Douglas High’s Chris Smalley turns the corner during the 2021 spring season. The Tiger football team is hoping it will get a chance to play its home opener Friday against McQueen.
Photo by Ron Harpin.
Update – 1 p.m. Friday 9/3: Douglas High football coach Kyle Mays confirmed the Tigers were going to head out to McQueen for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff, assuming the air quality in the area stays at a reasonable level.
After dropping their opener to Lowry High School, Douglas High School football hasn’t had a chance to step back on the field.
Between air quality issues and COVID testing protocols, the Tigers once again have been stuck waiting – much like this past spring.
Friday, Douglas will be welcoming McQueen to town, assuming the smoke clears out of the area.
Head coach Kyle Mays hasn’t had the easiest start to his tenure as the new varsity coach with schedule changes aplenty.
“It’s tough, man. Obviously, there are bigger issues because people are losing their homes right now, but the smoke has not let up on us at all,” Mays said.
Without any ability to predict winds and wildfire containment, Mays said the Tigers are just back to the waiting game.
When the Air Quality Index reaches above 300, the Tigers have been forced to cancel practice even indoors.
Lancers are big and fast
Douglas High School sports fans are familiar with what McQueen will bring to the table Friday.
Quarterback Robby Snelling (an LSU baseball commit) and running back Ashton Hayes are two dynamic players that have both shown plenty of ability to break open games with their explosiveness.
The senior back ran for 129 yards and four touchdowns in the Lancers’ opener against Shasta High School (Redding, California).
Snelling ran for 36 yards and recorded two sacks from his linebacker position.
“They fly around and they are physical,” said Mays. “Obviously, it starts with Hayes and Robby, but they have a long list of kids who are pretty good at playing the game of football.”
Snelling has even slightly made a fan of Mays, given his willingness to run through someone rather than step out of bounds.
With his dual-threat ability to run and pass, the Tiger head man noted that Douglas has to stay disciplined or Snelling will take advantage of any space he is given.
“He’s not a kid that is running out of bounds. He’s looking to hit somebody, which I appreciate,” Mays added.
As much prep as the Tigers’ can do, physically being on the field Friday night remains a bit of a mystery.
“If we can get out there, our kids will play as hard as they,” said Mays.
As of Friday afternoon, Douglas hopes to get the contest in at McQueen with a 7:30 p.m. kickoff
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