Pigskin Preview 2009 Issue

CANTON EAGLES
“We have got to get back to old Canton football,”
said Angel, “We cannot allow ourselves to be pushed
around like we did in some games last year.” Like
all good teams, it comes down to the offensive line,
and it’s there that Angel says his guys are better than
ever.
“We have guys that have played there for a while,
guys like Anthony (Gomez) have been a mainstay, and
it starts up front. I know it sounds like coach-speak but
it is the truth, and we like the guys both offensively and
defensively that we have up front.”
The Eagles will get their shot at redemption in the last
game of 2009. The Eagles will host Kemp, the same
team that beat them in Week 10 and knocked them out
of the playoffs in 2008.
Eustace Bulldogs
Will the third year be the charm in Eustace
In 2007, Eustace was a game away, but could not seal
the deal.
The Bulldogs got a taste of success in ’08 making the
playoffs, before they were unceremoniously beaten by
Nevada Community in the bi-district round.
“We have the talent, now all we have to do is pull it
together,” said head coach Doug Wendel.
Wendel is in his 3rd year at Eustace, a year he believes
is the break-through season.
“It normally takes three years and here we are, we
have gotten better each year and I have no reason
to think that 2009 will be any different. With seven
starters on offense and eight on defense returning, it
is hard to think otherwise. “It never hurts to bring back
kids, it makes coaching that much easier.”
Even better for Eustace, the players coming back
have been the backbone of the program for the past
several seasons, including multi-season thousand
yard rusher Trevan Johnson, the 2007 Newcomer
of the Year, 2008 2nd Team All-District QB Chris
Compton and 2008 unanimous All-District Tackle Nick
Dunlap, three players that pose a deadly combination
for opponents.
“Offensively we are very good, I feel that we can score
with anyone in the district, so all we have to do is put it
KEMP YELLOWJACKETS
How do you follow one of the most successful seasons
that your school has seen in the past several years
That is the question that Kemp head coach Greg
Anderson must answer.
“We now have a target on our back, and that is
something that has not happened here in a long
time.”
After a dismal year in 2007, the ‘Jackets turned an
0-3 start in 2008, into a 6-3 finish, and along the way
making the playoffs and knocking off the defending 2A
District 14-3A
Players to Watch
Chance Wallace Senior QB
(2008 Hon. Mention All-State)
Roy Denbow Junior WR
Trent Termin Senior WR
Jacob Harris Senior LB
Anthony Gomez Junior OL
Tanner Smith Junior CB
Jonathon Roppollo Senior DE
Mascot:
Eagles
Student Enrollment: 560
Superintendent: Dr. Jerome Stewart
Head Coach: Lance Angel
Returning Offensive Starters 6
Returning Defensive Starters 5
all together when we hit the field.”
“Chris and Trevan are two of the best the district has
to offer, you combine that with Nick and the other guys
we have up front, and we will be ok.”
The defense will be no pushover, the safety
combination of Cord Bailey and Joseph Bradburn can
cause havoc downfield. Up front, look no farther than
6’3, 290 lb Zach Stokes, an all-district tackle in 2008,
to anchor what should be a much improved Bulldog
defense.
“Last year we did not have a real hard time moving the
ball, but when it came down to it, in the games that we
lost, we just could not get the stops that we needed.”
It seems that 2009 would be the year that Eustace can
turn the corner, a playoff appearance in ’08 says they
have the talent, what remains to be seen is if the talent
can translate into another successful season.
“The district is tough, no doubt about that, but we
expect that we will be there when the final whistle
blows.”
Players to Watch
Trevan Johnson Senior RB
Chris Compton Senior QB
Cord Bailey Senior S
Joseph Bradburn Senior S
Zach Stokes Junior DT
state champs (Farmersville) in the bi-district playoffs,
it was a run worth the wait for Anderson.
“Our kids had not won here in a while, so for us to be
able to come in and finish the way we did, it showed
the kids that you do not have to be content with the way
things have been, you can make things different.”
One thing that will not be different is behind center, as
quarterback Jeremy Quick returns to lead the charge.
“Jeremy has some of the best instincts that I have ever
seen, he is not the fastest or strongest, but he is one
of the best football players I have coached, and I have
Schedule
8/28 Commerce Home 7:30
9/4 Edgewood Home 7:30
9/11 Kaufman Away 7:30
9/18 Waco Reicher Home 7:30
9/25 Quinlan Ford Away 7:30
10/2 OPEN
10/9 *Wills Point Away 7:30
10/16 *Eustace Home 7:30
10/23 *Mineola Away 7:30
10/30 *Van Away 7:30
11/6 *Kemp Home 7:30
*district games
Mascot:
Bulldogs
Student Enrollment: 432
Superintendent: Dr. Coy
Head Coach: Doug Wendel
Returning Offensive Starters 7
Returning Defensive Starters 8
Schedule
8/29 Grace Comm. @Tyler All Saints 7:00
9/4 Dallas Life Oak Home 7:30
9/11 Edgewood Away 7:30
9/18 Quitman Away 7:30
9/25 Ferris Home 7:30
10/2 OPEN
10/9 Mineola* Home 7:30
10/16 Canton* Away 7:30
10/23 Kemp* Home 7:30
10/30 Wills Point* Away 7:30
11/6 Van* Home 7:30
*district games
done this for a long time.”
Repeating the success won’t be easy, the loss of
running backs Josh Carr and Korey Henderson leave
Kemp with some holes behind Quick. “It will be tough
to replace them, any coach will tell you that when you
lose guys like that, you need someone to step up and
fill that role, and we need someone to step up.”
He may not have to look far, only in the defensive
backfield, as Wes Kerr and Cris Morry seem to have
the upper hand on the ball-carrying duties.
cont.
KEMP YELLOWJACKETS
Anderson may have an easier time replacing starters
on defense, because he won’t have to replace all the
many. The ‘Jackets will return seven starters to the
defense.
“We were in the games that we lost, outside of a few
early blowouts; we had chances, but could not get a
stop when we needed. With guys like Lance (Roberts)
and Johnny (Kilgore), guys that were a big part of
winning, we can put ourselves in that position again
and this time make the big play.”
Kemp will not have an easy time repeating. The district
is considerably tougher, and the ‘Jackets are looking
at a tough pre-district schedule, noted by a re-match
with Brownsboro in week zero; the same Bear team
that beat Kemp 39-0 last season. Follow that with a
home game against 4A Mabank, and the schedule will
provide an early test for the ‘Jackets.
“This year will not be easy, but no year ever is, we look
forward to being the hunted, not the hunter.”
MINEOLA
YELLOWJACKETS
Last season Mineola had a chance, only to fumble it
away, literally.
“We had a chance in so many games last year, games
that we lost because we could not hang onto the
football, and if you turn it over as much as we did,
there is no way you are going to win consistently,” said
‘Jackets head coach Joe Drennon.
Drennon guided Mineola to a 4-6 record in his first
season, and has a lot to build on. The ‘Jackets return
a modest six starters on offense, but see nearly all the
defense coming back for 2009.
“We have a lot coming back defensively and it is
always good when you do not have to re-teach the
defense and the scheme to the kids, you can just pick
up where you left off.”
Anchoring that defense, and a literal anchor at 6’2”
270 lbs, will be defensive lineman Montana Duncan.
“Montana can play, we just need to put it all together
for him and he will be a dominant force. With Carlos
Rivera behind him, we can stop a lot of people before
they ever get going.”
It is the same story on the offensive side as quarterback
Tyler Drennon returns to call the shots.
District 14-3A
Players to Watch
Jeremy Quick Senior QB
Wes Kerr Senior RB/S
Cris Morry RB/S
Terrence Sistrunk Senior T
Lance Roberts Senior DE
Johnny Kilgore Senior LB
Mascot:
Yellowjackets
Student Enrollment: 430
Superintendent: Dr. Peter Running
Head Coach: Greg Anderson
Returning Offensive Starters 5
Returning Defensive Starters 7
And yes, he is the coach’s son.
“It means more when you have family on the field. All
of the kids are family, but to have blood out there, your
son laying it on the line for you, it means that much
more.”
And it’s not like his son can’t play. The fleet of foot
Drennon will be the catalyst for the ‘Jacket offense, an
offense that wants to hit the ground...and run.
“We have a little bit of size and we are going to use
that to our advantage, guys like Montana and our
other linemen, should be able to give that push that
we want, and we need to have it to run the ball to be
successful.”
But Drennon put it best, “If we don’t have the ball, then
we cannot win, plain and simple. We played several
games that were one-possession games, and we just
could not get it done when we needed to.”
Players to Watch
Montana Duncan Senior OL/DL
Carlos Rivera Senior LB
Tyler Drennon Senior QB
Mascot:
Yellowjackets
Student Enrollment: 448
Schedule
8/28 Brownsboro @Van 7:30
9/4 Parish Episcopal Away 7:30
9/11 Mabank Home 7:30
9/18 Emory-Rains Away 7:30
9/25 Palmer Home 7:30
10/2 OPEN
10/9 *Van Home 7:30
10/16 *Wills Point Home 7:30
10/23 *Eustace Away 7:30
10/30 *Mineola Home 7:30
11/6 *Canton Away 7:30
*district games
Superintendent:
Head Coach:
Mary Lookadoo
Greg Anderson
Returning Offensive Starters 6
Returning Defensive Starters 8
Schedule
8/28 Quinlan-Ford Home 7:30
9/4 Quitman Home 7:30
9/11 Grand Saline Away 7:30
9/18 Edgewood Home 7:30
9/25 Mt. Vernon Away 7:30
10/2 OPEN
10/9 *Eustace Away 7:30
10/16 *Van Away 7:30
10/23 *Canton Home 7:30
10/30 *Kemp Away 7:30
11/6 *Wills Point Home 7:30
*district games
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