Pigskin Preview 2009 Issue

LINDALE EAGLES
Players to Watch
Matt Broussard Senior QB/WR/DB
Jacob Merriman Senior LB
Keandre Ross Senior RB
James Crews Junior WR/DB/K
Keith Moore Senior DE
Mascot:
Eagles
Student Enrollment: 988
NACOGDOCHES DRAGONS
Last season, the motto for the Dragons was “Eliminate
Mediocrity,” unfortunately for head coach Bill Harper,
his team could do no better than a mediocre, 6-4.
This could be the season that the Dragons finally
break through; Nac has won eleven games the past
two seasons, but has not made the playoffs, a sore
subject with Harper.
“This upcoming year will be the 5th year of the
program,” said Harper, “It is time that the folks here
see the dividends get paid.”
While the Dragons only return four starters on each
side, Nacodoches played several young kids in ’08,
and the experience should pay out big.
Tight end LaByrant Johnson could be a star in the
making. The 215 pounder averaged nearly 17 yards a
catch in 2009, and should prove to be the go to target
of the Dragon offense.
Joining Bryant on offense will be Jermichael Smith, a
running back who nearly cracked 1,000 yards on the
year, while starting only half the games.
“We have some offense, Jermichael can be a good
one but he, like a lot of us, was inconsistent from week
to week,” said Harper, “If we can get him going, we are
WHITEHOUSE WILDCATS
The question in Whitehouse, “who will be
quarterback”
The answer No one knows…yet.
The loss of record breaking quarterback Brady
Attaway has left Whitehouse in a predicament, but one
that Coach Randy McFarlin is sure will be settled. “We
have plenty of athletes, and right now, we don’t have
a sure #1 guy behind center, but we do have plenty of
guys to go around him when we find him.”
That might be a huge understatement.
The return of super sophomore Trey Metoyer, now
a junior, and his 72 catches, 1,105 yards and 14
touchdowns will serve as the focal point for the Wildcat
offense, no matter who is under center. “Trey can just
flat out go get it, and that is about the best way I can
describe him,” said McFarlin.
Alongside Metoyer, the wide out duo of Logan Newton
District 14-4A
Superintendent:
Head Coach:
Stan Surratt
Mike Meador
Returning Offensive Starters 6
Returning Defensive Starters 6
Schedule
8/28 Spring Hill Gladewater 7:30
9/4 Wills Point Home 7:30
9/11 Pine Tree Away 7:30
going be tough.”
The anchors of the Dragon defense will not be up
front, but will be right behind them, manning the
middle. Linebackers Alex Howard and Javosky Ervin
had 180 tackles between them last year, and will be
the cornerstone of the Nacogdoches defense this
season.
Combined with Lavenski Rhodes and Damion Leonard
in the defensive backfield, and the talented, albeit
young, Dragons should prove to be better.
“We had 8 or 9 guys on both sides of the ball that
played a lot, they did not necessarily start every game,
but they learned how to play and gained the experience
that will help this team get to where it wants to be.”
Players to Watch
Alex Howard Senior LB
Javosky Ervin Junior LB
Jermichael Smith Senior RB
Courtney Patton Senior QB
LaBryant Johnson Senior TE
Brandon Hughes Senior OL
and Skip Caldwell (60 catches combined) will serve as
a nice reminder to defenses that if you double Metoyer,
you are asking for trouble.
But the outside is just the starting point, of the other 7
starters returning on offense, the running back tandem
of DeJuan Shelton and Shundrick Beasley should give
nightmares to opposing teams.
The Wildcat defense, you ask They may be the best
in the area.
Nine starters return to the defense, and with senior
Logan Taylor patrolling the middle, room for offenses
will be hard to come by. “We can stop people and we
know we can; now we just have to get out there and
do it. Guys like Logan and Chad (Lewis) give us the
stoppers we need in the middle.”
A host of other defensive standouts will return,
including Jermaine Kennedy (39 tackles) Quincy
Aldridge (62 tackles, 5 Int) and Joey Gautney (31
tackles) and should prove to be the anchors of the
supremely talented Wildcat defense.
9/18 Paris Home 7:30
9/25 Pittsburg Away 7:30
10/2 OPEN
10/9 *Kilgore Home 7:30
10/16 *Whitehouse Home 7:30
10/23 *Nacogdoches Away 7:30
10/30 *Henderson Home 7:30
11/16 *Jacksonville Away 7:30
*district games
Mascot:
Dragons
Student Enrollment: 1,843
Superintendent: Dr. Rodney Hutto
Head Coach: Bill Harper
Returning Offensive Starters 4
Returning Defensive Starters 4
Schedule
8/28 Mt. Pleasant Away 7:30
9/4 Center Away 7:30
9/11 Lufkin Home 7:30
9/18 Carthage Away 7:30
9/25 OPEN
10/2 Diboll Home 7:30
10/9 *Henderson Home 7:30
10/16 *Jacksonville Away 7:30
10/23 *Lindale Home 7:30
10/30 *Whitehouse Away 7:30
11/6 *Kilgore Home 7:30
*district games
Players to Watch
Trey Metoyer Junior WR
Logan Newton Junior WR
Skip Caldwell Senior WR
Quincy Aldridge Junior DB
DeJuan Shelton Junior DB/RB
Jermaine Kennedy Junior DB
Logan Taylor Senior LB
Chad Lewis Senior LB
Mascot:
Wildcats
Student Enrollment: 1271
Superintendent: Daniel DuPree
Head Coach: Randy McFarlin
Returning Offensive Starters 7
Returning Defensive Starters 9
cont.
WHITEHOUSE WILDCATS
Schedule
8/28 Naaman Forest Away 7:30
9/4 Sulphur Springs Away 7:30
9/11 Corsicana Home 7:30
9/18 Red Oak Away 7:30
9/25 Celina Away 7:30
10/2 OPEN
10/9 *Jacksonville Home 7:30
10/16 *Lindale Away 7:30
10/23 *Kilgore Home 7:30
10/30 *Nacogdoches Home 7:30
11/6 *Henderson Away 7:30
*district games
District 14-4A
District 14-3A
14 4-A Pre-Season
Coaches’ Poll
1. Whitehouse
2. Kilgore
3. Nacogdoches
4. Henderson
5. Lindale
6. Jacksonville
A Year of Revival, Redemption and Resurgence
Coleman Swierc - KLTV 7 Sports Anchor/Reporter
The Van Vandals are the clear favorite to take the 14-3A crown, but a host of other teams are battling for respect.
“If we thought the district was tough last year, I can’t wait to see what is in store for this year,” said Canton head coach Lance Angel.
It’s Angel’s team that is looking for redemption; a lackluster 2008 saw them go 5-5 and lose to Kemp in the final game of the season, costing them a
playoff spot.
It’s those very same Yellowjackets from Kemp that serve as an enigma for the district. Picked last in 2008, and 0-3 after the first month, the ‘Jackets
won 6 of their last 9 to advance to the playoffs, where they stunned defending 2A state champ Farmersville in the bi-district round.
“We now have somewhat of a target on our back, and that is something that has not happened here in a long time,” said Kemp head coach Greg
Anderson.
The district favorite, Van, is undergoing a slight resurgence, after missing the playoffs in three straight seasons. The Vandals rolled to the 3rd round of
the playoffs, stating their case that they are the team to beat.
“We have been picked first before and missed the playoffs, and we have been picked 4th or 5th and made it, we still have to go out on the field and
prove it,” said Van head coach Brady Pennington.
Eustace, Wills Point and Mineola may have something to say about it, as the district shapes up to be one of the toughest in the state. One district
coach put it best, “You cannot coast on any week, if you coast, you will be beaten, and that is the bottom line.”
CANTON EAGLES
2009 will be the year of redemption in Canton.
“The way we finished 2008 left a sour taste in our
mouths and we don’t want that again,” said Head
Coach Lance Angel.
The recently dominant Eagles finished 5-5 and missed
the playoffs, leaving them to wonder ‘what if’ “We
had our chances last year, but there were times when
we needed to line up and by physical with the other
team, and we just could not do it, we were physically
beaten in a few games,” said Angel.
As the Eagles focus on being physical, it is at the skill
positions that Canton need not worry about. Especially
at quarterback, where signal caller Chance Wallace
returns to man the offense, an offense that is a good
as any that you will find.
“As Chance goes, our offense will go,” said Angel, “We
just have to put ourselves in positions to make plays.”
Wallace, was an Honorable Mention All-State selection
last year, after throwing for more than 2,700 yards and
31 touchdowns, and has the weapons around him to
surpass what he did in ’08.
“We have the skill, no doubt about that, and Chance is
one of those guys that can make things happen with
his arm, or his feet.”
Wallace will have no problem through the air; Canton
brings back two of the best receivers in the district in
Roy Denbow and Trent Termin
“Roy can just flat go get it and sometimes you just
have to let it go, and trust that he will do what he does
best. Trent is the same way, and sometimes you just
have to let it go, and trust that they will do their thing.”
Denbow was one of the best in 2008, catching 45
passes and 7 touchdowns, numbers that are sure
to rise in ’09. Termin caught 49 balls in ’08 and four
touchdowns.
For Canton in 2009, it comes down to a mentality.
For years Canton was a dominant force, through the
air, on the ground, and in the minds of the opponents,
but it was a year in which the old Canton, never
surfaced.
cont.
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