ILS1
12-15-2005, 08:54 AM
By Rick Cantu
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Jeremy Kerley is a high school version of Michael Vick, a quarterback whose uncanny ability to create big plays has taken Hutto High School to the brink of a state football championship.
Blink once, and you might miss him turning a third-and-10 play into a first-down run. Blink twice, and he likely already has crossed the goal line, leaving helpless defensive players scattered behind him across the field.
"He's a playmaker, the leader of that football team," said Cuero Coach Mark Reeve, whose No. 1-ranked Gobblers were upset by Hutto last week in the state semifinals, a game in which Kerley rushed for a playoff-high 143 yards. "He can turn a bad play into a good play."
That is what sets Kerley apart from many high school quarterbacks. His playmaking ability, coupled with Hutto's large offensive line, are two reasons the Hippos (13-2) are where they are, Reeve said.
After five playoff victories, opponents still haven't figured out how to contain Kerley, the Hippos' junior swizzle stick. Which leads to the question:
Just how exactly do you stop Jeremy Kerley?
Cameron Yoe, Hutto's District 19-3A rival that played the Hippos twice this season, used a middle linebacker as a "spy" two weeks ago in a 35-14 state quarterfinals loss. That spy, however, was injured early and Kerley took advantage, rushing for 105 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Coaches who have faced Kerley say his natural quickness is tough to defend. Quick feet. Quick reflexes. Outstanding speed once he breaks the line of scrimmage.
Furthermore, Kerley makes good decisions when given enough time to run a play, Reeve said. At times, the coach added, Cuero players were in good defensive position to make a play, but the quarterback still broke loose.
Cuero — 27-2 the past two seasons — learned early that unranked Hutto would be a serious foe. In the second quarter, Kerley rolled to his right, made a quick cut toward the middle of the field and raced 45 yards for a touchdown, turning a 6-0 Hutto lead into a 12-0 advantage. Although Cuero would battle back and eventually take the lead, the Hippos won on Jose Diaz's 25-yard field goal in the game's final minute.
Reeve said the Hippos are vastly improved from the team that went 8-2 in the regular season and ended up as runners-up to Cameron Yoe in 19-3A. It all starts with the running game, Reeve said, and the Hippos' already strong offensive line is made even stronger because Hutto often utilizes two tight ends at the same time.
Hutto, Reeve said, found out in the regular season what it does best: run. The Hippos didn't complete a pass against Cuero, but they rushed for nearly 300 yards.
"They junked a lot of the things they don't do well and kept everything they do extremely well," Reeve said. "They found out what their team is all about."
Both Kerley and Hutto Coach Lee Penland have said the Hippos' offensive linemen may be the team's unsung heroes. Twice last week, the Hippos had offensive drives that took eight minutes off the clock, Kerley and running backs Shiloh Wampler and Jerrick Gauthier following the blocks of Lee Gonzalez (6 feet, 4 inches, 285 pounds), Kash Kaufman (6-0, 190), Cody Almquist (6-3, 260), Matt Tomlinson (6-1, 270) and Jess Thomison (6-1, 245).
"They are just huge, and they wear on the defense," Wampler said earlier in the playoffs.
You won't get any disagreements from Derek Fitzhenry, whose Giddings team fell 20-12 to Hutto in October.
"Jeremy's a great player, but it's the line that makes the difference," Fitzhenry said. "It's very hard to combat a great player when he has an offensive line that can control the line of scrimmage."
No one has benefited more from the improved running game in the playoffs than Kerley, who averaged 81 yards a game during the regular season. In Hutto's last three games, though, the quarterback has averaged 119 rushing yards a game and an impressive nine yards a carry.
So far, it's been a nearly perfect combination: speedy quarterback, dominant line.
"You take that offensive line away from the quarterback, and the quarterback's not as good," Reeve said. "Take away that quarterback from the offensive line, and the offensive line isn't as good."
Hutto vs. Tatum
What: Class 3A, Division II state championship
When: 6 p.m. Saturday
Where: Texas Stadium
Records: Hutto is 13-2; Tatum is 14-0.
Tickets: Presale $7 adults, $5 students, available at all Hutto ISD schools; $10 at the gate
Playoff push
Hutto quarterback Jeremy Kerley has come up large in the playoffs, especially when he's running with the football:
Opponent Rush Yds Avg. TDs Score
Rice Consol. 14 54 3.8 1 Hutto, 20-16
Marlin 9 109 12.1 0 Hutto, 29-22
Bridge City 9 68 7.5 2 Hutto, 27-10
Cameron Yoe 13 105 8.1 2 Hutto, 35-14
Cuero 17 143 8.4 1 Hutto, 23-21
Note: Against Rice Consolidated, he completed 7 of 11 passes for 156 yards.
UZU]UaUcTYWVVZV&urcm=y]Jeremy Kerley (http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sports/stories/highschool/12/15kerley.html?COXnetJSessionIDbuild109=Dh1slApE2rn s1nhdAJkzwJOZE9GCNwdLB6rsMwERwin8VVRIO918!60602184 4&UrAuth=aNcNUObNYUbTTUWUXUTUZT[UTUWUcU)
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Jeremy Kerley is a high school version of Michael Vick, a quarterback whose uncanny ability to create big plays has taken Hutto High School to the brink of a state football championship.
Blink once, and you might miss him turning a third-and-10 play into a first-down run. Blink twice, and he likely already has crossed the goal line, leaving helpless defensive players scattered behind him across the field.
"He's a playmaker, the leader of that football team," said Cuero Coach Mark Reeve, whose No. 1-ranked Gobblers were upset by Hutto last week in the state semifinals, a game in which Kerley rushed for a playoff-high 143 yards. "He can turn a bad play into a good play."
That is what sets Kerley apart from many high school quarterbacks. His playmaking ability, coupled with Hutto's large offensive line, are two reasons the Hippos (13-2) are where they are, Reeve said.
After five playoff victories, opponents still haven't figured out how to contain Kerley, the Hippos' junior swizzle stick. Which leads to the question:
Just how exactly do you stop Jeremy Kerley?
Cameron Yoe, Hutto's District 19-3A rival that played the Hippos twice this season, used a middle linebacker as a "spy" two weeks ago in a 35-14 state quarterfinals loss. That spy, however, was injured early and Kerley took advantage, rushing for 105 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Coaches who have faced Kerley say his natural quickness is tough to defend. Quick feet. Quick reflexes. Outstanding speed once he breaks the line of scrimmage.
Furthermore, Kerley makes good decisions when given enough time to run a play, Reeve said. At times, the coach added, Cuero players were in good defensive position to make a play, but the quarterback still broke loose.
Cuero — 27-2 the past two seasons — learned early that unranked Hutto would be a serious foe. In the second quarter, Kerley rolled to his right, made a quick cut toward the middle of the field and raced 45 yards for a touchdown, turning a 6-0 Hutto lead into a 12-0 advantage. Although Cuero would battle back and eventually take the lead, the Hippos won on Jose Diaz's 25-yard field goal in the game's final minute.
Reeve said the Hippos are vastly improved from the team that went 8-2 in the regular season and ended up as runners-up to Cameron Yoe in 19-3A. It all starts with the running game, Reeve said, and the Hippos' already strong offensive line is made even stronger because Hutto often utilizes two tight ends at the same time.
Hutto, Reeve said, found out in the regular season what it does best: run. The Hippos didn't complete a pass against Cuero, but they rushed for nearly 300 yards.
"They junked a lot of the things they don't do well and kept everything they do extremely well," Reeve said. "They found out what their team is all about."
Both Kerley and Hutto Coach Lee Penland have said the Hippos' offensive linemen may be the team's unsung heroes. Twice last week, the Hippos had offensive drives that took eight minutes off the clock, Kerley and running backs Shiloh Wampler and Jerrick Gauthier following the blocks of Lee Gonzalez (6 feet, 4 inches, 285 pounds), Kash Kaufman (6-0, 190), Cody Almquist (6-3, 260), Matt Tomlinson (6-1, 270) and Jess Thomison (6-1, 245).
"They are just huge, and they wear on the defense," Wampler said earlier in the playoffs.
You won't get any disagreements from Derek Fitzhenry, whose Giddings team fell 20-12 to Hutto in October.
"Jeremy's a great player, but it's the line that makes the difference," Fitzhenry said. "It's very hard to combat a great player when he has an offensive line that can control the line of scrimmage."
No one has benefited more from the improved running game in the playoffs than Kerley, who averaged 81 yards a game during the regular season. In Hutto's last three games, though, the quarterback has averaged 119 rushing yards a game and an impressive nine yards a carry.
So far, it's been a nearly perfect combination: speedy quarterback, dominant line.
"You take that offensive line away from the quarterback, and the quarterback's not as good," Reeve said. "Take away that quarterback from the offensive line, and the offensive line isn't as good."
Hutto vs. Tatum
What: Class 3A, Division II state championship
When: 6 p.m. Saturday
Where: Texas Stadium
Records: Hutto is 13-2; Tatum is 14-0.
Tickets: Presale $7 adults, $5 students, available at all Hutto ISD schools; $10 at the gate
Playoff push
Hutto quarterback Jeremy Kerley has come up large in the playoffs, especially when he's running with the football:
Opponent Rush Yds Avg. TDs Score
Rice Consol. 14 54 3.8 1 Hutto, 20-16
Marlin 9 109 12.1 0 Hutto, 29-22
Bridge City 9 68 7.5 2 Hutto, 27-10
Cameron Yoe 13 105 8.1 2 Hutto, 35-14
Cuero 17 143 8.4 1 Hutto, 23-21
Note: Against Rice Consolidated, he completed 7 of 11 passes for 156 yards.
UZU]UaUcTYWVVZV&urcm=y]Jeremy Kerley (http://www.statesman.com/sports/content/sports/stories/highschool/12/15kerley.html?COXnetJSessionIDbuild109=Dh1slApE2rn s1nhdAJkzwJOZE9GCNwdLB6rsMwERwin8VVRIO918!60602184 4&UrAuth=aNcNUObNYUbTTUWUXUTUZT[UTUWUcU)