Football prepares to defend home turf against Sulphur Springs

Benjamin Nopper, Section Editor • September 6, 2019

Junior Reid Westervelt elevates above Colleyville Heritage corner back Michael Neves (24) securing the ball for the Leopards first touchdown of the season.

After dropping a back-and-forth defensive showdown in its season opener, the football team (0-1) will look to bounce back and defend its home turf in tonight’s showdown against the Sulphur Springs Wildcats (0-1) at 7:30 p.m.

“We are definitely going to feed off the excitement of the first home game,” assistant coach Tyler Wicke said. “Sulphur Springs is going to be physical and tough. They struggled a little bit in week one, but we are expecting them to be a lot better in week two.”

While offense was at a premium for the Leopards in their 13-10 loss to Colleyville Heritage, the opposing Wildcats found themselves on the wrong end of a 53-17 final against Wakeland in week one. Sulphur Springs struggled to find a consistent passing game, as junior quarterback Kaden Wallace managed to complete just 41 percent (11/27) of his passes.

Senior defensive back Quinn McDermott outlined the game plan for neutralizing the Wildcat offensive unit.

“They like to pound the football with their running backs and take shots down the field,” McDermott said. “Overall, we need to stop the run, cause turnovers and get pressure on their quarterback.”

While the Leopard defense will be feeding off their strong performance in week one, the offense will look to have a bounce back effort against the Sulphur Springs defense. Last week, junior quarterback Ralph Rucker was a mobile threat, as his 120 rushing yards paced the team. Junior receiver Reid Westervelt (one touchdown) was on the receiving end of 56 of the 68 total passing yards the Leopards had all game.

“We just need to establish the run game early,” senior offensive tackle Sean Sumners said. “If we can just get in a rhythm, it will be a scary night for the opposition.”

Sulphur Springs and Lovejoy are familiar with one another, as the Leopards defeated the Wildcats in the 2017 bi-district championship. Last year’s anticipated rematch between the two teams was cancelled due to inclement weather.

After tonight’s matchup, the Leopards will open up district play next Friday at home against Frisco Memorial.

About the Contributors

Benjamin Nopper, Section Editor

After joining staff and becoming an editor his sophomore year, Benjamin Nopper is enthusiastic to spend his senior year in the newsroom he considers to be his home away from home. Benjamin walked into room E103 two years ago feeling overwhelmed by the pressure of the unknown‒writing for an award-winning publication without much previous experience. Hundreds of articles and dozens of close relationships later, he now understands that writing enables an individual to have a meaningful impact in his community. A disciple of his former boss, Nick Smith, Nopper retains his position as sports editor for the third consecutive year while also contributing as an opinion writer. However, if it were up to him, he would run his own satire department. Outside of the newsroom, Nopper plays baseball and serves as an FCA leader. Nopper is also a member of Student Council, NHS and Spanish Club. He enjoys embarking adventures with his three dogs, spending afternoons on the golf course, and feeding his unhealthy coffee obsession. Nopper also loves to watch Impractical Jokers, the show that admittedly inspires some of his lighthearted interactions with his friends. Upon graduating, Nopper intends to study business and eventually attend law school.

Grace Nguyen, Section Editor

Fueled daily by three iced vanilla coffees, standing at 5’2”, Grace Nguyen will walk into the E103 door with no problem. Grace is entering senior year, and the only reason she is believed to have survived high school is because of the napping couch in the photography studio. During her time on staff, Grace has been to almost every football game, win or loss, and wouldn’t have changed a thing. Yes, Grace has been tackled by football players, run over by coaches, and body slammed by referees. Nonetheless, Grace will confidently walk on the field this year, bruises and all, alongside her sideline media team. Stepping outside the newsroom, which is rare, Grace enjoys playing softball, hanging out with family and friends, and finding excuses to go to every $3 Pazookie Tuesdays at BJ’s. After high school, Grace hopes to pursue a career in sports photojournalism, so watch out for her still getting run over by athletes on ESPN in the years to come. Although it’s bittersweet to leave newspaper upon graduation, Grace is thankful for all the opportunities that she’s had on staff. Through The Red Ledger, Grace created long-lasting friendships and won a lot of awards that she never imagined was possible. Grace hopes that current and future staffers will think of this national-award-winning publication the same way as she did–a second family and their home away from home.