FULTON - Though the zero in the win column has come to define the Fulton Hornets' season through six games, another character also applies - a question mark.
Specifically, the punctuation applies to a feeling of unfamiliarity. Fulton is led by a first-year head coach in Trey Barrow and has been forced to start a pair of wide-receiver-turned-quarterbacks during the season.
It has been a season of newness for the Hornets, a theme that will continue in this week's non-conference tilt. Fulton (0-6) will take a long trip down Interstate 70 to Kansas City tonight for its first-ever meeting with the Southeast Knights. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
It's a new opponent in a new venue, but newness is nothing the Hornets haven't encountered this season. Senior John Holtkamp will start a second game under center for Fulton in place of junior Tyler Sayler, who replaced senior Garrett Johnson, who stepped in after Sayler, senior starter Evan Gray and freshman backup Woodrow Foster all succumbed to injuries.
The revolving door isn't just limited to quarterback. There's been a "next man up" mentality at other positions for Fulton, which has been a test for both the players and coaches.
"It's really challenged us as coaches and the players because we're running basically a totally different offense than we did at the beginning of the year, and it can benefit us in the long run," Barrow said. "It's been fun to see (the players) progress."
One of those players who has had his number called unexpectedly is junior lineman Ethan Medrow. According to Barrow, Medrow played "in spots" to start the season, but he soon found himself along the offensive line, then at defensive end.
Now, the 250-pound Medrow is starting both ways and playing up to his sizable physical potential."So at first, I saw a kid that looks like he's going to be a monster out there, and he wasn't as strong as he could've been when I got here," Barrow said. "But he's made strides in the weight room - it's all a mindset for him.
"He's gotten a lot stronger, and he's getting after it a little more and getting used to the speed of Friday nights."
Players younger than Medrow and with less experience are seeing the field for Fulton out of necessity. The result has been a culture of Hornets who, in Barrow's eyes, are never unprepared.
"It makes them kind of be ready at all times," Barrow said. "It's not every year that you're going to be playing freshmen at the varsity level or even as many sophomores as we've had."
And it's not every week that players get to participate in a first-ever game with a team, something this Fulton squad is excited about. Though Southeast (1-5) has the lone win between the two opponents so far this year, Barrow compared this week of preparation to that of a postseason encounter.
"It's been kind of fun for the kids," Barrow said. "It's almost like a district or playoff game where you don't have a big history with the team."
The Knights are fresh off their first win of the season, a 58-6 triumph against Central Academy last week. Southeast, despite its record, was competitive in many of those losses and has the skill players and size up front to give the Hornets fits.
"I thought that their line is very big, their skill guys are very good and athletic," Barrow said. "I think we're going to need to be more disciplined and more physical than they are because some of their athletes are going to put us in difficult positions."
The Knights' offense will mix in some power-run formations and some spread, and will look for ways to get their speedy perimeter players out in space. Junior Tavion Karim leads Southeast at quarterback, while seniors Ra'shod Wilson and Ja'leon Teague are both running backs who Barrow believes have "another gear."
In Barrow's opinion, senior wide receiver Doedy Patterson-Deh plays bigger than his 6-foot-1 listing indicates, and Southeast has a pair of 290-pound linemen who could slow down the Hornets based on size alone. Defensively, the Knights' speed allows them to employ a man defense and play a safety 15-17 yards off the ball.
So where can Fulton exploit Southeast?
"If we play better fundamentals than they do, if we can play assignment football and everyone do our job, we'll be all right," Barrow said.
The Hornets know how they'll need to play and what it'll take to remain competitive. In a season where a new wrinkle has been thrown at Fulton seemingly each week, there's at least some familiarity to work with.
"We're both hungry still and I don't think either team is going to look past each other like other teams might," Barrow said. "Neither of us are at the point where we can take anything for granted."
Related Media: Fulton Hornets Football Podcast [Southeast preview, Oct. 5, 2018]