Online Edition
Thursday, June 20, 2013
Snapping comes naturally to McGee
Punters and kickers go largely unnoticed on the football field, but for every kicker there is usually a long snapper that is taken for granted by bystanders.
In Water Valley that is not the case, as Blue Devils head coach Brad Embry has long preached the importance of senior long snapper Fred McGee. (August 3, 2010, Page 7)
Blue Devils ready to get physical
The intensity of summer football drills picked up for the Water Valley Blue Devils Wednesday evening. Coach Brad Embry prepared his team for their first action in shoulder pads today by sending them through a practice that lasted a little over three and a half hours on Wednesday. (July 29, 2010, Page 7)
Blue Devils get practices started right
The Water Valley Blue Devils wasted no time getting to work on Monday, hitting the practice field for the first time in preparation for the 2010 season.
And by all accounts, the practice went about as well as it could have. (July 27, 2010, Page 7A)
WV’s Shuffield headed to Orlando for fight
Codie Shuffield and his fighting talents are hitting the road this weekend. The Water Valley native is booked to fight outside the Mid-South for the first time in his career Friday and Saturday at the World Championships of Kickboxing in Orlando, Fla. (July 21, 2010, Page 6)
Blue Devils 2010 football shirts unveiled
During my evening in Water Valley, which began at the Water Valley School Board Meeting, I was able to catch up with Blue Devils football coaches Brad Embry and Richard Russo.
(more…) (July 19, 2010)
Buckley’s improvement has helped himself, WVHS
Three years ago when Brad Embry and the current coaching staff arrived in Water Valley, Eric Buckley struggled to find a spot in the starting lineup.
Buckley, then a sophomore, had received considerable playing time the year before, but once the coaching change occurred it was hard for him to master the new philosophy.
Since then, however, Buckley worked hard to get back on the field and entering this season, the senior has solidified his spot as Water Valley’s starting strong safety. (July 13, 2010, Page 6A)
Improved passing game pleases Embry
The Blue Devils were taken out of their element this weekend — big time.
Normally, Water Valley’s football team utilizes a run-heavy offense. But this weekend, the team participated in Oxford High’s O-Zone Classic, a pass-only 7-on-7 tournament held at FNC Park, and the Blue Devils threw the ball nearly as many times in two days as they did all last season (89 attempts in 12 games).
It was a good trial by fire for the Blue Devils, who enter their third year under coach Brad Embry looking to become an even more balanced offense.
For the Blue Devils, tournaments like this one — in which Water Valley went 3-4 overall and finished third in the Class 1A-3A grouping — make good stepping stones towards the ultimate goal of being a complete team. (July 12, 2010, Page 7)
Bounds to receive plenty of help on offense
Helping to make freshman quarterback E.J. Bounds’ life a lot easier this season will be the likes of Desmond Hervey and Chris Conard at receiver.
Both juniors are expected to step up on offense and assume larger roles this season.
Last season, Hervey caught just two passes for six yards, while Conard hauled in five for 98 yards and three scores.
But if this past weekend is any indication of how the season will play out, both Hervey and Conard could factor greatly into the team’s passing attack. (July 12, 2010, Page 7)
Oxford to host 7-on-7 tournament
The start of the 2010 high school football season may still be a little more than a month away, but fans that have been in need of some passing, catching and running from players can get their fix this weekend at FNC Park.
Oxford will serve as the host school for a 12-team 7-on-7 tournament held Friday and Saturday at FNC. Members of the Chargers’ offense and defense have been working on their skills in preparation for the season as well as the tournament. (July 8, 2010, Page 1B)
Hervey dealing for North Delta
Monday night’s gusty weather at the New Albany Sportsplex could be attributed to the thunderstorms that rolled in. Or it could be attributed to the amount of swings and misses that took place during the North Delta Dealers’ showdown with the Tallahatchie Rascals.
To say Tank Hervey was dialed in on Monday night would not do his performance justice.
Not even close.
Of the 17 Rascals outs that the right-hander collected during the rain-suspended Cotton States Baseball League game, which was called after 5.2 innings with the Dealers ahead 3-0, 12 were strikeouts. (June 29, 2010, Page 8)
