Day looking for the next big play

Jimmy Ivey
sports@weatherforddemocrat.com

August 29, 2007 02:08 pm

— ALEDO — For Aledo senior cornerback Kenton Day, the moment the ball is put up into the air by a quarterback, he gets excited.
“I get to make a play, maybe pick one off,” Day said. “It is fun when a team passes a lot. It helps the defensive backs out there have some fun. I am like, ‘Finally, I get to make something happen.’”
Sometimes, the receiver beats Day. Other times, it is Day who makes the big play with an interception, changing the complexion of the game for himself and the Bearcats.
“All of it happens so fast,” Day said about making an interception. “I catch it, then I just think, ‘I have to turn into an offensive player. Just run with the ball, find some holes and run through them.’”
Day’s nose for the football is quite keen, as he recorded six interceptions last year to lead the Bearcats. That nose for the football is already back into full gear, with Day recording an interception in the scrimmage against Grapevine on Aug. 24.
“Anytime you have guys who can make plays, it is a good thing,” said Aledo head football coach Tim Buchanan.
Last year, it was not just Day who was making those big plays on defense. Many defensive players had huge moments, especially in the second half of the regular season when the Bearcats did not allow a point on the board. For Day, it was not any one particular play which stuck out in his mind. Day’s memories of last year center around the team, not any one individual memory.
“Our defense had that amazing shutout streak last year,” Day said. “There was not really any pressure last year [to maintain the streak] because we were just good enough to do that. We were able to play good football and keep it up.”
Eventually, the scoreless streak was broken, which gave all of the Bearcats, including Day, a new lesson to learn, one which will be needed, again, with this year’s squad lack of experience up front on defense.
“It showed us that there were teams out there that could score on us,” Day said. “We don’t need to worry about [shutting out teams]. We just need to go out there and stop them.”
This year’s seniors have had their fair share of success and they are not satisfied. They want more. They want to finish what was started last year.
“We want some more success,” Day said. “This is our last season and we are going to try even harder to make it last as long as we can, [all the way] to that state championship.”
Day and the rest of his team look to grab that success starting with Brewer Friday at the new Bearcat Stadium at 7:30 p.m.