Demopolis (1-3, 1-1) put the finishing touches on its preparation for Hillcrest Thursday when it completed a helmets-only practice on the field at Memorial Stadium. DHS returns to the friendly confines tonight after dropping two straight games on the road over the last two weeks.

However, awaiting the Tigers when they take the field will be a 6A Hillcrest team fresh off a 37-9 loss to rival Tuscaloosa County.

“They’re a dang good football team,” DHS head coach Tom Causey said of his team’s next foe. “They’re 3-1. They’ve got good players at every position. They’re winners.”

Causey, whose team has struggled offensively for intervals over three of its first four games, said his team will be facing a stout defense that brings two of the best interior linemen the Tigers will see all year. According to Causey, they will accompany a pair of speed-rush defensive ends and a high-energy middle linebacker.

“Our tackles have to get up to the second level and block that linebacker,” Causey said of one of his offensive line’s primary responsibilities tonight.

Despite the team’s win-loss mark, Causey’s crew has continued focusing on self-improvement.

“We haven’t talked about a record,” Causey said. “That’s for everybody else to talk about. We’ve got to work on getting better everyday.”

“I believe we’ve gotten better this week,” senior quarterback Rick Boone said. “We’ve started listening to the coaches and doing what we’re supposed to do.”

Causey said his squad has focused on fundamentals and assignments throughout the week in an effort to avoid some of the mistakes that have plagued the team in recent games.

“We’ve been up-tempo all week,” Boone said.