Brook Hill waits another week for next grid game
By Don Wallace

Time off to many is a good thing. It can be a reward for hard work. It can all you time to relax and regroup.

But too much time off in football season can drive a coach up the walls.

Brook Hill was scheduled to play Irving the Highlands on Oct. 14, but the game was cancelled and so Brook Hill does not have another football game until Oct. 27.

Irving the Highland not only cancelled their game with Brook Hill, but the remainder of the season leaving two schools without a homecoming opponent.

Brook Hill has already had homecoming, they just want to play football.

The Guard's season has come down to the final two games. Two contests in the TAPPS Division IV, District 2 which include home games Oct. 27 against Frisco Legacy and Nov. 11 vs. Rockwall Christian.

Brook Hill is 3-2 on the year, but the last game they played was Oct. 6 against Grace Community.

"We are slowly dealing with our injuries. We are in a wait and see mode," Brook Hill head football coach Paul Johnston said. "We are doing as well as expected considering the off time. There's only so much we can do, the players are tired of hitting each other."

Brook Hill's last game was a disappointing 28-20 loss against Grace Community. The game with the Irving the Highland was going to be a needed tuneup for the remainder of the season. That did not work out when the school cancelled their schedule.

Johnston said, "We needed that game (with Irving) on so many levels.

"First off, we needed to get a district win. We also needed to get the taste out of our mouths after the loss against Grace. We needed to put that loss behind us. Now that is our last memory of football. That game being cancelled was one of the worst things that could have happened to us."

Johnston lamented that he is in a tough situation concerning injuries. While he wants to get players experience in backup and starter roles, he can't do so without a game.

"We just can't turn up the intensity yet and beat up on each other in practice," Johnston said. "We just don't have enough players. We have people getting treatment from the trainers every day. The injuries range from being out for the year, to just the normal pulled muscles, bumps and bruises."

The Guard will host Frisco Legacy at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 27 at Herrington Stadium.

"They have a brand new program," Johnston said. "They are just starting football like we were last year. I haven't seen them play or even a tape yet. We are going to exchange tapes and put in a game plan for them. They're an important game, just like the one coming up with Rockwall."

Johnston said, "We will be trying to get the kids healed up and ready to play. We need to play a game, we have had too much time off due to these unexpected open dates."