Vereen Satisfied With Defense After Scrimmage Loss to Billies

RISON - Rison Coach Chris Vereen came away pleased overall with his defense in a 7-2 scrimmage loss to the Class 4A Monticello Billies Tuesday night at George Walker Field of Champions, but he said the Wildcat offense still has a lot of polishing up to do.Monticello started what turned out to be the only scoring drive the game after Rison had an incomplete pass on fourth-and-3 at the Billies' 19 to stop what had been a promising drive for the Wildcats. Taking over there with 3:40 left in the first half, Monticello used a 16-yard pass from Tye Guthries to Curtis Barrow, Jr. followed by a 35-yard scamper on a jet sweep by Barrow to give the Billies a first down at the Rison 15.The Wildcat defense still forced Monticello into a fourthand-four at the Rison 9, but Guthrie rolled to his right to hit Barrow crossing into the endzone to score the only TD of the scrimmage with 42 seconds left in the half. A successful extra point made it 7-0 to cap a sevenplay, 81-yard drive."The defense played well," Vereen said in wrapping up the scrimmage. "We got a little fatigued there late in the first half (when the Billies put together the TD drive)." Defense was a weak area for the Wildcats during last year's 3-8 campaign. Rison gave up an average of 36.5 points per game, and two opponents (Bigelow and Camden Harmony Grove) both scored more than 50 in back-to-back games. The Rison defense came up with two interceptions during Tuesday's scrimmage, one by senior Aaron Tilley on a rebound off a tipped reception and another by sophomore Kyson Walker in the endzone to turn back a Billie scoring threat.Gutherie, a senior who took over for Monticello's All-Conference quarterback Brooks Bowman, completed eight-of-11 attempts with two picks to 80 yards through the air. The Billies' longest pass went for 16 yards pick-up during the scoring drive late in the first half. Monticello finished with 55 yards rushing on seven attempts against Rison's starting defense. ...