Funk-d-fied
09-28-2007, 11:34 AM
Commentary: Monahans, McCamey deal with slow starts
BY CRAIG CRAKER
Sep 25, 2007 6:48 pm
It still is early enough in the football season that all is not lost.
The Monahans Loboes and McCamey Badgers had better be careful, though.
Both teams have stumbled out of the gates with just one win each.
That is not quite what everyone was expecting after McCamey advanced to the Class 1A Division I state championship game last season and Monahans returned nearly its entire offensive line and defeated the fifth-ranked team in Class 3A in its opener.
Luckily for both teams, district play isn’t here yet.
“By no means is this season lost,” Monahans coach Mickey Owens said. “Sure we wanted to start better, but we realize who we were playing. We have to have a big picture. The Pecos’, Fort Stocktons and Clints, those are what we are fighting for.”
Monahans (1-2 overall) defeated No. 5 Snyder 41-32 in the opener before losing 21-19 to Mid-land Christian at home and 41-13 to Andrews on the road.
Monahans had a few miscues early to help Midland Christian jump out to a 21-0 lead, and the Loboes had five turnovers, including losing three fumbles on kickoffs and having a punt blocked, against Andrews.
“We knew going in our first four games would probably be the toughest four we play all year,” Owens said. “We haven’t even played the money games, and the kids realize that.”
Monahans travels to McMurry University in Abilene to face Graham (4-0) in a nondistrict game, while district action opens this week for the rest of the teams in 1-3A.
District 8-1A play still is three weeks away, but a 1-3 start is not what McCamey coach Jay McWilliams had in mind.
McCamey has been wracked by injuries, but the Badgers have been in games even with four starters out.
“We keep telling them they aren’t playing McCamey Badger football,” McWilliams said. “We keep telling them this isn’t the same team as last year, but we have standards and we have to get out there and play like it.”
McCamey is in a tenuous position, as fans have pointed out that the 2006 Badgers also opened 1-3.
The problem with that attitude, however, is it could be easy for the players to assume everything will fix itself and the Badgers will waltz to another state championship game.
“I get tired of hearing it from people,” McWilliams said. “This isn’t the same team that was 1-3 last year. We are the ’07 team, not the ’06 or ’05 team. I’d like to see us play a game where we take care of the football and don’t get anyone injured.”
Both coaches are saying all the right things to turn around dismal starts and have the track records to turn their seasons around, but whether or not the players respond has yet to be decided.
BY CRAIG CRAKER
Sep 25, 2007 6:48 pm
It still is early enough in the football season that all is not lost.
The Monahans Loboes and McCamey Badgers had better be careful, though.
Both teams have stumbled out of the gates with just one win each.
That is not quite what everyone was expecting after McCamey advanced to the Class 1A Division I state championship game last season and Monahans returned nearly its entire offensive line and defeated the fifth-ranked team in Class 3A in its opener.
Luckily for both teams, district play isn’t here yet.
“By no means is this season lost,” Monahans coach Mickey Owens said. “Sure we wanted to start better, but we realize who we were playing. We have to have a big picture. The Pecos’, Fort Stocktons and Clints, those are what we are fighting for.”
Monahans (1-2 overall) defeated No. 5 Snyder 41-32 in the opener before losing 21-19 to Mid-land Christian at home and 41-13 to Andrews on the road.
Monahans had a few miscues early to help Midland Christian jump out to a 21-0 lead, and the Loboes had five turnovers, including losing three fumbles on kickoffs and having a punt blocked, against Andrews.
“We knew going in our first four games would probably be the toughest four we play all year,” Owens said. “We haven’t even played the money games, and the kids realize that.”
Monahans travels to McMurry University in Abilene to face Graham (4-0) in a nondistrict game, while district action opens this week for the rest of the teams in 1-3A.
District 8-1A play still is three weeks away, but a 1-3 start is not what McCamey coach Jay McWilliams had in mind.
McCamey has been wracked by injuries, but the Badgers have been in games even with four starters out.
“We keep telling them they aren’t playing McCamey Badger football,” McWilliams said. “We keep telling them this isn’t the same team as last year, but we have standards and we have to get out there and play like it.”
McCamey is in a tenuous position, as fans have pointed out that the 2006 Badgers also opened 1-3.
The problem with that attitude, however, is it could be easy for the players to assume everything will fix itself and the Badgers will waltz to another state championship game.
“I get tired of hearing it from people,” McWilliams said. “This isn’t the same team that was 1-3 last year. We are the ’07 team, not the ’06 or ’05 team. I’d like to see us play a game where we take care of the football and don’t get anyone injured.”
Both coaches are saying all the right things to turn around dismal starts and have the track records to turn their seasons around, but whether or not the players respond has yet to be decided.