averaged 20.1 points per game in 2013, despite being held to 10 total points in their final three games.

Defense

The Lions lost their two leaders on defense in linebacker A.J. Flippo and defensive end Alex McDonald. There are several players returning with experience, although most of them are still young.

"We should have more depth defensively," Hill said. "We will be playing a lot of young guys, but they are used to playing together. Last year we were very vanilla defensively because of our youth. This year we should be able to mix things up more and go back to doing some of the things we've done in the past which we were not able to do a year ago."
 

Nose tackle Trent Tidwell started every game last year as a freshman and he gives the Lions good size up front. Seniors Koby Littrell and Tristan Bevis, along with sophomore Jake Whitehead give Brooks an experienced and talented group of linebackers.

 

Extra points

Hill is beginning his 11th season as head coach at his alma mater. He has an overall record of 85-33 and has led the Lions to a playoff berth in each of his previous 11 seasons. ... Brooks has qualified for the playoffs in 14 consecutive seasons. "Our kids expect to go to the playoffs and our community expects it as well," Hill said. "Making the playoffs last year with such a young team says a lot about our kids. Nobody wants to be the team that ends the playoff streak." ... After starting 13 freshmen in 2013, the Lions are a much more experienced team this year. 

Still, Brooks has only nine seniors on its roster and Hill said there is a lot of difference between an experienced senior and an experienced sophomore. "We've got a lot of young guys with experience, but physically and mentally they are still sophomores," he said. "They made a lot of progress in the last year, but they are still not fully developed physically. But they are tough kids and have progressed better than I expected."

source: Florence Times Daily

Lions Roster