Lew Wallace: Right at home

Updated: August 18, 2011 5:40PM

Last season was something of a transition for Ricky Scott, having moved back to Gary after several years in Fort Wayne.

After attending Elmhurst High School, which closed in 2010, for two years, he found himself at Lew Wallace as a junior last year.

“Mentally, it was real tough,” said Scott, a middle linebacker and fullback for the Hornets. “I was up and down last year. I was straddling the fence about football. Coming back to Gary, I didn’t want to do anything. But as time went on, it got better. Football helped me, the coaching staff.”

Scott finds himself in a considerably more comfortable place this season, in his second year at Wallace, as a senior. And he intends to express it.

“Really, my main goal is to be a leader,” Scott said. “Last year, I wasn’t vocal. As the middle linebacker, I should be more vocal. I know the defense. I can tell everyone on defense where they should be. I know my mistakes and their mistakes.”

Not that there should be many, especially among the linebackers, slated to be a senior trio in Scott, David Thomas and Armond Bishop.

“We’re a returning group, and we’re getting better and better as a linebacking corps,” Scott said. “We’re filling the holes, making plays. This linebacking crew is the best we’ve had in a long time. We want to go out with a bang our last year.”

Hornets coach Al Williams also has high expectations for that unit in particular.

“Ricky should lead the way at ‘Mike’ linebacker,” he said. “I’m really looking at those three to get the job done.”

Scott also plays fullback, but considers himself more of a defensive player.

“I just try to bring a physical, aggressive presence on both offense and defense,” he said.

Scott, who moved to Fort Wayne from Gary in fourth grade, had played two varsity seasons at Elmhurst. After the school closed — Scott pointed out it was the same year Wallace defeated Elmhurst 57-47 in a Class 3A basketball semistate, before the Hornets lost in the state title game to Washington — he returned to the region when his mother accepted a job offer.

“I’m excited about my senior year in football and school-wise,” said Scott, a member of the National Honor Society with a 3.5 GPA. “Any (college) opportunity I can get to play football, I’ll take it — I want to play football for as long as I can. But either way, I have to focus on my academics.

“Everyone is buying into the system the coaches have been putting in place. We can achieve anything we put our minds to. With Lew Wallace football, it’s more of a mindset. We can’t get down after we give up a touchdown. We have to keep a level head. One play can’t make us or break us. That’s the approach we have to take.”

Coach

Al Williams

Record

At school: 2-17 (third year)

Overall: 2-17 (third year)

Last season

Lost 60-6 to Hammond in sectional opener

Key returnees

FB/LB Ricky Scott

RB/LB/DE David Thomas

QB/S Monyea Collier

OL/DL Oscar Williams

LB Armond Bishop

Key losses

QB/DB Martell Clark (St. Francis)

FB/DT/LB Montell Davis

College prospects

FB/LB Ricky Scott

QB/WR/S Monyea Collier

Season outlook

It tends to be a uphill climb for Lew Wallace, which last won more than one game in a season in 2005 (2-7), having won a single game in four straight seasons after a winless 2006. But the Hornets are making progress, and have developed a degree of stability with Al Williams in his third season as coach. “We’re working hard,” Williams said. “It’s a long process for us. When you’re not winning, you just have to keep practicing and keep pulling teeth, and do the best with what you have.” Though they graduated do-it-all player Martell Clark, the Hornets do have a strong senior class that includes several players who have taken on leadership roles. Monyea Collier, who played wide receiver on offense last season, is set to succeed Clark at quarterback this season. Keep an eye on speedy sophomore Darius Mahome, who should see time at running back, receiver and safety.

Postseason

Class 3A Sectional 17 (Calumet, Culver Academies, Lew Wallace, John Glenn, Gavit. Knox, Mishawaka Marian, South Bend St. Joseph)

Schedule

Aug. 19 at Highland

Sept. 2 at Boone Grove

Sept. 9 at Clark

Sept. 23 at Roosevelt

Sept. 30 at East Chicago

Oct. 7 West Side

Oct. 14 Mishawaka Marian

HISTORY LESSON

Season Record

2001 2-7, 1-3

2002 4-5, 3-1

2003 4-6, 4-0

2004 1-8, 1-2

2005 2-7, 2-1

2006 0-10, 0-3

2007 1-9, 1-2

2008 1-7, 0-2

2009 1-8, 0-2

2010 1-9, 1-1

Sectional titles: 1989

State titles: 1941 (AP)

Roster

No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. Pos.

1 Darius Mahome 6-2 174 10 WR/CB

12 DeMotyae Collier 6-3 181 12 QB/FS

18 Quinton Harris 5-8 150 9 QB/K

19 Demetrius Wormack 5-6 150 10 RB/CB

22 RaShad Jackson 5-8 152 10 CB

23 Armond Bishop 5-8 180 12 RB/LB

25 Brelen Mcgee 5-8 170 12 RB/DB

28 Larry Lee 5-9 172 10 RB/SS

30 Alec Lee 5-7 147 10 CB

34 Ricky Scott 5-9 220 12 FB/LB

54 David Thomas 6-0 188 12 TE/LB

55 Oscar Williams 5-9 220 12 OL/DT

58 Charles Buie 5-6 198 10 C/DT

65 Dontay Weems 6-5 205 10 OL/DE

68 Shaquille Roberts 6-0 230 12 OL

71 Malcom Higgins 6-2 180 11 OL

72 Darius Sherrill 5-10 240 12 OL

77 William Bennett 6-5 200 11 OL

78 Demetrius Loggers 6-0 225 10 OL/DT

80 Sherman Brown 6-2 180 11 TE/DE

83 Triston Sparks 6-1 160 12 WR/FS

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