When Cory Hollingsworth juked and ducked out of Aberdeen mere days before the start of the football season, a few thoughts crossed my mind.
1) Whoah!
2) Man, that’s a major loss for the Tigers, who lost their head coach in both football and basketball. Clearly, the timing of Hollingsworth’s move to The Dalles, Ore., announced about a week before the start of fall camp, threw a twist into Aberdeen’s preseason.
3) I was mad at Hollingsworth. He abandoned a group of football players who helped the Tigers reach the 2A state playoffs five of the last six years.
4) With him gone, advantage Soda Springs, Malad and West Side.
Later, though, I spoke with Hollingsworth on the phone. The job he took in The Dalles is closer to his wife’s family. He applied for it months ago, didn’t get the job and it had just recently came open again.
And here’s the big kicker that erased any negative emotions I had about the move. Hollingsworth said the new job came close to a $30,000 raise. That’s staggering.
So good luck coach Hollingsworh.
Plus, as it turns out, Jeff Duffin slid into the Hollingsworth role, the rest of the Tigers coaching staff remained in place and the Tigers are rolling anyway.
Before the season, Duffin stressed they would play just as they had with Hollingsworth, and the team’s coaching staff could handle the transition, even on such short notice.
Have they ever.
Aberdeen is 3-1 overall. With senior quarterback Clancy Beck leading the way, the Tigers’ offense — apart from a 36-12 drubbing at North Fremont — is humming along at 31 points a game. And the defense has held American Falls to 13 points, Oakley to seven and Ririe to 17.
Granted, the combined record of Aberdeen opponents — the ones they’ve beaten — is 2-9. No one, at least outside the town of Aberdeen, is putting the Tigers at the top of any list for state championship favorites.
But the Tigers’ record, and its recent history of playing beyond the regular season, illustrates the point that the battle to reach the playoffs out of the 2A 5th District is going to be like watching four ravenous coyotes fight over a stiff carcass.
Combined, Aberdeen, West Side, Malad and Soda Springs are 10-5.
The Pirates, currently ranked fourth in the state, have been particularly impressive. After they gagged away an early 12-point lead to Firth in Dayton, eventually losing 24-12, WS pummeled Rich County (Utah), West Jefferson and American Falls.
The average margin of victory comes in at 20 points, and all three games were on the road.
West Side has a bye this week, Bear Lake Oct. 4 and then the conference blitz begins.
Malad has the worst record of the bunch (2-2), but I’m not sure the Dragons aren’t the best team. They won at Marsh Valley, rocked Ririe and nearly upset Firth before last week’s 48-42 loss at Bear Lake.
Malad is dynamic offensively, but the tough schedule doesn’t get any easier when Sugar-Salem arrives in Malad City Friday.
Soda Springs has one blemish on its record, a 19-7 defeat at Bear Lake. After that loss, the Cardinal must have found something in their bye week, because they piled 34 points on North Fremont in Soda last weekend. That’s 21 more points than they had total the first two weeks.
Before the Cardinals commence conference action, they have two 3A schools — Marsh Valley and American Falls — visiting Soda Springs.
So, roughly, we’re a couple weeks away before the shroud hovering over the 5th District is cleared up. Early on, West Side, ranked fourth in the state, is the favorite. But good luck figuring out who else will survive and remain as one of the final three teams to clamber into the postseason.
What’s in Aberdeen’s advantage: The Tigers get both the Cardinals and Dragons in Aberdeen.
What’s working against Aberdeen: The Tigers travel to West Side Oct. 4 after playing Snake River Friday. That’s a two-game stretch where big losses could — could, I said, I’ve learned not to underestimate this team — demoralize Aberdeen.
What’s in Malad’s advantage: The Dragons get West Side at home.
What’s working against Malad: The schedule. Since smacking around Ririe, Malad jumped into a stretch of games going something like this ... Firth, Bear Lake, Sugar-Salem, West Side, Soda Springs, Aberdeen. That’s rough. Only a mentally tough squad that avoids injuries will survive that kind of onslaught.
The schedule will either break Malad’s resolve or push the Dragons to a strong finish (i.e. a deep playoff run).
What’s in Soda Springs’ advantage: The Cardinals start the year playing four of their first five games at home. A strong start to a season never hurt anyone.
What’s working against Soda Springs: The Cardinals welcome Malad Oct. 18, but they travel to Aberdeen and Dayton.
What’s in West Side’s advantage: The Pirates are primed for another strong finish to their season. Three of their last four games are at home. They’re scoring points like the Baylor Bears and playing defense like the Crimson Tide (except when the Tide play anyone named Johnny).
What’s working against West Side: I have no idea. They’re the favorites to take the District’s top seed and host a first-round playoff game.
But I guarantee everyone in Malad, Aberdeen and Soda vehemently disagree. That’s the fun part. I’ll bet Hollingsworth will miss it, too.
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