Eagle Hombre
11-04-2005, 09:47 AM
Article on tonights game with Midland Lee -- You can check the highlights on the FSN High School show at midnight -- They've featured it as the game of the week. -
Eagles need win to avoid sharing the district bell
By Jacob Brown / Reporter-News Staff Writer
November 4, 2005
The Abilene High School football team has already clinched a share of the District 3-5A title, but if you ask coach Steve Warren, he'll tell you that's not enough.
''We want to be selfish,'' he said. ''We want the entire district title all by ourselves.''
For that to happen, the Eagles will have to get past Midland Lee tonight at Grande Communications Stadium.
Standing on the Rebels sideline will be Randy Quisenberry - the last coach in the district to defeat AHS. He was the head man at Cooper when the Cougars beat the Eagles 21-12 in 2003 before AHS started its 10-game winning streak in District 3-5A.
Lee came closer than any team to defeating the Eagles during the 2004 regular season. The Rebels held a 17-6 halftime lead at Shotwell Stadium, but the AHS defense clamped down on Lee, and two second-half touchdowns propelled the Eagles to a 20-17 victory.
The loss was the only one Lee suffered in district play, but Quisenberry said he and his players have already put it behind them.
''Honestly, it's funny. Nobody's really talked about that,'' he said. ''Last year was last year, I guess.''
This year, the teams combine to field five players who have orally committed to play football in the Big 12 Conference next season. AHS quarterback Taylor Potts and receiver Lyle Leong Jr. are headed to Texas Tech, while Lee running back Trent Hines, receiver Terrence McCoy and defensive tackle Leslie Ray will be at Texas A&M.
The Rebels will rely on their running game to try to keep the high-octane Eagle offense off the field. Hines is the second-leading rusher in the district and needs 13 yards to reach the 1,000-yard mark. He and Jasper McKee have combined for 17 touchdowns on the ground, while McKee has amassed 404 rushing yards on 48 carries.
But handling a tough running game is the AHS defense's specialty, and Warren was encouraged by the way the unit performed in the 40-0 shutout of Cooper last Friday.
''We shut their running game down pretty good and held Jerry Harper in pretty good check,'' he said, ''and I think our defense will be up to the task again.''
The Eagles have a solid running game of their own led by Casey Bell, who has scored 10 rushing touchdowns and is the district's third-leading rusher with 820 yards.
Through the air, Potts needs less than 40 passing yards to surpass 5,000 for his career.
Even though AHS is already well on its way to the playoffs, Warren said he has had no problems motivating his team to be at its best against Lee.
''This is a goal they set a long time ago, to be the outright district champions,'' he said, ''and that's what our intentions are.''
Abilene High (9-0, 4-0) at Midland Lee (4-5, 3-1)
When: 7:30 p.m. today
Where: Grande Communications Stadium
On the air: KZQQ 1560 AM
Our pick - AHS: In the ''DQ Big Game of the Week'' as designated by FSN Southwest, Lee will be motivated to rebound from its 28-20 loss to crosstown rival Midland last week and earn a share of the District 3-5A title. But the Eagles want that title all to themselves, and will look to the district's top-ranked defense to shut down the Rebel running game while quarterback Taylor Potts goes out with a bang in his last regular season game for AHS.
Contact sports writer Jacob Brown at brownj@reporternews.com or 676-6711.
Eagles need win to avoid sharing the district bell
By Jacob Brown / Reporter-News Staff Writer
November 4, 2005
The Abilene High School football team has already clinched a share of the District 3-5A title, but if you ask coach Steve Warren, he'll tell you that's not enough.
''We want to be selfish,'' he said. ''We want the entire district title all by ourselves.''
For that to happen, the Eagles will have to get past Midland Lee tonight at Grande Communications Stadium.
Standing on the Rebels sideline will be Randy Quisenberry - the last coach in the district to defeat AHS. He was the head man at Cooper when the Cougars beat the Eagles 21-12 in 2003 before AHS started its 10-game winning streak in District 3-5A.
Lee came closer than any team to defeating the Eagles during the 2004 regular season. The Rebels held a 17-6 halftime lead at Shotwell Stadium, but the AHS defense clamped down on Lee, and two second-half touchdowns propelled the Eagles to a 20-17 victory.
The loss was the only one Lee suffered in district play, but Quisenberry said he and his players have already put it behind them.
''Honestly, it's funny. Nobody's really talked about that,'' he said. ''Last year was last year, I guess.''
This year, the teams combine to field five players who have orally committed to play football in the Big 12 Conference next season. AHS quarterback Taylor Potts and receiver Lyle Leong Jr. are headed to Texas Tech, while Lee running back Trent Hines, receiver Terrence McCoy and defensive tackle Leslie Ray will be at Texas A&M.
The Rebels will rely on their running game to try to keep the high-octane Eagle offense off the field. Hines is the second-leading rusher in the district and needs 13 yards to reach the 1,000-yard mark. He and Jasper McKee have combined for 17 touchdowns on the ground, while McKee has amassed 404 rushing yards on 48 carries.
But handling a tough running game is the AHS defense's specialty, and Warren was encouraged by the way the unit performed in the 40-0 shutout of Cooper last Friday.
''We shut their running game down pretty good and held Jerry Harper in pretty good check,'' he said, ''and I think our defense will be up to the task again.''
The Eagles have a solid running game of their own led by Casey Bell, who has scored 10 rushing touchdowns and is the district's third-leading rusher with 820 yards.
Through the air, Potts needs less than 40 passing yards to surpass 5,000 for his career.
Even though AHS is already well on its way to the playoffs, Warren said he has had no problems motivating his team to be at its best against Lee.
''This is a goal they set a long time ago, to be the outright district champions,'' he said, ''and that's what our intentions are.''
Abilene High (9-0, 4-0) at Midland Lee (4-5, 3-1)
When: 7:30 p.m. today
Where: Grande Communications Stadium
On the air: KZQQ 1560 AM
Our pick - AHS: In the ''DQ Big Game of the Week'' as designated by FSN Southwest, Lee will be motivated to rebound from its 28-20 loss to crosstown rival Midland last week and earn a share of the District 3-5A title. But the Eagles want that title all to themselves, and will look to the district's top-ranked defense to shut down the Rebel running game while quarterback Taylor Potts goes out with a bang in his last regular season game for AHS.
Contact sports writer Jacob Brown at brownj@reporternews.com or 676-6711.