By Malcolm Butler
Sometimes growing pains hurt a little more than others.
For the second straight Friday night, Cedar Creek endured some discomfort as the Cougars fell 37-0 to Ouachita Christian at Malone Stadium as part of the Bayou Jamb.
Last week it was Lakeside, and this week it was one of the best programs in Class A in the Eagles.
OCS scored on six of seven offensive possessions thanks in large part to the running of Makin Lenard who totaled three scores on the ground. Numerous times the Cougars made early plays and forced the Eagles into third down and even a number of third and long, but time after time, OCS answered with a big play.
Despite the “loss”and despite the score, Cougars head coach William Parkerson did feel he saw some improvement.
“I know we gave up 37 points, but I thought our defense did some good things,” said Parkerson. “We would do good things two plays in a row and then we would miss a tackle or OCS would make a good play. But I did so a lot of growth defensively.”
One of the defensive stalwarts for Cedar Creek was junior Blake Robinson, who totaled five tackles, one sack, and two pass break ups for the Cougars. Robinson was named the Player of the Game for Creek. He was joined in the state column by James Myers with six tackles and Payton Harris with four stops.
“Blake is playing well,” said Parkerson. “James Myers is playing well. Bryce Martin is playing well. We just have to get everyone else up to their speed and just keep getting better. I told them afterwards, that I believe in y’all. I believe in this coaching staff. I believe in myself. It’s going to happen. We just have to come together and make it happen.”
While the defense did show signs of progress, the offense was stagnant for most of the night. Creek totaled just two first downs in the contest. The Cougars stayed on the ground the entire night as Parkerson tried to establish the run and pushed the hard-nosed style of play he has been preaching all off-season and into the fall.
“Offensively, it falls at my feet,” said Parkerson. “For whatever reason it is not translating to games right now and that is squarely on my back and nobody else’s. We just have to keep working and get better.”
The Cougars rushed 24 times for a total of six yards, while consistently trying to establish the dive up the middle.
“The whole offense is established on getting the B back going,” said Parkerson. “If we get the B back going then everything else we do off of it opens up. We have to establish it. We just have to get better, and that’s my fault.”
Following the completion of the game, Parkerson huddled with his senior class following the team huddle.
“I just told (the seniors) whatever we can do to have them physically and emotionally ready to play when it comes time to kickoff, I’m up for any ideas and their input on that,” said Parkerson.
The Cougars open the regular season Friday night at Delta Charter.
