Sports
Wildcats Claw Through Strong Preseason Test
Eureka High varsity and junior varsity football squads make solid showing against teams from Pattonville, Webster Groves, and Fort Zumwalt West at Fort Zumwalt West 'Jamboree.'
O’FALLON, MO — With only one week left before the official kickoff to the 2011 football season, teams from the St. Louis metropolitan region met Friday night at locales all over the area, for an evening of controlled scrimmages in live, game-day settings, that the teams call ‘Jamborees.’
In most cases, the setup is simple. Four teams agree to face each other in a live-hitting, group practice, at which no score is kept and no winner is declared. Jamboree games allow each team a look at where they really stand, heading into the season opening weekend, next Friday and Saturday.
Local football fans were especially interested in the ‘Jamboree’ at Fort Zumwalt West’s Hoekel Stadium, which featured the host Jaguars, as well as a mixture of varsity and junior varsity teams from Eureka, Pattonville, and Webster Groves High Schools.
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The official state rankings have yet to be released this season, but many believe Zumwalt West—which brings back a slew of top-rated talent from last year’s 10-3 playoff team—will be among those listed at the top of the polls.
Webster Groves and Pattonville also were playoff teams in 2010, setting up quite a preseason challenge for the varsity and junior varsity squads from .
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Defensively, the Wildcats were strong as ever against the run, allowing little room to roam for any of the other three opposing offenses.
Webster Groves and Zumwalt West each managed rushing touchdowns against Eureka, but the ‘Cats were flat tenacious in throwing a shutout at Pattonville.
Eureka’s pass coverage, on the other hand, left a lot to be desired.
Webster completed several big passes, including one score against the ‘Cats, while Zumwalt West scored at least two touchdowns on pass plays.
On offense, where Eureka is still trying to break in a new quarterback, the ‘Cats struggled, especially in the early going when several players seemed to have trouble controlling their nerves.
Later in the scrimmage though, Eureka began to move the ball on the ground, with several runners making big gains.
Eureka opens the season Aug. 26, when the Wildcats travel to Wildwood to take on district rival, , at 7 p.m.
Eureka’s first home game of the season will be two weeks later, when the Wildcats host Marquette High, also at 7 p.m.