- Eastside started their fifth year under coach Harold Hoskins with an 0-2 record after a 39-15 loss to Forest due to turnovers and penalties.
- Eastside head football coach Harold "Gator" Hoskins has seen plenty of success in his four previous years as Rams head coach, with 32 wins and four straight playoff appearances.
- Junior quarterback Cade Sutherland struggled with two interceptions, leading to limited playtime and a quarterback switch during the game.
Eastside head football coach Harold “Gator” Hoskins has seen plenty of success in his four previous years as Rams head coach, with 32 wins and four straight playoff appearances.
His fifth year at the helm hasn’t started quite as smoothly.
The Rams are off to an 0-2 start after committing four turnovers and countless other penalties and mistakes in a 39-15 loss to Forest (Ocala) on Thursday night at Citizens Field.
Hoskins said the team needs to get back to work and prepare for city rival Buchholz next week.
“We graduated a lot of guys and a couple of guys transferred on us,” Hoskins said. “It’s a tough situation, but no one’s crying about it or making excuses. We just have to play better football. We got our butts beat tonight, so it is what it is.”
Against Forest (2-0) on Thursday night, Eastside blocked a punt after the Wildcats went three-and-out on their first possession. The Rams started the drive at the Forest 21, but on fourth down, junior quarterback Cade Sutherland threw an interception under pressure into the hands of Forest safety Christian Neal. Neal returned the pick 93 yards for a 6-0 Wildcats lead.
Sutherland struggled, throwing two interceptions in the first half and nearly losing another fumble. He didn’t play much in the second half as junior KJ Woodard took most of the snaps at quarterback.
“He (Sutherland) hasn’t played football in two years, but again, no excuses; he has to play better and keep working until he gets it right,” Hoskins said.
After the pick six, Eastside went three-and-out, and Forest blocked a punt and recovered it at the Rams’ 3-yard line. Two plays later, senior running back Kez Rivers scored his first of two rushing touchdowns for a 13-0 Wildcats lead.
Then after another Eastside punt, Forest drove 64 yards for another score, with Rivers scoring from 13 yards out as the Wildcats extended their lead to 19-0.
Senior Jameer McCarthy returned the ensuing kickoff to the Rams’ 45, and then two plays later, sophomore Jayce Starke went 55 yards to the end zone to get Eastside on the board, trailing 19-7.
It looked like Eastside was right back in the game after recovering a fumble on the next possession at the Forest 21. But Starke fumbled two plays later, and Forest took advantage of an Eastside illegal participation penalty on fourth down and eventually scored on a 1-yard run by Neal for a 26-7 advantage.
“Anytime you have a good defense you can take some chances on offense,” Forest coach John Brantley said. “This is a fun group to coach and it’s unlimited what they can do. If this team ever learns to win practices Monday through Wednesday, they can be a real good football team.”
Forest scored in the second half on a one-yard rushing score by senior quarterback Caleb Sanford and a 15-yard touchdown by senior Cortney Brown. Eastside scored in the fourth quarter on a six-yard scamper by Starke.
Things don’t get any easier for Eastside with city rival Buchholz coming up next Friday.
“Just keep coaching, that’s all I know,” Hoskins said. “Keep working. There’s not a magic wand I can use to change it; we just need to work until we get it right.”