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Prep Confidential

Jackson's 5 Part IIXX

Posted by: Marcus Jackson

Thursday, October 9, 2008 11:48 AM

By MARCUS JACKSON
mjackson@news-gazette.com

Each week staff writer Marcus Jackson will pose five questions to an area prep athlete. This week it’s Arcola running back/linebacker Cameron Anderson, the Purple Riders’ second-leading rusher.

MJ: Did you think it was going to be a long year after you started the season 0-2?
CA: After the first game I wasn’t sure. But after that second game, we played a really good game, I know the score doesn’t reflect it but after that I knew that we were going to be able to do some damage, especially in the conference.

MJ: What’s the feeling around town and school after winning four in a row?
CA: Everybody’s jacked up. We had the most intense practice (Tuesday). Everybody was just flying around getting pumped and crazy and we were just getting stuff done. We’re all excited about Villa Grove. We’ve got so much on the line, conference championship on the line, we’ve got a 7-2 record on the line that we need to have for a home playoff game and just to make another statement in the conference. Every year we’re underdogs.

MJ: What’s it like to play for Jarod Kiger?
CA: Honestly everything starts with him, he’s a wonderful coach. Without him we wouldn’t be anywhere. Coach Kiger and (Brody) Walworth know so much about football. They really help our team and make each person understand what they need to do each week. I know football, but without them telling me exactly what to do each week I wouldn’t know what to do or where to be.

MJ: Coach Kiger seems like the kind of coach that likes to have fun, too. Is that refreshing?
CA: Oh my God yes. That’s the reason why we have such a good football team. We wouldn’t have the team we have in effort and numbers if we don’t have a coach like that. Those coaches that get on you and just nag and nag makes you not want to play. There are certain kids that would think practice is going to (stink) all the time and that drops your numbers and you have a lot of really athletic kids not playing because they don’t like the coach. With him if you’re getting after it, you can have fun and play well.

MJ: With Tuscola out of the Little Okaw Valley, is Villa Grove kind of you new rival?
CA: I’m picky about calling someone our rival. It’s always bothered me that Tri-County thinks they’re our rival. It just makes me mad because there is no reason for them to be our rivals, I don’t know why they feel they are our rivals so honestly I don’t feel like we have any rivals right now. There’s nothing significant to have one.

MJ: Your dad Terry was on the 1978 state championship football team at Arcola, is that something you guys talk about a lot?
CA: Yeah he’s always telling me how great that was and what it feels like to win one and have that opportunity. I think that would be awesome. And it would be cool to have that ring he has for the rest of your life and be able to show my kids.

MJ: Last week was homecoming at Arcola, what was it like there?
CA: I don’t know if it was homecoming that was making everybody pumped or what, but Tri-County and their attitude toward us. But we know they always put up a great fight against us and they play really, really well. They always stick around in the games and that gives us motivation and it was more of who we were playing.