RISON - Rison Coach Chris Vereen said Dumas will have a difference-maker rejoining its team this week the Wildcats host the Bobcats at 7 p.m. Friday at George Walker Field of Champions for their first 8-3A conference game at home.Rison comes in with a 1-0 mark in conference play and 4-0 record overall while Dumas comes is also 1-0 in league action and 1-3 overall. Both teams won their league openers last week: Dumas beat Lake Village, 28-6, while the Wildcats waded their way to a 24-0 victory over Palestine-Wheatley. Dumas' overall record can be a bit deceiving considering that all three of their non-conference losses came against Class 4A schools that currently have a combined record of 10-2 heading into Week 5. The Bobcats lost to Star City (4-0) 34-29; to Hamburg (3-1) 31-0; and to Monticello (3-1) 27-0. Dumas' loss at Star City was the closest game the Bulldogs have seen this season considering the Bulldogs have won their other three games by margins of 18 points or more.And Vereen points out that Dumas played those three nonconference games without perhaps their best player on the team, senior receiver Raylen Spratt. Vereen said Spratt (5-11, 160) had nearly 900 yards receiving last year and about 1,200 yards of total offense in earning All-State honors last year on the Class 4A level.Vereen is well aware of the Spratt's ability considering he coached against him last year while he was at Star City. He said Spratt broke his foot late in the summer, and while he suited up for the past two games, he did not see any action. However, Vereen said he expects that to change this Friday night when Dumas visits Rison.But he also warned that Spratt won't be the only Bobcat the Wildcats will need to worry about. "This will be the most athletic team we've seen this season," he said.Dumas operates out of the spread on offense, and Vereen said the Bobcats like to mix in both the run and the pass. However, he points out that Head Coach An...
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