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BY VAL TSOUTSOURIS
Sports Editor, RTC
Winamac at Knox, 7:30 p.m.
Winamac has lost their last four meetings against Knox. The winning coach in those four games just happened to be the coach who will try to put an end to that streak tonight.
John Hendryx was the Knox coach from 2015-19 and guided the Redskins to their first sectional title in school history in 2019.
He left Knox for Winamac in May 2020, but the first scheduled reunion between Hendryx and his former players was canceled due to the coronavirus putting a pause on Winamac’s season until September.
Knox quarterback Zac Rose graduated after an injury-plagued last season, and Cohen Watson has taken over behind center for Knox Hall of Fame coach Russ Radtke.
“Great kid,” Hendryx said of Watson. “I obviously know him really well. Really a tough kid. I just think he’s just going to keep developing as a thrower. As a runner, he’s pretty aggressive for a quarterback. I know that he used Rose a lot in the running game last year, and I expect they’ll do the same with him. He could very easily be a running back. He’s just got that kind of mentality.”
As for Winamac’s offense, Hendryx said his play calling was “vanilla” in the scrimmage last week against Rochester. Winamac quarterback Russell Compton, an accomplished runner in his won right, was hemmed inside the pocket per coach’s orders. Look for him to be involved in some designed runs this time.
Knox allowed 30 or more points six times in 11 games last year. They allowed only 30 or more points twice in Hendryx’s last three years at Knox.
“They’re a 4-2 team,” Hendryx said. “They like to be really active with their front six guys. They’ll do a lot of stunting with those inside linebackers, a lot of slanting, a lot of movement with their tackles. That’s what their base scheme is.”
