WILLIAMSTOWN -Sometimes a week off during the prep football season is a good thing. That sure is what Williamstown head coach Terry Smith is hoping for.
Things didn't work out too well for Wirt County head coach Jason Hickman's Tigers last Friday night when the orange and black turned the ball over four times following their bye week and lost 23-21 at Buffalo, snapping a four-game winning streak.
Now, the Tigers are faced with trying to rebound from that loss to the Bison by going back on the road and squaring off against the host Yellowjackets, who with a triumph Friday night will have the same 4-3 record as Wirt County after the game.
After posting a huge victory at Ravenswood to climb back above the .500 mark at 3-2 during the third week of September, the 'Jackets failed to take care of the ball against rival St. Marys the following week in a 22-17 setback. Needless to say, coach Smith is expecting better things from his team and it all starts with focusing on the important tasks at hand.
"We're just trying to get a little bit better and work on fundamentals. We're working on the basic stuff and trying to get better and get healthy," coach Smith said.
"The main thing we have to do is tackle because they are going to complete passes and they are going to run the ball and we have to tackle. That has hurt us."
While the Yellowjackets understand they have all the necessary parts to make another playoff run like they did a year ago in advancing to the Class A state title game, now is not the time to concern themselves about such things as the postseason.
Instead, coach Smith just wants his team to worry about Friday night's game against Wirt County and trying to slow down the Tiger passing game.
"They are in the shotgun and get rid of it so quick. (Josh) Trembly is a very good athlete," Smith stated. "They do things quickly.
"I just think their offense is really good and their defense, they are very quick and they get to the ball."
On the season, Trembly has thrown for nearly 1,200 yards with eight touchdowns and is completing just below 50 percent of his passes.
"We can't get all caught up in winning four in a row or trying to get into the playoffs," added the coach. "We just have to concentrate getting better on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and win on Friday.
"We can't worry about the playoffs. We need to win one game and then we will worry about the next one."
