Rocket football camp news

The biggest news out of Rocket football camp this week is who's not there.

When two-a-days started this week, absent was senior tailback Jeramie Sorina. A week earlier, Sorina had been timed at 4.4 in the 40 during the annual Ironman competition, but he has been a no show this week.

Also missing are returning starters Alex Wood and Alex Fritts. Wood, a star baseball player, has opted to stick to the diamond and give up football. It's not clear why Fritts, a junior, did not return. Senior Seth Keene also chose not play football this year.

Otherwise, the Rockets have 32 players in camp, including a couple of good looking freshmen. Coach Al Starnes says everyone in camp is working hard. Starnes said he does not expect Sorina or any of the others to rejoin the team at this point.

Rodney Robertson, a senior tailback, won the Ironman competition for the third straight year.

Rocket Youth Football Camp

Crittenden County football held its annual Rocket Youth Camp last week. Here are participants and results:

Participants
Ages 5-under Gabe Mott, Gavin Hunt, Benjamin Evans, Preston Turley, Erik O’Leary.
Ages 6-7 Blake Curnel, Nelson Jennings, Gavin Dickerson, Seth Millikan, Gavin Davidson, Lukas Graham, Dylan Turley, Sean O’Leary, Cody Belt, Mason Hunt.
Ages 8-9 Alex Gilbert, Will Tolley, Logan Belt, Beau O’Neal, Wide Gilbert, Ben Brown, Joseph Estes, Adam Beavers, Ross Crider, Ethan Hunt.
Ages 10-11 Noah Smith, Luke Smith, Jacob Graham, Reid Baker, Noah Dickerson, Gary McConnell, Jesse Belt, Logan Shuecraft.
Ages 12-up Hunter Clark, Dustin Roberts, Zach Tinsley, Bobby Knox, Stephon Cozart, Daniel Price, Devin Clark, Zack O’Neal.

Obstacle Course
Ages 5-under Erik O’Leary, Preston Turley, Gavin Hunt, Gabe Mott and Benjamin Evans.
Ages 6-7 1. Gavin Dickerson, 2. Cody Belt, 3. Mason Hunt.
Ages 8-9 1. Ben Brown, 2. Will Tolley, 3. Ethan Hunt.
Ages 10-11 1. Jesse Belt, 2. Noah Dickerson, 3. Gary McConnell.
Ages 12-up 1. Bobby Knox, 2. Hunter Clark, 3. Zach Tinsley.

2009 Dropouts

Crittenden County has had to find a couple of new opponents because Class 3A schools Calloway County and Union County are not willing or able to fit the Rockets onto their schedules in the coming years.

The Rockets will play Union County for the last time this year under the current contract. Since renewing the rivalry with the neighboring county to the north, Crittenden holds a 4-3 advantage in the series. The teams have swapped wins each season since 2001. If history holds, this would be Union's season to tie the series after the Rockets won last year's game 42-22. Because Crittenden is playing two neutral-site bowl games, it will have only four regular-season home games instead of the customary five. The Oct. 17 matchup with the Braves will be Crittenden's last home game of the regular season. It will be Senior Night, and one the Rockets will not give up easily.

As for Calloway County, the Lakers hold a 3-2 edge in the series over the past five years since the two teams have played one another. Crittenden lost 49-7 to Calloway last year as the Lakers young QB Casey Brockman ripped the Rockets for 265 passing yards. This year's matchup comes on the heels of the two opening bowl games. Crittenden will be at Calloway on Sept. 12, its third game of the season and third straight on the road although the first two are at neutral sites - Marshall County and Caldwell County.

To make up for the lost opponents on the 2009 schedule and beyond, Crittenden has scheduled Murray High, a former Class A First District foe now playing in Class 2A, and Class 3A Logan County, a team that was on the Rocket schedule in 2005 and 2006. Crittenden beat Logan in both of those encounters.

Pre-season workouts begin

Football is getting ready to kick off for players of all ages starting with a youth football camp next week and the beginning of middle school and high school pre-season workouts.

The Rocket Youth Football Camp is Tuesday through Friday from 8:30 a.m., until 11:30 p.m. Registration forms are available at NAPA and The Crittenden Press.

The Crittenden County Middle School Junior Iron Man contest, which is new this year, will be staged Tuesday and Thursday next week from 5-8 at Rocket Arena. The annual high school Iron Man competition will be daily from 5 to 8 p.m., at the gym. Rodney Robertson, a senior running back, has won the event the past two years and figures to be a heavy favorite as practice begins.
The CCMS football team will report for regular practice from 6-8 p.m., beginning Monday, July 21. Beginning Aug. 4, practice will be held after school until 5:30 p.m.

The CCHS football team will continue weightlifting Friday and Monday before the Iron Man competition begins.
The Rocket high school team will begin regular practice sessions from 8-11 a.m., the week of July 21 through July 25. Camp week will follow from 8 a.m., until 6 p.m., daily July 28 through Aug. 1.

All players are encouraged to get their physical examinations before reporting for practice, coach Al Starnes said.