JT44
08-29-2007, 01:15 PM
STREAKING IN CUERO
Gobblers begin season with 38-game regular-season unbeaten mark
August 29, 2007 - Posted at 12:00 a.m.
BY MIKE FORMAN - ADVOCATE SPORTS WRITER
CUERO - Every streak has to start somewhere and Cuero's began on a September night in 2003 in Rockport.
The Gobblers dropped their season opener to Rice Consolidated and were in danger of losing again until Latrael Cooper's 24-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter lifted them to a 21-19 win over the Pirates.
"A whole lot of what we've accomplished had to do with that Rockport-Fulton game," Mark Reeve said of his first win as Cuero's head coach. "They had a good team and had beaten Cuero badly the previous year. For us to go down there and beat them was really important. It was really a turnaround game for us. If we lost that game, we might have gone 5-5. It's amazing how important winning is to establishing confidence."
To say the win over Rockport-Fulton boosted the Gobblers' confidence would be understatement. Cuero has won every regular-season game since and will take a 38-game streak into Friday's season opener against Sinton at Gobbler Stadium.
"I think it's one of those things where you're taking it week by week and respecting the people you play," Reeve said. "You gain confidence from the way you practice. You can't play well if you don't have confidence and it has a lot to do with the way you practice and your work ethic."
The Gobblers rarely talk about the winning streak and are more concerned about getting better weekly to prepare for the playoffs. But no Cuero team wants to be the one to let the streak end.
"There are not many programs in the state of Texas who have won every regular-season game for the last three years," senior Kaeron Johnson said. "It makes you want to work harder. It's about having confidence in your teammates and having confidence that your coaches have prepared you well. There shouldn't be any doubts in our mind. We just think about how hard we've worked and we just couldn't let it end like that."
Cuero has had some close calls during the streak. Martell Williams batted down a two-point conversion pass in the final minute of the fourth quarter to preserve a 56-55 win over Wharton in 2004. Kyle Noack converted a two-point conversion pass late in the fourth quarter in a 29-28 win over Wharton and the Gobblers overcame the suspension of six starters to take a 32-21 win over Hallettsville in 2005.
Cuero battled through the loss of six starters to injury and used a game-saving tackle in the final minute of the fourth quarter by Tre Gray to come away with a 31-27 win over eventual Class 3A, Division II state champion Liberty Hill and Domingo Ruiz knock down a fourth-quarter pass in the end zone in a 26-20 win over La Vernia last season.
"We've never talked about this is the game that might end the streak," Reeve said. "We do what it takes to get prepared. When you prepare to win, you have confidence and a lot of that translates to success on Friday nights."
Cuero's success on Friday nights is no accident and it usually starts with what happens earlier in the week.
"You always have goals and those goals are constantly changing," Reeve said. "The most important ones are the ones for that week. It's how hard you prepare because you know people are going to make adjustments and it's how you react to those adjustments. It's about how you believe in the team and believe in what you're doing. We have our goals meeting on Thursday to make sure we're prepared. You can hear the information but if you don't buy into it, it doesn't make a lot of difference."
Mike Forman is a sports writer for the Victoria Advocate. Contact him at 361-580-6588 or mforman@vicad.com.
Gobblers begin season with 38-game regular-season unbeaten mark
August 29, 2007 - Posted at 12:00 a.m.
BY MIKE FORMAN - ADVOCATE SPORTS WRITER
CUERO - Every streak has to start somewhere and Cuero's began on a September night in 2003 in Rockport.
The Gobblers dropped their season opener to Rice Consolidated and were in danger of losing again until Latrael Cooper's 24-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter lifted them to a 21-19 win over the Pirates.
"A whole lot of what we've accomplished had to do with that Rockport-Fulton game," Mark Reeve said of his first win as Cuero's head coach. "They had a good team and had beaten Cuero badly the previous year. For us to go down there and beat them was really important. It was really a turnaround game for us. If we lost that game, we might have gone 5-5. It's amazing how important winning is to establishing confidence."
To say the win over Rockport-Fulton boosted the Gobblers' confidence would be understatement. Cuero has won every regular-season game since and will take a 38-game streak into Friday's season opener against Sinton at Gobbler Stadium.
"I think it's one of those things where you're taking it week by week and respecting the people you play," Reeve said. "You gain confidence from the way you practice. You can't play well if you don't have confidence and it has a lot to do with the way you practice and your work ethic."
The Gobblers rarely talk about the winning streak and are more concerned about getting better weekly to prepare for the playoffs. But no Cuero team wants to be the one to let the streak end.
"There are not many programs in the state of Texas who have won every regular-season game for the last three years," senior Kaeron Johnson said. "It makes you want to work harder. It's about having confidence in your teammates and having confidence that your coaches have prepared you well. There shouldn't be any doubts in our mind. We just think about how hard we've worked and we just couldn't let it end like that."
Cuero has had some close calls during the streak. Martell Williams batted down a two-point conversion pass in the final minute of the fourth quarter to preserve a 56-55 win over Wharton in 2004. Kyle Noack converted a two-point conversion pass late in the fourth quarter in a 29-28 win over Wharton and the Gobblers overcame the suspension of six starters to take a 32-21 win over Hallettsville in 2005.
Cuero battled through the loss of six starters to injury and used a game-saving tackle in the final minute of the fourth quarter by Tre Gray to come away with a 31-27 win over eventual Class 3A, Division II state champion Liberty Hill and Domingo Ruiz knock down a fourth-quarter pass in the end zone in a 26-20 win over La Vernia last season.
"We've never talked about this is the game that might end the streak," Reeve said. "We do what it takes to get prepared. When you prepare to win, you have confidence and a lot of that translates to success on Friday nights."
Cuero's success on Friday nights is no accident and it usually starts with what happens earlier in the week.
"You always have goals and those goals are constantly changing," Reeve said. "The most important ones are the ones for that week. It's how hard you prepare because you know people are going to make adjustments and it's how you react to those adjustments. It's about how you believe in the team and believe in what you're doing. We have our goals meeting on Thursday to make sure we're prepared. You can hear the information but if you don't buy into it, it doesn't make a lot of difference."
Mike Forman is a sports writer for the Victoria Advocate. Contact him at 361-580-6588 or mforman@vicad.com.