Column: Ross suffers TKO in season-opener

FREMONT – Joe Louis said every boxer has a plan until they get hit.

Fremont Ross had a plan entering its season-opening tilt against Holland Springfield. Then the Little Giants got hit.

Then again.

And again.

Springfield’s combination of pinpoint passing rocked and staggered the Little Giants early and the Blue Devils’ relentless rushing up the middle wore them down and knocked them out.

Ross’ 42-21 loss Friday night wasn’t a close decision. It was a one-sided affair which, had it been a boxing match, the referee would have stopped it long before the final round’s closing bell.

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“They kicked our butts,” Ross coach Craig Yeast said. “We had a few kids that made a few plays but we win together and we lose together. We don’t have too many bright spots tonight.”

The opening round looked promising enough. The Little Giant defense made a stop on a fourth-and-one for a turnover on downs. Ross (0-1) then took a 7-0 lead on the ensuing possession.

Then the rainmakers came. One haymaker connecting after another. Springfield (1-0) countered Ross’ touchdown by returning the kickoff 85 yards for its own score. Then quarterback Scottie Seymour and his receivers treated the Ross’ secondary like a speedbag — quickly and repeatedly hammering the Little Giants.

The Blue Devils connected for three touchdowns in a little over five minutes, totaling just five plays on their three scoring drives. Seymour and his receivers carved up the Ross secondary for 149 yards on four passes, three of which went for touchdowns.

While Springfield connected one body shot after another, Ross had no defense.

“We get the right calls but we don’t execute and they do,” Yeast said. “It’s as simple as that. We have a corner who, on a corner route, doesn’t drop where he’s supposed to. He jumps an under route and he’s not supposed to. They got another guy running up the seam and our safety just stands and looks.”

It wasn’t the kind of fight the Little Giants thought they were getting into when they stepped onto the field for the 2015 opener. In the moments immediately following the defeat, walking off the field, the Little Giants had the glazed-eyed look of a fighter who had a plan that suddenly evaporated.

Yeast delivered to his team a new plan.

“The message is you better come Monday ready to work because it was little embarrassing tonight,” he said. “Our kids were very well prepared, but as a coaching staff we have to go back and get some things corrected. We got to come back next week and get better.”

rmcgowan@gannett.com

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Twitter: @RMcGowan1