Red Ramblers riding fast start - Attica awaits tough conference stretch

Per tradition, Attica football coach Ryan Good presented a video of the team’s highlights at last year’s postseason banquet.

He concluded the presentation with an eye on a new tradition.

“At the end it scrolled up and said something like, ‘The class that just graduated left their mark. What will your legend be?” Good said. “From that point on they’ve taken it upon themselves to push that much harder. They want to follow the tradition that has been set already, but they want to set their own as well.”

Standout fullback and linebacker Jarrett Smart graduated last season and headed for Morehead State. Through two games the returning Red Ramblers have proven some talent remained in Attica.

Small on numbers but growing in confidence, Attica outscored Riverton Parke and Clinton Prairie 108-0. Tonight’s rivalry game with Seeger opens a four-game string of tough Wabash River Conference opponents.

“We want to show that Jarrett’s not all we had, and we’re going to have more players just like him coming,” Attica quarterback and linebacker Brady Sheridan said.

Attica’s varsity roster lists 29 players, including freshmen. But so far the Red Ramblers have overwhelmed, holding huge edges in first downs (35-13), rushing yards (709-121) and third down efficiency (41.2 percent to 18.2).

The ground game domination begins in the first quarter, where Attica holds a 283-5 edge in rushing yards.

Carson Davis, a 6-foot-2, 174-pound sophomore, has piled up 322 yards and five touchdowns on just 25 carries. He said he learned a lot about reading holes and blocks from his predecessor.

“My first year playing with (Smart), he taught me a lot, taught a lot of the other backs a lot,” Davis said. “It made us a lot better. You’ve got to be smart, agile and pretty quick.”

Lacking the physical size of last year’s squad, the Red Ramblers have shifted to a double-tight formation. Justin Harmeson and Mike Green man those tight end spots. Bret Green, Damon DeSutter, Casey Broadwater, Isaac Mroczkiewicz and Ryan Jernagan form the offensive line.

Quarterbacking the whole thing is Sheridan, whose intensity has helped him lead the team in tackles so far.

“He could make a great play and won’t even crack a smile,” Good said. “He’s a good leader, but he doesn’t lead by talking and yelling and screaming. He leads by example and tries to keep everybody focused.”

Tyler Jordan (3.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks) and Davis are among the team’s leading tacklers. The Red Ramblers want to maintain their shutout streak, but are aware of the challenge ahead. After Seeger comes perennially strong Rockville, three-time defending conference champion Fountain Central and surging North Vermillion, which knocked Attica out of the sectional last season.

“We want to keep it going as long as we can,” Sheridan said. “It would be fun to do it for a couple more games.”