2011 schedule - MediaSpan

42 AMERICAN PRESS FOOTBALL 2011
THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, 2011
VINTON
New coach is optimistic at Vinton
BY JIM GAZZOLO
AMERICAN PRESS
AT A GLANCE
■ HEAD COACH: Tarius
Davis (first year)
■ DISTRICT: 4-2A
■ LAST YEAR: 2-8, 1-4
(fifth in district)
■ OFFENSE: TE Blake
Trahan (6-3, 235, So.); WR J.P.
PICKETT (5-11, 150, Sr.); LT
MATT NICHOLS (6-4, 310, Sr.);
LG ROBERT HACKNEY (5-10,
270, Sr.); C NATHAN HABETZ
(5-9, 270, Sr.); RG BILLY BRUN-
NING (5-9, 230, Jr.); RT KAT-
LYN CASWELL (5-10, 265, Sr.);
QB Jarrod Anderson (5-10,
160, Sr.); TB Dillon Worthy (5-
10, 180, Sr.); SB DEION SON-
NIER (6-0, 180, Sr.); WR Kelby
Hebert (5-10, 170, Sr.)
■ DEFENSE: DE Blake
Trahan (6-3, 235, So.); DT
KATLYN CASWELL (5-10, 265,
Sr.); DT NATHAN HABETZ (5-9,
270, Sr.); DE Austin Richard (5-
10, 167, Jr.); LB KYLE HABETZ
(Sr.); LB Dillon Worthy (5-10,
180, Sr.); DB J.P. PICKETT (5-
11, 150, Sr.); DB DEION SON-
NIER (6-0, 180, Sr.); DB JAR-
ROD ANDERSON (5-10, 160,
Sr.); DB CARL LEJEUNE (5-9,
160, Sr.); DB D.J. REED (5-9,
190, Jr.)
■ SPECIALISTS: K SHAWN
FENETZ (5-7, 170, Sr.); P Kelby
Hebert (5-10, 170, Sr.)
For many, taking over a
program that has won just
twice in the last two years
and posted a 7-33 record over
the last four would seem too
much to tackle.
For Tarius Davis it was
just the right job at the right
place and the right time.
So Davis jumped right in
last January, and
while he knows it
District
MEREDITH BLINDER / AMERICAN PRESS
won’t be easy, he
expects to turn the From left, Jeffery Fontenot, J.P. Pickett, Jarrod Anderson and Carl LeJeune will be
4-2A
Lions around. He building blocks as new Lions head coach Tarius Davis reshapes the Vinton program.
just knows it may take time.
“This has been a good program
in the past and that is
what makes this job exciting,”
said Davis, who was an
assistant at Iowa last year.
“Some good athletes have
joked.
With 16 starting positions
filled by returnees, and 17
seniors back, hope is that the
Lions can begin to turn
things around this year. Davis
seniors will be gone after this
year so you will have to start
over again in some ways with
young players next year.
“But that is the way things
are here so we will work with
losing.
Davis said he has not seen
that. Instead, he finds a club
refreshed and ready to go.
“I have been impressed
with their attitude,” said
gone through here, so there also knows that taking over a what we got.”
Davis. “While we have
has been talent. We need to bunch of seniors can be both What the Lions have is a retained guys who have struggled
build on that.”
a good and bad thing.
group of kids who were
here, we haven’t seen the
Davis also knows he will
need to keep his sense of
humor, especially at the start.
“When I took the program
I knew there was only way to
go ,and that was up,” he
“You get the experience
and the kids have worked
hard and bought into the
direction we want to take the
program,” Davis said. “You
also have to know that those
forced to play at a young age,
as the current senior class
suffered through an 0-10 season
in 2009. Sometimes that
can scare players, or at least
make them expect and accept
kids get down during the
drills. We had a good response
and good participation.
“All the kids have done
what we have asked them to
do. That was my biggest concern,
but it has not been a
problem at all.”
One thing the Lions have is
See VINTON, Page 47
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2011 SCHEDULE
Sept. 2 at Iota
Sept. 8 at South
Cameron
Sept. 16 Oberlin
Sept. 23 at Pickering*
Sept. 30 Kinder*
Oct. 6 at Rosepine*
Oct. 14 East
Beauregard*
Oct. 21 at Lake Arthur*
Oct. 28 Welsh*
Nov. 4 DeQuincy*
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