ARNOLD AND MOSLEY MEET IN ANNUAL GRUDGE MATCH

If it lives up to recent showdowns, and there’s scant reason to think Friday night’s Arnold-Mosley game will be any different, expect a very physical confrontation starting 7 p.m. at Bozeman. Mosley comes in 3-2 after consecutive losses. Arnold is 2-2 and was idle last week. Elsewhere Friday, Bay will host Pensacola at Gavlak Stadium, Rutherford is at Walton and North Bay Haven plays Lighthouse Christian Academy in Pensacola. The best way to get ready for a physical encounter is to have contact in practice, and with FHSAA restrictions on how much hitting is allowed during the week that isn’t always an easy tangible to gauge. Conversely, neither do you want to lose any players to injury before they even get on the field. “You just have to be real strategic with it,” Mosley coach Jeremy Brown said. “When you have periods you hit and get after it you have to amp up intensity. “You’ve got to coach it. We film it, and that way the kids look forward to seeing it.” And don’t want to be embarrassed by what they see. Arnold coach Josh Wright echoed Brown’s comments. “We’ve had a physical week,” Wright said. “We’ll have 100 percent participation, but all might not be 100 percent if you know what I mean. We’ll have some bumps, but they’ll all be playing.” Wright felt as though the extra week helped the Marlins shore up some deficiencies on the offensive line. “And our quarterback has taken big steps,” Wright said of junior Cade Ledman. “He’s leading us physically and emotionally on the field. He’s taken control. “We’ve had some makeshift line issues. We’re not that great, but better than we were. What’s very important is that he’s (Ledman) throwing more accurately and running through arm tackles. He made some plays we haven’t seen since Cody Saunders was here.” Ledman rushed for 170 yards and passed for 111 in Arnold’s 26-14 win over Bay on Sept. 15. His dual-threat approach helped jump start an offense that was stagnant in both of the Marlins’ losses. It also provides a contrast for the quarterback matchup tonight. Mosley has been without starter Michael Maddox for the last six quarters due to a high ankle sprain and bone bruise suffered in the loss to West Florida. Brown said that Maddox will suit up Friday, but his availability will be a game-time decision. Freshman Liam Byrd has taken over in Maddox’s absence. “He practiced a little bit yesterday,” Brown said of Maddox. “We might use him sparingly. Everyone knows we like to run the ball, but last week Liam made some really good throws.” Wright didn’t think Arnold’s defense would be able to use Byrd’s inexperience to advantage, simply because of how the Dolphins use him.

ARNOLD AND MOSLEY MEET IN ANNUAL GRUDGE MATCH

Photo Credit: Josh Boucher

Contact Us