Lions look for first win
September 9, 2010

By DAVID CLAYBOURN
Herald-Banner Staff

The 0-2 Greenville Lions hope to find a way to slow down a prolific Frisco Liberty offense when the two football teams meet at 7 tonight at Frisco Memorial Stadium.

Liberty, which was a 7-6 regional semifinalist team in 2009, has scored 40 or more points in nine games during the past two seasons including a 56--20 pounding of Denison in the Redhawks’ season opener on Friday night in Denison. Liberty amassed 646 total yards on offense against a Denison team that was a 13-2 state semifinalist in 2009.

“I hope we don’t play anybody better than they are,” said Lions coach Chawn Cooper. “What they do, they do very well.”

Running bac kJay Ajayi, a 6-1, 200-pounder, bulled his way through the Yellow Jackets for 206 yards on 17 carries. Ajayi scored six touchdowns on bursts of 35, 62, 6, 15, 33 and 5 yards.

“He looks like a baby Adrian Peterson,” said Cooper said. “He looks like a bull. He can go. He shakes off tacklers. He is a powerful back.”

Quarterback Zack Smith operates the Redhawks’ offense out of a spread formation. Smith was 10-of-14 passing for 206 yards against Denison and also rushed for a 10-yard touchdown.

“The quarterback’s pretty good, throwing and running,” said Cooper. “They are good. They went three rounds in the playoffs last year and offensively they didn’t lose many people. They are loaded.”

Cooper said the Redhawks have some other good running backs besides Ajayi and some talented slot receivers.

Denison managed 386 yards of offense against Liberty, which bases out of a 3-4 alignment on defense.

Denison running back Stacy Golston rushed for 199 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries and quarterback Jordan Watson ran for 108 yards and one touchdown on 15 carries while going 4-of-6 passing for 26 yards.

Greenville’s defense surrendered 458 yards during a 42-7 loss to Terrell on Friday night. Terrell quarterback Shae South was 11-of-14 passing for 151 yards and one touchdown and Tiger running back Adrian Oliver ran for 108 yards and three TDs on 11 carries. South also ran for 89 yards and one touchdown on 16 carries.

Defensive back Cobbie Johnson scored the Lions’ only touchdown against Terrell on a 90-yard fumble return.

The Lion offense managed 131 yards on Friday night, including 93 yards rushing. Running back Lajorian Harris led the Lions with 83 yards on 22 carries. Greenville quarterback Jeffro Davis was 5-of-14 passing for 38 yards.