Bison coach says team must work on tackling following scrimmage

Carlisle's Ty Golleher scores the Bison's lone touchdown in their scrimmage with Lonoke on Monday night. (Photos by Mark Buffalo)

By Mark Buffalo

Staff Writer

LONOKE — The Carlisle Bison football team scrimmaged both Maumelle and Lonoke on Monday night at James B. Abraham Stadium.

They played the Hornets and Jackrabbits for a half game each. Score was kept in both contests with Class 5A Maumelle leading 41-0 and Class 4A Lonoke leading 15-7.

Carlisle's only touchdown of the scrimmage came on a 2-yard plunge by junior quarterback Ty Golleher with 8.7 seconds left in the half. Exchange student kicker Nicolas Duhoux kicked the extra point.

Carlisle second-year coach Jack Keith said his has got to work on tackling. 

"The big red eye on this was tackling," he said after the scrimmage games. "Offensively, we were able to move the ball. We put the ball on the ground way too many times. If we take care of that and keep moving the ball, we'll be all right."

Keith was upbeat after the scrimmage with Lonoke as both first teams had long scoring drives. Lonoke's second team also scored a touchdown in the first of two quarters. 

"That was a big confidence boost," Keith said of the late touchdown. "Lonoke has got a heck of a ball club . They've got a lot of athletes and are big up front. For us to be able to drive it down and punch it was big."

Keith said his team got a lot out of playing Maumelle and Lonoke. 

"There's not many teams that we will see as athletic as Maumelle," he said. "We can't recreate that in practice. We're able to get our legs under us before the season starts."

The Bison will travel to England for the season opener Sept. 4 at Gaylon Gibbs Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Nicolas Duhoux kicks the extra point for the Bison.