Curly
09-10-2004, 09:07 AM
By Oscar LeRoy
Sports Writer
Tonight's home opener against Sweetwater will have a special meaning for Blake Higgins. It was at Sweetwater last year when Higgins hurt his knee in the Rangers' 36-29 win. After that Higgins wasn't the same as he missed most of last season with a torn ACL.
"Right before the half they took a cheap shot from behind and they hit me right in the back of my knee," said Higgins, who will play fullback and linbacker for the Rangers tonight. "I'm looking for a little payback in this game. I know there are some guys coming back that I'm looking forward to playing against."
Higgins is usually a mild-mannered person but the 6-foot-2, 230-pound senior with a surgically repaired left knee knows that a win against Sweetwater (1-1) will go a long way into giving many of his young teammates some confidence.
"If we beat them again, they'll probably be ticked," Higgins said of Sweetwater. "I don't think they can take another loss against us."
Greenwood (0-1) has won the last three games of this series, including two in 2002 when the Rangers made it to the Class 3A Division II state championship. The last three meetings have been decided by seven points or less making this into a great non-district rivalry.
"Every game between the two schools has turned out to be a really great contest," Sweetwater coach Kent Jackson said. "To me it's more of a sense of respect built into this rivalry. When Sweetwater and Greenwood get together it doesn't matter what any one of us has done. I think fans are going to get their money's worth."
The respect Jackson is talking about comes from the fact that both teams have been known to play hard-nosed football and play hard despite neither possessing great athletes.
This year the teams mirror themselves in the way they have struggled to find an offensive rhythm. Sweetwater has averaged 14 points in its two games, which is a far cry from the explosiveness of past Mustang teams. Greenwood, meanwhile, was shut out against Abilene Wylie and was held to 35 yards of offense and three first downs.
"We've got to have something positive happen on offense," said Greenwood coach Bob Purser on the key to tonight's game. "We've got to run the ball on them and we couldn't run the ball on them last year, and that scares you. What we have to do is have success running the football. Right now if we can get some points on the board it would be a boost confidence-wise." Last year, the Rangers did most of their damage through the air as Dawson Wilber threw for 207 yards and two touchdowns. Wilber has graduated and now the Rangers are forced to alternate a trio of young quarterbacks after losing projected starter Bronson Valencia with a knee injury in the preseason. With the offense struggling, the pressure is placed on Higgins and the rest of Greenwood's defense to keep the Rangers within striking distance. Higgins, who finished with seven tackles against Wylie, is confident the unit will step up.
:confused: :confused: :confused:
Sports Writer
Tonight's home opener against Sweetwater will have a special meaning for Blake Higgins. It was at Sweetwater last year when Higgins hurt his knee in the Rangers' 36-29 win. After that Higgins wasn't the same as he missed most of last season with a torn ACL.
"Right before the half they took a cheap shot from behind and they hit me right in the back of my knee," said Higgins, who will play fullback and linbacker for the Rangers tonight. "I'm looking for a little payback in this game. I know there are some guys coming back that I'm looking forward to playing against."
Higgins is usually a mild-mannered person but the 6-foot-2, 230-pound senior with a surgically repaired left knee knows that a win against Sweetwater (1-1) will go a long way into giving many of his young teammates some confidence.
"If we beat them again, they'll probably be ticked," Higgins said of Sweetwater. "I don't think they can take another loss against us."
Greenwood (0-1) has won the last three games of this series, including two in 2002 when the Rangers made it to the Class 3A Division II state championship. The last three meetings have been decided by seven points or less making this into a great non-district rivalry.
"Every game between the two schools has turned out to be a really great contest," Sweetwater coach Kent Jackson said. "To me it's more of a sense of respect built into this rivalry. When Sweetwater and Greenwood get together it doesn't matter what any one of us has done. I think fans are going to get their money's worth."
The respect Jackson is talking about comes from the fact that both teams have been known to play hard-nosed football and play hard despite neither possessing great athletes.
This year the teams mirror themselves in the way they have struggled to find an offensive rhythm. Sweetwater has averaged 14 points in its two games, which is a far cry from the explosiveness of past Mustang teams. Greenwood, meanwhile, was shut out against Abilene Wylie and was held to 35 yards of offense and three first downs.
"We've got to have something positive happen on offense," said Greenwood coach Bob Purser on the key to tonight's game. "We've got to run the ball on them and we couldn't run the ball on them last year, and that scares you. What we have to do is have success running the football. Right now if we can get some points on the board it would be a boost confidence-wise." Last year, the Rangers did most of their damage through the air as Dawson Wilber threw for 207 yards and two touchdowns. Wilber has graduated and now the Rangers are forced to alternate a trio of young quarterbacks after losing projected starter Bronson Valencia with a knee injury in the preseason. With the offense struggling, the pressure is placed on Higgins and the rest of Greenwood's defense to keep the Rangers within striking distance. Higgins, who finished with seven tackles against Wylie, is confident the unit will step up.
:confused: :confused: :confused: