Week 2 Navasota @ Bryan Rudder (4A)

[navscanmaster]

Navasota (2-0) travels the short trip up to Merrill Green Stadium in Bryan for a game with last year's district foe Bryan Rudder (2-0), who has moved up to the 4A ranks with their first senior class taking the field. The Rangers have blown away their first two opponents, 3A Taylor 45-7, and 4A Leander Rouse 63-20. The Rattlers have relied on tough defense while waiting on the offense to get things rolling, beating 3A Madisonville 35-14, and 4A Willis 34-23.

[BRfalconfan]

Originally posted by navscanmaster
Navasota (2-0) travels the short trip up to Merrill Green Stadium in Bryan for a game with last year's district foe Bryan Rudder (2-0), who has moved up to the 4A ranks with their first senior class taking the field. The Rangers have blown away their first two opponents, 3A Taylor 45-7, and 4A Leander Rouse 63-20. The Rattlers have relied on tough defense while waiting on the offense to get things rolling, beating 3A Madisonville 35-14, and 4A Willis 34-23.

What was the score last year and how much did navasota graduate

[navscanmaster]

Originally posted by BRfalconfan
What was the score last year and how much did navasota graduate

42-14 Last year, 58-3 in 2008. Navasota graduated a big offensive line and a senior quarterback. Navasota is without senior shut-down corner and hard hitter K.J. Nelms, who is out for the season with a torn ACL.

The Navasota defense is mostly intact though, and through two games, they have allowed only three offensive TDs, two from short fields against Madisonville. The offense has turned the ball over 6 times so far, with two TD returns by Willis and a safety by Willis.

[HEMOTOXIC]

Snakes by 21.

[R3Editor]

This will be a good game...ive watched both teams the last few years, Bryan Rudder should be improved.

[HEMOTOXIC]

Originally posted by R3Editor
This will be a good game...ive watched both teams the last few years, Bryan Rudder should be improved.

They have. And Im sure that they would love to finally get a victory over the Rattlers.

[HEMOTOXIC]

I can't believe so many people have that much faith in Rudder.

I will be listening to this one on the Radio...Co/worker needs me to work till 7p and I will not have time to get from the Woodlands to Bryan by 730... Hopefully, I can get out of this obligation.:(

[87 TIGER]

Rudder is improved but the Rattlers will still win easily by at least 17

[SintonFan]

Rattlers by 10...
good luck!

[track33]

rattlers by 14 to much defense for the rangers.

[navscanmaster]

Originally posted by HEMOTOXIC
I can't believe so many people have that much faith in Rudder.

Meh. They have blown out their competition so far and are 4A. It is expected. Willis, a 4A, thrashed Houston Davis, albeit a sorry 4A, 50-0 before only scoring one offensive TD on the Rattlers the next week. Rudder has played a perennially horrible Taylor squad and a team in its first year of varsity play. I think the Rattlers will be okay.;)

[UPanIN]

This will be a good test for the Rattlers.


Rattlers by 10

[OldBison75]

Rudder will be the best team Navasota has faced in this new season so far. They have spped, and some pretty good skill people. The QB is explosive and can hurt you running or passing. The kicker is as good as any in 3A and will be a college kicker. They have played together for three years now and know each other and what thier strengths and weaknesses are.

I think the Rattler offense and defense is more athletic and will match up well with the Rudder team. Where I see the big difference is the Rattler defense wis strong enough and fast enough to prevent big plays and the back seven on defense will keep the Ranger passing game in check.

Look for the Rattlers to continue the trend and have about 500 yards of total offense and only allow a little over 250 by the Rangers. The Ranger kicker will score a few points on field goals that would be out of range for most teams.

Rattlers 35
Rangers 13

[HEMOTOXIC]

http://www.brazossports.com/football/Rangers--Rattlers-meet-in-early-season-showdown

Here's a lil pre game hype.



The Rudder Rangers know there will be some extra emotions involved in Friday's matchup against Navasota at Merrill Green Stadium.

It's the first home game of the season. It's the seniors' last change to get revenge on Navasota. It's the Rangers' first game since the most successful offensive night in school history, a 63-27 victory over Leander Rouse last Friday.

With all that going on, it's up to head coach C.M. Pier to keep his 2-0 team on the level as they attempt to beat a Navasota team that also enters the game undefeated.

"Things are never as good as they seem and they're never as bad as they seem," Pier said. "I've heard some of the people talk about 'revenge' this or that, but that's not what I'm about. We're focused on preparing for district play. Our thing is to get better every week."

If not for Pier's approach, the Rangers could have easily overlooked the first-year program at Rouse. Instead, they scored the most points in school history, had more total yards (543) in school history as well as more first downs (26), most rushing yards (445), most rushes (49), highest completion percentage (62.5) and most yards per carry (9.08).

The defense also set its own records in the game, allowing the lowest rushing total in school history (63 yards) as well as the lowest yards per carry (2.17). It was also the second straight game that Rudder (2-0) has allowed less than 100 yards rushing, a feat they had never accomplished before this season.

Still, the defense did get burned in the first quarter, as Rouse scored 14 points and had 230 total yards before Rudder locked things down and gave up just 100 yards the rest of the way. Pier said the change wasn't so much about the defense adjusting the scheme as it was about controlling their emotions.

"That was the biggest venue they've ever played in," Pier said. "They were looking around, kinda wide-eyed for that first quarter. Everything with us is still coming with these firsts. That was new for them. I tip my hat to Rouse. They had a good game plan, came out and took some shots at us."

Navasota (2-0) should prove a much bigger test for the Rangers. The Rattlers are coming off victories over Madisonville and Class 4A's Willis in which they allowed an average of 220 yards per game. Navasota has also outscored Rudder 99-17 in the two previous matchups while rolling up 408 yards of total offense in 2008 and 406 yards in 2009.

Navasota quarterback Ian Day stepped into some pretty big shoes when he took over for now-Lamar freshman Kye Hildrith, an All-Brazos Valley quarterback in 2009. Day didn't miss a beat, though, rushing for 176 yards and four touchdowns while completing 26 of 37 passes for 421 yards with four touchdowns and two interceptions.

The Rattlers also have a pair of running backs in seniors Antoin Burrell and Kesnick Jones who both topped 100 yards against Willis. The two combined for 21 carries for 214 yards last week and should anchor Navasota's ground game.

"Navasota is a good ball club," Pier said. "They've very fast. They're good in all areas and don't have many weaknesses. You look at the film and you can't say, 'That area is weak.' [Day] is definitely a big-time player. He's a lot like [Hildrith]. They've got those two tailbacks who are warriors. They've got two wideouts who are really, really good receivers. They're big men who can run fast."

Defensively, Navasota returns a tough, fast unit that gave Rudder fits in 2009. The Rattlers' secondary will be without starter K.J. Nelms, who suffered a knee injury against Madisonville and hasn't played since. That same secondary, though, has picked off six passes in 36 passing attempts against them this season. Last year, Navasota held Rudder to one of its worst passing days, as the Rangers completed 4 of 13 attempts for 52 yards and an interception.

Navasota will have to contend with a Rudder ground game that is working well in 2010. Through two games, the Rangers have gained 660 rushing yards on 92 carries. In 2008 they gained 805 rushing yards all season.

"This will be a real speed game," Pier said. "We've got to take every inch and celebrate every first down against these guys. Their defensive front is so fast, this is really going to be a challenge. We've got to improve our execution this week and then let the scoreboard speak for itself at the end."

[HEMOTOXIC]

Looks like I will be able to make the short trip to Bryan after all! :D

[navscanmaster]

I won't be there (becoming a trend). I will still be listening in on Navasota News 1550 (http://www.navasotanews.com) :D

[HEMOTOXIC]

Navasota Rattlers at Rudder Rangers

Records: Navasota (23-3A) 2-0; Rudder (16-4A) 2-0

Last year's meeting: Navasota 41, Rudder 14

Last week's games: Navasota 34, Willis 23; Rudder; Rudder 63, Leander Rouse 27

Harris Ratings pick: Navasota by 6 points

[radioman]

navscanmaster,

Sorry you can't be there, but glad you will be listening to us.

I think this will be a good game. Rudder is definitely better than they were the previous 2 years (I was the color guy for the first season and watched them go 0-9 and just get beat up like crazy, but they always got back up and continued to fight). With seniors now on the squad they have experience.

It is hard to judge them off their first two games because Taylor is down and Rouse is in its first year of varsity competition. But, Rudder did go out and beat both of them, which is what they should have done.

I am looking forward to the game and think it will be fun!