gobbler grad
06-11-2006, 09:07 AM
Cuero, Shiner tabbed in top 25 of Texas Football magazine poll
June 11, 2006
MIKE FORMAN - Advocate Sports Writer
Cuero coach Mark Reeve reacted the same way to the Gobblers being ranked No. 2 in the State Farm/Texas Football Class 3A preseason football poll as he would to being told it was hot outside.
"I knew we'd be picked up there in the top 10, I just didn't know where we'd be," Reeve said. "It's a compliment, that's really all it is."
Cuero and Shiner, which was ranked No. 20 in Class 1A, were the only Advocate-area teams making the preseason top 25. The preseason polls are featured in the 2006 edition of Dave Campbell's Texas Football magazine, which will be available on newsstands Tuesday.
Reeve seemed relieved Cuero was not ranked No. 1, as it was last season when it advanced to the Division II semifinals. Gilmer was ranked No. 1 in Class 3A this season.
"We've had a lot of success, we've been close, and we're going to have a good team this year," Reeve said. "It's more of a traditional thing. They're going to go with the people who have been pretty good."
Cuero has gone 36-4 in Reeve's three seasons and won three straight district championships while advancing to the Division I bi-district, Division I state final, and the Division II semifinals, respectively. The Gobblers' three playoff losses have been by a combined total of eight points and the games were decided in the final minute of the fourth quarter.
Cuero will return five offensive and five defensive starters, including quarterback Kyle Noack, running back Fabian Olguin, and receivers Tre Gray and Quincey Whittington, and will take a 28-game regular season winning streak into the season.
"We feel like we've got a lot of those offensive skill kids back," Reeve said. "Defensively, this is the most we've had back since we've been here. We're going to have to find a tight end to replace J.T. Rudd and we're going to be inexperienced on the line, but we have some young linemen we think will come on."
Shiner advanced to the Class 1A final in 2004, won the state championship in 2005, and advanced to the regional playoff last season. The Comanches return five starters on offense and four on defense.
Windthorst, which defeated Shiner in the 2004 final, is ranked No. 1 in Class 1A. Alto, which dropped from Class 2A, is ranked No. 2, and Chilton, which defeated Shiner in the regional playoffs last season, is ranked No. 3.
"I think we're going to have a pretty good team," Shiner coach Steven Cerny said. "We'll have a little different look with (Kyle) Condel at quarterback. Condel has got the size and in the past few years we've had the smaller quarterbacks. He's going to be a little stronger and a little more of a passing threat. D.J. (Pustka) came around and proved what he can do (at running back) and Dexter (Mayberry) worked hard in the weight room and should do a good job. We're going to have to rebuild the line and get some experience before district. But we'll be quicker on the line than we have been."
Falls City, a District 31-1A opponent of Shiner, is ranked No. 12. The Beavers return eight starters on offense and seven on defense from last year's team that finished second to Shiner and advanced to the area playoffs.
"They've been talking about this year for several years," Cerny said of the Beavers. "Coach (Mark) Kirchhoff does a good job and those guys definitely have the experience."
Rice Consolidated, which dropped from Class 3A to 2A, and moved into District 28-2A with Edna and Hallettsville, who also dropped from 3A, Schulenburg, Weimar, Industrial, Ganado, and Tidehaven, is ranked No. 11 in Class 2A. The Raiders return six starters on offense and six on defense.
Memorial is picked to finish third in District 27-5A. Corpus Christi Carroll is the district favorite and San Antonio East Central is picked to finish second. Corpus Christi King, San Antonio Southwest, Corpus Christi Ray, and San Antonio Highlands round out the district picks.
Cuero (District 29-3A), East Bernard (27-2A), and Refugio (31-2A) are the only Advocate-area teams picked to win their respective districts.
"You never really know how good you are until you put the pads on," Reeve said. "But we should be able to throw it and we should be able to catch it. We're going to have more speed on defense and that will be a factor. Defensively, this may be our best year."
NOTES: The Vipers will open the 2006 season on Sept. 2 against McAllen Memorial in the Texas Football Classic at the Alamodome in San Antonio. A pep rally to promote the game is set for Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at Mac Haik Ford. Dave Campbell is scheduled to be the guest speaker...Cuero's Ace Slone, who missed last season with a shoulder injury, is featured in Texas Football magazine for his rodeo and football skills, although his name is misspelled...Lufkin is ranked No. 1 in the 5A poll, Texarkana Texas High is ranked No. 1 in the 4A poll, and Tatum, which won the Class 3A, Division II state championship last season, is ranked No. 1 in the 2A poll.
June 11, 2006
MIKE FORMAN - Advocate Sports Writer
Cuero coach Mark Reeve reacted the same way to the Gobblers being ranked No. 2 in the State Farm/Texas Football Class 3A preseason football poll as he would to being told it was hot outside.
"I knew we'd be picked up there in the top 10, I just didn't know where we'd be," Reeve said. "It's a compliment, that's really all it is."
Cuero and Shiner, which was ranked No. 20 in Class 1A, were the only Advocate-area teams making the preseason top 25. The preseason polls are featured in the 2006 edition of Dave Campbell's Texas Football magazine, which will be available on newsstands Tuesday.
Reeve seemed relieved Cuero was not ranked No. 1, as it was last season when it advanced to the Division II semifinals. Gilmer was ranked No. 1 in Class 3A this season.
"We've had a lot of success, we've been close, and we're going to have a good team this year," Reeve said. "It's more of a traditional thing. They're going to go with the people who have been pretty good."
Cuero has gone 36-4 in Reeve's three seasons and won three straight district championships while advancing to the Division I bi-district, Division I state final, and the Division II semifinals, respectively. The Gobblers' three playoff losses have been by a combined total of eight points and the games were decided in the final minute of the fourth quarter.
Cuero will return five offensive and five defensive starters, including quarterback Kyle Noack, running back Fabian Olguin, and receivers Tre Gray and Quincey Whittington, and will take a 28-game regular season winning streak into the season.
"We feel like we've got a lot of those offensive skill kids back," Reeve said. "Defensively, this is the most we've had back since we've been here. We're going to have to find a tight end to replace J.T. Rudd and we're going to be inexperienced on the line, but we have some young linemen we think will come on."
Shiner advanced to the Class 1A final in 2004, won the state championship in 2005, and advanced to the regional playoff last season. The Comanches return five starters on offense and four on defense.
Windthorst, which defeated Shiner in the 2004 final, is ranked No. 1 in Class 1A. Alto, which dropped from Class 2A, is ranked No. 2, and Chilton, which defeated Shiner in the regional playoffs last season, is ranked No. 3.
"I think we're going to have a pretty good team," Shiner coach Steven Cerny said. "We'll have a little different look with (Kyle) Condel at quarterback. Condel has got the size and in the past few years we've had the smaller quarterbacks. He's going to be a little stronger and a little more of a passing threat. D.J. (Pustka) came around and proved what he can do (at running back) and Dexter (Mayberry) worked hard in the weight room and should do a good job. We're going to have to rebuild the line and get some experience before district. But we'll be quicker on the line than we have been."
Falls City, a District 31-1A opponent of Shiner, is ranked No. 12. The Beavers return eight starters on offense and seven on defense from last year's team that finished second to Shiner and advanced to the area playoffs.
"They've been talking about this year for several years," Cerny said of the Beavers. "Coach (Mark) Kirchhoff does a good job and those guys definitely have the experience."
Rice Consolidated, which dropped from Class 3A to 2A, and moved into District 28-2A with Edna and Hallettsville, who also dropped from 3A, Schulenburg, Weimar, Industrial, Ganado, and Tidehaven, is ranked No. 11 in Class 2A. The Raiders return six starters on offense and six on defense.
Memorial is picked to finish third in District 27-5A. Corpus Christi Carroll is the district favorite and San Antonio East Central is picked to finish second. Corpus Christi King, San Antonio Southwest, Corpus Christi Ray, and San Antonio Highlands round out the district picks.
Cuero (District 29-3A), East Bernard (27-2A), and Refugio (31-2A) are the only Advocate-area teams picked to win their respective districts.
"You never really know how good you are until you put the pads on," Reeve said. "But we should be able to throw it and we should be able to catch it. We're going to have more speed on defense and that will be a factor. Defensively, this may be our best year."
NOTES: The Vipers will open the 2006 season on Sept. 2 against McAllen Memorial in the Texas Football Classic at the Alamodome in San Antonio. A pep rally to promote the game is set for Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at Mac Haik Ford. Dave Campbell is scheduled to be the guest speaker...Cuero's Ace Slone, who missed last season with a shoulder injury, is featured in Texas Football magazine for his rodeo and football skills, although his name is misspelled...Lufkin is ranked No. 1 in the 5A poll, Texarkana Texas High is ranked No. 1 in the 4A poll, and Tatum, which won the Class 3A, Division II state championship last season, is ranked No. 1 in the 2A poll.