Scoop27
09-19-2013, 09:52 AM
By BUTCH MCREYNOLDS sports@thefacts.com | 0 comments
FREEPORT — If you look at Wharton’s 3-0 record then take a glance at Brazosport’s 0-3 slate, it might look on paper like Friday night’s game could be a mismatch.
Not so fast, according to Exporter coach Ben Rudolph.
“First let me say that Wharton is probably the best team we will have faced to date,” Rudolph pointed out. “We have already played good teams in Columbia, Sweeny and Sante Fe, but Wharton is loaded with speed and talent and has a lot of players returning from last year’s regional playoff run.”
The Exporters and Tigers get going at 7:30 p.m. at Hopper Field.
Brazosport is still trying to get rid of the bitter taste of close losses in its opening games, losing 35-33 to Columbia and 46-40 to Sante Fe, as well as last week’s 48-30 tilt at Sweeny that got away from them in the second half.
“It has been disappointing because we have been so close in our games,” Rudolph said. “Sweeny is a very talented team also, but turnovers just killed us. A turnover on the last play of the first half may have cost us a score, but more than anything it got into our head.”
That doesn’t discourage him heading into the game against the potent Tigers, a team that soundly whipped his team by a 59-23 count in Wharton a year ago.
“I keep telling our coaches and our players that we are so close to turning this thing around and not to get down on themselves.” he said. “Our young kids are getting better by the week, and even though we have lost all three games, I can see they are gaining confidence. We will turn this ship around.”
Another thing about Friday’s game, it is homecoming for the Exporters.
“It will be great to come home and play before our crowd,” Rudolph said. “We would love to have a large crowd. We are looking forward to playing at home against a really good football team in Wharton.”
Wharton comes into the game with wins over Cuero (23-22), Houston Scarborough (71-0) and Columbia (44-28). The Tigers are averaging 46 points and 484 yards total offense per game. Wharton also is a balanced offensive crew, averaging 225 yards through the ground and 259 yards via the airways.
“It all starts with their quarterback (senior Joseph Krenek) who is so steady and doesn’t make too many mistakes,” Rudolph said.
Toney Rogers has been dominant in the backfield, going for 107 yards on only 14 carries and three touchdowns in two games.
Receiver Leeshad O’Neal has been Krenek’s favorite target so far with six grabs for 114 yards and one touchdown, while speedy Dontray Bell has caught two passes for 91 yards and a pair of scores.
The defense has been stingy, giving up an average of 83 yards per outing and 14.7 points per game.
Speaking of defenses, the Exporters are young but have been improving.
“We have a lot of new faces on defense,” Rudolph says. “We have done some good things in our games, but we have to cut down on our mental mistakes.”
Brazosport quarterback Emond Hobbs has completed 41 of 78 passing for 585 yards and five touchdowns with three interceptions.
Hobbs’ favorite targets have been sophomore Jerimiah Credit (five catches for 147 yards), along with Claude Lowe (8-119 yards, three TDs). Senior Caleb Angel has grabbed eight passes for 89 yards.
However, the defense has been giving up 43 points per game.
FREEPORT — If you look at Wharton’s 3-0 record then take a glance at Brazosport’s 0-3 slate, it might look on paper like Friday night’s game could be a mismatch.
Not so fast, according to Exporter coach Ben Rudolph.
“First let me say that Wharton is probably the best team we will have faced to date,” Rudolph pointed out. “We have already played good teams in Columbia, Sweeny and Sante Fe, but Wharton is loaded with speed and talent and has a lot of players returning from last year’s regional playoff run.”
The Exporters and Tigers get going at 7:30 p.m. at Hopper Field.
Brazosport is still trying to get rid of the bitter taste of close losses in its opening games, losing 35-33 to Columbia and 46-40 to Sante Fe, as well as last week’s 48-30 tilt at Sweeny that got away from them in the second half.
“It has been disappointing because we have been so close in our games,” Rudolph said. “Sweeny is a very talented team also, but turnovers just killed us. A turnover on the last play of the first half may have cost us a score, but more than anything it got into our head.”
That doesn’t discourage him heading into the game against the potent Tigers, a team that soundly whipped his team by a 59-23 count in Wharton a year ago.
“I keep telling our coaches and our players that we are so close to turning this thing around and not to get down on themselves.” he said. “Our young kids are getting better by the week, and even though we have lost all three games, I can see they are gaining confidence. We will turn this ship around.”
Another thing about Friday’s game, it is homecoming for the Exporters.
“It will be great to come home and play before our crowd,” Rudolph said. “We would love to have a large crowd. We are looking forward to playing at home against a really good football team in Wharton.”
Wharton comes into the game with wins over Cuero (23-22), Houston Scarborough (71-0) and Columbia (44-28). The Tigers are averaging 46 points and 484 yards total offense per game. Wharton also is a balanced offensive crew, averaging 225 yards through the ground and 259 yards via the airways.
“It all starts with their quarterback (senior Joseph Krenek) who is so steady and doesn’t make too many mistakes,” Rudolph said.
Toney Rogers has been dominant in the backfield, going for 107 yards on only 14 carries and three touchdowns in two games.
Receiver Leeshad O’Neal has been Krenek’s favorite target so far with six grabs for 114 yards and one touchdown, while speedy Dontray Bell has caught two passes for 91 yards and a pair of scores.
The defense has been stingy, giving up an average of 83 yards per outing and 14.7 points per game.
Speaking of defenses, the Exporters are young but have been improving.
“We have a lot of new faces on defense,” Rudolph says. “We have done some good things in our games, but we have to cut down on our mental mistakes.”
Brazosport quarterback Emond Hobbs has completed 41 of 78 passing for 585 yards and five touchdowns with three interceptions.
Hobbs’ favorite targets have been sophomore Jerimiah Credit (five catches for 147 yards), along with Claude Lowe (8-119 yards, three TDs). Senior Caleb Angel has grabbed eight passes for 89 yards.
However, the defense has been giving up 43 points per game.