Scotts Hill looking to put past week behind them, focus on football

RAEGAN – Following the Week 1 loss to Lewis County 35-0, Scotts Hill interim football coach Jeff Robertson used the term resilient to talk about his team.

Robertson said that what transpired this past week isn't the first piece of adversity that the team has been through.

On Wednesday, Scotts Hill head football coach Daniel Duncan resigned and has been charged with one count of aggravated statutory rape and one count of statutory rape by an authority figure.

"We put the focus on football this week," Robertson said. "We have fourth-block football like a lot of people do. When we came out here, we put the focus on this game."

But this isn't the first time that the Lions have dealt with the loss of a coach.

In October 2017, assistant coach Andrew Crossett died at the age of 34 following a Week 10 football game.

"If anybody knows the history of our team, they know that this group has been through more in the past two years than most people go through in 10 or 15 years," Robertson said. "They are a resilient bunch. I have every confidence that they are going to come back and work next week."

Andrew Richardson is one of nine seniors on the Scotts Hill football team that is ready to put this week behind them and build for the rest of the season.

"We just have to get in and work hard," Richardson said. "We have to rely on each other and play for each other. We have to get better, do our assignments and give a better effort."

Robertson wasn't going to blame the events of Wednesday on the loss Friday night.

"We played a big, talented football team that beat us," Robertson said. "It is as simple as that."

And the focus of the fans was on this game. Scotts Hill fans filled the stands on Friday night, and they did not make the early exit when their team fell behind.

Robertson spent three years as head coach of Riverside. He was the defensive coordinator at Scotts Hill before Wednesday.

"It was not something that I was anticipating doing, but its not like its not something that I have done before," Robertson said. "With the schedule that we are playing, we have to pick our spots and win the ones that we can. My job right now is to keep these guys from getting too down on themselves. I am going to be positive with them."

Scotts Hill plays at Dresden next Friday in Week 2.

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Reach Michael Odom at michodom@jacksonsun.com or 731-425-9754. Follow him on Twitter @JSWriterMichael.