supercentex
08-27-2005, 01:00 AM
TEXAS VS. FLORIDA
By: CHRIS PARRY, Staff Writer
08/26/2005
COACHES READY: Robert E. Lee coach Mike Owens (left) and Chaminade Madonna coach Mark Guandolo pose in photo taken earlier this year. (Courtesy Photo)
Defenders of Texas, it's time to mount up.
Robert E. Lee will play the first of two out-of-state opponents Saturday as the Red Raiders entertain Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade Madonna in the finale of the East Texas Football Classic. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. at Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium.
Lee also will travel to Ohio in two weeks to battle Cincinnati Colerain.
It is an opportunity for Lee to represent the state against two other high-profile high school teams.
First up is Chaminade Madonna, the 2003 Florida 2A state champ, which will be happy just to get to Tyler after enduring Hurricane Katrina.
Chaminade Madonna is located in Hollywood, Fla., which is where the eye of Katrina swept across Thursday night, damaging homes, causing floods and knocking out power lines. The team had been scheduled to arrive in Tyler on Friday, but because of airport closings, the Lions expect to arrive in the Pineywoods at 3 a.m. Saturday.
The last time Lee played football on a Saturday, the Red Raiders held up a state championship trophy after defeating Spring Westfield last December at the Alamodome. This Saturday game is not for a state trophy, but rather state pride.
"Our game plan for this game, we have as much stuff in right now as we do in midseason," said Lee head coach Mike Owens. "We are going to load it up and open it up on offense. We may try and take some chances we normally don't take because we are going to try and put some points on the board."
Both senior quarterback Preston Hill and senior running back Jason Williams were backups on Lee's state title team last season. Hill passed for 229 yards and a touchdown while also running for 48-yard touchdown. Williams rushed for 653 yards and scored six touchdowns while also catching four passes for 114 yards and two scores.
Owens said he expects Hill to be ready and his offense to be prepared.
"Preston started five games as a sophomore, so I don't expect him to be nervous," Owens said. "I know we've scrimmaged, but that is not a game. I was real pleased in our scrimmage that we actually did better when the coaches went to the sidelines."
Lee receivers Jonathan Williams (6-1, 193), Jacob Amie (6-4, 223), and tight end Tyler Fleet (6-2, 216) have a size advantage over the Lions defensive backs. Alex Blucher and Akeem Aguste stand at 5-9 and 5-10, but Owens said their speed makes up for the size differential.
"They are both great cover guys," Owens said. "Our receivers are big, so we have a height advantage. What we are going to have to make sure we do is outmuscle them for the ball."
Owens believes Chaminade will try and pound the football and control the clock, making each offensive possession critical for ultimate success.
"They are a smash-mouth team with some misdirection and a lot of play-action passing," Owens said. "We have to keep them from going on long, sustained scoring drives," Owens said. "If they are going to keep the ball for any length of time, we are going to have to get it back. We are no doubt going to have score offensively (at least) three times."
On defense, Lee is without starting free safety Tekerrein Cuba for at least two games because of a knee injury. Senior nosetackle Jacoby McKenzie is also banged up, but Owens said he expects the returning all-district lineman to play. Junior defensive back Tim Hayter will move to free safety with junior Adrian Beard to play cornerback.
"We've been putting some different people back there (to try and replace Cuba), and I think we have the right combination now," Owens said. "It takes a special guy to play that for us. You have to be a tackler and a cover. We feel Hayter will do a good job, and when Cuba comes back, we'll move him back to corner and we'll be even better off."
Chaminade Madonna averaged nearly 230 yards rushing per game last season, and returns senior tailback Willie Floyd (5-9, 165) and junior fullback Xavier Stinson (5-9, 225). That means McKenzie and defensive ends Colby Wray and Rodrick Brown have the unwelcome responsibility of trying to stymie the Lions rushing attack.
"You look across (their front) and they are 250, 270, 270, 290, and they love to run it with counter lead, isolation stuff, so it's going to be a test for us," Owens said.
Projected Starting Lineups
Offense
Chaminade Madonna (Multiple-T) - QB Mark Guandolo (5-10, 165, Sr.), RB Willie Floyd (5-9, 165, Sr.), FB Xavier Stinson (5-9, 225, Jr.), WR Kamar Aiken (6-3, 195, Sr.) TE Alex Blucher (5-9, 180, Sr.), RT Emeka Wank-Woe (6-4, 275, Jr.), RT Ryan Goldman (6-0, 272, Jr.), C Quentin Maynard (6-2, 240, Sr.), LG Vinnie Nardelli (5-10, 250, Jr.), LT Edward Ferguson (6-4, 290, Jr.), WR David Gongora (6-2, 185, Sr.), K Diego Palacio; KR Akeem Auguste (5-10, 172, Jr.).
Robert E. Lee (Multiple) - QB Preston Hill (6-2, 201, Sr.), RB Jason Williams (5-11, 205, Sr.), FB Josh Oliver (5-10, 188, Jr.), WR Jonathan Williams (6-1, 193, Sr.), TE Tyler Fleet (6-2, 216, Jr.), RT John Landes (6-1, 270, So.), RG Mario Trimble (6-2, 290, Jr.), C Andrew Baley (5-10, 239, Sr.), LG Chase Carlton (5-11, 205, Sr.), LT Jake Kirkpatrick (6-3, 285, Sr.), WR Jacob Amie (6-4, 223, Jr.), K Joseph Cleaver, KR Marcus Jackson (6-2, 170).
Defense
Chaminade Madonna (3-4) - NT Greg Hayes (6-0, 225, Sr.), RE Daniel Abramovitz (6-0, 168, Sr.), LE Diego Palacios (6-1, 220, Sr.), ROLB Kent Clancy (6-1, 220, Sr.), ILB Josh Corraliza (5-9, 225, Sr.), ILB Cleo Edwards (5-9, 185, Sr.), LOLB Johnny Santelesis (6-1, 180, Sr.), CB Alex Blucher (5-9, 180, Sr.), SS Eain Smith (6-0, 180, Jr.), FS Jordan Delegal (6-0, 185, Sr.), CB Akeem Auguste (5-10, 172, Jr.), P Ryan Ruckle, PR Akeem Aguste.
Robert E. Lee (3-4) - NT Jacoby McKenzie (6-1, 256, Sr.), RE Rodrick Brown (6-0, 191, Jr.), LE Colby Wray (5-11, 190, Sr.), S Justin Hansen (5-8, 205, Sr.), SB Michael Wahl (6-1, 215, Sr.), MB George Faber (5-11, 208, Jr.), WB Matt Uzzell (6-0, 213, Sr.), SS Jeremy Moore (5-9, 160, Sr.), FS Tim Hayter (6-0, 163, Jr.), CB Quett Nicholson (5-10, 174, Sr.), CB Adrian Beard (5-9, 160, Jr.), P Preston Hill (6-2, 201, Sr.), PR Josh Oliver (5-9, 164, So.).
By: CHRIS PARRY, Staff Writer
08/26/2005
COACHES READY: Robert E. Lee coach Mike Owens (left) and Chaminade Madonna coach Mark Guandolo pose in photo taken earlier this year. (Courtesy Photo)
Defenders of Texas, it's time to mount up.
Robert E. Lee will play the first of two out-of-state opponents Saturday as the Red Raiders entertain Hollywood (Fla.) Chaminade Madonna in the finale of the East Texas Football Classic. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. at Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium.
Lee also will travel to Ohio in two weeks to battle Cincinnati Colerain.
It is an opportunity for Lee to represent the state against two other high-profile high school teams.
First up is Chaminade Madonna, the 2003 Florida 2A state champ, which will be happy just to get to Tyler after enduring Hurricane Katrina.
Chaminade Madonna is located in Hollywood, Fla., which is where the eye of Katrina swept across Thursday night, damaging homes, causing floods and knocking out power lines. The team had been scheduled to arrive in Tyler on Friday, but because of airport closings, the Lions expect to arrive in the Pineywoods at 3 a.m. Saturday.
The last time Lee played football on a Saturday, the Red Raiders held up a state championship trophy after defeating Spring Westfield last December at the Alamodome. This Saturday game is not for a state trophy, but rather state pride.
"Our game plan for this game, we have as much stuff in right now as we do in midseason," said Lee head coach Mike Owens. "We are going to load it up and open it up on offense. We may try and take some chances we normally don't take because we are going to try and put some points on the board."
Both senior quarterback Preston Hill and senior running back Jason Williams were backups on Lee's state title team last season. Hill passed for 229 yards and a touchdown while also running for 48-yard touchdown. Williams rushed for 653 yards and scored six touchdowns while also catching four passes for 114 yards and two scores.
Owens said he expects Hill to be ready and his offense to be prepared.
"Preston started five games as a sophomore, so I don't expect him to be nervous," Owens said. "I know we've scrimmaged, but that is not a game. I was real pleased in our scrimmage that we actually did better when the coaches went to the sidelines."
Lee receivers Jonathan Williams (6-1, 193), Jacob Amie (6-4, 223), and tight end Tyler Fleet (6-2, 216) have a size advantage over the Lions defensive backs. Alex Blucher and Akeem Aguste stand at 5-9 and 5-10, but Owens said their speed makes up for the size differential.
"They are both great cover guys," Owens said. "Our receivers are big, so we have a height advantage. What we are going to have to make sure we do is outmuscle them for the ball."
Owens believes Chaminade will try and pound the football and control the clock, making each offensive possession critical for ultimate success.
"They are a smash-mouth team with some misdirection and a lot of play-action passing," Owens said. "We have to keep them from going on long, sustained scoring drives," Owens said. "If they are going to keep the ball for any length of time, we are going to have to get it back. We are no doubt going to have score offensively (at least) three times."
On defense, Lee is without starting free safety Tekerrein Cuba for at least two games because of a knee injury. Senior nosetackle Jacoby McKenzie is also banged up, but Owens said he expects the returning all-district lineman to play. Junior defensive back Tim Hayter will move to free safety with junior Adrian Beard to play cornerback.
"We've been putting some different people back there (to try and replace Cuba), and I think we have the right combination now," Owens said. "It takes a special guy to play that for us. You have to be a tackler and a cover. We feel Hayter will do a good job, and when Cuba comes back, we'll move him back to corner and we'll be even better off."
Chaminade Madonna averaged nearly 230 yards rushing per game last season, and returns senior tailback Willie Floyd (5-9, 165) and junior fullback Xavier Stinson (5-9, 225). That means McKenzie and defensive ends Colby Wray and Rodrick Brown have the unwelcome responsibility of trying to stymie the Lions rushing attack.
"You look across (their front) and they are 250, 270, 270, 290, and they love to run it with counter lead, isolation stuff, so it's going to be a test for us," Owens said.
Projected Starting Lineups
Offense
Chaminade Madonna (Multiple-T) - QB Mark Guandolo (5-10, 165, Sr.), RB Willie Floyd (5-9, 165, Sr.), FB Xavier Stinson (5-9, 225, Jr.), WR Kamar Aiken (6-3, 195, Sr.) TE Alex Blucher (5-9, 180, Sr.), RT Emeka Wank-Woe (6-4, 275, Jr.), RT Ryan Goldman (6-0, 272, Jr.), C Quentin Maynard (6-2, 240, Sr.), LG Vinnie Nardelli (5-10, 250, Jr.), LT Edward Ferguson (6-4, 290, Jr.), WR David Gongora (6-2, 185, Sr.), K Diego Palacio; KR Akeem Auguste (5-10, 172, Jr.).
Robert E. Lee (Multiple) - QB Preston Hill (6-2, 201, Sr.), RB Jason Williams (5-11, 205, Sr.), FB Josh Oliver (5-10, 188, Jr.), WR Jonathan Williams (6-1, 193, Sr.), TE Tyler Fleet (6-2, 216, Jr.), RT John Landes (6-1, 270, So.), RG Mario Trimble (6-2, 290, Jr.), C Andrew Baley (5-10, 239, Sr.), LG Chase Carlton (5-11, 205, Sr.), LT Jake Kirkpatrick (6-3, 285, Sr.), WR Jacob Amie (6-4, 223, Jr.), K Joseph Cleaver, KR Marcus Jackson (6-2, 170).
Defense
Chaminade Madonna (3-4) - NT Greg Hayes (6-0, 225, Sr.), RE Daniel Abramovitz (6-0, 168, Sr.), LE Diego Palacios (6-1, 220, Sr.), ROLB Kent Clancy (6-1, 220, Sr.), ILB Josh Corraliza (5-9, 225, Sr.), ILB Cleo Edwards (5-9, 185, Sr.), LOLB Johnny Santelesis (6-1, 180, Sr.), CB Alex Blucher (5-9, 180, Sr.), SS Eain Smith (6-0, 180, Jr.), FS Jordan Delegal (6-0, 185, Sr.), CB Akeem Auguste (5-10, 172, Jr.), P Ryan Ruckle, PR Akeem Aguste.
Robert E. Lee (3-4) - NT Jacoby McKenzie (6-1, 256, Sr.), RE Rodrick Brown (6-0, 191, Jr.), LE Colby Wray (5-11, 190, Sr.), S Justin Hansen (5-8, 205, Sr.), SB Michael Wahl (6-1, 215, Sr.), MB George Faber (5-11, 208, Jr.), WB Matt Uzzell (6-0, 213, Sr.), SS Jeremy Moore (5-9, 160, Sr.), FS Tim Hayter (6-0, 163, Jr.), CB Quett Nicholson (5-10, 174, Sr.), CB Adrian Beard (5-9, 160, Jr.), P Preston Hill (6-2, 201, Sr.), PR Josh Oliver (5-9, 164, So.).