‘I like to be humble’
Veteran Millsap good fit for Jones, Alma defense
By Kevin Taylor
Alma Schools
Ashton Millsap doesn’t consider himself a speedster.
“I wouldn’t say that I’m slow, but I wouldn’t say that I’m fast, either,” he said. “I’m right there in between. I like to be humble.”
In the waning seconds of last week’s win over Siloam Springs, Alma coach Rusty Bush was hoping a long return might give quarterback Chase Parker a chance to throw a late touchdown pass right before halftime. “We actually had all of our skill guys on the field for that, and Ashton was able to break it,” the coach said following the Airedales’ 29-22 victory.
Millsap caught the kickoff at his 29 and, following his blockers, raced to the Panthers’ 33-yard line. His burst turned out to be a game-saver of sorts, as Parker hit multi-talented Samuel Schlegel with a 24-yard touchdown pass on the final play of the half in what proved to be the difference in the game.
“My blockers were really talented and gave me excellent holes to fit through,” Millsap said. “I was blessed to get as far as I did; I wish I could have gotten further, to give us a better chance, but we got it (touchdown) anyway.”
“He’s got decent speed; he always has,” Alma defensive coordinator Zach Jones said. “That’s the thing about Ashton; he’s really a lot better athlete than he shows. I don’t think he always believes in himself. So, was I surprised (at the kickoff return)? ‘No.’
“Was I happy for him? ‘Yes,’ because we had just given up a score and had a chance to get that score back.”
Not necessarily the most gifted athlete to ever grace the field at Citizens Bank Field at Airedale Stadium, Ashton Millsap is precisely the type of Airedale Jones loves to call on.
“That’s just what Alma football is about,” Jones said. “You play little league, you play all through junior high, and even though you may not get a lot of reps, if you stick it out through your senior year, we’re going to use you; we’re going to find a spot for you.”
All four of Alma’s defensive secondary include mostly first-year players like Millsap, Jackson Rust, Caleb Liles, and John Crump.
“It’s basically what our defense is made of this year, especially in the back,” Jones said. “Our entire secondary is really all seniors and guys who have not played a lot. Ashton is a different one; he stepped in when Schlegel was hurt last year and got a lot of varsity reps.”
“We were actually talking about Ashton yesterday,” Jones said. “He doesn’t have a lot of stats because he hasn’t done anything wrong. He’s always in the right spot. And really, one of the reasons he’s not getting a lot of stats is because the guys he’s guarding are being guarded.”
Millsap’s brother Zach started for the Airedales at center before graduating two years ago. Now it’s Ashton’s turn to represent his family and school.
“It’s an honor,” he said. “The ‘A,’ what it represents, we have a long line of history—Alma’s such a great place. Many championships have been won here, and numerous runner-ups and conference championships have also been achieved. It’s just amazing to be able to say, ‘Hey, I played at Alma.’
“It’s a great place to be in, and honestly, it’s a great community. It’s special to play here. You don’t have nearly as many opportunities, and the coaches are awesome to play for. It’s really a big privilege to play here.”
Alma (1-1) will host Hot Springs on Friday.