Some said John McCain. Others Barack Obama.

But Midway High fans felt their team was Friday night's biggest debate winner.

The Panthers put to rest, at least for a week, any questions concerning their status as a legitimate contender in the new, high-octane 16-4A playoff chase.

Midway, behind star running back John Hubert and an imposing stop unit, blanked Cleburne 43-0 at home in the District opener for both clubs.

Hubert dashed and darted for 192 yards and three touchdowns---reaching paydirt from 43, 31, and 11 yards out.

The Panthers' relative ease in discarding Cleburne, pitching a rare shutout, was all the more impressive considering the visitors came into the contest boasting a 3-0 mark and having outscored its non-District foes 141-7.

Marc Martinez led an inspired Panther defense by recording three tackles for losses and intercepting a pass---in the first half alone.

The aforementioned baseball analogy proves especially fitting given that quarterback/receiver Todd Glaesmann, who briefly considered focusing solely on the diamond this year, returned to haul in a pair of Corey Holmes TD passes and run for a score of his own.

But most of Friday's buzz was about a Midway defense that forced five Cleburne miscues, and has allowed just seven points during the Panthers' current three-game winning streak.

University and Waco High, meanwhile, will have to work on building their own winning streaks after dropping their respective 16-4A debuts.

The Trojans dropped a 34-31 heartbreaker to Corsicana at WISD Stadium, while Waco was on the rare short end of a 48-14 romp by Ennis.

University fell in a shootout that saw a half-dozen lead changes.

The defeat also spoiled tremendous efforts by Trojan stars Randy Price and Demarcus Hicks.

Price accounted for over 300 yards total offense while Hicks literally didn't miss a step making the switch from wideout to running back.

Hicks churned out 169 yards on the ground, including a TD jaunt.

Price likewise did his part, throwing for 178 yards and rushing for 137 more---having a direct hand in four University scores.

Price's favorite target, with Hicks shifting to the backfield, was Vencent Finley, who finished with eight grabs and 87 yards through the air.

Two of Finley's catches went for touchdowns, including a 17-yard reception in the waning moments of the opening half.

 Price's biggest hookup, though, came on a 76-yard scoring strike to Jordan Richardson.

Banged up Waco High, unlike Midway and University, had trouble putting points on the board Friday.

Undefeated Ennis, a perennial State title hopeful, raced to a 35-7 cushion at the break and never looked back.

Bronshae 'Keon Dugas' one-yard TD plunge had pulled the Lions to within 14-7, but WHS then yielded three straight Ennis touchdowns before intermission.

Waco, usually a punishing running team, had no answer for Ennis halfback Tim Hearne, who finished with 139 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

Ennis flirted with 500 yards total offense against the normally stout WHS defense.

Kollin Kahler led Waco High with 78 yards and a score on seven attempts. Dugas ran 13 times for 74 yards.

Waco's lopsided loss wasn't all that had Lion fans scratching their heads afterward.

 The WHS Faithful were perplexed---to put it mildly---that Ennis opted for a two-point conversion attempt in the final three minutes of a game it would win by a 34-point margin.

 In other Friday highlights from the centexfootball.com coverage area:

*Mart's Xavier Williams ran for 207 yards and passed for another 112, plus picked off two Reicher passes, to lead the Panthers to a surprisingly easy 41-0 romp over the Cougars. Armondo Jones ran 10 times for 61 yards and three scores. Williams threw an 11-yard TD pass to Nino Sharp and placekicker Matthew Shaeffer booted treys from 34 and 35 yards, respectively, as MHS improved to 3-2. Ross Rasner paced Reicher with over 100 yards combined rushing and receiving.

*Crawford drubbed District rival Clifton 34-3 to remain unbeaten in four starts. The one-two punch of Bryce Murphy (137 yards) and Dustin Dorris (58 yards), running behind an imposing front line, allowed the Pirates to move the sticks and control the clock much of the night. Chance Lynch marshaled the Crawford attack, twice hitting tight end Kody Johnston for scores.

*Troy rebounded from last week's setback to whitewash Bruceville-Eddy 28-0. Chris Chandler found the end zone on a 48-yard TD reception from Dillon Seabeck, and via a 36-yard pass interception return. Jeremy Conrad also paced the victors with 112 yards rushing---highlighted by a 36-yard touchdown---on 15 carries.

*Rosebud-Lott kept its season slate unblemished with a 53-0 spanking of Riesel. The Tribe managed to keep the game close until the break, then suffered a second half meltdown as Ernesto Flores threw for one TD and ran for three more---including a 97-yard fourth quarter burst.

*LaVega rebounded from the previous week's upset loss at Abilene Wylie with a solid 21-12 victory over Crockett. Solid in that the Pirates won despite yielding 160 yards in penalties. Chris Ward helped offset the minus yardage with 68 yards rushing, more than half coming on an impressive 37-yard touchdown scamper. Danzel Wilson supplied much of the Pirate heroics after Ward went down with an ankle injury, throwing for more than 70 yards on one LaVega scoring march and running for nearly 40 on another.

*China Spring outdistanced Marlin 41-14 a week after the Bulldogs had broken into the win column with a 21-16 decision over Mart. Brian Bell completed 12 of 15 passes for 159 yards to lead the Cougars. Jerome Lloyd provided balance to the China Spring attack with an impressive 112 yards and three TDs on the ground.

*Waco Connally defeated Gatesville 35-22, capitalizing on five Hornet turnovers. Quarterback Torrance Williams and running back Reggie Richardson teamed up for nearly 350 yards total offense to lead the Cadets. Isaiah Thompson delivered a big TD for Connally that allowed the Cadets to take a 14-10 lead into the locker room at halftime.

*Mexia held West to just 186 yards total offense in a 35-13 Blackcat triumph. Mexia, which improved to 3-2 on the campaign, rolled up more than 500 yards in offense. QB Trae Davis ran the show, completing 14 passes for 194 yards. Doug Gentry added 149 yards rushing on 16 attempts for the winners.

*Itasca, behind Desmond Guy, defeated Axtell 38-12 in the District 21-1A opener for both programs. The Longhorns built a 12-0 lead at halftime before Guy, the first Centex rusher to break the 1,000 yard mark this season, got untracked. His two third period scores, one an 81-yard breakaway, triggered a 30-point frame for Itasca.

*Bremond's LiDarral Bailey continued his superb season by running for 117 yards and three scores to help the Tigers withstand a spirited upset attempt by Chilton's Pirates. Xavier Shaw led CHS with 156 yards on the ground and a trio of touchdowns. The difference was Bailey's ability to go up top. He threw for 189 yards on the night.

A lot of times it's said no one kid is any closer to playing pro ball than the next.

But that might not be the case at Corsicana High, the storied Central Texas program whose 16-4A schedule this year features dates with the Waco Lions, Midway Panthers, and University Trojans.

Good thing, though, the Tigers aren't allowed to field an alumni team.

Three Corsiscana grads are now on active NFL rosters, led by standout Chicago Bear defensive back Danieal Manning.

 Manning, in the midst of his fourth campaign with the Bears, led Chicago two years ago with five forced fumbles and in 2007 recorded 98 tackles, 70 of them solo stops.

The solid 5-11, 200-pounder continues to average six tackles per game with a franchise long noted for its legendary hard-hitting defenses.

 Manning played his college ball at small-school power Abilene Christian, turning down numerous offers to sign with Division I programs, many of which were keenly interested in his services.

 And why wouldn't they have been?

 Manning, after all, not only showcased his strength but also his speed as a Corsicana Tiger. His :10.34 clocking in the 100 meters during his senior year at CHS was the fourth fastest nationally among high school sprinters.

 For Billy Yates, Corsicana High ultimately proved a springboard to a starting role with the New England Patriots, easily the most successful NFL club of the past decade.

The versatile, surprisingly nimble 6-2, 305-pound Yates lettered in track and basketball as well as football at CHS, later honing his skills in the trenches at Texas A&M.

His Aggie credentials earned Yates a shot out of college with the Miami Dolphins, where he evolved as a special teams standout.

 He then moved on to New England, emerging as the starter at right tackle for a Patriot attack headlined by quarterback Tom Brady and wideout Randy Moss, plus a supporting roster cast including no shortage of Pro Bowlers.

 While veteran Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Holmgren has indicated this will be his final season wearing the headset, it marks the first year in the NFL for Hawks' linebacker David Hawthorne, yet another Corsicana product.

Holmgren lobbied the Seattle brass hard to sign Hawthorne, a three-year starter at TCU, as a free agent.

 The 6-0, 240-pound Hawthorne distinguished himself as both a scholar and top-flight player with the Horned Frogs, competing in '07 as a TCU grad student.

He had much earlier established himself as a quick study on the gridiron, logging 142 tackles as a Corsicana senior.

 Interestingly, Corsicana ranks just seventh out of the eight 16-4A schools in terms of student enrollment, larger only than University High.

 Which just happens to be the alma mater of a guy named LaDainian Tomlinson.  Just goes to show that in some cases, less can be more.

In related centexfootball.com notes:

*Folks around the state are still talking about the remarkable performance Eustace fullback Shawn Baldwin had earlier this month against Edgewood. The 5-9, 190-pound fullback netted 226 yards on 32 carries, scoring five times. One TD jaunt was a 51-yarder. All the more impressive when you consider Baldwin had helped bury his mom, a gall bladder cancer victim, just hours before kickoff. She, of course, had been her son's No. 1 fan. And he played the game of his life in honor of her memory.

Much star power from both sides has graduated recently from the Marlin-Mart rivalry.

But the classic Bulldog-Panther main feature remains a marquee matchup, and Friday's pairing once again proved to be a blockbuster.

Marlin, a perennial 2A power under Jerry Malone, prevailed 21-16 in a physical, hard-fought battle at venerable Legion Field.

And it was a game that saw a new star assume center stage.

Frosh tailback Justin Stewart rushed for a game-high 184 yards on 17 carries, reeling off second half touchdown jaunts of 51 and 76 yards as Marlin erased a 10-0 Mart halftime lead en route to the Bulldogs' comeback win.

The multi-talented Stewart, who effectively blended speed and power, showed exceptional polish for a freshman---patiently waiting for running lanes to develop.

He was helped, of course, by senior quarterback Charles Hitchens, a three-year starter, whose stellar performance Friday merited a share of top billing on the night.

Hitchens rushed 24 times for 102 yards, including a nine-yard fourth quarter TD blast up the middle. He also completed five of seven passes for 73 yards.

More important, Hitchens marshaled a Bulldog attack that ground out 16 rushing first downs and effectively controlled the clock.

Marlin's ability to methodically move the chains, coupled with uncharacteristic Mart turnovers, resulted in the Bulldogs' sizeable 55-34 edge in plays from scrimmage.

"The turnovers really hurt us," Panther mentor Rusty Nail lamented afterward.

Mart coughed up two fumbles and an interception in the early going, spoiling an otherwise outstanding effort by Panther quarterback Xavier Williams.

Williams completed 11 of 17 passes for 202 yards---his high total of the campaign---highlighted by a 73-yard touchdown bomb to senior wideout Ryan Montgomery, who enjoyed a breakout game.

Williams also darted 32 yards for a fourth quarter score as the Panther's mounted a late rally that fell short.

Mart had gotten on the board first with a 39-yard Matthew Shaeffer field goal that easily split the uprights, landing on the Bulldog running track well beyond the end zone.

But Marlin's depth and Stewart's explosiveness spelled the difference in the game---especially in the second half.

Marlin, which always plays a brutal pre-District slate, won for the first time in four starts.

Mart, now a 1A program likewise facing a tough non-District schedule, fell to 2-2.

Just as dramatic Friday was the much-anticipated shootout between Bosqueville and Axtell.

Host Bosqueville held on for a 36-28 victory, improving to 4-0 on the season thanks in great measure to the pass-and-catch duo of Blaze Blackburn and Cody Feight, who hooked up on a 61-yard scoring toss early in the third period.

The Bulldog pair had earlier converted an eight-yard pass play into a touchdown.

But the gifted Blackburn, who has thrown 14 touchdown passes thus far this season, didn't have a monopoly on magic in the air.

Axtell signal caller Weston Popham made his presence felt with a 57-yard TD strike to Kyle Voss and one of 16 yards to Jay Halleck.

Popham also chipped in a crafty option pitch, delivering the ball in the Bosqueville secondary to Porter Miles, who ran 17 yards to paydirt.

The highly entertaining contest likely was a mere preview for when the two Centex 1A rivals meet in the playoffs---if all goes according to script.

In other Friday night centexfootball.com highlights:

*Previously undefeated LaVega was toppled 22-20 at Abilene Wylie. As was the case with Mart, turnovers proved costly to the Pirates. Four LaVega miscues helped fuel the Wylie upset, spoiling a productive night by the Pirate running back tandem of Chris Ward and Tevin Thompson. The two combined for 143 yards on 31 attempts. Arron Brandon was a factor as well, bursting 69 yards for a LaVega touchdown early in the second period.

*China Spring, meanwhile, remained perfect with a 37-18 triumph over upset-minded Groesbeck. But it wasn't easy for the Cougars. They started slow, then put 23 tallies on the board after the break. China Spring quarterback Brian Bell threw for 279 yards and three touchdowns to pace the victors. Groesbeck was led by Caleb Holbrook, who passed for 166 yards and a score plus ran for 49 yards and two TDs.

*Bremond blanked Jewitt Leon 34-0 behind a brilliant effort from quarterback LiDarral Bailey. Bailey ran for 267 yards and four touchdowns, and passed for another score.

*Cameron capitalized on four Lorena turnovers to light up the board with a 60-35 romp at Waco ISD Stadium. The wild affair produced more than 1,000 yards total offense between the two teams. Dual threat Steven Townsend of Cameron was at his best. He threw for 201 yards and three touchdowns in the first half alone. Then he logged 57 yards rushing after intermission.

*Rosebud-Lott continued its strong early season run, winning its fourth straight with a 13-12 come-from-behind nailbiter over Florence. Ernesto Flores topped the winners with nearly 200 yards total offense.

*Itasca won again behind its main guy---Desmond Guy, who ran for 251 yards and found the end zone six times. With the win, the Wampus Cats should easily retain their No. 6 1A ranking or perhaps climb in the polls.

*Rogers upset Troy 24-14, wreaking havoc with countless Pigskin Predictions around Central Texas. The Eagles' Jordan Scheck and Tim Weir combined for 100 yards on the ground. Rogers' run game was most effective in the final stanza, allowing the Eagles to maintain possession for some eight minutes at one point.

*Robinson reached the Winner's Circle with a 32-20 home triumph over 2A power Salado. Rocket receiver Boone Weiss, who had 11 grabs, accounted for nearly 200 yards offense. And that's not all. He also sped 51 yards with an interception return late in the second quarter.

With the nation in the throes of its worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, there seems little one can bank on anymore.

But don't tell that to former Dallas Roosevelt great Jeff Fuller.

Even though he suffered through his alma mater's 45-6 thrashing last week at the hands of Centex power LaVega, Fuller can't---and won't---complain.

He has so very much for which to be thankful. This despite having lived the past two decades with his right arm paralyzed.

These days, you see, the three-time Super Bowl champion with the San Francisco 49ers has a heavy investment in the grid fortunes of his son, also named Jeff, a frosh wideout at Texas A&M.

And it's an investment that's already paying splendid dividends.

The younger Fuller made two circus catches for touchdowns a couple weeks ago at New Mexico, in just his second collegiate game.

He is expected to see plenty of action this Saturday at Kyle Field when the Aggies host Miami.

"He's done a great job," says the elder Fuller, who intends to be at A&M---where he starred between 1980 and 1983---for Saturday's much anticipated clash between two storied, big-time programs.

Dad plans to spend much of the game on his feet---a time-honored Aggie tradition---but will use a left hand-shake when meeting up with old friends and well wishers.

Its been that way since Oct. 22, 1989, when the 49er corner went down after a crippling shoulder-to-helmet hit.

"I've had pain since the injury," Fuller told Kate Hairopoulos of the Dallas Morning News during a recent interview. "After awhile your body just adjusts to it. It's an ache. It's like a toothache in your arm or something. I can't stand for the AC (air conditioning) to blow on it."

It could've been much worse.

Fuller was more extensively paralyzed immediately after the fateful tackle, but feeling ultimately returned to most of his body.

But not to his right arm.

Numerous surgeries and treatments failed to reverse the remaining paralysis, and today Fuller prefers the arm not be photographed.

The younger Fuller thus grew up knowing full well the risks of pursuing football as a career.

Still, he didn't shy away.

His stellar play at McKinney Boyd in the Metroplex drew the attention of college coaches around the country.

Including one Bob Stoops of Oklahoma.

The 6-4 Fuller originally committed to OU, but then changed his mind after A&M hired as its new head coach Mike Sherman, who vowed to bring his Green Bay Packer, NFL-style passing attack to College Station.

Sherman, long a member of the A&M family, quickly set about to bring the younger Fuller into the Aggie fold. He was, after all, a huge fan of Fuller's dad.

"(Houston Texans coach) Gary Kubiak told me he (the elder Fuller) was the toughest player he ever played with," Sherman recalls.

And it's a toughness Jeff Fuller has retained long after his playing days ended.

 Most Central Texas football teams dodged Hurricane Ike, but Robinson High couldn't weather the storm unleashed Friday night by China Spring.

The Cougars blew out upset-minded Robinson behind the precision passing of Brian Bell and all-purpose play of wideout Mike Hicks.

Bell buried RHS by completing seven of 12 passes for 194 yards, including a sweet 62-yard scoring toss to Hicks late in the opening half.

Hicks later returned a kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown and thwarted a Robinson drive with a pickoff as China Spring grounded the Rockets 38-7 to remain unbeaten in three outings.

Bell, the latest in an impressive line of Cougar signal callers, helped ring up the victory by recognizing when the gifted Hicks was in favorable matchups.

Bell hooked up with the remarkable receiver five times for 168 yards.

Nor was the dynamic duo solely responsible for Friday's blowout.

Matt Hicks and Jesse West combined to top the 200-yard mark on the ground for China Spring, which likewise benefitted from a 31-yard James French field goal.

The Cougar Stop Dept. also made its presence felt, flooding the Robinson backfield at times with blitzes and surges up front.

On one sequence, China Spring corner Justin Parra and defensive tackle Ryan Boutwell recorded back-to-back stops behind the line of scrimmage.

The Rockets averted a shutout when receiver Joey Vasser hauled in a 43-yard Ruben Martinez touchdown strike with just over two minutes left to play.

Martinez was impressive in defeat, connecting on 12 of 17 passes for 126 yards despite the Cougars' defensive pressure.

With the victory, China Spring solidified its ranking in the top five among the State's 3A grid powers.

The same, of course, could be said Friday night about crosstown rival LaVega.

The No. 3-rated Pirates again clearly showed they are no mere one-man band reliant upon running back Chris Parr, sidelined by well-documented legal problems.

Not when LaVega has the versatile Danzel Wilson to orchestrate a game.

Wilson led the Bucs to a convincing 45-6 home decision over Dallas Roosevelt.

Wilson's impact was felt well beyond his two touchdowns, 75 yards rushing, and momentum building 31-yard first period completion to Cody Williams.

The LaVega field general did a masterful job deploying all his troops on what has become a mission for the Pirates.

"We lost a big player on offense in Chris Parr," Wilson told the Waco Tribune-Herald and other media afterward, "but we still have a lot of weapons on offense."

As evidence, he called upon Tevin Thompson and Chad Ward to grind out a combined 126 yards on the ground, one-third the team's total offense on the night.

In addition to Williams, who also reeled off a 41-yard punt return, Wilson shared the airways with Pirate receiver Daxton Swanson.

Swanson caught two Wilson throws for 22 yards, one a 12-yard TD pass late in the third frame.

In other highlights from windswept Friday night:

*Waco High stunned Stony Point, ranked No. 9 in 5A, 9-3, in a defensive masterpiece unveiled at WISD Stadium. The Lions, as has become their custom, once again had to overcome the injury bug to land in the win column. Lions' backup Larry Jordan, filling in for Toylon Clark, plowed in from five yards out for the game's only touchdown. Clark had gone out earlier with a broken thumb. No complaints from Waco High head coach Johnny Tusa or placekicker Ernesto Guevara on the weather conditions. Guevara pushed through a 55-yard wind-aided field goal on a night when points were a rarity.

*West High, with Cody Aycock pounding out a team-high 72 yards rushing, edged Groesbeck 19-13 before an appreciative Homecoming crowd. Kelvin Anthony hit Mason Powledtge for 26 yards with the clinching score in the game's final two minutes. Anthony had earlier reached paydirt on a four-yard TD scamper. West's win spoiled a superb night by Groesbeck's Caleb Holbrook, who completed 11 passes for 181 yards. Seven of his aerials were caught by Darren Ingram.

*Mart's Xavier Williams, replacing graduated two-time All-Stater Lee McClendon at quarterback for the Panthers, ran for 114 yards and four touchdowns plus completed eight of 15 passes for 102 yards to lead MHS to a 37-30 win at Teague despite the potent one-two rushing punch of Centennial High (154) and James Green (139), who teamed up for nearly 300 yards on the ground. Turnovers and special teams play carried the day for Mart.

*Midway parlayed Scott Newberry's 47-yard field goal into a hard-fought 10-7 road victory over Crowley. Marc Martinez (107) and John Hubert (86) paced the victors, accounting for over 200 yards rushing.

*Blooming Grove likewise eked out a three-point triumph, edging Riesel 38-35 behind Eric Fisher's 32-yard trey as time expired. BG offset a two-TD, 247-yard rushing effort by Tribe quarterback Landon Durham.

*In perhaps Friday's biggest surprise, McGregor knocked off Salado 19-16 in overtime. Placekicking, once more, was a crucial factor. Dirk Gerhardt split the uprights on a 43-yard field goal attempt in OT to seal the deal. Gerhardt earlier had converted from 34 yards out.

       Week Zero has come and gone, but the lessons learned have not.  Most notably was the upset win of the McGregor Bulldogs by the up and coming Rosebud-Lott Cougars.  Not only did the Cougars upset the Bulldogs on their home turf, they did it convincingly 27-0.  Coach Maxwell's Cougars have been rebuilding a storied program the last 5 years with disappointing season coming left and right, but seems to have something with this years squad.  The Cougar defense was stellar shutting down the "high powered" Bulldog offense and capitalized on turnovers.  McGregor still has high expectations for this season and this loss can be a lesson leaned that not only do you have to finish strong but you must start strong to put yourselves in the position to win.  I know Coach Seward won't let this loss determine the rest of the Bulldogs season, and I know the win for the Cougars will give them steam heading into theirs.

      We all know the latest story on the LaVega Pirates so why re-hash it?  Well lets just do it for a little bit!  LaVega was short one player on Friday but it didn't seem to matter because they proved why they are pre-season favorites to win it all this year in 3A.  With backups like Chad Ward who needs Chris Parr?  The Senior running back piled on 101 yards rushing on 14 carries punching it in 4 times to break the backs of the Marlin Bulldogs.  Marlin, a talented but young team couldn't seem to get a comeback started with key mistakes on both sides of the ball.  Marlin lost 5 fumbles, mistakes you cannot do against a top 3A team and expect to win. 

       The Mart Panthers and the Chilton Pirates ARE expected to win alot of games this year, but something had to give when they met Friday Night.  The Panthers came out with a win that night, but it wasn't pretty. The notorious high powered Mart offense was slowed down by the Pirate defense and key mistakes, but the "new" Mart defense was there to pick up the slack.  Caleb Freeman earned his blackshirt with 13 tackles, 3 forced fumbles taking one of those to paydirt from 15 yards out.  New defensive coordinator Brady Conger finally got a good look at what he has been working with during workouts and must be pretty happy with what he saw.  Down but 4 scores, the Pirates battled back in the second half with big plays.  Down 24-0 special teams weren't so special for the Panthers as Mantraze Landrum took a kickoff back 80 yards, and ex starting QB Xavier Shaw chopped off 53 yards for 6.  But it was too little too late for the Pirates as depth seemed to be a problem.  You could tell the rotating Mart team was fresh and the Pirates who only suited up 18 were tired.  It wasn't the most perfect game played by the Panthers, but when your running with one of the best teams in the state a W is a W. 

 Other notables:

• Brian Bell made his varsity debut with 240 yards passing and 2 TD's
• Groesbeck is seeming to improve with a narrow loss to Madisonville
• Mexia narrowly beats Gatesville 15-14
• Moody starts off season with s win over Thrall
• Bosqueville was top dog defeating Dawson 28-6 in Coach Zanders first game as head coach
• Axtell missed extra point to tie and could not score again to beat Meridian
• Some guy at the Chilton game did 15 flips during halftime

         Cougars are tired of hitting Cougars.  Pirates are tired of hitting Pirates.  Hornets are tired of hitting Hornets, and so on thru out the whole Centex area.  Lets put these guys to the test this weekend.  August 16th will be the first time in 2008 area teams can hit up on someone else other than their team mates as most of the high school football teams will partake in their first set of scrimmages. 

        Although these scrimmages don't count in the win loss column on their schedules, there are spots to be won and spots to be lost.  Scrimmages are basically a chance for coaches to take an objective look at how their team will be the first part of the season, and that's basically it. I don't care how much you know about football,  I'm here to let you know that most times you cannot tell if your a contender or pretender in your pre-season scrimmages.  I hate to hear fans talk about how good or bad they will be in their upcoming season without first acknowledging it WAS just a scrimmage.  No coach in their right mind is throwing in the whole playbook offensively nor will the defense run anything but their basic stuff.  When your able to throw everything in as a cohesive game scenario, that's when it counts. 

       Don't get me wrong, I love hearing about how scrimmages go.  I love to hear how practices are going.  I ask the coaches I see all the time how everything is going.  A coach will never say "Everything is perfect and we are gonna win alot of ballgames this year".  There is always something to work on and try to perfect whether it be Week Zero or the Semi-Finals.  All coaches want their squads to be competitive, hit another color jersey, and get their team on film for evaluation.

        If you don't believe me, then let me first bring you back to my old playing days.  All thru my high school career, I really never grasped how good we were going to be just by looking at the scrimmages.  I always doubted our talent as a team because we would scrimmage teams we were hands down 40+ points better than in a regular season game, but we would only win by a couple scores.  Last year Marlin played hard with Crockett in their first scrimmage, showing just how talented they were suppose to be, but as we all know they underachieved last year.  In my eyes, Mart seemed to man-handle China Spring but it was China Spring who would have the great season, not Mart.  Teague outplayed and outworked LaVega last year, but ended up losing in the first round just like Mart.    

       I love scrimmages because that gives the fans  that have not been able to see a practice, the opportunity to see their team for the first time.  I love going to scrimmages, usually 3-4 in one day, making the rounds, burning up gas driving from town to town and talking with fans I've never met.  I'm usually promised food and a good view when I go, so that's a bonus.  I love seeing the face of a freshmen's mom praying her son won't get hurt and that same freshmen's dad smiling because his son is finally playing high school football.  It's just awesome!

       Whether it be a three way scrimmage or a one on one, the first scrimmage is a way for your coach to throw you in the water to see if you can swim but still have some on field dictation on what you do by guiding you thru each play as it is called if you need it.  The following practices and scrimmages will be more of a polish mode.   The next couple weeks are where depth charts are erased and penciled back in.  It where hopefully everyone stays healthy, when a borderline varsity player can be moved back down to the JV.   It's when that sophomore tailback may break a few runs and get moved up to play on Friday's instead of Thursdays.  It's when athletes get their first taste of new blood.  It's when all the hard work you have put in these last couple of weeks can actually start showing it has been well worth it.  Only a few more weeks till the real season starts, so strap up, be competitive and come with it.    

Quitters, Losers and Champions

By Dustin Hicks August 6th 2008

INTRO

       Separating the hard working from the easy living can take a toll on Centex area football players.  I'm sure by now many "wanna be's" have taken the high road in their quest for gridiron greatness.  You all know what I'm talking about--quitters.  The purpose of Centex commentary is not to belittle high school players.  I hope this will actually show people how hard it is to make it thru the toughest prep pre-season drills in the nation. 

        Scorching temps and hard ground have made it an uphill battle for teams in their 2-A-Day practices. I'm can almost assure you that some programs have had athletes on their squad throw in the towel and head back to the locker room to hang up their gear.  Sometimes that is absolutely fine, not a problem, don't let the door knob hit cha. 

SOLUTION

      When you think about giving up, just follow these three easy steps.

• Suck it up
• Suck it up
• and........suck it up

        Now, you may say "Dustin, that's easy for you to say, I can usually catch you  sitting in your office in front your computer or in a car with the A/C blasting ." My response to that accurate portrait you have painted would be "your damn right".  But I am well past my prime as are most of us fans of being young and athletic and sitting in front of my computer or talking to customers in the cold A/C is my job.  Your job is to play the greatest game on God's green earth--Texas High School Football.  Your job is to read a pulling guard.  Your job is to block your ass off.  Your job is to run the perfect route.  Your job is to get the snap and take a 3 step drop.  Your job is to give 110% at all times  whether it's defensive walk thru or 50 yard conditioning sprints.  

HELPING OUT 

      For all my champions out there, I have a word of advise for you.  When you see your teammate fall; pick him up.  When you see your teammate stumble; get him on the right track.  When your teammate is frustrated with the conditions and is on the brink of giving up, be a leader and encourage him to stick with it. 

      There are several different types of champions.  When you think of a championship team, its not all about going 16-0.  It's about going thru the whole season playing every down like your life depended on it.  It's about being respectful of your teammates coaches, and opponent.  It's about doing the right thing, even when no one is looking. It's about upper classmen mentoring lower classmen.  It's about showing school pride on and off the field.  Lead by example, speak out when necessary, and listen to your superiors.

DIFFERENCES ASIDE  

       I hate to hear when a great athlete quits because of "political" reasons.  What this means is that a player (mostly parents) don't like the scheme their team is running or how they are being used in that scheme.  Examples of this may be a player think he ought to start at linebacker, but coach has him at the end spot. Another example is a parent thinks their kid is should carry the ball 15 more times a game than he actually does.  Whatever the situation may be, just remember that your head coach and assistant coaches have their job for a reason.  It doesn't matter if your at Copperas Cove or Blum, coaches work harder than anyone on the team in preparation for every aspect of the game.  Long hours, time away from their family, and putting up with raging hormones day in and day out is a position to be well respected.

        From pee-wee to the college ranks, there is always some player or parent that is only out there for themselves.  On the other hand is a coach doesn't do what it takes to run a clean, winning program they can lose their job.  I heard this week of a few players that quit because of their dad not getting along with the coach.  The kids had to quit because of what their bone headed daddy's and momma's did. You only get 4 years to play this game.  They took away what in my opinion is the best years of a kids life.  I'd rather myself or my kids play in a system that I don't agree with than to miss out on the something bigger than themselves.  Quitting for these "political" purposes still puts you in the categories as someone who just couldn't handle the mental and physical demands of Texas 2-A-Days.

      No matter what your background is, get along with your teammates.  I was talking to an administrator today that said they have seen racial and sociological diversity between so many schools internally over the last few years.  This administrator has served at every level of system you could think of. Big school, small school, urban school, inner city, poor schools and rich schools.  What brings you together is not only your interests in things outside of the hash marks, its the teamwork and "got your back" attitude inside the hash marks that works wonders for friendships that lasts lifetime's.  The greatest intangible is knowing that your not individuals but your one team that bleeds your school's colors.    

MAKING IT THRU   

       The first three days are always the hardest.  No matter how hard you train during the summer, nothing can prepare you for 2-A-Days.  For some it may be easier than others because of their hard work and steady regiment of working out, lifting weights, and throwing the ball around. The intensity throttle is higher and the urgency of preparing for the year's opponents can break anyone down.  When you make it thru these hot summer days of structured workouts everything else will come easy.  From the incoming freshman to the battle proven seniors, everyone can call themselves a champion because they made it thru the first part of their season--2-A-Days. 

CRANK IT UP

By Dustin Hicks August 4th 2008

        With record temps forecasted for the first day of 2-a-days, teams all around the state will reported for conditioning yesterday. Some will opted for early morning and evening practices  while other coaches will test the conditioning of their athletes by having drills in the heat of the day.  With the emergence of 7 on 7 and lineman challenges, most won't have a problem, but for those who decided to take a true break from workouts during the summer will have a rude awakening this week.  The next month will separate the men from the boys in every team's quest for a State Championship.

        Expectations are high for schools around the Centex area.  LaVega, China Spring, Midway, McGregor, Troy, Salado, Itasca, Chilton and Mart just to name a few have high hopes for making a far run into the playoffs, but they have to get past the first step--2-A-Days.  "Football Mode" has never been the problem for Texas teams.  We eat, drink, and dream about Friday Nights.  Not only are the players ready to get this thing cranked up, but fans are too.  Parents, booster clubs and plain old town folks have been waiting for this day for too long. 

          The most important thing about 2-A-Days is not how fast you can run, how much you can bench, or how hard you can hit.  It's all about leadership.  Leaders will separate themselves from the followers and lead their team. Coaches will rely on upper classmen to lead by example on and off the field.  They rely on mature leaders to catch the things they don't see when they are not around and correct them.  If you want to be a champion you can't go thru the motions, you have to perfect your skill like it's second nature.  I've met some great players with all the athleticism in the world but have piss poor attitudes.  On the other hand I've met respectful young men that know the game of football and can lead their team in tight situations. 

           This is when it all begins boys.  This is when champions are made.  This is when the blood sweat and tears begin.  This is when hard work and an eagerness to make something of your season should start. This is when the battle for a starting position takes off.  This is when the instillation if how the rest of your season will be takes off.    This is the last chance to bond with your teammates or it could be too late. This is Texas High School Football baby.