Indians’ Dix a four-year contributor

BY TIM HAYES

Bristol Herald Courier

RURAL RETREAT — During Quinton Hensley’s first season as the head football coach at Rural Retreat High School back in 2004, he inserted a freshman offensive lineman into the starting lineup.

On Friday night, when the Indians play in their fourth straight Region C, Division 1 title game, Hensley will rely on that same lineman to make plays. Only this time, he’s a senior and knows the postseason routine.

You see, Jared Dix has contributed at Rural Retreat since the first time he stepped on the field four years ago.

"We’ve been doing this thing for four years," Hensley said. "We came in at the same time. He almost feels like a son of mine. He’s been here the whole time I’ve been head coach, and I don’t think he’s missed a day of practice. He does a heck of a job on the offensive line, and I don’t know if we’ve ever had a player that was a better all-around lineman than Jared."

At 6-foot-1, 232-pounds, he’s manhandled his share of opposing linemen during his four years of starting at left guard.

In fact, Dix and his fellow linemen like Eric

Reasor, J.C. Crockett, Daniel Baggerly and Terry Fields helped open holes for Hogoheegee District rushing leader David Harrison this fall.

"Our linemen have been probably one of the strongest points of our team this year," Dix said. "We’ve tried to be the leaders on this team. We haven’t really had that big of a passing game, so we’ve had to rely on the run a lot. We know what to do up front, and we have the coaches to help us. We go with that smash-mouth mentality that we’re going to go up front and whip everybody."

The act isn’t overlooked by the star running back.

"I can always count on the line being there," Harrison said. "I’m really thankful to have Jared, a four-year starter, in front of me. I can always count on him creating an opening for me."

Dix has also delivered in that leadership role. The perfect example actually occurred before the season started.

After playing linebacker the three previous years, Hensley decided to shift Dix to defensive end. Dix didn’t sulk, but instead stepped into his new position and has delivered plenty of hard hits.

"I really enjoy it," Dix said. "I didn’t really care what position I played, I just wanted to be on the field. I love to play defense, no matter what the position."

Dix and his fellow seniors have never lost a Region C playoff game and will look for that trend to continue on Friday when the Indians host Bath County.

"Once we won region my freshman year, it was pretty much a goal we set every year," Dix said. "It’s something we feel we need to do and a game that we have to go to every year."

When they take the field Friday at Community Stadium, Hensley and Dix will look to add another chapter in their four-year success story.

"I love playing under Coach Hensley," Dix said. "He’s an excellent coach. His first year, we were trying to adapt to a new offense. And a lot of us weren’t sure how we were going to do that. But we won that first playoff game that year and have been rolling ever since. I have so much confidence in him."

And Hensley has confidence in his senior leader.

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