By BY BRUCE HIXON – sports editor
The score was disappointing, but last Thursday's 44-18 preseason setback at Andalusia was not the most discouraging thing W.S. Neal Blue Eagles coach Blaine Hathcock saw.
Hathcock said the Andalusia game pointed out another disturbing area.
The Blue Eagles will try to improve those areas before they open the season for real Friday when they host the Daleville Warhawks in a non-region game. Game time is 7 p.m.
Hathcock said there were some positives from that contest.
While W.S. Neal will be looking to recover from its preseason loss, the Warhawks will be trying to build from a 21-0 preseason win over Slocomb. It was the first game for Daleville under new coach Sam Holland. Holland did not arrive on the scene at Daleville until late June. Holland spent the previous eight seasons at Chiefland, Fla. where he compiled a 54-37 team. Daleville is coming off a 2005 campaign where it went 4-6 overall, 2-5 in Class 4A Region 2.
The Warhawks will mix speed and strength in their backfield. Daleville has a quick tailback with Calvin Flowers (6-1, 170 lb. sr.) and a physical fullback with Ricky Stewart (5-10, 220 lb. sr.).
Daleville has a young, but experienced quarterback with sophomore Tevin Flowers. Tevin Flowers is the brother of the fullback Calvin Flowers. Tevin Flowers got the nod last year to direct Daleville's offense as a freshman.
The W.S. Neal skipper said Daleville's defense can be troublesome.
Daleville along with Opp and Calhoun give W.S. Neal three non-region foes with a combined overall record of 7-23 from a year ago. That is a far cry from last year's non-region trio of Eufaula, Trinity Presbyterian and Southern Choctaw that had a combined 27-3 record.