By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
Coach Jim Withrow wants to see Sylvan Hills play with a little more “dog.”
It’s a reference to consistently playing with enthusiasm, but with the White Hall Bulldogs coming to Bill Blackwood Field on Friday to open 5A-Southeast Conference play, Withrow’s comments become more timely.
“They’re always physical up front,” Withrow said. “We’ve got to go in with a mentality knowing it’s going to be a little bit tougher, but if we don’t understand that now, we won’t ever understand it.
“We’ve got to play with a little bit of dog in us and start getting after it. Playing hard one down and taking the next two off doesn’t work. If we can figure that out, we have a chance to win some games. If we don’t figure that out, then we’ll be running in quicksand the rest of the year.”
The Bulldogs (0-3) were picked to finish in the top half of the conference after a 9-3 season and a trip to the second round of the playoffs last year. But they have lost all of their first three games by a touchdown or less.
White Hall started the season with a 22-15 loss to Hot Springs Lakeside before a 17-13 loss to Stuttgart in Week 2 and a 16-15 loss at Sheridan last week.
“They look like they’re searching for an identity,” Withrow said. “You hope that you can take advantage of them struggling — hopefully it will take another week for them to straighten it all out. But their running back, Richardson, he’s the real deal.”
Senior A.J. Richardson, 5-10, 180 pounds, rushed for over 1,200 yards last year and is listed as one of the fastest players in the conference with a 40-yard dash time of 4.4 seconds.
“There’s no doubt, it’s time to rise to the challenge,” Withrow said. “He’s a good back; it’s time we somehow stop the run and get more physical.”
Stopping the run was something Sylvan Hills struggled with last week against Little Rock Parkview and dynamic senior Chris McClendon, who scored four times.
The Patriots went on to win 42-7 to put the Bears 1-2 in the non-conference portion of the schedule. Sylvan Hills lost in similar fashion to Vilonia to start the season before picking up its first victory at Little Rock Christian in Week 2.
“I think it helps us to understand how hard you have to play and what it takes to win,” Withrow said. “Our learning curve was maybe a little faster than what most people go through, but I kind of felt like we took a step back last week. I hope we give out a better effort this week.”
There are always unknowns going into conference play, but one thing Withrow is banking on is for Friday’s result to carry his team a long way — in either direction.
“I think this is the most important game we’ll play all year,” Withrow said. “We need to get in there and give ourselves a chance. A win will be huge. To come out 1-0 in conference takes a little of the heat off of you, to come out 0-1, you’re up against the wall.”
