Dragons ‘finding form’ in scrimmage at Grace
Junior wide receiver Bryson Maddox (7) had a ‘stellar performance’ during Friday night’s scrimmage against Grace. He is expected to be a hot target in 2024.
Recent inclement weather in the Knoxville area persisted Friday night, impacting the game’s duration.
“We played for about an hour-and-a-half and did what we had to do, and we saw what we needed to see,” said Jason Hamock, Clinton’s interim head coach. “It was an organized scrimmage and we didn’t waste a lot of time or movement.”
Grace Christian is led by Justin Price, a familiar face to Clinton fans, who previously coached at Campbell County for 13 years. His twin brother, Matt, serves as the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator.
“The Price boys are good coaches and good guys,” Hamock said. “It was a well-run scrimmage, and I knew it would be.”
With some top players unavailable, Clinton utilized the scrimmage to experiment with player positions and give younger team members a chance to shine.
“Bryson Maddox, a junior wide receiver, had another stellar performance, catching everything thrown
his way,” Hamock said.
“Will Young also stood out, playing both wide receiver and defensive back, and making several key plays,” he said.
Defensively, Donnie Humphrey was notable for drawing double-teams and making significant plays.
The Dragons are showing promise, but are still finding their form, the coach said.
“We haven’t peaked yet, and if we had, I’d be worried because that means you’re not going to get any better,” Hamock said.
He also mentioned observing Cleveland during a scrimmage against Campbell County on Saturday. “They’re not as big as last year,” he said.
Clinton will face the Blue Raiders on Aug. 23. Before that, they return to Knoxville to play Christian Academy of Knoxville on Friday at 6 p.m. at Warrior Stadium. CAK, under second-year head Coach Chad Speck, is expected to be competitive after a playoff appearance in 2023.
“They’re a good team,” Hamock said of the Warriors. “I’ve spoken with Coach Speck on the phone, and he’s a great guy, though we haven’t met face-to-face.”