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Saturday
March 13, 2010 Since 1922 |
Ranger DB looking to show up big against PA
By Dave Rogers
Denzel Kennedy says he does it for kicks.
“I just like the challenge of being able to cover a receiver on offense,” says the Sterling High senior, “and be a receiver on defense.”
A two-year starter for the Rangers, Kennedy says teams rarely challenge him.
“They only throw to my side about twice a game,” he said.
That ought to change Friday.
Sterling travels to Port Arthur, where Memorial High has the No. 1 passing offense in District 21-5A, throwing the ball about 30 times a game.
“From what I’ve seen, they have a great passing game and they’ll just put a run in to cross you up,” Kennedy said. “Their receivers have good hands and they catch the ball pretty good.”
Port Arthur’s Harry Brown leads 21-5A with 1,750 yards passing and the Titans have the league’s top two receivers in wideout Freddie King (49 catches for 782 yards) and running back Patterson Clay (46 catches).
Memorial won 20-6 last year against Sterling at Stallworth Stadium. Even then, Kennedy felt neglected.
“I thought they’d challenge me more than they did,” he said. “We had a good game plan for them, though.”
If a cornerback makes 99 good plays out of 100, all people will remember is the one in which the receiver he was covering made a key catch and scored a touchdown.
“To play defensive back, you’ve got to have a short memory,” Sterling head coach Herb Minyard said.
“When you’re an end or a linebacker and you miss a tackle or a coverage, there’s usually somebody else to cover up for you. If you’re a defensive back and you do that, most likely it’s six points.”
Kennedy has the right temperment for the job.
“If someone scores on you on one play, you don’t want to get down on yourself,” he said. “You want to forget about it and stay positive.
“You’ve got to have no memory.”
Minyard calls Kennedy “a great kid.
“ And he’s a good athlete,” the coach says. “He and I both wish he was about six inches taller, but you’ve kind of got to dance with who brung you.
“And at times, he plays a lot bigger than his height. ”
Kennedy is only 5 feet 6 inches tall, which would seem to be a problem when trying to keep receivers who are 6 feet and taller from outjumping him to catch passes.
Adrian Walker, the cornerback on the other side of the field for Sterling, is only about 5-foot-3, Kennedy says.
“We do have the shortest cornerbacks, but we’re the most aggressive,” says Denzel. “I actually like playing taller receivers more, because I can see their footwork clearer, and when they turn their hips.”
Friday night it will be Port Arthur in the no-win position.
The Titans were expected by many to be at the top of the district, but, at 3-5 overall and 2-3 in district, sit in a three-way tie for the final playoff spot in the league. Because they lost to the two teams they’re tied with, Channelview and Kingwood, they must win out and hope the other two stumble.
Sterling, still looking for its first victory of the season at 0-8, can knock Memorial out of playoff contention by pulling an upset.
“We just want to finish the last two games on a good standpoint,” Kennedy said.
Denzel Kennedy says he does it for kicks.
“I just like the challenge of being able to cover a receiver on offense,” says the Sterling High senior, “and be a receiver on defense.”
A two-year starter for the Rangers, Kennedy says teams rarely challenge him.
“They only throw to my side about twice a game,” he said.
That ought to change Friday.
Sterling travels to Port Arthur, where Memorial High has the No. 1 passing offense in District 21-5A, throwing the ball about 30 times a game.
“From what I’ve seen, they have a great passing game and they’ll just put a run in to cross you up,” Kennedy said. “Their receivers have good hands and they catch the ball pretty good.”
Port Arthur’s Harry Brown leads 21-5A with 1,750 yards passing and the Titans have the league’s top two receivers in wideout Freddie King (49 catches for 782 yards) and running back Patterson Clay (46 catches).
Memorial won 20-6 last year against Sterling at Stallworth Stadium. Even then, Kennedy felt neglected.
“I thought they’d challenge me more than they did,” he said. “We had a good game plan for them, though.”
If a cornerback makes 99 good plays out of 100, all people will remember is the one in which the receiver he was covering made a key catch and scored a touchdown.
“To play defensive back, you’ve got to have a short memory,” Sterling head coach Herb Minyard said.
“When you’re an end or a linebacker and you miss a tackle or a coverage, there’s usually somebody else to cover up for you. If you’re a defensive back and you do that, most likely it’s six points.”
Kennedy has the right temperment for the job.
“If someone scores on you on one play, you don’t want to get down on yourself,” he said. “You want to forget about it and stay positive.
“You’ve got to have no memory.”
Minyard calls Kennedy “a great kid.
“ And he’s a good athlete,” the coach says. “He and I both wish he was about six inches taller, but you’ve kind of got to dance with who brung you.
“And at times, he plays a lot bigger than his height. ”
Kennedy is only 5 feet 6 inches tall, which would seem to be a problem when trying to keep receivers who are 6 feet and taller from outjumping him to catch passes.
Adrian Walker, the cornerback on the other side of the field for Sterling, is only about 5-foot-3, Kennedy says.
“We do have the shortest cornerbacks, but we’re the most aggressive,” says Denzel. “I actually like playing taller receivers more, because I can see their footwork clearer, and when they turn their hips.”
Friday night it will be Port Arthur in the no-win position.
The Titans were expected by many to be at the top of the district, but, at 3-5 overall and 2-3 in district, sit in a three-way tie for the final playoff spot in the league. Because they lost to the two teams they’re tied with, Channelview and Kingwood, they must win out and hope the other two stumble.
Sterling, still looking for its first victory of the season at 0-8, can knock Memorial out of playoff contention by pulling an upset.
“We just want to finish the last two games on a good standpoint,” Kennedy said.