supercentex
09-03-2005, 08:56 AM
Lions' errors lift Tyler Lee, 21-7
Lions' errors lift Tyler Lee, 21-7
By Brice Cherry Tribune-Herald staff writer
Saturday, September 03, 2005
To beat the great teams, the Waco High Lions will first have to learn to stop beating themselves.
Waco High made significant strides from week zero to week one, but squandered several golden opportunities against No. 2-ranked Tyler Lee Friday night, falling,21-7, in the Waco ISD Hall of Fame Game.
“First, I've got to congratulate Tyler Lee on its victory, but we definitely were our own worst enemy tonight,” Waco High coach Johnny Tusa said. “We had some critical penalties and we turned the ball over four times, and if I'm not mistaken all of those (actually three) were inside the 30, and three of them were after first downs. We've got to realize two things – one, we can play with anybody, and two, we've got to take care of the football to do it.”
The turnover bug stung early for the Lions (0-2), as fullback Kevin Stewart was stripped fighting for yardage on the team's first possession and Lee's Jeremy Moore recovered. That fumble led to a long Red Raider scoring drive, culminating with a crafty misdirection play in which Lee quarterback Preston Hill faked a handoff and then bootlegged to his right and found tight end Michael Mason wide open in the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown.
Waco High mounted an impressive drive on its second possession, only to see it go for naught when Johnny Ramirez's 30-yard field goal attempt knuckled low and short.
Another kicking-game mishap proved costly for the Lions on Lee's ensuing series, as Waco High's Chris Johnson was flagged for offsides just before blocking a 32-yard field goal try from Lee's Joseph Cleaver. The penalty gave the Red Raiders (2-0) new life, as Hill found Mason on another 10-yard TD hookup on the next play.
“We were able to take advantage of their turnovers, and that was the difference,” Tyler Lee coach Mike Owens said. “But we made a lot of mistakes ourselves. We're going to have play better than we did tonight. We played just well enough to beat Waco High.”
Expectations are high when you're the defending state champions, as the Red Raiders are. But give Waco High credit – the Lions, who feature eight new starters on defense and six on offense, grew up in a hurry and gave Tyler Lee a furious fight.
Midway through the second quarter, the Lions capitalized on a Tyler Lee turnover, instead of vice versa, as Alex McComas pounced on a fumble by Red Raider receiver Jonathan Williams at the Lee 24. On the next play, Waco High quarterback Bryan Smith arced a high fade pass to receiver Ronald Horne, who twisted in the air to make an astute adjustment on the ball and haul in the TD pass for the Lions' first points of the 2005 season.
Horne proved to be a capable playmaker throughout the night, snagging seven catches for 71 yards.
“He's slippery, and if we can get him the ball, he can make plays,” Tusa said. “I thought he did a good job, and I thought Bryan Smith really improved a lot tonight. He's going to be critical to our development.”
Horne's score trimmed the Tyler Lee lead to 14-7, but the Lions couldn't make up any more ground. On the team's final drive of the half, Smith lost the ball while diving for a first down inside the Tyler Lee 10-yard line, and the Red Raiders recovered to dodge a scoring bullet.
Tusa praised his team's swarming defense, which held the Red Raiders' highly-regarded tailback Jason Williams in check much of the night. Williams, who rushed for 259 yards and four touchdowns last week in Tyler Lee's 34-28 win over Chaminade-Madonna of Florida, finished with 124 yards on 18 carries against the Lions, but 63 of that came on two well-blocked scampers.
The Lions also showcased a shotgun snap attack at various times offensively, a look that surprised Tyler Lee.
“They've got something with that shotgun,” Owens said. “I think that'll work well for them. We weren't expecting that. We're used to that ol' Waco High style, with the power-I. They've got some young kids and I tell you what, by next year, they'll really be looking good with that offense.”
Waco High's loss was its first non-district defeat at home since 2000, the debut season of Waco ISD Stadium.
TL (1st): Michael Mason 10 pass from Preston Hill (Joseph Cleaver kick); TL (2nd): Mason 10 pass from Hill (Cleaver kick); W (2nd): Ronald Horne 24 pass from Bryan Smith (Johnny Ramirez kick); TL (3rd): Hill 1 run (Cleaver kick).
Lions' errors lift Tyler Lee, 21-7
By Brice Cherry Tribune-Herald staff writer
Saturday, September 03, 2005
To beat the great teams, the Waco High Lions will first have to learn to stop beating themselves.
Waco High made significant strides from week zero to week one, but squandered several golden opportunities against No. 2-ranked Tyler Lee Friday night, falling,21-7, in the Waco ISD Hall of Fame Game.
“First, I've got to congratulate Tyler Lee on its victory, but we definitely were our own worst enemy tonight,” Waco High coach Johnny Tusa said. “We had some critical penalties and we turned the ball over four times, and if I'm not mistaken all of those (actually three) were inside the 30, and three of them were after first downs. We've got to realize two things – one, we can play with anybody, and two, we've got to take care of the football to do it.”
The turnover bug stung early for the Lions (0-2), as fullback Kevin Stewart was stripped fighting for yardage on the team's first possession and Lee's Jeremy Moore recovered. That fumble led to a long Red Raider scoring drive, culminating with a crafty misdirection play in which Lee quarterback Preston Hill faked a handoff and then bootlegged to his right and found tight end Michael Mason wide open in the end zone for a 10-yard touchdown.
Waco High mounted an impressive drive on its second possession, only to see it go for naught when Johnny Ramirez's 30-yard field goal attempt knuckled low and short.
Another kicking-game mishap proved costly for the Lions on Lee's ensuing series, as Waco High's Chris Johnson was flagged for offsides just before blocking a 32-yard field goal try from Lee's Joseph Cleaver. The penalty gave the Red Raiders (2-0) new life, as Hill found Mason on another 10-yard TD hookup on the next play.
“We were able to take advantage of their turnovers, and that was the difference,” Tyler Lee coach Mike Owens said. “But we made a lot of mistakes ourselves. We're going to have play better than we did tonight. We played just well enough to beat Waco High.”
Expectations are high when you're the defending state champions, as the Red Raiders are. But give Waco High credit – the Lions, who feature eight new starters on defense and six on offense, grew up in a hurry and gave Tyler Lee a furious fight.
Midway through the second quarter, the Lions capitalized on a Tyler Lee turnover, instead of vice versa, as Alex McComas pounced on a fumble by Red Raider receiver Jonathan Williams at the Lee 24. On the next play, Waco High quarterback Bryan Smith arced a high fade pass to receiver Ronald Horne, who twisted in the air to make an astute adjustment on the ball and haul in the TD pass for the Lions' first points of the 2005 season.
Horne proved to be a capable playmaker throughout the night, snagging seven catches for 71 yards.
“He's slippery, and if we can get him the ball, he can make plays,” Tusa said. “I thought he did a good job, and I thought Bryan Smith really improved a lot tonight. He's going to be critical to our development.”
Horne's score trimmed the Tyler Lee lead to 14-7, but the Lions couldn't make up any more ground. On the team's final drive of the half, Smith lost the ball while diving for a first down inside the Tyler Lee 10-yard line, and the Red Raiders recovered to dodge a scoring bullet.
Tusa praised his team's swarming defense, which held the Red Raiders' highly-regarded tailback Jason Williams in check much of the night. Williams, who rushed for 259 yards and four touchdowns last week in Tyler Lee's 34-28 win over Chaminade-Madonna of Florida, finished with 124 yards on 18 carries against the Lions, but 63 of that came on two well-blocked scampers.
The Lions also showcased a shotgun snap attack at various times offensively, a look that surprised Tyler Lee.
“They've got something with that shotgun,” Owens said. “I think that'll work well for them. We weren't expecting that. We're used to that ol' Waco High style, with the power-I. They've got some young kids and I tell you what, by next year, they'll really be looking good with that offense.”
Waco High's loss was its first non-district defeat at home since 2000, the debut season of Waco ISD Stadium.
TL (1st): Michael Mason 10 pass from Preston Hill (Joseph Cleaver kick); TL (2nd): Mason 10 pass from Hill (Cleaver kick); W (2nd): Ronald Horne 24 pass from Bryan Smith (Johnny Ramirez kick); TL (3rd): Hill 1 run (Cleaver kick).