Journal staff
It may have been the Labor Day holiday, but the Commerce Tigers players and coaches were busy working Monday in preparation for the football season opener later this week against the Dallas Pinkston Vikings.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday at Sprague Field in Dallas. Commerce enters the game as the number two team in Class 3A in the statewide Associated Press poll.
The game marks the first under the tenure of new head coach Terry Cron, who comes to Commerce from Mart. In his plans, Cron said he has divided the season into three phases pre-district, district and playoff. Friday's game marks the start of the pre-district phase.
"I am hoping we get off to a good start," he added.
In Pinkston, Commerce is facing a much-improved team from the 2000 squad that finished 5-6 for the season and lost to the Tigers, 42-12 last year, according to Cron. The Vikings return nine starters on offense and seven on the defense.
"We are facing a team that can beat you. What I saw on film scares me," he said. "We will try not to give them anything. We will make them earn everything they get."
The heart of the Pinkston offense can be found in the backfield with quarterback Eric Zachary, a five-foot 11, 175-pound senior and tailback Nathan Taylor, a five-foot eight, 152-pound senior. Also key to the offense is wide receiver Maurice Willoughby, a six-foot one, 175-pound senior.
"These are probably the best overall skill kids we will see all year," said Commerce defensive coordinator Bill Draughn. "All have outstanding speed and since we're playing on artificial turf, it makes them even faster."
Draughn said the Pinkston defense is "highly aggressive" and is led by linebacker Chris Jones, a five-foot 10, 180-pound senior, and linemen Osborne Duncan, a six foot-three, 265-pound senior, and Keenanlan Clemmons, a six-foot four, 230-pound senior.
"This will be a very good test for us," Draughn said. "They have good skill people. We need to work on playing quickness."
Despite two good showings in pre-season scrimmages against Northwest Justin and Frisco, Cron said Commerce is working on improving the basic skills and techniques.
"We have a lot of work to go," the head coach said. "If the fans and the players will be patient, we will improve. By the time we get through phase one and enter phase two, we really could be ready to go."
Cron said that he noticed a sparkle in the Tigers' eyes Monday, since they are realizing Friday's game marks the start of the season. For the 17 seniors on the roster, Cron wants to make their final season opener as Tigers memorable.
The new head coach admitted that he has yet to become excited about the season.
"Until I get the first victory, I am uncomfortable," he said. "But I am excited to be a part of the Commerce community. It's a fun 'new'. It's a new name and new colors, but I'm still trying to do the same thing."
Cron said he is still battling hepatitis and is under doctor's orders to limit his coaching duties for four hours a day until further notice.
