ByTODD TRAUB
Leader sports writer
Getting that first victory didn’t take long for Jacksonville last year.
Getting that second? That was another story.
This season’s Red Devils go for two in a row at Hot Springs on Friday after getting their first victory under first-year coach Rick Russell, 34-10 at Benton last week.
No winning streak materialized for Jacksonville last year. After Mark Whatley’s team beat Vilonia in Week 2, it didn’t win again until wiping out Little Rock Hall 46-0 in Week 6.
And that was it as the Red Devils finished 2-8.
Whatley left to join the Springdale staff and Russell, the former Jacksonville defensive coordinator, arrived from North Pulaski to lead the Red Devils.
“Wining is a habit and so, unfortunately, is losing,” Russell said.
With that in mind he’d like to string two victories together with a good performance at Hot Springs in Jacksonville’s last tune-up before opening 7A/6A-East Conference play.
“We’ve still got some kids anticipating to break into some rotations with our offensive and defensive scheme,” Russell said.
“We’ve got to get in there and make sure everyone we think is going to help us down the road gets some experience.”
Russell said he was glad to have his first victory as head coach already out of the way, especially in the second of three straight games away from home the Red Devils will play to open the season.
Jacksonville lost to Cabot in the season opener at War Memorial Stadium.
“I thought it was a great win,” Russell said of the Benton victory. “ It was kind of a relief because Benton was a lot better football team than people give them credit for.”
A bad snap on a Jacksonville punt and a fumble led to Benton’s 10 points. When Jacksonville wasn’t helping out its opponent, it was playing a pretty solid game, Russell said.
“We started off a little bit sluggish but I think the kids played well for the most part,” Russell said. “They played football for the entire game and played well.
“We had kids execute and make some athletic plays.
“It was important to me but it was more important to me for us to compete against our best and play for the complete 48 minutes.”
Quarterback Logan Perry passed for three touchdowns, two to D’Vone McClure, while the Red Devils defense came up with an interception.
Jacksonville had a 12-play, 80-yard scoring possession that ended with Perry’s 31-yard pass to Jamison Williams in the first half. The Red Devils struck for two touchdowns in the closing minutes of the second quarter and then shut out the Panthers in the second half.
Jacksonville will finally have its home opener a week from Thursday when it plays Mountain Home in a 7A/6A-Central game.
The game will be aired on statewide television.
