|
|
 |
Monday
March 15, 2010 Since 1922 |
Looking towards the upcoming season
By Michael Pineda
Baytown Sun Published July 21, 2007 Amid the stormy weather that has besieged the area lies a bright light on the horizon, the beginning of the 2007 high school football season. On August 6, Lee and Sterling will hit the field to begin preparation for the upcoming season but it is never too early to start thinking about football.
In 2006 Lee and Barbers Hill each captured district titles with Crosby and Baytown Christian Academy each reaching the play-offs. This year each team in the area will have questions to answer as they look to not only make the play-offs but also make a deep postseason run.
The Ganders enter the season with the biggest buzz factor in the area. Great things are expected from Lee thanks to a loaded senior class, but they will have to play with a bull’s eye on their backs. Last season it was easy to overlook the Ganders early on as they were coming off of a one-win season and an injury to senior quarterback Jeremy Moses. It will be much different this year, as they will sneak up on no one.
The Ganders strength this season will be in the fact that is may be their most balanced team in the Olin era. Lee will have a strong running game courtesy of Jarvis Moore to compliment the passing game, which will be led by Strake Jesuit transfer Josh Jones at quarterback. The team has suffered a setback with the injury of receiver Michael Mahan at the 7-on-7 state tournament.
Defensively, the defense could be just as strong as the offense with highly touted defensive tackle J. T. Cleveland leading the way. Most longtime observers feel that this is the best Lee team in quite some time.
Sterling will enter the season looking to establish their identity as they overcome a bad off-season. Before the first snap of the season, Anthony Gray and Kodi Maxey have transferred and Rod Daniels has been lost for the season to a knee injury.
It will be paramount for the Rangers to establish leadership early in the season. After winning their first game, Sterling lost four games in a row including two games to Pasadena Memorial and La Porte that should have been won. Both of those teams went to the playoffs while Sterling stayed home.
Barbers Hill has a lot of players on their roster that will have to get used to playing under the lights in a hurry. The Eagles were loaded with seniors last season and will have a lot of inexperienced players filling key roles. But that does not necessarily mean the Eagles are lacking in the talent department.
The Eagles will have a couple of good ones to build around with Joe Sexton leading the way at linebacker. Sexton was named to the Class 4A All-State team. If Barbers Hill is to compete for a third consecutive district crown, the youngsters will have to grow up quickly as a date with Crosby looms early in the district schedule.
The Cougars have shown improvement in each of head coach Kevin Flanigan’s three seasons. This could be the year that Crosby puts it all together as they return talented playmakers on both sides of the ball. The question will be are they ready to take it to the next level?
Crosby is once against expected to have a strong defense led by Kedy Enabulele. Offensively the Cougars will be skilled with running backs Chance Casey and Torris Doze. They will have to develop the passing game further with second year quarterback Durran Starks and an untested receiving corps.
The keyword for Baytown Christian Academy will be continuity this season. The Bulldogs lost head coach Homar Ramirez this off-season and promoted from within promoting offensive coordinator John DeRulle. The Bulldogs are coming off of its first play-off appearance in school history and return a strong cast led by quarterback Luke Davis.
Thanks to the addition of a weight room and increased interest in the program, it will be important for BCA to take another step forward this season.
Anahuac will also have a new head coach in Darrell Barbay who comes to the Panthers after spending eight years at Hull-Daisetta. The key for Anahuac will be increased participation as well as how quickly the Panthers buy into the system. Barbay is the third head coach in as many years for the program and will be introducing a new offensive system based on ball control.
Baytown Sun Published July 21, 2007 Amid the stormy weather that has besieged the area lies a bright light on the horizon, the beginning of the 2007 high school football season. On August 6, Lee and Sterling will hit the field to begin preparation for the upcoming season but it is never too early to start thinking about football.
In 2006 Lee and Barbers Hill each captured district titles with Crosby and Baytown Christian Academy each reaching the play-offs. This year each team in the area will have questions to answer as they look to not only make the play-offs but also make a deep postseason run.
The Ganders enter the season with the biggest buzz factor in the area. Great things are expected from Lee thanks to a loaded senior class, but they will have to play with a bull’s eye on their backs. Last season it was easy to overlook the Ganders early on as they were coming off of a one-win season and an injury to senior quarterback Jeremy Moses. It will be much different this year, as they will sneak up on no one.
The Ganders strength this season will be in the fact that is may be their most balanced team in the Olin era. Lee will have a strong running game courtesy of Jarvis Moore to compliment the passing game, which will be led by Strake Jesuit transfer Josh Jones at quarterback. The team has suffered a setback with the injury of receiver Michael Mahan at the 7-on-7 state tournament.
Defensively, the defense could be just as strong as the offense with highly touted defensive tackle J. T. Cleveland leading the way. Most longtime observers feel that this is the best Lee team in quite some time.
Sterling will enter the season looking to establish their identity as they overcome a bad off-season. Before the first snap of the season, Anthony Gray and Kodi Maxey have transferred and Rod Daniels has been lost for the season to a knee injury.
It will be paramount for the Rangers to establish leadership early in the season. After winning their first game, Sterling lost four games in a row including two games to Pasadena Memorial and La Porte that should have been won. Both of those teams went to the playoffs while Sterling stayed home.
Barbers Hill has a lot of players on their roster that will have to get used to playing under the lights in a hurry. The Eagles were loaded with seniors last season and will have a lot of inexperienced players filling key roles. But that does not necessarily mean the Eagles are lacking in the talent department.
The Eagles will have a couple of good ones to build around with Joe Sexton leading the way at linebacker. Sexton was named to the Class 4A All-State team. If Barbers Hill is to compete for a third consecutive district crown, the youngsters will have to grow up quickly as a date with Crosby looms early in the district schedule.
The Cougars have shown improvement in each of head coach Kevin Flanigan’s three seasons. This could be the year that Crosby puts it all together as they return talented playmakers on both sides of the ball. The question will be are they ready to take it to the next level?
Crosby is once against expected to have a strong defense led by Kedy Enabulele. Offensively the Cougars will be skilled with running backs Chance Casey and Torris Doze. They will have to develop the passing game further with second year quarterback Durran Starks and an untested receiving corps.
The keyword for Baytown Christian Academy will be continuity this season. The Bulldogs lost head coach Homar Ramirez this off-season and promoted from within promoting offensive coordinator John DeRulle. The Bulldogs are coming off of its first play-off appearance in school history and return a strong cast led by quarterback Luke Davis.
Thanks to the addition of a weight room and increased interest in the program, it will be important for BCA to take another step forward this season.
Anahuac will also have a new head coach in Darrell Barbay who comes to the Panthers after spending eight years at Hull-Daisetta. The key for Anahuac will be increased participation as well as how quickly the Panthers buy into the system. Barbay is the third head coach in as many years for the program and will be introducing a new offensive system based on ball control.