Pigskin Preview 2009 Issue

Daingerfield Tigers
Returning Offensive Starters 7
Returning Defensive Starters 8
Hughes Springs
Mustangs
Things got off to a slow start for the Mustangs last
season. But after a 1-5 start Coach Chris Edwards
team got on a winning streak and made the playoffs.
With only six seniors, the Mustangs were pretty young.
That all changes in 2009.
Though starting QB Cody Jones and RB Jabarri
Wesley did graduate, the Mustangs have 18 starters
coming back, 16 of those are seniors.
“There is a much different lay of the land,” says
coach Edwards, “We’ll start off a lot better than last
year. Unlike last year, our biggest strength will be our
offensive and defensive line.”
Senior Trevor Munn and junior Bubba Jones will be
competing for the starting QB job while a “slew” of
backs will be looking to take the starting job in the
backfield.
On defense, nine starters are back; all seven up front
guys and two linebackers. If there will be a weak spot
here it will be in the secondary.
Unlike last season, the Mustangs think they’ve got
Linden Kildare Tigers
“I’m not playing for third,” says Linden-Kildare head
coach Jerry Bennett.
It’s sometimes hard to remember that when playing
in a district that includes teams like Daingerfield and
Jefferson.
The Tigers finished 2-8 in 2008. Coach is quick to point
out his kids were really young. Most of that team is
back this year. Despite only two wins, the Tigers were
just one victory away from that third playoff spot.
The soft spot this year may be on the line. “We don’t
have a lot of linemen,” says Bennett, “but we’ve got
some scrappy kids. And we’ve got some good skill
kids that are back.”
That includes senior WR/DB Colton Watson. Colton
finished 4th in state in power lifting this past season
and will be asked to be a major contributor on this
team.
5’8, 217lb senior Greg Gaston is another player to
watch for. “He’s a load,” says coach, “he’s a real good
player.
District 17-2A
Schedule
8/28 Atlanta Home 7:30
9/4 Paul Pewitt Away 7:30
9/11 Celina Home 7:30
9/18 Commerce Away 7:30
9/25 Gilmer Away 7:30
a shot every Friday night…even facing a defending
state champion.
“We will be there every Friday night,” says Coach
Edwards, “We look forward to playing Daingerfield…we
want a piece of them. Playing this kind of competition
gives us a chance of getting deep into the playoffs if
we can just get out of district play.”
Players to Watch
Trevor Munn Senior QB/DB 5’11” 165
Bubba Jones Junior QB/DB 5’10” 170
Chris Skaggs Senior OL 5’10” 240
Alex Ingram Senior OL 6’1” 275
Wayne Munden Senior OL/DE 6’0” 195
Brandon Lindsey Senior OL/MLB 5’10” 175
Joesph Fitzgerald Senior OL/DL 6’1” 250
Chris Bishop Senior OL/DL 6’4” 240
Arron Roach Senior TE/DL 6’2” 220
James Duffner Senior TE/DL 5’11” 185
Brent Giddens Junior RB/DB 5’11” 170
Davuntae Hatten Soph FB 6’0” 195
Nolan Stricklin Senior FB/LB 5’10” 170
So for another year there will not be a lot of seniors
on this team but the ones who are there will play a
significant role.
“We are stronger and better than last year. We will
compete this year.”
And remember the Tigers are not just playing for third
this time around.
Players to Watch
Kenny Harrison Junior QB/DB 5’10” 160
Cody Beleu Junior WR/LB 5’11” 160
Lashodrick Linwood Soph RB/DB 5’11” 170
DJ Dawson Senior C/DL 6’0” 185
Thomas Horner Senior OL/DE 5’10” 180
Mascot:
Tigers
Superintendent Clint Coyne
Head Coach
Jerry Bennett
HS Enrollment 240
10/2 Open
10/9 Hughes Springs* Home 7:30
10/16 Linden-Kildare* Home 7:30
10/23 Jefferson* Away 7:30
10/30 Ore City* Home 7:30
11/6 Queen City* Away 7:30
*district games
Mascot:
Mustang
Superintendent: Rick Ogden
Head Coach
Chris Edwards
HS Enrollment 305
Returning Offensive Starters 8
Returning Defensive Starters 9
Schedule
8/28 Open
9/4 New Diana Away 7:30
9/11 DeKalb Home 7:30
9/18 West Rusk Away 7:30
9/25 Troup Home 7:30
10/2 New Boston Home 7:30
10/9 Daingerfield* Away 7:30
10/16 Ore City* Home 7:30
10/23 Linden-Kildare* Away 7:30
10/30 Queen City* Home 7:30
11/6 Jefferson* Away 7:30
*district games
Returning Offensive Starters 8
Returning Defensive Starters 7
Schedule
8/28 Clarksville Home 7:30
9/4 Harmony There 7:30
9/11 Harleton Here 7:30
9/18 Maud There 7:30
9/25 New Boston There 7:30
10/2 Open
109 Queen City* Home 7:30
10/16 Daingerfield* There 7:30
10/23 Hughes Springs* Here 7:30
10/20 Jefferson* Here 7:30
11/4 Ore City* There 7:30
*district games
Queen City Bulldogs
Coach says it with a smile on his face but he’s not
joking. “It’s kind of funny I guess, says Queen City
Head Coach Brandon Warren, “we start the year with
the defending 3-A state champ in Prosper then we end
the season with 2-A state champ Daingerfield. It is
what it is and we are just going to get our kids ready
to play.”
2008 was not the best of years for the Bulldogs. The
season ended with a 1-10 record and that one win was
a forfeit. Coach Warren, who moved from assistant to
head coach in January, says despite the disappointing
season his kids are looking forward to getting back on
the field in August.
“Our seniors this year I coached as freshman,” says
Warren, “That was the last time we had a lot of
success. That J-V team went 9 and 1. They know the
system I’m bringing back.”
Coach will look to three guys that he calls “pure
athletes.” So much so he’s not sure what positions
seniors Caleb Hawkins, Dakiron Davis or Jonathan
Yepez will play, he just knows they won’t step off the
field much on Friday night.
Ore City Rebels
For the first time in 13 years the Rebels had a “nonlosing”
season. Ore City Finished the year at 5-5.
“We were pleased to some degree,” says head coach
Bobby Chadwick, “but we aren’t satisfied.”
And for good reason. The Rebels have all 11 offensive
starters back again this season. But there will be
some changes. Last season’s QB Brandon Rogers
is moving to WR and WR Adan Saldernia is moving
to QB. “Because of his athleticism, we wanted to get
Brandon out in space more. We are going to try and
get him the ball, but we’ll be running too.”
This picture is pretty bright on defense too. Nine
starters are back including 6’3” 305 pound lineman
Dillion Ivory. He, along with Jacob Thornburgh and
Cory Maxwell are expected to shore up the Mustang
defense.
“We are telling our kids right now that we had a decent
year but we are striving for more. We want to get into
the playoffs,” says Chadwick, “and if our kids continue
to work hard and we can rely on our strengths and get
better each week, I think we can make that happen.
Players to Watch
Brandon Rogers Senior WR/DB 5’10” 170
Adan Saldiernia Senior QB/DB 5’8” 150
Joey Espy Soph RB/LB 5’10” 170
Josh Taylor Senior RB/OLB 5’11” 165
District 17-2A
Larry Andrews will start as QB this season. “He’s a
legit 4.4 guy,” says coach, “with a strong upper body.”
But with teams like Prosper and Daingerfield on the
schedule, Coach Warren knows his Bulldogs will be
in for a fight every Friday night. “On paper we can’t
win against those guys,” says Warren, “but if you went
on paper no one would play. You play the games for
a reason. If we win at least three district games, we
are in the playoffs. I won’t promise the kids anything
except we’ll be ready to play on Friday night.”
Players to Watch
Caleb Hawkins Senior FB/LB 6’0” 185
Dakiron Davis Senior RB/DB 5’10” 160
Jonathen Yepez Senior WR/DB 6’1” 165
Larry Andrews Senior QB/DB 5’9” 165
Braven Griffin Junior OL/DL 6’0” 190
Cody Willis Junior OL/LB 6’2” 210
Kewone Marshall Senior OL/DL 6’0” 220
Mascot:
Superintendent:
Bulldogs
Rob Barnwell
Jonathan Ramsey Soph FB/DB 5’10” 160
Dillon Ivory Junior OL/DL 6’3” 305
Jacob Thornburgh Junior OL/Dl 5’9” 180
Cory Maxwell Senior TE/LB 6’0” 190
Cleve Sexton Senior OL/DL 6’1” 210
Travis Moser Senior OL/DL 6’1” 250
Raul Esquivel Junior OL/DL 6’0” 225
Shaun Nicholson Junior TE/DE 6’2” 190
Jesse Stroman Senior OL/DL 6’0” 195
Mascot:
Rebels
Superintendent Lynn Heflin
HS Enrollment 230
Head Coach
Bobby Chadwick
Returning Offensive Starters 11
Returning Defensive Starters 9
Schedule
8/28 Overton Home 7:30
9/4 Como-Pickton Home 7:30
9/11 Beckville Away 7:30
9/18 Harleton Home 7:30
9/25 Open
10/2 Maud Away 7:30
10/9 *Jefferson Away 7:30
Head Coach: Brandon Warren
HS Enrollment 320
Returning Offensive Starters 5
Returning Defensive Starters 6
Schedule
8/28 Prosper @Queen City 7:30
9/4 Deklab Away 7:30
9/11 New Boston Away 7:30
9/18 Pittsburg Home 7:30
9/25 West Rusk Home 7:30
10/2 Open
10/9 Linden Kildare* Away 7:30
10/16 Jefferson* Home 7:30
10/23 Ore City* Away 7:30
10/30 Hughes Springs* Away 7:30
11/6 Daingerfield* Home 7:30
*district games
10/16 *Hughes Springs Away 7:30
10/23 *Queen City Home 7:30
10/30 *Daingerfield Away 7:30
11/6 *Linden-Kildare Home 7:30
*district games
17 2-A Pre-Season
Coaches’ Poll
1. Daingerfield
2. Jefferson
3. Hughes Springs
4. Linden-Kildare
5. Ore City
6. Queen City
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