HASKELL -- The Harmony Grove Cardinals (0-2) have had a tough go at the season thus far, opening with back-to-back loses. However, despite the scoreboard’s showing, Head Coach Josh Smith is pleased with a number of things his team is accomplishing on the field.
“I am impressed with the way we are finally starting to put it together and grow,” Smith said. “With a new quarterback and semi-new system in place, we are figuring it out and figuring out what we are good at.”
Harmony Grove fell at home in Week 2, slipping to Malvern 21-14.
Ace Garcia sent the crowd into a frenzy in the third, scoring on a 70-yard touchdown run to trim the deficit to a touchdown.
The Cardinals also made a change midway, moving sophomore Cash Potter to quarterback and bumping Jackson Estes back to running back against the Leopards.
“Jackson was just running over people,” Smith said.
Potter finished 5 for 8 passing with 86 yards and a touchdown in the loss.
Heartbreak would end the game, however, with a fourth-down try coming up just short of the endzone as time expired.
Garcia led Harmony Grove with 122 yards on the ground on 13 touches.
Estes ended with 40 yards on 14 carries and two fumbles.
In Week 3, the Cardinals welcome unbeaten nonconference foe Pottsville to town. The Apaches are coming off a 48-7 blowout win over Charleston in Week 1.
“Offensively, it is going to be like we are looking in a mirror. They will be in the Dead-T and pound the rock,” Smith said. “They have a couple running backs that are about 220. We are going to have to play four quarters. The game may be over by 8 o’clock, depending on how many passes are thrown.”
Penn Helton rushed for 107 yards and two scores in the Apaches Week 1 win.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Friday.
“We have to wrap up and tackle,” Smith said. “That is the number one thing we are harping on. They are going to be big so we have to get them to the ground and make them snap the ball again. Offensively, we have to hang on to the football ... we can’t shoot ourselves in the foot.”
