OldBison75
12-22-2012, 08:43 PM
Every Rattler fan knew this would be a special year for this group of seniors. If many will remember, at the start of the year some of us fans said that this team would be pretty good and could be great if the Offensive Line gelled. We also said this team would have a better defense than anyone expects.
This group of senior had a 46-8 record over the four years they were in High School. They lost in the Quarterfinals the first three years to some pretty darned good teams. They just kept getting better each year.
During the year I heard all kinds of comments on the skill guys on offense, but everybody overlooked how good the line was playing and how hard nosed the defense could get. Some called McGinty a little overboard but he was a leader, both in performance and emotions all year. For a kid that was double covered most of the year he put up some really great numbers. Who can argue with the numbers Baker put up at QB. He was not a verbal leader on the field, but he was a field general. He played smart football and did not let any mistake he made linger for long. What can I say about Collins that has not already been said. This kid is lights at the best athlete on the field. Plus, all three will be a force in Basketball starting this week. After the third game, every team chose to send tons of blitzes and stunts at the offensive line and they answered week after week.
Now to the defense, there is no other way to describe this group than to say they were headhunters that believe that nobody could beat them. Very early in the year, one kid on the defense said that if they could hold teams to two touchdowns or less, they would not lose a game. Boy was his crystal ball accurate. They bent at times but never completely broke. They made so many huge plays in every game that the field was shortened for the offense. This is one of the best defenses I have seen in high school in about 4o years of following the sport.
Now to the two guys that were unfortunately hurt. Will Imhoff was the starting middle linebacker and center of the team. When he broke his leg on a Friday night in the game against Lexington, everybody's heart stopped for a minute. In pain and on his way to an ambulance, this young man raised up and shook his fist at his teammates and told the to play the game the way the rattlers play. From that moment the complexion of the defense changed. His little brother stepped into his role to replace his brother the next week. Who was there on Monday after surgery on Saturday to teach him the ropes and encourage him and the rest of the defense--Will Imhoff, in a wheelchair, never missed a practice. How fitting that he was able to run onto Cowboy Stadium Friday afternoon, leading his team.
Xavier Creeks went down the morning before the team left for Dallas. This young man had given the Rattlers the needed running threat to make the offense complete. What we all forget is that he was also the best defensive back on the field for the Rattlers. He was everywhere on defense, playing cornerback, intercepting passes, making tackle on the corners, and was the best at limiting how effective downfield runners were. A sure tackler and wicked hitter. This kid was and is special.
If anyone has the opportunity to watch video of the post game interviews on Friday, they see what we meant all year about the quality of these young men. They were well spoken and made us all proud.
Finally, the fans. Every game the crowd was huge. Sold out home games, larger stadiums for every playoff game, standing room only in district. Filling every high school venue where we played in the playoffs, and I heard that the crowd Friday in Cowboys stadium was over 25,000. I am willing to bet that 6000 of those were everyday Rattler fans.
They were loud and proud all year. These people make the kids better by showing them that they have pride in them and that you always represent you school with pride. I am happy for the team, the town, and the fans. This has been a long time coming.
Now for the cream of the crop. Coach Lee Fedora has built a program that any coach would be proud to be a part of. He has a group of great assistants that know how to be leaders, friends, mentors, and teachers to these kids. There is no greater compliment that I can give this staff than to say that they produced winners off and on the field. They did it with respect, clear expectations, keeping focus, and teaching these kids that nothing in this life is given to you, you have to work hard to earn it.
I am so proud to be a Navasota Rattler fan!!!!!
This group of senior had a 46-8 record over the four years they were in High School. They lost in the Quarterfinals the first three years to some pretty darned good teams. They just kept getting better each year.
During the year I heard all kinds of comments on the skill guys on offense, but everybody overlooked how good the line was playing and how hard nosed the defense could get. Some called McGinty a little overboard but he was a leader, both in performance and emotions all year. For a kid that was double covered most of the year he put up some really great numbers. Who can argue with the numbers Baker put up at QB. He was not a verbal leader on the field, but he was a field general. He played smart football and did not let any mistake he made linger for long. What can I say about Collins that has not already been said. This kid is lights at the best athlete on the field. Plus, all three will be a force in Basketball starting this week. After the third game, every team chose to send tons of blitzes and stunts at the offensive line and they answered week after week.
Now to the defense, there is no other way to describe this group than to say they were headhunters that believe that nobody could beat them. Very early in the year, one kid on the defense said that if they could hold teams to two touchdowns or less, they would not lose a game. Boy was his crystal ball accurate. They bent at times but never completely broke. They made so many huge plays in every game that the field was shortened for the offense. This is one of the best defenses I have seen in high school in about 4o years of following the sport.
Now to the two guys that were unfortunately hurt. Will Imhoff was the starting middle linebacker and center of the team. When he broke his leg on a Friday night in the game against Lexington, everybody's heart stopped for a minute. In pain and on his way to an ambulance, this young man raised up and shook his fist at his teammates and told the to play the game the way the rattlers play. From that moment the complexion of the defense changed. His little brother stepped into his role to replace his brother the next week. Who was there on Monday after surgery on Saturday to teach him the ropes and encourage him and the rest of the defense--Will Imhoff, in a wheelchair, never missed a practice. How fitting that he was able to run onto Cowboy Stadium Friday afternoon, leading his team.
Xavier Creeks went down the morning before the team left for Dallas. This young man had given the Rattlers the needed running threat to make the offense complete. What we all forget is that he was also the best defensive back on the field for the Rattlers. He was everywhere on defense, playing cornerback, intercepting passes, making tackle on the corners, and was the best at limiting how effective downfield runners were. A sure tackler and wicked hitter. This kid was and is special.
If anyone has the opportunity to watch video of the post game interviews on Friday, they see what we meant all year about the quality of these young men. They were well spoken and made us all proud.
Finally, the fans. Every game the crowd was huge. Sold out home games, larger stadiums for every playoff game, standing room only in district. Filling every high school venue where we played in the playoffs, and I heard that the crowd Friday in Cowboys stadium was over 25,000. I am willing to bet that 6000 of those were everyday Rattler fans.
They were loud and proud all year. These people make the kids better by showing them that they have pride in them and that you always represent you school with pride. I am happy for the team, the town, and the fans. This has been a long time coming.
Now for the cream of the crop. Coach Lee Fedora has built a program that any coach would be proud to be a part of. He has a group of great assistants that know how to be leaders, friends, mentors, and teachers to these kids. There is no greater compliment that I can give this staff than to say that they produced winners off and on the field. They did it with respect, clear expectations, keeping focus, and teaching these kids that nothing in this life is given to you, you have to work hard to earn it.
I am so proud to be a Navasota Rattler fan!!!!!