Wildcats kick off with doubleheader

Episcopal Collegiate will start the season by playing two games in three days. It's a unique situation, but Wildcats Coach Richie Marsh said his team is looking forward to the challenge.

"We were dropped at the last minute by a nonconference team and we were faced with either a nine-game schedule or picking up two games in one week," Marsh said. "We decided to accept the challenge of playing two games in one week."

With only 25 players on their roster, the Wildcats will open their season on Tuesday, Sept. 2 against DeWitt in Pine Bluff. Three days later, Episcopal plays at Conway Christian.

"After that, we get 14 days off to prepare for Week 3," Marsh said. "We're taking a different mindset into it. I think our kids can handle it."

Coming off a 10-3 season, the Wildcats have nine offensive and six defensive starters returning. Episcopal does not have any overwhelming size, but the Wildcats do have plenty of speed and experience to the skill positions.

Junior Allie Freeman, 5-11, 165 pounds, may be one of the most widely-versed players in the state. Marsh said he could play as many as four positions in each game.

"He'll take some snaps, we'll throw it to him, hand it to him, he'll throw some, he'll run some," Marsh said of Freeman, who averaged 7.6 yards per carry and caught 101 passes for 1,639 yards as a sophomore. "He does whatever he wants because, quite honestly, he's so quick that in an open space, he's tough to tackle."

The Wildcats' quarterback will be senior Douglas Munson, 6-2, 150, who earned all-conference honors last year as a linebacker.

"He's got a linebacker mentality," Marsh said. "But he's not totally new to the quarterbacking position. He fashioned himself as a linebacker last year because he wanted to be on the field. ... It's kind of odd that he's known for being a linebacker because he only did it for one year. He's been waiting to play quarterback for a few years, and now is his chance."

Along with Freeman, Munson will have plenty of receiving targets. Junior Nick Becton, 6-5, 170, caught 78 passes for 695 yards last season, while Sam Baker, 6-1, 195, had 54 catches for 474 yards.

Marsh said Will McCastlain, 5-9, 195, and senior middle linebacker Justin Gooseberry, 6-3, 215, are the leaders of the Wildcats' defense.

"They are the classic lead-by-example guys," Marsh said. "They can get vocal when they need to. They are smart, hard-working kids. And especially with McCastlain, the effort never stops."

Episcopal is loaded with defensive backs. Marsh said he has 14 players that can be listed as DBs.

"I really feel sorry for some of our younger players because in most years they would have a chance to play for us," Marsh said. "But right now, they are three-deep on the depth chart on a school with 25 players. It's kind of an odd situation."

But nothing seems as odd about the Wildcats as their unique schedule.

"In reality, the kids understand that those two games don't mean anything," Marsh said. "But they could mean everything, if that makes any sense. Win both of them and you're on a roll. Lose both of them and we're back in training camp for 14 days. We'll try to use it as a learning tool and try to get better."

Sports on 08/26/2014