CAIRO MIGHT WISH TO FOLLOW LEAD OF ITS COACH

If the Cairo (Ill.) High football team proves to be as tough as its coach, then the Pilots will be in pretty good shape this year.

Ron Woods was extensively burned on his chest and around his neck and chin areas during an accident on Aug. 12.

But the Pilots' veteran mentor was with the squad during the first day of practice on Aug. 13 and he hasn't missed a workout since.

According to Woods, he was driving his car when the water light came on. He pulled over, popped the hood and saw steam pouring out of the radiator. He decided not to touch the cap, but it blew anyway, sending hot water all over him.

"It really tore my chest up and it got under my chin and on the side of my neck," he said. "I guess it was kind of a freak thing. I wasn't about to touch it, but it blew anyway."

Added Woods with his trademark chuckle, "I'm tough. I'll be all right. Like I told the kids, it's all mind over matter."

Woods and his players might need a lot of that positive thinking during the season -- which opens Friday night at Carterville -- because the Pilots will be extremely young with very little varsity experience.

Last year, Woods thought he had some good talent but, due to a variety of factors, things never worked out and the Pilots went 0-9.

This season, the bulk of the squad is comprised of underclassmen, with about 30 freshmen and 10 sophomores joining seven juniors and six seniors.

"We're super, super young and we have no experience," said Woods.

Some of the players Woods will be counting on who have had varsity experience over the past year or two are seniors Vance Tuck and Lawrence Buell, along with juniors Darius Wells and Ronnell Spearman.

Wells, who Woods describes as his best overall player, will play linebacker for the second straight season and will also play quarterback for the first game at least.

Spearman played as a freshman but missed last season. He'll be a running back and cornerback.

Tuck was being counted on at wide receiver last year but he was involved in a car wreck and missed the whole season.

Buell, by far the squad's biggest player at 6-7 and 280 pounds, will be a major key for the Pilots, according to Woods.

Senior Anthony Woods, last year's JV quarterback, will probably take over at that position after the first game. He's ineligible for Friday's opener because he joined the squad late and will not have gotten in enough practices.

Two move-in players are also being counted on, senior linebacker Andre Bryant and junior linebacker Jamie Holley.

Other key players figure to be junior Henry Davis and sophomore Grant Gardner.

"It'll be an interesting season to say the least," said Ron Woods with a laugh,. "It'll test my coaching mettle. But I've worked them really hard and nobody has backed off from it."

Added Woods, "We've got some really tough games to start off with. But if they keep this attitude, keep this enthusiasm and can hang in there, then we could be all right."