Malik Angrum electric in Reynolds' football victory against Shelby as defense reigns.
Reynolds football needed a jump-start after Shelby took a seven-point lead in the third quarter. Enter defensive back and wide receiver Malik Angrum.
He returned the ensuing kickoff to Shelby’s 22, setting up a Reynolds touchdown. But the Hendersonville transfer wasn’t done. After Shelby scored again, Angrum returned a punt 35 yards for a touchdown to tie it again.
His electric returns, followed by quarterback Hayden Craig's 1-yard touchdown, were what Reynolds (1-1) needed to pull out the 28-21 victory Friday.
"He was the spark tonight," coach Shane Laws said. "His energy spread to the rest of us."
Angrum’s returns weren’t the only plays that ignited the rally. The defense forced three turnovers and held Shelby (0-2) to seven points when the offense sputtered.
The Reynolds defense has picked right back up from where it left off a season ago, when it gave up just 11 points and had two takeaways per game.
Laws and the Rockets are accomplishing it while replacing six starters, including key players like DaShawn Stone, Asher Cunningham, Russell Barrett and Cairo Skanes.
Angrum, Austin Worrell, Neo Lowe and Ernesto Reyes are new faces who have stepped up to go with familiar names like Brandon Guest and Cameron Smith.
"They're being tested and thrown into the fire," Laws said. "And I think the first two weeks, they've responded pretty well."
Laws said his defense isn't as big as it was a year ago, but it makes up for it with its speed and athleticism.
Guest said the current defensive starters did a great job learning from special players like Stone and Cunningham when they suited up for the Rockets.
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However, he believes there is room for improvement.
"We got to finish those drives when we get a little bit tired," Guest said. "You got to wrap up, make sure we don't miss assignments."
Laws agrees.
"We are a work in progress right now," Laws said. "We've still got a long way to go."
This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Why Reynolds football defense is still strong despite replacing six starters
