footballgal
08-04-2005, 11:36 AM
Tradition counts
2005 may be a rebuilding year for Port Isabel
Gabe Hernandez/Valley Morning Star
http://valleymorningstar.com/content/articles/2005/08/04/sports/sports1.jpg
Port Isabel quarterback Carr Grienier hands the ball off to a teammate during practice Wednesday afternoon.
By ELADIO JAIMEZ
eladioj@valleystar.com
956-430-6285
Lucky for them, the Port Isabel Tarpons are steeped in tradition because right now, that's what's getting them through practice.
Like every other Class 3A school in the state, the Tarpons began daily workouts on Monday for the 2005 season.
And with only two starters returning from last year's playoff team, head coach Monty Stumbaugh and his staff have their hands full finding the "right people" for the various open slots.
Fullback Ralph Valdez is the lone starter from 2004 returning on offense while linebacker Frankie Espinoza is the only starter coming back on the defensive side.
Still, Stumbaugh doesn't seem too worried.
For starters, 130 kids showed up for football practice on the first day. A count considerably larger than the 70 that came out in Stumbaugh's first year.
Right now numbers are Stumbaugh's best friends.
"The more kids we have out here the more we have to choose from," Stumbaugh said. "We're getting a lot of reps in and that's good."
Among the biggest shoes left to be filled are Frankie Herrera's, Johnny "Nitro" Nieto's and the Valley Morning Star's 2004 All-Valley MVP Lando Ochoa's.
Along with Ochoa, Herrera and Nieto were also VMS All-Valley selections, so Stumbaugh knows players like that aren't easily forgotten.
http://valleymorningstar.com/content/articles/2005/08/04/sports/sports1-2.jpg
Gabe Hernandez/Valley Morning Star
PI defensive coordinator Ross Moore explains a play to a group of Tarpons.
"Those kids are hard to replace," he said.
Which is why as much as numbers, tradition is gonna be a good friend of Stumbaugh's at practice these days.
"The kids know what they have to live up to here," Stumbaugh said. "We don't remind them about it. They hear about it at home. We just tell them to go out and play hard and have fun. But they know what's expected of them."
So Stumbaugh is confident the chips will fall into place as the preseason winds down and his Tarps get ready for the Los Fresnos Falcons in Week Zero.
PI plays in two scrimmages against Laredo United South at home and on the road at Mercedes before the Battle for Highway 100 against the Falcons on Aug 26.
Stumbaugh said the coaching staff would use the next couple of weeks wisely to assess the team and its strengths and weaknesses.
"We're gonna be evaluating them between now and the Los Fresnos game," Stumbaugh said. "Early on we're gonna play a lot of kids. We'll have some guys start on one side of the ball and spot play on the other."
Among those is Valdez. The junior showed promise as a running back last year but he'll see some playing time at linebacker this year as well.
Carr Grienier will switch over from the defensive side to play exclusively quarterback and Espinoza will start at linebacker. Outside of those three guys, most of the positions are still up for grabs.
"There's some guys out there that have practiced hard and possibly have a starting spot wrapped up, but there's still a lot of holes to fill," Stumbaugh said. "We're spending time to see who out here wants to play. They'll learn through experience,"
Despite the youthfulness of his team, Stumbaugh was confident his charges would step up.
Stumbaugh and his staff have spent the first week reviewing the offense and defense to get ready for the first scrimmage against United South.
"We're doing a lot of teaching right now," Stumbaugh said. "We're just working out in shorts right now and everyone looks like an All-American. We're teaching the basics because that's what you win with."
Aug 04, 2005 - 09:15:34 CDT
http://valleymorningstar.com/articles/2005/08/04//sports/sports1.txt (Article)
2005 may be a rebuilding year for Port Isabel
Gabe Hernandez/Valley Morning Star
http://valleymorningstar.com/content/articles/2005/08/04/sports/sports1.jpg
Port Isabel quarterback Carr Grienier hands the ball off to a teammate during practice Wednesday afternoon.
By ELADIO JAIMEZ
eladioj@valleystar.com
956-430-6285
Lucky for them, the Port Isabel Tarpons are steeped in tradition because right now, that's what's getting them through practice.
Like every other Class 3A school in the state, the Tarpons began daily workouts on Monday for the 2005 season.
And with only two starters returning from last year's playoff team, head coach Monty Stumbaugh and his staff have their hands full finding the "right people" for the various open slots.
Fullback Ralph Valdez is the lone starter from 2004 returning on offense while linebacker Frankie Espinoza is the only starter coming back on the defensive side.
Still, Stumbaugh doesn't seem too worried.
For starters, 130 kids showed up for football practice on the first day. A count considerably larger than the 70 that came out in Stumbaugh's first year.
Right now numbers are Stumbaugh's best friends.
"The more kids we have out here the more we have to choose from," Stumbaugh said. "We're getting a lot of reps in and that's good."
Among the biggest shoes left to be filled are Frankie Herrera's, Johnny "Nitro" Nieto's and the Valley Morning Star's 2004 All-Valley MVP Lando Ochoa's.
Along with Ochoa, Herrera and Nieto were also VMS All-Valley selections, so Stumbaugh knows players like that aren't easily forgotten.
http://valleymorningstar.com/content/articles/2005/08/04/sports/sports1-2.jpg
Gabe Hernandez/Valley Morning Star
PI defensive coordinator Ross Moore explains a play to a group of Tarpons.
"Those kids are hard to replace," he said.
Which is why as much as numbers, tradition is gonna be a good friend of Stumbaugh's at practice these days.
"The kids know what they have to live up to here," Stumbaugh said. "We don't remind them about it. They hear about it at home. We just tell them to go out and play hard and have fun. But they know what's expected of them."
So Stumbaugh is confident the chips will fall into place as the preseason winds down and his Tarps get ready for the Los Fresnos Falcons in Week Zero.
PI plays in two scrimmages against Laredo United South at home and on the road at Mercedes before the Battle for Highway 100 against the Falcons on Aug 26.
Stumbaugh said the coaching staff would use the next couple of weeks wisely to assess the team and its strengths and weaknesses.
"We're gonna be evaluating them between now and the Los Fresnos game," Stumbaugh said. "Early on we're gonna play a lot of kids. We'll have some guys start on one side of the ball and spot play on the other."
Among those is Valdez. The junior showed promise as a running back last year but he'll see some playing time at linebacker this year as well.
Carr Grienier will switch over from the defensive side to play exclusively quarterback and Espinoza will start at linebacker. Outside of those three guys, most of the positions are still up for grabs.
"There's some guys out there that have practiced hard and possibly have a starting spot wrapped up, but there's still a lot of holes to fill," Stumbaugh said. "We're spending time to see who out here wants to play. They'll learn through experience,"
Despite the youthfulness of his team, Stumbaugh was confident his charges would step up.
Stumbaugh and his staff have spent the first week reviewing the offense and defense to get ready for the first scrimmage against United South.
"We're doing a lot of teaching right now," Stumbaugh said. "We're just working out in shorts right now and everyone looks like an All-American. We're teaching the basics because that's what you win with."
Aug 04, 2005 - 09:15:34 CDT
http://valleymorningstar.com/articles/2005/08/04//sports/sports1.txt (Article)