Ozzy
12-03-2003, 02:36 PM
IT'S ALL GOOD
By JOE MONACO
The Enterprise 12/03/2003
The problem with stopping Burnet, says Jasper coach Danny Lauve, is deciding whom to stop.
"They're just so versatile," said Lauve, whose Bulldogs on Saturday face top-ranked Burnet in the Class 3A, Division I semifinals for the second straight year. "They do so many things well, and they have so many weapons."
And we aren't talking pellet guns, either. The Burnet offense is simply loaded with high-powered armaments, headlined by Texas A&M-bound quarterback Stephen McGee and speedy wide receiver Jordan Shipley, the most prolific wideout in Texas high school history. The two spearhead a Burnet attack that will be the most dynamic Jasper has seen all year, putting the Saturday afternoon spotlight squarely on Lauve's defensive unit.
The numbers alone are staggering. Through their first 13 games, the Bulldogs of Burnet have averaged 49.7 points per contest, having cracked the 50-point mark on five occasions. Their lowest scoring output of the season was a 33-point performance against Gatesville; their highest was a 70-point explosion against Wharton.
Equally mind-blowing are Burnet's individual statistics. In his final year with the Bulldogs, the strong-armed McGee has completed 167 of 267 passes for more than 3,200 yards and 44 touchdowns, while rushing for an additional 516 yards and eight trips to the end zone. Most remarkably, McGee has been intercepted just three times all year, at one point attempting 239 consecutive passes without throwing the ball to the wrong team.
Shipley has been the other end of Burnet's dynamic passing duo, having rewritten the state's high school record books in the process. Already the state's all-time leader in receiving yards and touchdown catches, Shipley two weeks ago added the final jewel to his crown, hauling in seven passes in a win over
Sinton to become Texas' all-time leader in total catches.
"You have to know where Shipley's at," Lauve said, "and you have to take care of him. But you really can't single cover him, and that opens up some other things for them."
"Other things" so far have been No. 2 receiver Cody Warner, who has caught 53 passes for 1,023 yards and 12 touchdowns, and running back Chris Levens, who has rushed for 1,275 yards and 21 touchdowns.
But Jasper's defensive unit this season has shown a propensity to rise to the occasion. After losing a huge portion of its star power to graduation, this year's Bulldogs defense has rebuilt itself quite well, holding opponents to 15 points or fewer in eight of 12 games this season.
"They're darn good," Jasper defensive coordinator Eric Farrar said of Burnet. "But if we can get lined up sound and fit the run and the passing game the best we can, I think we have a chance."
Jasper will rely heavily on linebacker Derrick Bean and defensive end Shedrick Adams - the team's first-and second-leading tacklers, respectively - to fill holes up front. Free safety James Adams leads the defensive backs with 88 total tackles and will have his work cut out for him with Burnet's ultra-talented receiving corps.
"They say defense wins championships," said Lauve, "and our defense has really put us in the position we're in now. So we're going to continue to rely on those kids to get it done."
By JOE MONACO
The Enterprise 12/03/2003
The problem with stopping Burnet, says Jasper coach Danny Lauve, is deciding whom to stop.
"They're just so versatile," said Lauve, whose Bulldogs on Saturday face top-ranked Burnet in the Class 3A, Division I semifinals for the second straight year. "They do so many things well, and they have so many weapons."
And we aren't talking pellet guns, either. The Burnet offense is simply loaded with high-powered armaments, headlined by Texas A&M-bound quarterback Stephen McGee and speedy wide receiver Jordan Shipley, the most prolific wideout in Texas high school history. The two spearhead a Burnet attack that will be the most dynamic Jasper has seen all year, putting the Saturday afternoon spotlight squarely on Lauve's defensive unit.
The numbers alone are staggering. Through their first 13 games, the Bulldogs of Burnet have averaged 49.7 points per contest, having cracked the 50-point mark on five occasions. Their lowest scoring output of the season was a 33-point performance against Gatesville; their highest was a 70-point explosion against Wharton.
Equally mind-blowing are Burnet's individual statistics. In his final year with the Bulldogs, the strong-armed McGee has completed 167 of 267 passes for more than 3,200 yards and 44 touchdowns, while rushing for an additional 516 yards and eight trips to the end zone. Most remarkably, McGee has been intercepted just three times all year, at one point attempting 239 consecutive passes without throwing the ball to the wrong team.
Shipley has been the other end of Burnet's dynamic passing duo, having rewritten the state's high school record books in the process. Already the state's all-time leader in receiving yards and touchdown catches, Shipley two weeks ago added the final jewel to his crown, hauling in seven passes in a win over
Sinton to become Texas' all-time leader in total catches.
"You have to know where Shipley's at," Lauve said, "and you have to take care of him. But you really can't single cover him, and that opens up some other things for them."
"Other things" so far have been No. 2 receiver Cody Warner, who has caught 53 passes for 1,023 yards and 12 touchdowns, and running back Chris Levens, who has rushed for 1,275 yards and 21 touchdowns.
But Jasper's defensive unit this season has shown a propensity to rise to the occasion. After losing a huge portion of its star power to graduation, this year's Bulldogs defense has rebuilt itself quite well, holding opponents to 15 points or fewer in eight of 12 games this season.
"They're darn good," Jasper defensive coordinator Eric Farrar said of Burnet. "But if we can get lined up sound and fit the run and the passing game the best we can, I think we have a chance."
Jasper will rely heavily on linebacker Derrick Bean and defensive end Shedrick Adams - the team's first-and second-leading tacklers, respectively - to fill holes up front. Free safety James Adams leads the defensive backs with 88 total tackles and will have his work cut out for him with Burnet's ultra-talented receiving corps.
"They say defense wins championships," said Lauve, "and our defense has really put us in the position we're in now. So we're going to continue to rely on those kids to get it done."