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Early season opener Saturday at Frary Field
It seems early, doesn't it?
The Jayhawk Conference football season begins Saturday and Fort Scott Community College will be the first to host a game as Highland visits Frary Field for a 1 p.m. kickoff Saturday afternoon. The other three Jayhawk Conference games scheduled for Saturday kick off at 7 p.m.
Fort Scott won the 2012 season opener between these two teams at Highland, 20-13, in a rain-soaked defensive battle.
Head coach Curtis Horton begins his third season at the helm and has eight more out-of-state players at his disposal this season as conference rules were changed to allow 20 of them on what is now a 63-man active roster. Kansas high school graduates still must take up 43 positions.
Fort Scott was picked to finish fifth -- the same place it ended up last season -- in a pre-season coaches poll while Highland was tabbed for seventh place. The Greyhounds were 3-4 in conference play and 4-5 overall last season. The Scotties went 1-6, 2-7 as they finished ahead of only winless Dodge City.
Horton knows that every year brings new challenges and obstacles at the junior-college level but believes that hard work and dedication are the ingredients to success
Horton once again will look to put points on the board by the way of the ground game. In six of his seven seasons at Fort Scott, Horton has seen a running back in his offense go over the 1,000-yard mark. This accomplishment is a standard that Horton is very proud of and compliments the past offensive lines for the running success.
The "Big Nasties," as Horton refers to his offensive line corps, will once again be a key to the team's success as they return two players that logged a lot of time in for the 'Hounds in 2012, sophomores Kareem Are and Spencer Gatewood.
Are (6' 6", 320, Elmont, N.Y.), was voted All-Conference and All-Region for his play at guard in 2013, while collecting several offers from BCS Division 1 schools in the offseason. Gatewood (6' 4", 275, Altamont) will start on the opposite side of the line at guard from Are which gives the 'Hounds a solid middle to run behind.
Behind center for the Greyhounds will be sophomore transfer quarterback Jason Stewart (6' 3", 220, Lorton, Va.), who will look to give FSCC a potent passing attack to go along with its rushing game. Stewart passed for over 780 yards and three touchdowns in eight games last season for Dodge City Community College.
Carrying the ball for the 'Hounds will be freshmen Chevelle Buie (5' 8", 152, Coca, Fla.) and Kyle Hammond, who both want to join the 1,000-yard club. Buie will bring the speed while Hammond, at 210 pounds, will bring the power. Hammond, a graduate of Crest, was an All-State performer at the eight-man level and will look to bring his athletic ability to the Fort Scott backfield.
Wide Receiver Jared Dangerfield (6' 3", 200, Soph., Palm Beach, Fla.) returns from last year's squad determined to show his talents after his 2012 season was cut short due to a season-ending knee injury after just three games. Dangerfield, who is looked at as a "play-maker" will also return kicks and punts for the 'Hounds.
The "Dark Side" defensive unit will be very strong up front with returning starter Demetrius Hill (6' 3", 245, Soph., Kankakee, Ill.) anchoring one side of the line while redshirt freshman Abu Lamin (6' 5", 300, Fayetteville, N.C.) will man the middle. Lamin is a four-star recruit looking to impress the Fort Scott fans like he did several Division I colleges through the spring. Lamin has made a verbal commitment to play next season at the University of South Carolina.
Hill comes back for his sophomore season after recording 53 tackles and 4 sacks last season. He is a hard working player that uses his speed and technique to get the upper hand on the opponent.
The redshirt year was beneficial for Lamin, who admitted that he wasn't ready for the work necessary to excel at the collegiate level.
"I wasn't used to the 5 a.m. workouts and the running and the film and all the things that go with being a college athlete when I got here," Lamin told the Wichita Eagle's Tony Adame. "I was used to just showing up to the field and being the man."
The defensive backfield has several returners from last year but none that had playing time. Terry McMillon (6' 2", 195, Soph., Daytona, Fla.) and Vantavious Williams (6' 2", 215, Fr.) will bring experience to a defensive backfield that lost all of their starters from a season ago.
Williams, a strong safety, will prove that he deserves the attention he has got from four year schools. Williams has several D-I programs looking at him.
After Saturday's contest, the FSCC football program invites fans to "Meet the 'Hounds." Each child 12 years and under will receive a free Greyhound team poster and all fans are invited to come down to the track to get their favorite player's autograph and/or picture. Posters will be on sale for $10 after the game.
-- Tribune Staff Report with contributions from Fort Scott Community College Football Information and the Wichita Eagle.