Gobbler Fan
09-22-2006, 07:22 AM
Top-ranked Cuero to host No. 10 Panthers tonight
September 22, 2006 - Posted at 12:00 a.m.
BY MIKE FORMAN - ADVOCATE SPORTS WRITER
CUERO - Cuero linebacker Dason Jackson has no trouble recalling last season's Class 3A, Division II quarterfinal game against Liberty Hill.
"I remember they had some tough runners, they had some big boys, and they came off the ball hard," Jackson said. "I'm pretty sure they're determined to beat us."
Cuero jumped out to a 21-0 lead before coming away with a 42-14 win in an extremely physical game in which the Gobblers out-gained Liberty Hill only 381 to 339 yards but took advantage of some big plays and four turnovers.
The Panthers (3-0) will get another shot at Cuero (3-0) when the teams meet today at 7:30 p.m. at Gobbler Stadium.
Cuero has been ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press' Class 3A state poll since the beginning of the season, while Liberty Hill moved into a tie for the No. 10 spot after last week's 84-10 shellacking of Gatesville.
"They're like they are every year at this time," Cuero coach Mark Reeve said of the Panthers.
"They are in playoff-season form. They're executing and playing really well like they always do."
All of Liberty Hill's yards against Cuero last season came on the ground and after the game Reeve said the Panthers ran the slot-T offense better than any team he had seen in his 34 years of coaching.
"They're benefiting from all the spread offenses," Reeve said.
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"It used to be about 60 percent ran out of the wing-T and about 30 percent ran out of the spread. But that's changed around. A lot of people haven't seen it (the wing- or slot-T) and they forget how to play it."
The Gobblers haven't forgotten that Liberty Hill had 19 first downs or put together an 18-play, 99-yard drive that consumed 7 minutes and 41 seconds of the third and fourth quarters.
"You have to be prepared to move and switch to formations," said Jackson, who had 10 tackles, one sack, and an interception in last week's 48-21 win over Bandera. "Their offense is real tricky and they run a lot of different plays. If one person messes up, it can mess up a whole defense. You have to stay home, focus in your assignment, and play ball."
Liberty Hill has rushed for 1,330 of its 1,485 total yards this season in wins over Waco Connelly (35-21), Burnet (28-15), and Gatesville. The Panthers had 557 yards of rushing in last week's rout of Gatesville.
"They've got the kind of offense where you've got to have a lot of discipline to play against it," Reeve said. "They're going to bust some plays, but you still have to have the discipline to sit in your position, read the offense, and do the things you're coached to do. What happened against Gatesville is they (the Panthers) busted five or six plays and Gatesville started blitzing and getting out of position. It's not any different than playing against any other offense. You have to take care of your own keys and responsibilities. If you start trying to play other positions, you're going to have trouble."
Liberty Hill had difficulty defending a Cuero offense that rushed for 245 yards and passed for 136. Cuero running back Fabian Olguin ran for 115 yards and three touchdowns and quarterback Kyle Noack threw for one touchdown.
Cuero has had success moving the ball through the air and on the ground in wins over Sinton (29-0), Stafford (49-7), and Bandera. Noack has passed for 696 yards and eight touchdowns and the Gobblers have rushed for 558 yards.
"I think that our offensive line is really coming on," Reeve said. "We had great practices last week and we made huge strides in the running game. I think we're starting to achieve the balance that we want."
Cuero and Liberty Hill could meet again in the playoffs, but it would have to be in the semifinals since the Panthers were moved to Region III for the 2006 and '07 seasons in the UIL's most recent realignment.
"We're looking forward to a good game," Jackson said. "This game will tell us a lot about how far we've come and what we can do."
NOTES: The game will be broadcast of KEPG, 100.9 FM...Cuero's win over Bandera was No. 600 in the school's history. The Gobblers rank second in Class 3A behind Hondo, which has won 609 games...Cuero's Domingo Ruiz missed the Bandera game with a shoulder injury. Ruiz is expected to punt against Liberty Hill but is not expected to play in the secondary...Cuero has won 31 consecutive regular-season games...Cuero is ranked No. 2 and Liberty Hill is No. 19 in Texas Football magazine's Class 3A poll...Cuero's Corey Scott has 10 receptions for 248 yards and two touchdowns, and Tre Gray has 11 catches for 240 yards and five touchdowns...Liberty Hill's Brent Bode has rushed for 712 yards and eight touchdowns, and Doug Allman has rushed for 413 yards and nine touchdowns.
September 22, 2006 - Posted at 12:00 a.m.
BY MIKE FORMAN - ADVOCATE SPORTS WRITER
CUERO - Cuero linebacker Dason Jackson has no trouble recalling last season's Class 3A, Division II quarterfinal game against Liberty Hill.
"I remember they had some tough runners, they had some big boys, and they came off the ball hard," Jackson said. "I'm pretty sure they're determined to beat us."
Cuero jumped out to a 21-0 lead before coming away with a 42-14 win in an extremely physical game in which the Gobblers out-gained Liberty Hill only 381 to 339 yards but took advantage of some big plays and four turnovers.
The Panthers (3-0) will get another shot at Cuero (3-0) when the teams meet today at 7:30 p.m. at Gobbler Stadium.
Cuero has been ranked No. 1 in the Associated Press' Class 3A state poll since the beginning of the season, while Liberty Hill moved into a tie for the No. 10 spot after last week's 84-10 shellacking of Gatesville.
"They're like they are every year at this time," Cuero coach Mark Reeve said of the Panthers.
"They are in playoff-season form. They're executing and playing really well like they always do."
All of Liberty Hill's yards against Cuero last season came on the ground and after the game Reeve said the Panthers ran the slot-T offense better than any team he had seen in his 34 years of coaching.
"They're benefiting from all the spread offenses," Reeve said.
Click here to view our website!
"It used to be about 60 percent ran out of the wing-T and about 30 percent ran out of the spread. But that's changed around. A lot of people haven't seen it (the wing- or slot-T) and they forget how to play it."
The Gobblers haven't forgotten that Liberty Hill had 19 first downs or put together an 18-play, 99-yard drive that consumed 7 minutes and 41 seconds of the third and fourth quarters.
"You have to be prepared to move and switch to formations," said Jackson, who had 10 tackles, one sack, and an interception in last week's 48-21 win over Bandera. "Their offense is real tricky and they run a lot of different plays. If one person messes up, it can mess up a whole defense. You have to stay home, focus in your assignment, and play ball."
Liberty Hill has rushed for 1,330 of its 1,485 total yards this season in wins over Waco Connelly (35-21), Burnet (28-15), and Gatesville. The Panthers had 557 yards of rushing in last week's rout of Gatesville.
"They've got the kind of offense where you've got to have a lot of discipline to play against it," Reeve said. "They're going to bust some plays, but you still have to have the discipline to sit in your position, read the offense, and do the things you're coached to do. What happened against Gatesville is they (the Panthers) busted five or six plays and Gatesville started blitzing and getting out of position. It's not any different than playing against any other offense. You have to take care of your own keys and responsibilities. If you start trying to play other positions, you're going to have trouble."
Liberty Hill had difficulty defending a Cuero offense that rushed for 245 yards and passed for 136. Cuero running back Fabian Olguin ran for 115 yards and three touchdowns and quarterback Kyle Noack threw for one touchdown.
Cuero has had success moving the ball through the air and on the ground in wins over Sinton (29-0), Stafford (49-7), and Bandera. Noack has passed for 696 yards and eight touchdowns and the Gobblers have rushed for 558 yards.
"I think that our offensive line is really coming on," Reeve said. "We had great practices last week and we made huge strides in the running game. I think we're starting to achieve the balance that we want."
Cuero and Liberty Hill could meet again in the playoffs, but it would have to be in the semifinals since the Panthers were moved to Region III for the 2006 and '07 seasons in the UIL's most recent realignment.
"We're looking forward to a good game," Jackson said. "This game will tell us a lot about how far we've come and what we can do."
NOTES: The game will be broadcast of KEPG, 100.9 FM...Cuero's win over Bandera was No. 600 in the school's history. The Gobblers rank second in Class 3A behind Hondo, which has won 609 games...Cuero's Domingo Ruiz missed the Bandera game with a shoulder injury. Ruiz is expected to punt against Liberty Hill but is not expected to play in the secondary...Cuero has won 31 consecutive regular-season games...Cuero is ranked No. 2 and Liberty Hill is No. 19 in Texas Football magazine's Class 3A poll...Cuero's Corey Scott has 10 receptions for 248 yards and two touchdowns, and Tre Gray has 11 catches for 240 yards and five touchdowns...Liberty Hill's Brent Bode has rushed for 712 yards and eight touchdowns, and Doug Allman has rushed for 413 yards and nine touchdowns.