By Alex Trevino
The Corrigan-Camden Bulldogs will visit the Hardin Hornets in non-district play this Friday.
After a hard-fought 27-24 victory at home last week over the Class 4A Tarkington Longhorns, the Bulldogs are working toward an even stronger performance on the road at Class 3A Hardin.
Head coach Brett Ratliff highlighted the returning players’ dedication since the end of last season. Ratliff also commended the players for staying composed throughout the first match, which has only boosted their drive moving forward.
“It proved to them that all the hard work in the offseason was worth it and it paid off,” said Ratliff. “There was never a point in time where they panicked. They knew what their job was and they never had a doubt. They are definitely more motivated right now.”
Ratliff emphasized the need for the team to improve their execution and positioning on the field. The focus during practice this week is refining their looks and adding new plays to enhance their performance.
“We just have to get a little better on technique and being in all the right places,” Ratliff said. “Our communication of offense, the quarterback and I want to make our audibles and checks where we need to. Overall, we are just cleaning up and adding a few things to our toolbox.”
Hardin will be a fresh challenge, as the Bulldog staff has no recent history since Ratliff and Coach Rayford Sweats reportedly played against the Hornets in high school.
The Hornets, led by head coach Chad Taylor, are coming off a strong 27-6 win to start the season, visiting the Warren Warriors.
In recent years, Hardin has had some success during non-district games. However, they struggled versus tougher competition during the district schedule in games like Woodville, Kirbyville and East Chambers.
Last season, the Hornets had a 3-1 non-district record and finished winless in district.
Ratliff emphasized the importance of maintaining the effort level versus the Hornets on the road this Friday, just as Corrigan did against the Longhorns.
“Hardin is always in a tough district, but I think they do a good job. Again, we will have to outwork and outhustle them just like we did against Tarkington,” said Ratliff.
The Bulldogs can expect to see familiar tactics on the field, according to Ratliff. The Hornets utilize comparable formations to focus on a strong running game, but are not afraid to air it out.
Hardin’s offense will include quarterback Brady Barrier and running back Jonathan Smith.
“Similar to Tarkington, they will go flexbone, double-wing and try to hammer the ball. Although, they will throw the ball a lot,” Ratliff said. “Some of those coaches also worked with Tarkington recently, so we will see a lot of the same things.”
Kickoff for this Friday’s non-district match is set for 7:30 p.m. at Hornet Stadium in Hardin.
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