2011 schedule - MediaSpan
2011 schedule - MediaSpan
2011 schedule - MediaSpan
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 25, <strong>2011</strong><br />
FOOTBALL <strong>2011</strong><br />
AMERICAN PRESS<br />
45<br />
OAKDALE<br />
Oakdale counting on young line<br />
BY JIM GAZZOLO<br />
AMERICAN PRESS<br />
Just a little bit of time is all<br />
Kevin Manuel is asking for.<br />
The Oakdale head coach<br />
wants his young offensive<br />
line to be just good enough so<br />
he can unleash his skilled<br />
players on defense.<br />
Just a little bit of time.<br />
“That is going to be the<br />
District<br />
5-2A<br />
story of our season,”<br />
Manuel said.<br />
“Can we give our<br />
quarterback just<br />
enough time to throw. Can we<br />
open up just enough of a hole<br />
for our speed guys to make<br />
some plays.”<br />
After a 5-5, 3-3 season that<br />
saw the Warriors miss the<br />
playoffs for the second<br />
straight year and just the<br />
third time in the last 10,<br />
Manuel is looking for a<br />
rebound campaign.<br />
“We have to do the little<br />
things to make it work,”<br />
Manuel said.<br />
Injuries proved costly a<br />
season ago, as Manuel was<br />
unable to use his spread<br />
offense effectively. An injury<br />
to Resi Philson (5-10, 180) limited<br />
the moving parts.<br />
Philson is healthy now and<br />
as a sophomore will be counted<br />
on to make plays at receiver,<br />
running back and quarterback.<br />
Before his injury last<br />
fall he was battling for the<br />
starting quarterback job.<br />
“He gives us some options,<br />
as do some other guys,”<br />
Manuel said. “We have some<br />
pieces that we can move<br />
around.”<br />
Those other guys include<br />
Damien Ward, who ran for<br />
906 yards and scored 17 touchdowns<br />
while sharing the spotlight<br />
with Thomas Fisher,<br />
who graduated.<br />
“We have a lot of young<br />
kids who played, but not<br />
many back who started,”<br />
Manuel said. “You just don’t<br />
know how they are going to<br />
handle that.”<br />
Ward, a 6-foot, 185-pound<br />
senior, will be all over the<br />
field for the Warriors, as will<br />
quarterback Rush Williams.<br />
“We want people who can<br />
be moved into different places<br />
so we can get the best<br />
matchups,” Manuel said. “We<br />
have some talent on offense<br />
that can make plays.”<br />
Williams threw for 656<br />
yards on 44-of-90 passing last<br />
season. He tossed six touchdowns<br />
and just two interceptions.<br />
“We will be counting on<br />
his experience,” Manuel said.<br />
“He has to make the right<br />
From left, Damien Ward, Aaron Welch, Rush Williams<br />
and Michael Holmes lead the Oakdale Warriors.<br />
BRAD PUCKETT / AMERICAN PRESS<br />
decisions back there in this<br />
offense.”<br />
Williams will also be<br />
counted on to play defense, as<br />
both he and Ward anchor the<br />
Warrior secondary.<br />
With seven starters returning<br />
on that side of the ball,<br />
Manuel hopes the defense<br />
will be able to keep Oakdale<br />
going until the offense comes<br />
around.<br />
“We are really confident in<br />
our defense,” Manuel said.<br />
“We have some guys who are<br />
going to be able to make some<br />
plays over there.”<br />
Seniors Stacy Poullard (5-<br />
10, 180) and Mike Holmes (6-0,<br />
250) bring plenty of experience<br />
to the Oakdale line.<br />
“We are counting on them<br />
and our linebackers to have<br />
big years,” Manuel said.<br />
But with only four starters<br />
on offense and just three-year<br />
starter Trevor Staehle back<br />
on that line, it is a matter of<br />
giving the skilled players<br />
time and space to make plays.<br />
“At the end of the day it is<br />
who is going to play right<br />
guard, right tackle, left tackle<br />
and who is going to play left<br />
guard,” Manuel said. “We are<br />
going to have to go with the<br />
guys we put there and see<br />
what they can do.”<br />
The group will likely<br />
include three sophomores<br />
AT A GLANCE<br />
■ HEAD COACH: Kevin<br />
Manuel<br />
■ DISTRICT: 5-2A<br />
■ LAST YEAR: 5-5, 3-3<br />
(third in district)<br />
■ OFFENSE: TE Aaron<br />
Welch (6-0, 175, Sr.); SE MAR-<br />
CAS DIAZ (6-0, 170, Sr.) OR<br />
Melvin Statcher (5-10, 160,<br />
So.); WR Hunter Willis (5-10,<br />
170, Sr.); LT Dylan Clark (5-10,<br />
220, So.); LG Markus<br />
Santamaria (5-10, 185, Jr.); C<br />
TREVOR STAEHLE (5-11, 210,<br />
Sr.) OR Jarad Brabham (5-11,<br />
180, Jr.); RG Chase Ware (5-5,<br />
240, So.); RT Jovian Kennedy<br />
(6-1, 260, So.); QB RUSH<br />
WILLIAMS (6-0, 185, Sr.) OR<br />
Resi Philson (5-10, 180, So.);<br />
TB Curly Blount (5-10, 160,<br />
So.); TB DAMIEN WARD (6-0,<br />
185, Sr.); FB Mariciu Robertson<br />
(5-11, 190, Sr.)<br />
■ DEFENSE: DB DAMIEN<br />
WARD (6-0, 185, Sr.); DB RUSH<br />
WILLIAMS (6-0, 185, Sr.); DB<br />
Resi Philson (5-10, 180, So.);<br />
DB LOGAN CARRUTH (5-10,<br />
170, Jr.) OR Curly Blount (5-<br />
10, 160, So.); DB Melvin<br />
Statcher (5-10, 160, So.); SS<br />
Aaron Welch (6-0, 175, Sr.); SS<br />
Josh Arp (5-10, 175, So.); DL<br />
MIKE HOLMES (6-0, 250, Sr.);<br />
DL STACY POULLARD (5-10,<br />
180, Sr.); DL Alphonso Davis<br />
(6-0, 175, Sr.); LB B.J. ALLISON<br />
(6-0, 185, So.); LB DEONDRE<br />
PINKSTON (6-0, 180, Sr.)<br />
and a junior.<br />
“They have talent, but<br />
until they play you just don’t<br />
know,” said Manuel.<br />
What he hopes for is time,<br />
just a little time.<br />
<strong>2011</strong> SCHEDULE<br />
Sept. 2 Many Oct. 14 at Iota<br />
Sept. 9 Avoyelles Oct. 21 Mamou*<br />
Sept. 15 Kinder Oct. 28 at Bunkie*<br />
Sept. 23 at Northwest Nov. 3 at Ville Platte*<br />
Sept. 30 at Jena<br />
Oct. 7 Pine Prairie*<br />
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