Football: Morris excited to open season at home against Coal City

MORRIS – In what has been dubbed “The Battle for Grundy County,” the Morris and Coal City football teams will square off to begin the season for the fourth time Friday night.

Morris has won both times the game was played in Coal City, including last year’s 13-3 win that was the lowest point total Morris put up, while Coal City won the only time the game was played in Morris.

Morris, which finished 10-1 last season, hopes to reverse the trend of the visiting team coming out ahead in the rivalry, but also knows that the going won’t be easy.

“Coal City always has a good defense, and all of the games we have played against them have been pretty close,” Morris coach Alan Thorson said. “Week 1 is a tough week. No matter how hard you go at practice, you can’t simulate that game intensity. It’s a rivalry game, so that makes it even tougher.

“They held us to our lowest point total last year. We had some penalties in that game that were typical first-game stuff, but that happens in a first game.”

Morris is awating a doctor’s clearance for running back Ashton Yard, who ran more than 1,100 yards last season to lead the team. If he is not able to play, Morris has a full stable of ball carriers that includes Sam Reddinger, Jacob Swartz, Luke Brown and A.J. Zweeres. They will operate behind an offensive line that returns four of the five starters from last year’s team, including four-year starter Justin Hemmersbach and three-year starter Nick Perry.

Coal City went 6-4 last season and returns QB Braden Reilly (515 yards, 9 TDs passing), RB/WR/DB Cason Headley (209 yards rushing), WR/DBs Jim Feeney and Derek Carlson, TE/DE Braiden Young and OL/DLs Tyler Hennings, Michael Gonzalez (10 TFLs), Collin Dames and Drake Dearth (5 TFLs). In addition to Headley and Dearth, the collection of running backs will include varsity newcomers Gavin Carpenter, Austin Davy, Tanner Phillips and promising sophomore Landon Benson. The defense, which allowed 13.2 points per game last year, returns five starters as well, headed by Gonzalez and Dearth.

Thorson noted that the excitement of the first game of the year has already hit his team.

“It’s time to play,” he said. “These guys are ready to go out there and hit someone else other than their teammates. You can feel it in practice. Things are starting to get a little chippy at times. They’ve been hitting each other for a couple of weeks. They’re ready to hit someone else.

“This is what we have put in all the work for during the offseason, whether it’s practice, in the weight room, 7-on-7s, whatever. Going out there on Friday nights is what it’s all about.”