featuring: inside: - Site Preview - The Baytown Sun

2012 

inside: 

THE GAME 

History & Highlights of 

the Battle of Baytown 

featuring: 

A special supplement to 

AUGUST 28, 2012 

Robert E. Lee | Ross S. Sterling | Goose Creek Memorial 

Barbers Hill | Baytown Christian Academy | Anahuac 

Channelview | La Porte | Crosby | Dayton

The Baytown Sun 

BY ALBERT VILLEGAS 

photographer@baytownsun.com 

The Robert E. 

Lee Ganders 

keep hearing 

how they were 

one victory away from 

reaching the playoffs a 

year ago. 

It’s a pill that’s hard to 

swallow and soon, Marvin 

Sedberry Jr.’s program will 

look to make things right. 

He often speaks about 

FOOTBALL PREVIEW Tuesday, August 28, 2012 

Ganders have tools to improve 

2012 Schedule 

Bold = District game 

Aug. 31 – at Ross S. Sterling, 

Stallworth, 7 p.m. 

Sept. 7 – Sam Rayburn, 


Sept. 15 – Spring Woods, 


Sept. 21 – Open 

Sept. 28 – Galveston Ball, 


Oct. 5 – at Goose Creek 

Memorial, Stallworth, 7 p.m. 

Oct. 11 – at Galena Park, 

GPISD Stadium, 7 p.m. 

Oct. 19 – Pearland Dawson, 


Oct. 26 – at Santa Fe, Santa 

Fe Stadium, 7 p.m. 

Nov. 2 – Friendswood, 


Nov. 9 – at Texas City, Texas 

City Stadium, 7 p.m. 

n After falling 

one win short 

of playoffs in 

2011, Sedberry 

Others are offering 

CHEAP back-to-school 

haircuts... 

We are offering GOOD 

back-to-school haircuts! 

how rich 

the winning 

and 

playoff 

tradition 

at Lee is. 

H e 

admits 

looks to seniors that his WILLY GARZA 

Ganders 

are not where the past 

teams are, but he feels the 

program is going in the 

right direction and the fact 

that numbers have 

increased this year, there is 

a lot of promise. 

“This is our first group 

of seniors we have had all 

the way through (their 

freshman year),” Sedberry 

said. 

Still, four years later, he 

is still trying to break into 

the playoffs. 

Maybe you’ve seen them 

practicing 

late into 

the night 

sky with 

the Sultis 

Stadium 

lights on. 

T h e 

Ganders 

do have 

the luxury of returning 

four starters from each side 

of the ball. 

One of the most notable 

players that had planned to 

come back was Josh 

Zellars. 

Sedberry said he will 

eventually get back to 

playing the quarterback 

and defensive back positions 

but has been sidelined 

due to appendicitis. 

But Lee is not short on 

takers as another quarterback 

Lee rotated was P.J. 

Leonce, one of many 

multi-sports athletes at the 

school. 

He looked good during 

the spring game just three 

months ago. 

One thing is certain, 

Leonce will have the luxury 

of throwing to wide 

receiver Isaiah Gomez, a 

junior, who also has played 

at the varsity level since he 

was a freshman. 

With Lee having used 

last spring to formulate a 

plan for this fall, the team 

looked impressive on 

defense. 

One of those was cornerback 

Juan Garza Jr., who 

made a couple of interceptions 

in an intersquad 

game. 

Another player who 

excelled was Mico Willy 

as he will play safety. 

Garza, who did play varsity 

last season, will have 

defensive back Jamari 

Gilbert, one of the bigger 

athletes on the team at 6foot 

2, 185 pounds. 

ROBERT E. LEE 

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with 

Catch scores Friday 

night at baytownsun.com 

1301 Memorial Drive 

Baytown, Texas 77520 

The Trophy 

BARBERSHOP 

103 East Texas Ave. • Baytown, TX 

281-427-1187 

www.trophybarbershop.com 

SEE GANDERS • PAGE 3 

Subscribe at baytownsun.com 

or call 281.422.8302 

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Ganders Schedule 

AUGUST 

31 - @ Ross S. 

Sterling 

SEPTEMBER 

7 - vs. Sam 

Rayburn 

15 - vs. Spring 

Woods 

21 - Open 

28 - vs. Galveston 

Ball 

Baytown Sun photo/Albert Villegas 

Josh Zellars and the Robert E. Lee Ganders look to 

improve on their record from 2011. Having Pearland 

Dawson, Texas City and Friendswood joining District 19-4A 

might make that a tough task. 

ON THE COVER 

Three student athletes from Goose Creek CISD 

high schools pose in front of the new scoreboard at 

Stallworth Stadium for The Baytown Sun’s 2012 

Football Preview. 

Pictured clockwise, from top, left, are Antonio 

Montoya (Robert E. Lee Ganders), DeAndre Durden 

(Goose Creek Memorial Patriots) and Matthew Spear 

(Ross S. Sterling Rangers). 

The cover photo was taken by Albert Villegas. 

OCTOBER 

5 - @ Goose Creek 

Memorial 

11 - @ Galena Park 

19 - vs. Pearland 

Dawson 

26 - @ Santa Fe 

NOVEMBER 

2 - vs. 

Friendswood 

9 - @ Texas City

Tuesday, August 28, 2012 FOOTBALL PREVIEW 

The Baytown Sun 3 

Rangers ready to rally in 2012 

n Troy Aduddell 

welcomes back 

seven starters 

from offense 

and defense 

BY TODD HVEEM 

sports@baytownsun.com 

There is some 

good news and 

some bad news 

at Ross S. 

terling High School. 

The good news is that the 

angers return seven 

tarters on offense and 

even on defense from last 

ear’s team. 

The bad news? Last 

ear’s team was 0-10. 

“We are improving,’’ said 

econd-year head coach 

roy Aduddell, who is in 

is 28th season as a head 

ootball coach. “But we 

till are going to be very 

oung.” 

And the Rangers’ schedle 

is not getting any easier. 

fter their opener against 

ross-town rival Robert E. 

ee on Friday night, the 

angers will take on Clear 

alls, Clear Lake and Clear 

reek before moving into 

istrict 21-5A play against 

eague-champion La Porte. 

GANDERS 

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2 

Linebacker Anthony 

Hidalgo and defensive 

tackle Ernesto Sarabia also 

return. 

Sedberry said there has 

been an increase in boys 

trying out for the football 

program. 

He said it gives his 

coaching staff more 

options to work with as 

“We could schedule a 

bunch of patsies,’’ admitted 

Aduddell, “but in our situation 

right 

now, there 

is no such 

thing as 

patsies.’’ 

T h e 

strength of 

t h e 

Rangers’ 

t e a m 

could be 

linebackers 

Jarvis 

Simon (6foot, 

194), 

Shane 

Brown (6- 

4, 196) 

and Hageo 

Ochoa. 

SPEAR 

FRANKLIN 

The trio could be key to 

keeping the Rangers in a lot 

of games. 

On offense, quarterback 

Jamie Acosta, who started 

as a sophomore, is back to 

run the wishbone. He will 

be joined by wide receiver 

Richard Zeno, who could 

be the team’s biggest playmaker. 

Running back DaJuan 

Hill (5-9, 170) also should 

get a lot of touches out of 

the backfield. He will follow 

the blocking of returning 

lineman Matthew Spear 

(6-0, 240). 

“Our entire backfield is 

underclassmen,’’ Aduddell 

compared to past years. 

Lee has the offensive 

tools to score as it did 

often early and late in 

games, including those 

with cross-town rivals, 

Ross S. Sterling (non-district) 

and Goose Creek 

Memorial (district). 

They were the only 

Baytown team to face the 

other city schools. 

Lee raced out to a 14-0 

lead against RSS in its season 

opener and won. 

2012 Schedule 


Aug. 31 – Robert E. Lee, 


Sept. 8 – @ Clear Falls, 

District Stadium, 6 p.m. 

Sept. 14 – Clear Lake, 


Sept. 21 – Clear Creek, 


Sept. 28 – @ La Porte, 

Bulldog Stadium, 7 p.m. 

Oct. 4 – Deer Park, 


Oct. 12 – @ Channelview, 

Channelview Stadium, 7 p.m. 

Oct. 18 – North Shore, 


Oct. 26 – @ Port Arthur 

Memorial, Memorial 

Stadium, 7 p.m. 

Friday, Nov. 2 – Open 

Nov. 9 – Beaumont West 

Brook, Stallworth, 7 p.m. 

said. “But they have all had 

a year of running our system 

under their belt. That 

should help.’’ 

Sterling is picked to finish 

last in District 21-5A. 

North Shore is picked to 

win the league, followed by 

La Porte, Port Arthur 

Memorial and Deer Park. 

Beaumont West Brook 

and Channelview also are 

picked to miss the playoffs. 

Former Crosby head coach 

Kevin Flanigan coaches 

West Brook. 

Lee led against GCM in 

a playoff-qualifier 13-0 but 

eventually lost the season 

finale. 

Now they are joined 

with the likes of formidable 

district opponents in 

Pearland Dawson, Texas 

City and Friendswood. 

Lee does have the 

chance to gain revenge as 

GCM is also grouped in a 

district that includes 

Galveston Ball, Galena 

Park and Santa Fe. 

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SCHOOL 

PHYSICALS 

Rangers Schedule 

AUGUST 

31 - vs. Robert E. Lee 

SEPTEMBER 

8 - @ Clear Falls 

14 - vs. Clear Lake 

21 - vs. Clear Creek 

28 - @ La Porte 

OCTOBER 

4 - vs. Deer Park 


Elijah Chenier is shown with the football as some of his offensive linemen run in front of 

him during a recent practice at the high school. 

12 - @ Channelview 

18 - vs. North Shore 

26 - @ Port Arthur 

Memorial 

NOVEMBER 

2 - Open 

9 - vs. West Brook


BY TODD HVEEM 


The names and 

numbers have 

changed, but 

Goose Creek 

Memorial is picked to 

remain the same. 

The Patriots, who 

earned District 19-4A’s 

fourth and final football 

playoff spot in 2011, are 

picked to finish fourth 

again in 2012. 

Only this year, instead 

of competing against 

Barbers 

Hill, C.E. 

K i n g , 

Dayton, 

North 

Forest, 

Crosby 

a n d 

Galena 

Park in 

19-4A, the Patriots will 

battle Galveston Ball, 

Pearland Dawson, 

Friendswood, Robert E. 

Lee, Texas City and Santa 

Fe in District 24-4A. 

“Our goal every year is 

to try and make the playoffs,’’ 

said GCM head 

football coach Bret Boyd. 

“That is not going to 

change. We know this is a 

tough district. But we are 

going to come out and 

give it our best shot.’’ 


Patriots aiming for 24-4A title 

n Goose Creek 

Memorial seeks 

team’s third 

trip to playoffs 

photo by 1st Photo Texas 

FREE 

GCM, 

which finished 

4-7 

a year 

ago, has 

the luxury 

of having 

three-year 

starting 

quarterback 

DeAndre Durden 

back to direct the offense. 

Durden this year also will 

start at weakside linebacker. 

“We have a number of 

players going both ways 

this season,’’ Boyd said. 

“DeAndre is very aggressive 

(on defense). I think 

he is going to have quite 

an impact for us over 

there.’’ 

Durden passed for 847 

yards and seven touch- 

downs and rushed for 743 

yards and eight scores a 

year ago. 

However, the biggest 

question mark might be 

finding a running back to 

replace the durable Isaiah 

Wimberly, who almost 

single-handedly carried 

the Patriots into the playoffs 

with more than 200 

yards rushing in a seasonending 

win over Lee. 

Running back Seandre 

Alexander, who rushed for 

438 yards and four scores 

a year ago, will be asked 

to pick up much of the 

slack. Alexander and 

Durden will follow the 

blocking of three-year 

starting lineman Kenneth 

Camp. 

On defense, GCM will 

turn to lineman Darrius 

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Goose Creek Memorial quarterback DeAndre Durden speaks to Jennifer McCann, Athletic 

Booster Club president, right, and Melody Birdsong, second vice president with the booster 

club, about this year’s athletic program following a recent photo day at the school. 

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Montgomery and cornerback 

Curtis Granberry to 

spearhead the attack. 

Linebacker Don 

Rittenhouse also had a 

standout game in the 

Patriots’ preseason scrimmage 

against Little 

Cypress-Mauriceville. 

GCM, which is picked 

to finish behind Pearland 

Dawson, Texas City and 

Friendswood, is looking to 

qualify for the playoffs for 

the second straight year 

for the first time in school 

history. 

The key game could be 

Oct. 5, when GCM takes 

on Lee at Stallworth 

Stadium. 

Lee is picked to finish 

fifth in district, just ahead 

of Santa Fe, Galena Park 

and Galveston Ball. 

Patriots Schedule 

AUGUST 

30 - vs. Lumberton 

SEPTEMBER 

7 - @ Nederland 

15 - @ George 

Ranch 

21 - Open 

28 - @ Texas City 

OCTOBER 

5 - vs. Robert E. 

Lee 

2012 Schedule 


Aug. 30 – Lumberton, 


Sept. 7 – @ Nederland, 

Nederland Stadium, 7:30 p.m. 

Sept. 15 – @ George Ranch, 

Richmond Stadium, 6 p.m. 


Sept. 28 – @ Texas City, 

Texas City Stadium, 7 p.m. 

Oct. 5 – Robert E. Lee, 


Oct. 12 – Pearland Dawson, 


Oct. 19 – @ Friendswood, 

Friendswood Stadium, 7 p.m. 

Friday, Oct. 26 – Galveston 

Ball, Stallworth, 7 p.m. 

Friday, Nov. 2 – at Galena 

Park, GPISD Stadium, 7 p.m. 

Thursday, Nov. 8 – Santa 

Fe, Stallworth, 7 p.m. 

GCM’s Durden shines 

while playing QB, LB 

BY TODD HVEEM 


Goose Creek 

Memorial 

three-sport 

star DeAndre 

Durden may be the only 

Class 4A quarterback in 

the state of Texas who also 

starts at outside linebacker. 

But he wouldn’t have it 

any other way. 

“I have had to beg 

(Coach) Boyd for the past 

two years to let me play 

defense,’’ said the 5-foot- 

10, 185-pound Durden, 

who can hit like a Mack 

truck. “I finally talked him 

into it.’’ 

Now, Durden knows he 

has to be in shape to not 

only take a pounding, but 

“ 

I know it puts a 

lot of weight on me. 

But I think it should 

benefit our team a 

lot more with me at 

linebacker. 

” 

dish out some punishment, 

too. 

“I know it puts a lot of 

weight on me,’’ said 

Durden, who has been 

working on throwing the 

ball during the offseason. 

“But I think it should benefit 

our team a lot more 

with me at linebacker. It 

should be interesting.’’ 

GCM head coach Bret 

Boyd said Durden is one of 

the most aggressive players 

on the team. 

“He really gets after it 

out there,’’ Boyd said of 

Durden, who also starts at 

point guard on the basketball 

team and runs the hurdles 

for the Patriots’ track 

team. “Sometimes, we 

have to channel some of 

the aggression so he can 

make the right reads, but 

he truly loves the game.’’ 

Durden said he loves 

punishing offensive players. 

“I am one of the few on 

the team who love to hit,’’ 

Durden said. “Coach saw 

that last spring and agreed 

SEE DURDEN • PAGE 8 

12 - vs. Pearland 

Dawson 

19 - @ Friendswood 

26 - vs. Galveston 

Ball 

NOVEMBER 

2 - @ Galena Park 

8 - vs. Santa Fe



Eagles welcome new challenge 

n Two-sport 

star Kaleb 

Denny, a junior, 

enters 3rd year 

as quarterback 

BY TODD HVEEM 


MO N T 

BELVIEU – 

The Barbers 

Hill Eagles 

re counting on one of the 

tate’s best baseball players 

o lead them to another disrict 

football championship. 

Kaleb Denny, who should 

e a high draft pick in the 

014 Major League 

aseball amateur draft, is 

bout to start his third seaon 

as the Eagles’ starting 

uarterback. 

And he is only a junior. 

“He has been blessed 

ith so much talent,’’ 

arbers Hill head football 

oach Ronnie Gage said of 

he 16-year-old Denny. “We 

re just glad he is on our 

ide. We would hate to have 

o play against him.’’ 

Most team do. 

At 6-foot-1 and 185 

ounds, Denny runs a 4.5 

0-yard dash, can throw a 

0-yard out pattern and can 

ut up 40 points by himself. 

“The option offense looks 

ike it was made for Kaleb 

enny,’’ Gage said. 

And yet, football is 

enny’s second-best sport. 

ot second-favorite sport, 

ut admittedly second best. 

“I really don’t have a 

avorite,’’ said Denny, who 

olled up more than 1,400 

otal yards and scored 20 

ouchdowns to lead the 

agles to a 9-2 record and 

istrict 19-4A champinship 

as a sophomore. 

“It is really whatever is in 

eason. When it is baseball 

season, it is baseball. When 

it is football season, it is 

football. 

“Down the line, I am 

pretty sure I will just play 

baseball,’’ added Denny, 

who is an all-district center 

fielder for the Eagles’ baseball 

team. “But right now, I 

am ready to play some football. 

I think we are going to 

have a good year.’’ 

Barbers Hill is picked to 

finish third in the District 

19-4A race behind Dayton 

and Summer Creek. 

That only motivates 

Denny, who is the son of 

Barbers Hill head baseball 

coach David Denny. 

David Denny was an All- 

American baseball player at 

the University of Texas and 

helped lead the Longhorns 

to a national championship. 

“I have been throwing a 

lot,’’ said the young Denny, 

who already is being 

recruited to play football by 

Baytown Sun file photo 

Kaleb Denny drops back to pass during a game. A junior, 

Denny is entering his third season as starting quarterback. 

a number of Division I 

schools. “I have been working 

more on my reads (on 

the option) and trying to get 

back in the groove.’’ 

Denny started playing 

baseball when he was 6. 

“I always knew about my 

dad playing (when he was 

younger),’’ Denny said. “I 

always asked questions and 

he gave me the answers.’’ 

But when he turned 8, he 

discovered football. 

“I played quarterback and 

I loved it,’’ he said. “I have 

always played quarterback. 

I love running the option. I 

love playing the position. I 

like feeling like I am the 

man in charge on the field.’’ 

But Denny said he will let 

Gage do the coaching. 

“Coach Gage is always 

honest and calls a good 

game,’’ Denny said. “He 

knows what to do in every 

situation.’’ 

He also loves playing 

baseball for his father. 

“He is my biggest fan,’’ 

Denny said. “I think I get 

my intensity and passion for 

sports from him. He has 

always been there for me. 

He is a great coach, too. He 

expects a lot of us, that is for 

sure.’’ 

Denny moved to the 

Barbers Hill area from 

Kingwood before his freshman 

season. Initially, he 

said he didn’t want to come. 

“The Kingwood, Humble 

and Atascocita area was all I 

had ever known,’’ Denny 

said. “But then we started 

football and I started to 

meet some of the guys and 

it worked out real well.’’ 

Denny, who is ranked No. 

50 out of 330 in his graduating 

class, said he would 

love to go to The University 

of Texas. 

“That is my dream college,’’ 

he said. “I have 

grown up loving Texas. I 

love the atmosphere there. I 

BARBERS HILL 

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2012 Schedule 


Aug. 31 – Monterrey, Mexico, 

Eagle Stadium, 7:30 p.m. 

Sept. 7 – @ Lumberton, 

Lumberton Stadium, 7:30 p.m. 

Sept. 14 – @ Crosby, 

Crosby Stadium, 7 p.m. 

Sept. 21 – C.E. King, Eagle 


Sept. 29 – @ Kingwood 

Park, Turner Stadium, 7 p.m. 

Oct. 5 – Humble, Eagle 


Oct. 12 – @ Porter, Porter 

High School, 7:30 p.m. 

Oct. 19 – Open 

Oct. 26 – Dayton, Eagle 


Nov. 2 – at Summer Creek, 

Summer Creek High 

School, 7:30 p.m. 

Nov. 9 – New Caney, Eagle 


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n Coach Ronnie 

Gage, Barbers 

Hill look to 

keep winning 

while rebuilding 

BY TODD HVEEM 


MO N T 

BELVIEU – 

On paper, the 

Barbers Hill 

Eagles don’t match up with 

a lot of football teams in 

District 19-4A. 

Heck, in pre-game warmups, 

the Eagles probably 

would be picked as underdogs 

against most of the 

other eight teams in the 

league. 

But head coach Ronnie 

Gage has a way out of drawing 

the absolute most out of 

his players. 

And that alone should be 

enough to keep the Eagles 

in the thick of the conference 

football chase in 2012. 

“Our kids give it everything 

they’ve got,’’ said 

Gage, who guided the 

Eagles to a 9-2 overall mark 

and District 19-4A title in 

2011. “For that, we are very 

blessed.’’ 

The Eagles also are 

blessed to have one of the 

top quarterbacks in the 

greater Houston area in 

third-year starter Kaleb 

Denny. 

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound 

Denny runs a 4.5 40 yard 

dash, can cut on a dime and 

runs the option like the 

University of Oklahoma 

quarterbacks of yesteryear. 

He also is one of the top baseball 

talents in the country. 

“He is blessed with a lot 

of talent, that is for sure,’’ 

Gage said of his junior signal 

caller. 

“We are going to be 

AUGUST 

31 - vs. Autonoma 

de Nuevo Leon 

SEPTEMBER 

7 - @ Lumberton 

14 - @ Crosby 

21 - vs. King 

29 - @ Kingwood 

Park 

counting on him a lot this 

year.’’ 

Denny passed for 911 

yards and 13 touchdowns 

and rushed for 519 yards 

and seven scores during a 

brilliant sophomore season. 

He also 

said he 

would 

love to 

p l a y 

defense. 

“I have 

tried and 

tried to 

talk coach 

into letting 

me play 

defense,’’ 

Denny 

said with a 

laugh. 

“I don’t 

think it is 

going to 

happen.’’ 

Barbers Hill, which is 

picked to finish third in 19- 

4A behind Dayton and 

Summer Creek, returns five 

offensive starters and three 

defensive regulars from last 

year’s team. 

Offensive linemen Dillon 

Bergstrom (6-0, 258) and 

Austin Knotts (6-1, 255) 

will pave the way for Denny 

and returning fullback Nick 

O’Neal, who rushed for 265 

yards and three scores a 

year ago. 

Kicker Christian Thames 

also is an added weapon as 

he booted five field goals a 

year ago and is capable of 

making a 50-yarder. 

On defense, outside linebacker 

Garrett Dolan (6-2, 

235) should spearhead the 

attack. He led the team with 

98 tackles a year ago. 

“He plays with passion,’’ 

Gage said of Dolan. 

Free safety Rylan Dulton 

(6-2, 204) also brings plenty 

of athleticism to a secondary 

that could be tested in 

Eagles Schedule 

OCTOBER 

5 - vs. Humble 

12 - @ Porter 

26 - vs. Dayton 

MCDONALD 

DOLAN 

SEE DENNY • PAGE 8 SEE EAGLES • PAGE 8 

NOVEMBER 

1 - @ Summer 

Creek 

9 - vs. New Caney




CROSBY – 

Kevin Flanigan 

is gone as head 

coach for the 

rosby Cougars. Jeff 

iordan now takes over the 

ead coaching duties. 

hat’s a big change but the 

xpectations of football 

reatness are certainly 

ave not. Riordan, who 

on a state title four years 

go at Sulphur Springs, is 

xpected to do the same for 

Crosby. 

At this 

point, if 

Crosby is 

able to 

make it 

out of a 

very competitive 

District 

19-4A, 

FUSELIER 

t h a t 

would be 

good. 

That’s 

because 

Crosby 

has 

likes 

the 

of HERNANDEZ 

old foes 

Barbers Hill and Dayton to 

deal with and newcomers 

out of the Humble ISD 


Cougars: New coach, same goals 

n Jeff Riordan 

brings title 

expectations 

to Crosby 

“Twin billings” 

is just one of 

the ways that 

fans of the 

Crosby 

Cougars can 

describe the 

offensive 

threats that 

are Austin, 

left, and 

Aston Walter. 

The twins, 

now juniors, 

have played 

on varsity 

since last season 

and have 

a new coach 

in Jeff 

Riordan. 

Baytown Sun 

photo/Albert 

Villegas 

SEE CROSBY • PAGE 9 



Have state title, 

will listen. 

That’s what the 

Walter twins – 

Aston and Austin – say about 

their new coach. 

He would be Jeff Riordan 

and he has won a state title 

and looks to do this for 

Crosby. 

“He’s a proven winner 

having won a state title so he 

knows how to win,” Austin 

said. “We will do whatever 

he tells us. We want what 

happened in Sulphur Springs 

to happen here.” 

That was a 2008 state title 

and ironically, that Sulphur 

Springs team beat Dayton in 

the championship game. 

But the Walter twins, who 

are juniors, do miss their for- 

CROSBY 

LIBERTY DAYTON 

CHRYSLER • DODGE • JEEP 

320 Hwy. 146 Bypass • Liberty, TX 77575 

936-336-8841 

www.libertydaytonchrysler.com 


New Crosby Cougar head football coach Jeff Riordan talks to his team last week during 

photo day. Riordan, who won a state title four years ago at Sulphur Springs, brings 

title expectations to Crosby. 

mer coach, Kevin Flanigan. 

Although they only played 

for his varsity team one year, 

they’ve known him since 

they were in elementary 

school. 

The pair came to Crosby 

when they were just tikes. 

“Not having him at first 

was very tough; he was a 

great role model, mentor and 

teacher,” Aston said. “It 

would have been good to be 

coached by him longer.” 

But like his brother, Aston 

said Riordan is a good 

replacement. 

“They actually have a lot 

of similarities as far as their 

coaching styles so the transition 

has been very good,” 

Aston said. 

If the Walters sound the 

same, it could be what 

experts refer to as twin 

telepathy; it’s when one 

Cougars Schedule 

AUGUST 

31 - @ Nederland 

SEPTEMBER 

7 - vs. Willis 

14 - vs. Barbers Hill 

21 - @ Dayton 

28 - vs. Summer 

Creek 

OCTOBER 

5 - @ New Caney 

2012 Schedule 


Aug. 31 – @ Nederland, 

Nederland Stadium, 7:30 p.m. 

Sept. 7 – Willis, Crosby 

Stadium, 7:30 p.m. 

Sept. 14 – Barbers Hill, 


Sept. 21 – @ Dayton, Bronco 


Sept. 28 – Summer Creek, 


Oct. 5 – @ New Caney, 

Eagle Stadium 7 p.m. 


Oct. 19 – C.E. King, Crosby 


Oct. 26 – @ Kingwood Park, 

Turner Stadium, 7 p.m. 

Nov. 2 – Humble, Crosby 


Nov. 9 – @ Porter, Porter 

High School, 7 p.m. 

Walter twins all ears 

when Riordan speaks 

knows what the other is 

thinking or going to do 

before it happens. 

On the field, they’ve 

turned negative plays into 

positive yardage, said Austin, 

who is the running back. 

Aston, the quarterback, 

said it depends on what the 

defense shows them. 

“It happens every now and 

then,” Austin said. 

The two agree that not 

many football experts are 

giving Crosby a shot at winning 

a district title. 

They will even go as far as 

to say that those experts think 

Crosby is not one of the best 

teams in its district. 

“People don’t give us a 

shot because we’re young, 

we have a new coach; there 

are a lot of doubters and we 

want to prove them wrong,” 

Austin said. 

19 - vs. King 

25 - @ Kingwood 

Park 

NOVEMBER 

2 - vs. Humble 

9 - @ Porter



Broncos picked to win 19-4A 

n Dayton eyes 

18th consecutive 

appearance 

in state playoffs 

BY TODD HVEEM 


DAYTON – It 

shouldn’t 

come as any 

surprise that 

the Dayton Broncos are 

picked to win the District 

19-4A football championship. 

After all, the Broncos 

have qualified for the state 

playoffs for 17 – yes 17 – 

years in a row. And they 

have the best kicker in the 

state in Juan Carranco, 

Dayton 

kicker Juan 

Carranco 

lines up a 

kickoff last 

season. The 

17-year-old 

was named 

first-team 

all-state 

last season 

after setting 

a state 

record with 

21 field 

goals. 

Baytown Sun 

photo/Albert 

Villegas 

photo by JorTrell PhotoGraphy 

who could wind up at 

Texas A&M for the 2013 

season. 

“We have made the playoffs 

16 years in a row and 

we expect to make it 17,’’ 

said second-year head 

coach Jowell Hancock. 

“We don’t look at it as 

added pressure. The kids 

know what we expect coming 

into the season.’’ 

The Broncos last year 

advanced to the third round 

of the Region III-4A playoffs 

before losing to eventual 

state-runner-up 

Manvel. They ended the 

year 9-4. 

“It’s a whole new season 

when the playoffs start,’’ 

Hancock said. 

The Broncos return 

SEE BRONCOS • PAGE 10 

3003 N. Main, Baytown 

281-427-8508 

BY TODD HVEEM 


DAYTON – He 

is the second 

Juan in his 

family, and the 

third kicker in the household. 

But Juan Carranco, at 

the tender age of 17, doesn’t 

take a back seat to anybody 

when it comes to 

kicking a football through 

the uprights. 

Carranco, who is being 

recruited by a number of 

Division I colleges, was 

named Class 4A’s firstteam 

all-state kicker after 

setting a state record with 

21 field goals during the 

2011 season. 

He kicked five field 

goals in the Broncos’ 

thrilling bi-district win 

DAYTON 

707 Hwy 90 @ 146, Dayton 

936-258-3500 

www.frankscollisionrepair.com 


The Dayton Broncos, pictured charging onto the field during a game last season, are the 

favorites to win the District 19-4A championship this season. 

over Port 

Neches- 

Groves. 

He also 

made a 

53-yard 

field goal 

during his 

CARRANCO junior 

year and 

has kicked field goals of 60 

yards in practice. 

“He is amazing,’’ said 

Dayton head coach Jowell 

Hancock. “He is such a 

great kid, too. He has a 

very bright future ahead of 

him.’’ 

Juan Carranco, however, 

is not the first Juan 

Carranco to kick at 

Dayton. His oldest brother, 

Juan Carranco (yes, they 

are two separate siblings), 

kicked for the Jerry 

Stewart’s Broncos from 

Broncos Schedule 

AUGUST 

31 - vs. Fort Bend 

Elkins 

SEPTEMBER 

7 - @ Livingston 

14 - @ New Caney 

21 - vs. Crosby 

28 - @ King 

OCTOBER 

5 - vs. Kingwood 

Park 

2012 Schedule 


Aug. 31 – Fort Bend Elkins, 

Bronco Stadium, 7 p.m. 

Sept. 7 – @ Livingston, 

Livingston High School, 7 p.m. 

Sept. 14 – @ New Caney, 

Eagle Stadium, 7 p.m. 

Sept. 21 – Crosby, Bronco 


Sept. 28 – @ C.E. King, 

King High School, 7 p.m. 

Oct. 5 – Kingwood Park, 


Oct. 11 – @ Humble, Turner 


Oct. 19 – Porter, Bronco 


Oct. 26 – @ Barbers Hill, 

Eagle Stadium, 7 p.m. 

Nov. 2 – Open 

Nov. 9 – Summer Creek, 


All-state kicker Carranco 

keeps family tradition alive 

1998-2000. Middle brother 

Jorge Carranco (pronounced 

George) kicked 

for Dayton from 2001- 

2003. 

“My brothers were very 

good kickers, too,’’ Juan 

Carranco said. “Juan didn’t 

kick in college, but Jorge 

kicked one year at East 

Texas Baptist.’’ 

Juan, who booms almost 

every kickoff out of the 

end zone, started kicking 

in eighth-grade. 

“I played soccer when I 

was little,’’ he said. “My 

dad was a soccer player 

and so were my brothers.’’ 

But Dayton does not 

have a high school soccer 

team, so Juan started kicking 

the football. His freshman 

year, he kicked a 

SEE CARRANCO • PAGE 12 

11 - @ Humble 

19 - vs. Porter 

26 - @ Barbers Hill 

NOVEMBER 

9 - vs. Summer 

Creek


BY TODD HVEEM 


Ba y t o w n 

Christian 

Academy firstyear 

head 

oach Michael Wiggins 

as two reasons to smile as 

e approaches the 2012 

ootball season. 

One, he has made the 

ump from junior high to 

igh school football in the 

pan of two years. 

And two, he will get the 

hance to coach his freshan 

son, 5-foot-11, 250ound 

Jared Wiggins. 

“I have always coached 

him in baseball and it was 

great,’’ said Wiggins. “But 

I didn’t really expect this.’’ 

Wiggins, who has 

coached BCA’s sixth-, seventh- 

and eighth-grade 

football team for the past 

two years, was surprised 

when athletic director 

Derek Martin came and 

asked him to be the 

Bulldogs’ head coach. 

“I knew the coach who 

had the job was thinking 

about moving on,’’ 

Wiggins said. “But I didn’t 

inquire about the job. They 

contacted me. I didn’t give 

them an answer right away. 

I wanted to think and pray 

about it.’’ 

It didn’t take long for 

Wiggins to come up with 

an answer. 

“I talked to my son and 

he was very excited,’’ he 

added. “He knows what to 

expect. There are no 

secrets between me and 

him. It should be pretty 

normal. We have had this 

role for a long time.’’ 

As Wiggins makes the 

transition from junior high 

to high school, the 

Bulldogs will be making 

the transition from TCAL 

to TAPPS. 


BCA makes transition to TAPPS 

n New coach 

Michael Wiggins 

eager to coach 

son, Bulldogs 

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Childrens’ 

Clothing 

Accessories 

Baytown Christian will 

compete in TAPPS 

Division II six-man football. 

“It is the same game, but 

11-man and six-man football 

are completely different,’’ 

said Wiggins, who 

guided the junior high 

team to a 4-4 mark a year 

ago. 

“In six-man, everybody 

is eligible. You always 

have to double-check 

yourself. The game is very 

fast. A lot of people refer 

to it as backyard football in 

pads.’’ 

Wiggins said you have to 

be on your toes. 

“In order to run, you 

have to make an exchange 

in the backfield,’’ he said. 

“It keeps you in check with 

your plays. You really have 

to think. You can’t think 

like an 11-man coach. You 

have to go back to the rules 

and re-evaluate things to 

make it work.’’ 

Wiggins played football 

at Crosby High School. 

He said the 1990 

Cougars got to practice at 

Rice Stadium and play a 

playoff game in the 

Astrodome. 

“That was my sophomore 

year,’’ he said. 

“After that, we had a 

coaching change. The 

coach had new ideas with 

the team. It wasn’t the 

same. I was a tight end. I 

played my junior year on 

varsity and my senior 

year, I got injured in the 

second game and didn’t 

get to play anymore.’’ 

Ironically, Wiggins said 

he is more of a baseball 

guy. 

“We are more of a baseball 

family,’’ he added. 

“But there aren’t many 

freshman kids who are 250 

pounds, so we have gone 

in a different direction. He 

(my son) has grown five 

inches (to 5-foot-11 since 

last year). I am amazed at 

how much he has grown. 

He is going to pass me 

up.’’ 

Wiggins said his goal is 

to win a state championship. 

“We’ve got some 

big shoes to fill,’’ he said. 

“We at least want to get to 

the second round of the 

playoffs. But we are in a 

harder division. TAPPS is 

a lot more difficult. At the 

same time, it will be more 

fulfilling if we make it.’’ 

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DURDEN 


to try me out there (at outside 

linebacker). Now, I 

have to prove I can go both 

ways.’’ 

Durden is in his third season 

as GCM’s starting 

quarterback. Last year, he 

guided the Patriots to the 

Class 4A state playoffs. 

“I feel very comfortable 

at quarterback,’’ said the 

17-year-old signal caller. “I 

know what I am doing and 

know who I can trust and 

who I can’t. 

“Last year, we really 

couldn’t throw the ball,’’ 

he admitted. “But I have 

DENNY 


would love to play there.’’ 


been working on that every 

day. We also have some 

new receivers who can 

catch the ball. I think we 

are going to be much better 

in the passing game this 

season.’’ 

The Pats might have to 

be. 

Running back Isaiah 

Wimberly, who was more 

than 50 percent of GCM’s 

offense a year ago, has 

graduated his talents to the 

University of Texas-El 

Paso. 

“He was a good back,’’ 

Durden said of Wimberly. 

“You could give him the 

ball some 60 times a game 

and he would still keep 

going.’’ 

Of course, it all depends 

where Denny winds up in 

the 2014 draft. 

“I have dreamed of playing 

professional baseball 

since I was little,’’ he said. “I 

don’t think that is going to 

change.’’ 

Durden, who runs a 4.6 

40-yard dash, knows he is 

going to have to carry much 

of that load this season. 

“I am going to carry the 

ball a bunch,’’ he said. “Our 

offense is built around me 

reading (the defense). If I 

make the right read, it 

could be a big gain.’’ 

Durden said football is 

his favorite sport. In fact, he 

plans to continue the game 

in college. 

“I will go wherever I can 

get a scholarship,’’ he said. 

“I will go as an athlete or 

wherever they want to play 

me. It doesn’t matter to 

me.’’ 

GCM is picked to finish 

fourth in District 24-4A 

EAGLES 


the new pass-friendly 

league. 

“There are plenty of 

athletes in this district, 

Bulldogs Schedule 

AUGUST 

31 - vs. Magnolia 

Legacy Prep 

SEPTEMBER 

7 - @ Bryan Allen 

Academy 

14 - vs. Ft. Bend 

Chargers 

22 - @ High Island 

28 - vs. Northside 

Lions 

2012 Schedule 


*Home games played at GCM 

Aug. 31 – Magnolia Legacy 

Prep, GCM, 7 p.m. 

Sept. 7 – @ Bryan Allen 

Academy, 7 p.m. 

Sept. 14 – Fort Bend 

Chargers, GCM, 7 p.m. 

Sept. 22 – @ High Island, 7 p.m. 

Sept. 28 – Northside Lions, 

GCM, 7 p.m. 


Oct. 13 – Fort Bend Christian 

Academy, GCM, 7 p.m. 

Oct. 19 – Northeast Christian, 

GCM, 7 p.m. 

Oct. 26 – @ Huntsville Alpha 

Omega, 4:30 p.m. 

Nov. 2 – @ Conroe Covenant, 

5 p.m. 

Nov. 9 – @ Sugar Land Logos 

Prep, 7 p.m. 

behind Pearland Dawson, 

Texas City and 

Friendswood. 

“I know our district is 

going to be a tough one,’’ 

Durden said. “For the last 

two years, we have had the 

same teams. We knew their 

defenses. Now, it is going 

to be a surprise. But I think 

we will have a surprise for 

them, too.’’ 

Durden said he would 

love to go to Lamar. 

“I want to stay close to 

home,’’ said Durden, whose 

favorite subject is math. 

“But, really, I would just 

like to get a scholarship. I 

have to go out and show 

them (the college 

recruiters) what I’ve got.’’ 

that is for sure,’’ said 

Gage, who last year took 

over for Don Price, who 

is now the head coach at 

19-4A-rival C.E. King. 

“I think the fans will get 

their money’s worth 

every Friday night.’’ 

OCTOBER 

13 - vs. FBCA 

19 - vs. Northeast 

Christian 

26 - @ Huntsville 

Alpha Omega 

NOVEMBER 

2 - @ Conroe 

Covenant 

9 - @ Sugar Land 

Logos Prep



THE GAME 

Ganders, Rangers to meet for 46th time 

n Season marks 60 years since 

REL played in state title game 

BY TODD HVEEM 


On Friday night in the early 1950s, Baytown 

was a much different place. There wasn’t the 

hustle and bustle of big businesses. There 

wasn’t constant road construction around the 

city. And there surely wasn’t miles of fast food joints that 

now line Garth Road. 

Heck, in 1952, there was only one high school. And that 

one school, Robert E. Lee, was the king of high school 

football. 

“If you were driving through Baytown on Friday night, 

and you wanted to stop and get a cup of coffee or a sandwich, 

you could forget it,’’ said Tom Gentry, who played 

wide receiver for the Ganders in the early 1950s. 

“Everything was closed up. Everybody went to the football 

game.’’ 

Yes, it has been 60 years since the Lee Ganders last 

played for a state football championship. Time flies when 

you are having fun. But Gentry can remember the moment 

like it was yesterday. 

Gentry, in fact, also remembers the 1951 state-title 

game. Lee High School lost the title game to Lubbock 14- 

12 in 1951 and 12-7 in 1952. 

“I hate to admit this, but I remember a lot about both of 

the games,’’ said Gentry, who is now 77. “The first time we 

played them, I felt like we really had the better team. They 

came out in a two ends spread formation and ran rollouts 

with the quarterback. We had never seen that before. We 

had a difficult time defending it. We made a couple of bad 

mistakes and that was it.’’ 

Well, that was almost it. 

“We had one of our backs break loose on two different 

occasions,’’ added Gentry. “It looked like he was going to 

score and got caught from behind. Both times, he fumbled 

the ball. One time it was inside Lubbock’s 10 and another 

time inside the 20. It cost us a couple of touchdowns.’’ 

The two teams met again in 1952. 

“It was kind of unusual,’’ Gentry said. “Temple and 

Breckenridge were playing at the same time we were in the 

next category down (Class 3A). One game was in Dallas 

and one was in Ft. Worth. Temple lost to Breckenridge 

both years and we lost both years. 

“We felt like we were the better team again the second 

time we played Lubbock,’’ he added. “But, after getting all 

CROSBY 


schools like Summer 

Creek, Kingwood Park and 

Humble. 

Crosby is expected to vie 

for a district title against 

Barbers Hill and Dayton 

once again after finishing 

third last season. 

But the Cougars will 

certainly need to improve 

on their 6-5 overall record 

that included a bi-district 

loss. 

The up tempo offense is 

sure to help in those matters 

as it will operate many 

times out of a no huddle. 

And it will employ not 

just a receiver at each end, 

sometimes as many as two, 

sometimes even five wideouts. 

It’s a scheme that 

Riordan thinks will prove 

to be effective as a game 

progresses and why not if 

he has the athletes. 

“We expect our conditioning 

to play a big factor 

this year,” Riordan said. 

REL vs RSS 

series scores 

1967: Lee 28, Sterling 7 




1971: Sterling 20, Lee 19 






















SEE SERIES • PAGE 12 

“The better shape we are 

in, the better our offense 

should work.” 

He has two major components 

in the Walter 

twins – quarterback Aston 

and running back Austin. 

They may be 5-foot 8 

sophomores and around 

165 pounds but they are 

quick and have Friday 

night experience. 

Austin rushed for 1,360 

yards and 16 touchdowns 

last season. 

Aston was a prolific 

passer with 1,500 yards 

and 14 TDs but he also 

amassed 800 rushing 

yards. 

The two are among five 

returnees on offense. 

Look for contributions 

from players such as 

Daniel Kasperzak and 

Daidrick Kibbie, who 

scored touchdowns in a 

scrimmage earlier this 

month. 

Among the offensive 

linemen who will pave the 

way for the running attack 

are Taylor Herman, Blake 

Wright, and Joe Fuselier. 

On the other side of the 

ball, six players return, 

including defensive back 

Justin Walter, and linebacker 

Valdemar 

Hernandez. 

Defensive end Eric 

Owens, who looks to 

return from an injuryplagued 

2011, is expected 

to create havoc and chaos 

from the outside, according 

to his coach. ShaQuan 

Matthews will be complementing 

Owens on the 

other end position. 


Robert E. Lee Ganders defender Kion Richardson stops 

Ross S. Sterling Rangers halfback Roger Boose in the backfield 

last year during first-half action in The Game. The 

Rangers got out to a 14-0 lead before the Ganders clamed 

a 28-20 win in The battle of Baytown at Stallworth Stadium. 

Teams gearing up 

for annual showdown 

TIME 

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n Season marks 40 years since 

RSS played in state title game 

BY TODD HVEEM 


Tommy Kramer’s Minnesota Vikings were 

preparing to play a game against Howard 

Sampson’s Green Bay Packers when 

Kramer saw Sampson warming up, and 

sprinted across the field. 

A few years earlier, Kramer’s San Antonio Lee 

Volunteers lost to Sampson’s Ross S. Sterling’s 

Rangers 21-20 in the Texas Class 5A state semifinals. 

The game ended when Kramer was ruled inches 

short on a potential game-winning two-point conversion. 

“Here it was, years later, and he comes running over 

to me,’’ Sampson said of Kramer, who once threw six 

touchdowns in a game against the Packers. 

“When he gets to me, all he says is: ‘I scored on that 

play.’ ” 

Replays showed Kramer’s body definitely was 

across the goal line. 

But the football, as Sampson vehemently said, did 

not cross the plane. 

“The ball was not in,’’ Sampson yelled back at 

Kramer as he ran back to the Packers’ sideline. “The 

ball did not get across the goal line.’’ 

The controversial call allowed Sterling to advance to 

the 1972 Class 5A state-championship game, where it 

lost to Odessa Permian, 37-7. 

It now has been 40 years since the Rangers have been 

to the state finals. 

“Wow,’’ said Sampson, who is the president of the 

Goose Creek Consolidated Independent School 

District school board. “I can’t believe it has been that 

long. But it has.’’ 

Sampson, who went on to star at the University of 

Arkansas and play two seasons (1978 and 1979) with 

the Packers, has a copy of the game film of the 1972 

state-title game. 

“I think it was the only film still left over the years,’’ 

he said. “Some of the coaches came in there and threw 

out everything. A lot of history went out the window. 

That was history. It could have been put on DVD. It 

could have been used for future reference. We could 

have showed the young kids of today that Sterling used 

to have a winning program.’’ 

In Baytown, it is known 

28 unan- 

simply as “The Game.” 

swered 

Ross S. Sterling vs. Robert 

points and 

E. Lee. 

recording 

Or is it Robert E. Lee vs. 

a 28-20 

Ross S. Sterling? 

victory. 

In any case, Friday’s 7 

“ W e 

p.m. football clash between 

should 

Baytown’s two longest rivals 

should be another classic. 

This will be my first time 

to witness “The Game.” And 

TODD 

HVEEM 

have won 

t h a t 

game,’’ 

Sterling 

I can hardly wait. 

h e a d 

The Ganders come into coach Troy Aduddell said. 

the 46th-annual showdown Lee head coach Marvin 

leading the all-time series 

27-16-2. In 2011, Lee fell 

Sedberry Jr. just chuckled. 

SEE 60 YEARS • PAGE 12 behind 14-0 before scoring SEE HVEEM • PAGE 12 

SEE 40 YEARS • PAGE 12 

EAGLE 

FOOTBALL 

Teamwork at its Best 

GO EAGLES! 

��

0 The Baytown Sun 



LA PORTE – 

When a La 

Porte Bulldogs 

offensive lineman 

blocks for the speedy, 

talented and much-heralded 

Keith Whitely, it’s very 

much appreciated by the 

senior. He said he’s nothing 

without his line. 

He is part of a football 

program that has for sometime 

now become one of 

the best in the state of 

Texas, certainly in the 

Greater Houston Area. 

Whitely said the reason 

is because a winning attitude 

gets handed down 

from class to class. 

Going into this season, 

there will be mostly seniors 

blocking for Whitely, 

who gained more than 

1,400 yards a year ago. 

And they know each other 

off the field; they hang out 

together by eating out, 

playing video games, like a 

“brotherhood,” Whitely 

said. 

“The La Porte Bulldogs 

have a lot of traditions and 

one of those is having had 

seniors that pass the 

knowledge of what it takes 

to win and then the underclassmen 

learn and then 

they pass it on,” said 

Whitely, who began his 

varsity career as a sophomore. 

So, if one of those senior 

linemen happens to get 

hurt or can’t play, the 

underclassmen will be held 

accountable because the 

seniors said so. 

“We have learned to be 

confident, to be prepared 

and be physical, and be 

ready to play football and 

it gets passed down,” 

Whitely said. 

In the 2009 and 2010 

playoffs, those La Porte 

seniors knew what it took 

to compete against Katy so 

they passed it on. In 2011, 

those seniors knew what it 

took to beat Katy and now 

guess what Whitely has to 

say. 


La Porte has eyes on state title 

n Whitely relies 

on tradition, 

knowledge 

of football 

for inspiration 

The All-American Grand Standers. 

Football, Fall Weather, and Justin Originals. 

The All-American Team. 

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American Made Boots 

Since 1879 


Keith Whitely, who gained more than 1,400 yards rushing 

last season, is back to lead the Bulldogs again this year. 

BRONCOS 


seven starters on each side 

of the ball, though it did 

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281-422-8302 

lose star athlete Gamal 

Fowler, who is now suiting 

up for Weber State, and 

all-league quarterback 

Andreas Herrera. 

Markain Chambers is 

making the move from 

wide receiver to quarterback. 

Chambers, who is 6foot-3 

and 190 pounds, 

runs the 40-yard dash in 

4.5 seconds and is considered 

one of the best athletes 

in the league. 

He had more than 500 

yards of total offense in 

2011. 

“He can run and throw,’’ 

LA PORTE 

“Beth Brady Insurance 

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this season and wishes 

each team all the best. 

Stay Safe!” 

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n With plenty 

of experienced 

players back, 

LaReau says 

sky is the limit 



LA PORTE – 

One thing is for 

sure, whoever is 

a playoff representative 

out of District 21- 

5A, the team will be football-tested. 

The La Porte Bulldogs 

hope to be one of those but 

it won’t be easy as their 

Highway 225 neighbor 

Deer Park now joins the 

fracas. Of the seven teams 

in the district, five made 

the playoffs last year. 

Although the Deer Park- 

La Porte rivalry is intense 

and Bulldogs coach Jeff 

LaReau said every game is 

usually sold out, the Port 

Arthur Memorial game is 

quickly becoming just as 

important. 

The two faced off twice 

last year and even though 

La Porte won the district 

Hancock said. “He just 

needs a little bit more 

game experience.’’ 

He will be joined in the 

backfield by returning running 

back Ryan McBride, 

who rushed for 633 yards 

and seven touchdowns a 

year ago. 

McBride also will serve 

as Chambers’ backup at 

QB. 

The duo will follow the 

blocking of all-district 

linemen Matthew Oubre, 

Kevin Barton and Ashton 

Swayzer. 

On defense, tackle 

AUGUST 

31 - vs. Clear Brook 

SEPTEMBER 

7 - @ South 

Houston 

14 - vs. Clear 

Springs 

21 - @ Brazoswood 

28 - vs. Sterling 

2012 Schedule 


Aug. 31 – Clear Brook, La 

Porte High School, 7 p.m. 

Sept. 7 – @ South Houston, 

Veterans Stadium, 7 p.m. 

Sept. 14 – Clear Springs, La 


Sept. 21 – @ Brazoswood, 

Brazoswood Stadium, 7 p.m. 

Sept. 28 – RSS, La Porte 

High School, 7 p.m. 

Oct. 6 – @ Beaumont West 

Brook, 6 p.m. 


Oct. 19 – Deer Park, La 


Oct. 26 – @ Channelview, 

Channelview High, 7 p.m. 

Nov. 2 – North Shore, La 


Nov. 9 – @ Port Arthur 

Memorial, Port Arthur 


title outright, it was PAM 

that won the fourth round 

game against La Porte. 

Both teams are expected 

to, at the very least, qualify 

for the postseason but 

LaReau always tries to 

keep a level head about his 

circumstances and how 

quickly the team’s fortunes 

SEE LA PORTE • PAGE 14 

Donovan Jackson, linebackers 

Daniel Douglas 

and Toney Robinson and 

nose tackle Charles 

Toussant were all-district 

selections a year ago. 

Dayton’s top weapon, 

however, is Carranco, who 

set the state record with 21 

field goals in 2011. 

He has a long of 53 

yards in a game, but he 

said he is capable of hitting 

field goals from 60 yards. 

“It is always nice to 

know you are in field goal 

range when you cross midfield,’’ 

Hancock said. 

Bulldogs Schedule 

OCTOBER 

6 - @ West Brook 

19 - vs. Deer Park 

26 - @ Channelview 

NOVEMBER 

2 - vs. North Shore 

9 - @ Port Arthur 

Memorial



Falcons: A year of new beginnings 

n Channelview 

eyes spoiler role 

in District 21-5A 

BY MARK KRAMER 

Special to The Sun 

It’s a year of new 

beginnings for 

Channelview football. 

A new stadium, 

ew faces and a new 

ffense. 

The mission, however, 

emains the same – to 

rove the outside critics 

rong and play the spoiler 

ole in the hunt for a playff 

berth in District 21-5A. 

In 2011, the Falcons 

tarted the season 5-1, but 

he district campaign 

roved to be too challengng. 

Last year’s team 

issed the playoffs by losng 

in the final seconds to 

ort Arthur Memorial and 

eaumont West Brook. 

However, the success 

rom last year has served 

s motivation. 

“We did lose some key 

eople, but that taste of 

uccess from last year is 

omething that this group 

f kids has not forgotten. 

hey believe that they can 

ompete at a high level 

ith anybody,” 

hannelview head coach 

verion Hurts said. 

Channelview opens its 

eason at 7 p.m. Friday at 

urner Stadium in 

umble. The following 

eek, the Falcons will host 

heir first home game at 7 

.m., Sept. 7 against 

umble in the new-andmproved 

Ray Maddry 

tadium, which stands tall 

n Sheldon Road. 

The Falcon offense will 

ave a different look from 

ast year’s aerial attack, 

hich was led by graduatd 

3,000-yard passer 

verion Hurts Jr. and 

eceivers Stanley Wesley 

nd Marquise Johnson. 

hile the passing attack 

ill still be a part of the 

ffense, Hurts said a depth 

f talent at running back 

as shifted the offense to a 

ore multiple scheme. 

“This is a major change 

rom last year as we relied 

xclusively on our passing 

ame,” Hurts said. “Now, 

e have three good runing 

backs to add into the 

ix, so it gives us more of 

chance to keep opposing 

efenses off-balance.” 

Hurts said Channelview 

ill rely on senior letter- 

PREMIER 

man Mathew Williams 

leading the way, as well as 

sophomore Legend 

Choudry and Chris 

Jefferson, a transfer from 

Deer Park. 

“Mathew is a senior and 

is used to the speed of the 

game on Friday nights,” he 

said. “Choudry and 

Jefferson are both sophomores 

that are very talented 

and are only going to 

get better over time.” 

At quarterback, senior 

Kevshaud Busby will be 

the starter, but junior 

Trevin Watson is also challenging 

for playing time. 

“Both of them have good 

qualities and do not get rattled 

under pressure,” Hurts 

said. “That’s important 

when you’re playing in 

such a strong district as 

ours.” 

Hurts said Busby’s experience 

on the defensive 

side of the ball as the 

Falcons’ free safety last 

season has helped to give 

him an advantage at the 

quarterback position. 

“Busby has the ability to 

read defenses really well,” 

Hurts said. “We’ll be relying 

on his experience to 

lead our offense.” 

When the Falcons go to 

their passing attack, 

Deversion Williams and 

Devonte Holt-Watson will 

be two of his primary targets 

at wide receiver. In 

addition, three year letterman 

Robbie Miller, who 

will start in the defensive 

secondary, will also be 

brought in as a receiver on 

different situations. 

Channelview’s offensive 

line features two returning 

starters, center Ruben 

Escobedo and left tackle 

Charles Hibberts. He 

added that right tackle 

Alex Neiderhofer and right 

guard Luis Medrano also 

will anchor the line. 

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“Our offensive line is 

very sound and is definitely 

our strength,” Hurts 

said. “We are going to rely 

heavily on them.” 

On defense, Miller and 

linebacker Dwain Taylor 

return for their senior seasons. 

Hurts said defensive 

ends John Rachal and 

Tommy Barton will provide 

strength to the defensive 

front. 

The Falcons will need 

plenty of playmakers at 

their disposal as District 

21-5A is one of the toughest 

in the Houston area. La 

Porte, Port Arthur 

Memorial and North Shore 

all advanced to the state 

playoffs – with La Porte 

making it to the quarterfinal 

round before losing to 

Port Arthur. Beaumont 

West Brook and newcomer 

Deer Park are expected to 

challenge for the fourth 

postseason spot. 

“We faced plenty of 

challenges playing away 

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2012 Schedule 


Aug. 31 – Kingwood Park, 


Sept. 7 – Humble, 


Sept. 14 – Pasadena 

Memorial, Channelview, 7 p.m. 

Sept. 21 – @ Aldine, Thorne 


Sept. 28 – North Shore, 


Oct. 5 – @ Port Arthur 

Memorial, 7 p.m. 

Oct. 12 – Ross S. Sterling, 


Oct. 19 – @ Beaumont West 

Brook, Beaumont ISD 


Oct. 26 – La Porte, 


Nov. 2 – @ Deer Park, Deer 

Park Stadium, 7 p.m. 

SEE FALCONS • PAGE 12 

BY MARK KRAMER 

Special to The Sun 

After spending 

last season 

playing at 

Baytown’s 

Stallworth Stadium and 

Galena Park ISD Stadium, 

the Channelview Falcons 

are finally moving into their 

new facilities. 

The new Ray Maddry 

Stadium will host its first 

home game at 7 p.m., Sept. 

7, as the Channelview 

Falcons face Humble. The 

8,000-seat facility on 

Best Wishes 

to all the 

teams from 

Beacon FCU! 

Sheldon Road replaced the 

former 50-year-old structure 

and features an artificial 

turf playing surface, a 

large two-level press box 

and field house areas and 

expanded parking. 

“It’s an exciting time for 

our kids, our program and 

our community,” 

Channelview head coach 

Averion Hurts said. “They 

deserve this and our team is 

ready for kickoff at that first 

home game.” 

In the same complex is 

the new Bill Neal Center, 

which will be the district’s 

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central gymnasium. Neal 

was a longtime athletic 

director and educator in the 

district. Work on the facility 

will be completed sometime 

in September. 

Construction of the new 

athletic complex was funded 

through a $111 million 

bond program approved by 

voters in 2009. 

“We are very proud of 

these first-class facilities 

and we know our community 

will take great pride in 

them as well,” Channelview 

ISD Superintendent Greg 

Ollis said. 

www.beaconfed.org 

La Porte | Baytown | Seabrook | Clear Lake 

281.471.1782 phone 

800.868.6939 toll-free 

We’re Looking Out 

For You! 

A glance 

of the 

new Ray 

Maddry 

Stadium 

from the 

visitor’s 

side. 

Contributed 

photo 

After last year on the road, Falcons 

glad to be home in new stadium


60 YEARS 


the breaks against Corpus 

Christi Ray (in the semifinals), 

we didn’t get any 

against Lubbock. That was a 

very heartbreaking loss.’’ 

At the time, no one 

expected Lee to go 60 years 

without advancing to another 

Class 4A state championship 

game. But Gentry, 

who went on to have a stellar 

college career at SMU, 

knows it will be hard for the 

Ganders to reach that level 

going forward. 

“I have followed all of our 

teams for a number of 

years,’’ said Gentry. “I was 

with the school board for a 

number of years and have 

had close association with all 

of them. I doubt that any of 

them will be able to make 

that kind of run. 

“The districts they play in 

all have strong teams,’’ he 

added. 

“North Shore has had such 

a string of success and 

Beaumont (West Brook) and 

Port Arthur are both pretty 

successful and very competitive 

at the 5A level. 

“Now, Lee and GCM are 

going down south and playing 

some pretty successful 

schools (Texas City, 

Friendswood and Pearland 

FALCONS 


from home all of last year,” 

Hurts said. “It shaped the 

character of our players 

and it taught them they can 

overcome any obstacles. 

We’ve heard what the critics 

have said about our 

CARRANCO 


game-winning field goal in 

the final seconds against El 

Campo. 

“I also was 5-for-5 

against PN-G (in last year’s 

playoff game),’’ Carranco 

said. “I was pretty proud of 

that.’’ 

Dawson) over there,’’ he 

added. “Dayton also has a 

good team. But to make 

back-to-back runs to the 

state title game just doesn’t 

happen very often. It is 

extremely difficult.’’ 

In the 1950s, Lee ran the 

Oklahoma option offense. 

“We primarily ran the 

ball,’’ Gentry said. “We 

threw very short passes over 

the middle to the tight ends 

and maybe a pass to the halfback 

in the flat. We did not 

try and throw the ball down 

the field. In those days, 

nobody did except Temple.’’ 

Lee was coached by the 

likes of Dan Stallworth, Pete 

Sultis, Henry and George 

Armstrong and James Ellis. 

Frank James also was an 

assistant football coach. 

“Those were great days,’’ 

Gentry said. “We were in the 

playoffs continually for a 

number of years. We were 

just very fortunate to have a 

run of good kids and had a 

very good coaching staff.’’ 

He said the city was on 

fire for football. 

“You couldn’t even buy a 

gallon of gas if you were 

coming through town on a 

Friday night,’’ Gentry said 

with a laugh. “That just 

shows you the kind of support 

we had in the community. 

I don’t think we will ever 

see that time again.’’ 

chances in this district, but 

it had made the kids work 

that much harder. It may be 

a cliché, but the saying 

goes that ‘you still have to 

play’ the game. We are 

going to work as hard as 

we can and play as hard as 

we can – and hope to surprise 

some people along 

the way.” 

Carranco also has had his 

share of misses. But he said 

he never dwells on the negative. 

“If you keep thinking 

about it, you probably are 

going to miss the next one,’’ 

he said. “I go out there and 

try and hit all of them the 

same. I kick extra-points 

just like I do field goals.’’ 

Carranco said he has not 

Every Saturday 

August 25 – November 10 


40 YEARS 


Sampson said that was 

the good ol’ days in 

Baytown. 

“Those were the times 

when football was football 

in Baytown,’’ Sampson 

said. 

“With three schools 

now, it is going to be tough 

to get back to those times. 

I don’t think it is impossible, 

but it is going to take a 

special coach to understand 

that not every kid 

out there is the most perfect 

kid.’’ 

Sampson said America 

is built on competition. 

“Even though there are 

three high schools, there is 

talent at all three schools,’’ 

he said. “Somehow, one or 

two of them is finally 

HVEEM 


“It is hard to win when 

you have five or six 

turnovers,” he said. 

Indeed, Sterling was driving 

to go up three scores 

when it coughed up the 

football. It was the first of 

several snafus that came 

back to bite the Rangers in 

the end. 

This year, Sterling might 

have a slight edge coming 

into the contest. The 

Rangers are anxious to put 

last year’s 0-10 season in 

the rear-view mirror, while 

Lee will be playing without 

starting quarterback Josh 

Zellars, who had to have his 

appendix taken out on Aug. 

18. He is expected to miss 

decided where he wants to 

go to college, but he has 

taken a trip to Texas A&M. 

He said his favorite NFL 

kicker is Texans’ kicker 

Randy Bullock, who won 

the Lou Groza award last 

year at Texas A&M. 

“I really liked him at 

Texas A&M,’’ Carranco 

said of Bullock. “I also love 

the campus. I haven’t com- 

going to break through and 

get the job done. They just 

have to go out and play 

some football.’’ 

Still, after watching the 

Rangers go 0-10 in 2011, 

Sampson admitted 

Baytown might be better 

off with three 4A schools. 

“You would cut down 

on the travel time,’’ he 

said. “You also would 

have more competitiveness 

in the neighborhood. 

That is what we had growing 

up.’’ 

Sampson, Martin 

Lemond and the late 

Sammie Singleton, who 

all went to Arkansas, were 

three big reasons Sterling 

was able to beat San 

Antonio Lee in front of 

some 30,000 fans in the 

Astrodome. 

“When we used to play 

Lee, we had 18,000 fans in 

anywhere from two to six 

weeks. 

“Nobody wants to miss 

this game,’’ Sedberry said. 

“I am sure Josh is really 

hurting inside. But he will 

be back. We just want to 

make sure he is healthy 

when he comes back.’’ 

P.J. Leonce will replace 

Zellars under center. 

“He is quicker than a hiccup,’’ 

Sedberry said. “We 

will change things up a little 

bit with him under center, 

but we are very confident in 

his abilities.’’ 

Sterling will come out in 

the wishbone, but Aduddell 

promises it will be a newlook 

wishbone. 

“We are going to be able 

to open up the playbook a 

lot more this year,’’ he said. 

“You will see several new 

mitted there or anything, 

but I know they have been 

known for having great 

kickers.’’ 

He said his goal is to kick 

in the NFL. 

“When I first started 

kicking, I didn’t think about 

the future much,’’ he admitted. 

“Now, I realize it can 

pay for my college and, 

hopefully, give me a shot to 

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the stands (at Stallworth),’’ 

he said. “We played a bidistrict 

game in the mud, 

rain and cold one year and 

the stands were completely 

packed. 

“It would be nice if we 

could see that again (at 

this week’s Lee vs. 

Sterling game),’’ he added. 

“It’s always nice to know 

you have a great following. 

I think it helps you 

play better.’’ 

After injuring his knee, 

Sampson was cut from the 

Packers in 1980. He had a 

shot to play in New 

England, but he decided to 

give up playing football. 

“I still love football,’’ he 

said. “I coached for a 

while before coming back 

to the county. I have been 

here 15 years now. I would 

love to see great football 

return to Baytown.’’ 

wrinkles from the 

Rangers.’’ 

Long-time Lee head 

coach Dick Olin, who is 

now the offensive coordinator 

for Stephen F. Austin, 

remembers his first Lee- 

Sterling game. 

In fact, he will never forget 

it. 

“They beat us,’’ he said, 

still disgusted with the loss. 

“Then, their players went 

over and posed by the 

scoreboard. I guarantee we 

reminded our players of that 

for a long time.’’ 

The two teams used to 

compete in the same district 

until Lee dropped down to 

Class 4A. Now, instead of 

being played near the end of 

the season, the game could 

be the best season-opener in 

Texas. It surely will be the 

play in the NFL some day. 

That really drives me.’’ 

Carranco, who plans to 

major in business management 

in college, spends 

most of the Broncos’ practice 

working on kicking the 

“sweet spot” on the football. 

But every now and then, 

he also likes to get in and 

mix it up with the defensive 

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SERIES 


















2009: Lee 35, Sterling 

27 



2012: 7 p.m. Aug. 31 @ 

Stallworth Stadium 

(Lee leads series 27-16-2) 

game with the most pride at 

stake on Friday night. 

“All the kids look forward 

to this game every year,’’ 

Sedberry said. “These kids 

grow up playing against one 

another. This one means 

just a little bit more, for 

obvious reasons.’’ 

Aduddell agreed. 

“This game is huge,’’ he 

said. “It would give our kids 

so much confidence (for the 

rest of the season). It also 

would get that monkey (of 

losing) off their back. They 

deserve that. They have 

worked very hard.’’ 

There used to be 18,000 

or more fans that annually 

attended this contest. I challenge 

Baytown to top that 

on Friday. 

You won’t be disappointed. 

players during drills. 

“I like to do linebacker 

drills and corner drills,’’ he 

said with a laugh. “But they 

don’t let me do a lot.’’ 

And with good reason. 

“He is such a weapon,’’ 

Hancock said. “It is a very 

good feeling to know you 

are almost in field goal 

range when you cross midfield.’’ 

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Anahuac, Murr ready for 10-2A 

n Marty Murr 

excited about 

move to Anahuac 

BY RANDY CUNNINGHAM 


So, have you seen 

the movie “The 

Hunger Games?” 

No? OK, so here’s 

short description. 

It’s science-fiction thriller, 

futuristic look at a postpocalyptic 

nation called 

anem, where one girl and 

oy from different areas are 

elected by a lottery for a 

ompetition in which they 

attle to the death on televiion. 

Televised death isn’t 

xactly some folks’ choice 

hen it comes to movies. 

ut here’s something 

trange. 

An area high school is 

xperiencing its very own, 

ery real hunger pains when 

hinking about the 2012 

ootball season. 

Just ask Marty Murr, the 

irst-year head coach of the 

nahuac Panthers. 

“When I heard about the 

pening at Anahuac, I knew 

t would be a good job,” said 

urr, the former defensive 

oordinator at Crosby. “I 

new a couple of guys that 

ad coached there before 

nd they always spoke highy 

of the community, so I 

as excited about it. 

“My first thoughts were 

xtremely positive,’’ he 

dded. “They have 21 senors 

playing football, and 

hat was exciting. The two 

hings I noticed right away 

ere that the kids acted 

ight, and they were not 

fraid of the weight room. 

hey had been lifting, so to 

e that meant that they 

ere not afraid to work. It’s 

good senior class, which 

e like. It’s a very positive 

situation. I like their work 

ethic. Their work ethic has 

been strong. The kids 

missed the 

playoffs 

last year, 

so I think 

they’re 

hungry. I 

think the 

team real- 

ly wants to 

do well, 

MURR 

and we’ll use that hunger as 

a motivation for them.” 

Another motivating factor 

for the Panthers is the transition 

currently taking place 

on the offensive side of the 

ball. Where last year’s team 

relied heavily on a bruising 

ground game, Murr plans 

for Anahuac to fly the 

friendly skies during the 

upcoming campaign, and 

says that the change has 

been well received. 

“Offensively, we’ll be 

going to a spread-type 

offense as opposed to the 

Wing-T, and we’re very 

excited about that,” said 

Murr. “The kids have 

seemed to enjoy the change, 

and we’ll be throwing the 

ball a lot more than we have 

in the past. Defensively, our 

stance has pretty much 

stayed the same. We’ll be 

running a little more zone 

coverage, different types of 

zone coverages, playing 

mostly man which they’ve 

done in the past.” 

Though brand-new to the 

Anahuac football community, 

Murr already can see that 

his troops have the desire to 

return to the playoffs after 

last year’s absence. Led by a 

senior-heavy roster, the 

squad already demonstrates 

the intangibles necessary to 

succeed. 

“The first thing that’s 

important to me is that our 

kids have to be good people, 

to have good character and 

do what’s right,” said Murr. 

“The second thing we look 

2012 Schedule 


Aug. 31 – Hardin-Jefferson, 

Anahuac, 7:30 p.m. 

Sept. 7 – @ Hamshire- 

Fannett, 7:30 p.m. 

Sept. 14 – @ Danbury, 

Danbury Stadium, 7:30 p.m. 


Sept. 28 – @ Kirbyville, 

Kirbyville Stadium, 7:30 p.m. 

Oct. 5 – Hardin, Anahuac, 

7:30 p.m. 

Oct. 12 – @ Woodville, 

Woodville Stadium, 7:30 p.m. 

Oct. 19 – Warren, Anahuac, 

7:30 p.m. 

Oct. 26 – @ Newton, Newton 


Nov. 2 – East Chambers, 

Anahuac, 7:30 p.m. 

Nov. 9 – @ Kountze, Kountze 


for is that they have to be 

coachable. One of our slogans 

is ‘Bring your effort to 

practice.’ Our expectations 

are that they bring the effort. 

The skill level is about third 

or fourth on the list. We really 

look for the good people, 

and being coachable is really 

important, and our coaches 

are already impressed 

with their work ethic, their 

attitude and their work in the 

weight room.” 

In addition to the hunger 

for success exhibited by the 

players, Murr also has been 

impressed by the reception 

he and his family have 

received from the Anahuac 

community. 

“As far as the community 

of Anahuac goes, golly, 

those folks have taken us 

in,” said Murr. “They’ve 

been very kind to my family. 

My two sons are going there 

and my wife’s going to be 

teaching there. Everyone’s 

been very friendly and it’s a 

typical small-town atmosphere 

where everyone 

knows everyone else, and 

they get along really well.” 

BY RANDY CUNNINGHAM 


When thinking 

about currentpowerhouse 

Texas 

high school football teams, 

several names come to mind, 

including Southlake Carroll 

and Euless Trinity from the 

Metroplex, along with 

Lufkin and Carthage from 

the Piney Woods of East 

Texas. 

Converse Judson and 

Austin Westlake, both residents 

from the I-35 corridor, 

are also annual visitors to the 

playoff scene. 

For those folks who are 

real high school pigskin 

fans, achieving football nirvana 

would be a weekly trip 

to see any of those squads. 

The problem? It’s too far to 

go and see them compete on 

a Friday night. That would 

involve lots of driving and 

pawning your stereo just to 

buy the gas necessary for the 

trip. So, what’s a football fan 

to do? 

Simple. Don’t sell the 

stereo. One can spend a lot 

less cash by traveling east 

down Interstate 10 a few 

miles to view what some call 

“the toughest 2A district in 

Texas.” 

Welcome to District 10 2- 

A, the home of the Anahuac 

Panthers, and their new head 

coach Marty Murr. 

The former defensive 

coordinator at Crosby, Murr 

has jumped headlong into 

the fray of southeast Texas 

football, and knows the 

Panthers, faced with district 

foes Woodville, Warren, 

Kountze, East Chambers, 

Hardin, Newton, and 

Kirbyville, will encounter no 

cupcakes during their district 

campaign. 

“Well, Dave Campbell’s 

Texas Football rated District 

10 as the toughest 2A district 

in the state,” said Murr. 

“Obviously, I agree with 

that. There are four new 

coaches in the eight-team 

district, so they’ll be some 

changes, I think as far as 

what people have done in the 

past, but obviously Newton 

is still the odds-on favorite. 

Also, Kirbyville is dropping 

from 3A to 2A, and they’ll 

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Panthers Schedule 

AUGUST 

31 - vs. Hardin- 

Jefferson 

SEPTEMBER 

7 - @ Hamshire- 

Fannett 

14 - @ Danbury 

28 - @ Kirbyville 

OCTOBER 

5 - vs. Hardin 

SEE ANAHUAC • PAGE 14 

12 - @ Woodville 

19 - vs. Warren 

26 - @ Newton 

NOVEMBER 

2 - vs. East 

Chambers 

9 - @ Kountze


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WHITELY 


“At some point we want 

to pass down a state title to 

these underclassmen,” 

Whitely said. “It’s going to 

be hard, especially in this 

ANAHUAC 


be tough. We will have to 

have our ‘A’ game every 

night.” 

With 21 seniors on the 

roster, the Panthers are pushing 

hard for a return to postseason 

play after missing the 

playoffs in 2011. After 

replacing last year’s Wing-T 

with a spread offense, Murr 

is impressed with the 

squad’s desire following a 

recent scrimmage against 

Buna. 

“Our running back, Justin 

Artis, is pretty highly 

recruited,” said Murr. “He’s 

a senior and he’s stepping 

and taking a leadership role. 

Our quarterback Wyatt 

Raymond is hungry because 

LA PORTE 


can change. 

He said the Bulldogs are a 

couple of injuries away from 

being an “average” team but 

the expecatations are still 

high. 

“We want to surpass what 

we have done in the past and 

go a round or two further in 

the playoffs,” LaReau said 

this month. 

Two games further from 

where they finished their 

season in 2011 means a state 

title game. 

They will first need to be 

one of the four best teams 

out of district. 

And the Bulldogs should, 

considering they have a bevy 

of returnees on both sides of 

the ball – eight on offense 

and seven on defense. 

Two of the most heralded 

players who will wear their 

state, but we really have a 

good team and we really 

believe in ourselves even 

though there might be others 

who don’t.” 

Perhaps it was La Porte’s 

overwhelming loss to Port 

Arthur Memorial in last 

year’s playoffs after the 

he missed last year following 

surgery and he’s really 

stepping up. Both of them 

seem to be pushing the kids 

in the direction that I think as 

a staff that our kids need to 

go. This was a totally new 

offense for them, and I 

thought they handled the 

adversity really well. 

“Defensively, I thought 

our defense got better each 

time we went against Buna. 

We went four sets of 12 

plays, and I thought they got 

better and better each time. 

The defense is usually ahead 

of the offense, but for guys 

who have never run the 

spread offense, I think we’re 

going to be pretty good with 

it.” 

Following a tough nondistrict 

schedule that begins 

with a home contest against 

beloved orange and white 

uniforms are Keith Whitely 

on offense and Hoza Scott 

on defense. 

From the linebacker position, 

the junior Scott had five 

tackles, three interceptions 

and 50 tackles. 

One of those INTs came 

in the season opener when 

he made good on a deflection 

only to have the ball 

land right into his arms. It 

was an easy touchdown. 

In fact, it was one of four 

scores defensively. 

He joins other defenders 

who themselves can boast 

about being among the best 

at their posts where they can 

bring nightmares to quarterbacks. 

They are Corey Lee (three 

sacks) and Alex Jones (five 

sacks). 

If quarterbacks do throw, 

La Porte could counter with 

secondary players Malik 

Graves and Ellis Hutchinson 

Bulldogs had their way 

with that program for years. 

“There’s still a lot of 

expectations because of 

what we did last year and 

that was beating some very 

good teams but we keep 

each other humble,” 

Whitely said. 

Hardin-Jefferson, the 

Panthers travel to Hamshire- 

Fannett and Danbury. Next, 

a bye week gives the squad a 

chance to reload before traveling 

to Kirbyville to face 

the perennially-tough Wildcats 

in their district opener. 

However, Murr remains 

unfazed about the campaign, 

preferring to focus on 

preparing the Panthers for 

their present and future. 

“What I’d like for people to 

think when they see Anahuac 

coming up on the schedule is 

that it’s going to be a dogfight, 

it’s going to be a tough battle,” 

said Murr. “I want them to 

think that it’s a good, solid 

program and that the kids are 

always prepared. Hopefully, 

in our future, it will be harder 

for us to find people to play, 

for us to find games.” 

(each with three INTs), and 

Victor Holmes (two INTs). 

As a runner, Whitely 

scored 15 times and, more 

impressive, gained 1,471 

yards off 263 carries. 

Look for him to carry the 

ball behind offensive lineman 

Maurice Morris, who 

stands 6-foot 3 and weighs 

320 pounds. 

Among the other linemen 

who will be counted to protect 

the coveted athlete are 

Tony Briones, Joey Garcia, 

and Justin King. 

La Porte’s district stayed 

intact following the UIL 

realignment as playoff qualifiers 

Galena Park North 

Shore, P.A. Memorial, 

Beaumont West Brook stay 

put. 

The Ross S. Sterling 

Rangers and Channelview 

Falcons also remained. 

Deer Park is the only new 

foe in the district but a formidable 

one as well. 

In addition to assisting with 

various service projects, 

ExxonMobil recently donated 

$25,000 to the Baytown Nature 

Center in honor of its 10-year 

anniversary, which will be 

celebrated later this year.

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