Longhorns Hamshire-Fannett

[Old Cardinal]

Talk about a Senior squad! H-F can field a two- way team of 22 players that have Varsity experience. They were a very unpredictable team, last season; you never knew what H-F team would show up to play, on a given night. Under second year Coach, Paul Walker, things are bound to get a lot more consistant. They have good size, average speed and a lot of plain ole strong athletes. I watched their JV(7-2) and Freshman team(8-2), last fall, and they are really starting to gain some momentum. H-F is a team that can compete and win this year. I am pretty sure they will make the playoffs, and with the depth factor; they will be a worthy opponent in both District play and Postseason. Get them on a muddy field and they will beat you, just ask Barbers Hill.

[RBARKER]

Hamshire realy doesn't need a muddy field to beat Barbers Hill. HF and BH have been rivals for a long time and usually the games are close. I don't know what it is with HF but they give BH fits, at first I though it was Coach Tarver but the first year he leaves and HF wins. BH will play HF this year at home and I exspect another close game rain or shine.

[Old Cardinal]

RBarker, I saw the BH vs H-F game last year and basically Cedric Larnette and crew just made a good last quarter drive....It was comical when BC played H-F, Coach Tarver punched in 3 or 4 TDs early and put his typical total reserve teams in on Off. & Def. They played at least half of the ball game; allowing H-F to score a couple of times. Next, he threw in his starting Varsity and H-F pulled a trick play and scored! Then the win was in site and H-F made one of their famous "3 yards and-a-cloud-of-dust" drives. BC was able to finally stop them, but it was a close call that night. I really like the fact that Coach Tarver will not intentionally run up any score, and likes to play 30 or more players in a ballgame, if possible. In the case of H-F, they have a way of really challenging in the last quarter of play. I think both BH and BC have learned their lesson on H-F- keep the pressure on them, or they will beat you!

<small>[ July 08, 2003, 10:43 AM: Message edited by: Old Cardinal ]</small>

[exbccards76'smom]

Hamshire Fannett will sneak up on you if ya not careful. Can't wait for some football!!

[St. Ivender]

No offense to you Bridge Citians but I hope Mr Walker and his crew runs rough-shod over your district. It couldn't happen to a finer gentleman and a Barbay disciple to boot.

[exbccards76'smom]

Coach Tarver is smart letting the subs play. We needed some of their help come playoff time due to injuries.

[BH_146]

Old Cardinal, I said early on that BC got a great coach in Tarver. He and the late Richard Mahler could always seem to get the best out of their players.

As far as intentionally running up the score, I don't get caught up in that discussion. But, one of Tarver's teams ranks sixth in Class 3A in points scored in a regular season. With a scoring average of nearly 50 points a game, someone got beat pretty bad that year. I personally think he just had a good team that year.

[Old Cardinal]

To BH 146: I think age may have mellowed him on that, through the years. I know Curtis Barbay, till this day, will never pull the Dogs off. Last year,
Tarver put in his subs in the last quarter- and Barbay used his First team to score a third TD, on the very last play of the game..every Coach looks at that kind of situation differently...I think both Barbay and Tarver are good Coaches and run good development programs. Each staff seems to differ in what methodology will do them the most good through the course of their career....BH_146, BC will be really young this season, a couple of the Big Seniors have serious back injuries and will not play, we had a couple of Crybabys that quit and Tarver will basically have a Sophomore and Junior laden team. He has tremendous speed & talent however-but they will be young, even though he has allowed them as much Varsity exposure as was practical, last season.... I was kind of tickled during track season, Matt Peebles was prime to go to the State Tournament in the 110m hurdles and hurt his leg. A freshman, a big kid, Cody Sparks, ripped off a First place win in the District Varsity meet. That is just one of the fast Sophs this year. It ought to be fun, but we are, as realist, set for some disappointments due to the player-age factor.

<small>[ July 08, 2003, 11:01 PM: Message edited by: Old Cardinal ]</small>

[exbccards76'smom]

As far as I know, Cody plans to play football this year. He's big and quick. Coach Tarver is gonna be able to put that to good use.

[duckbutter]

Old Card, in the many years of watching Newton football I can only remember one instance of Barbay running the score up on purpose. I'm sure if given the chance again this yr it will be done again. If you want to know why he only does it against BC, give him a call. I'm sure he's at the field house today.

[Old Cardinal]

To Duckbutter: I saw Bridge City touch the knee several times in good sportsmanship, in the 4th quarter, in their win over Newton in 2000, yet Newton tried to score as much as possible in 2001 & 2002...I guess he has his reasons on that, but BC is not the only one he does that to...Personally, I like Curtis' Coaching, had he had the talent of say Elgin, he could have been in the Finals. He teaches blocking and tackling techniques in a very superior way...I hope Newton can get to play 2A where their enrollment is not a Postseason problem. They are a great program in football-no baseball, softball, volleyball, golf, tennis, cross-country; but an incredible effective emphasis on Basketball and Football.

[duckbutter]

Who, besides BC, have you seen Curtis run the score up on? I have NEVER seen him run it up on purpose except for one time. Yes Barbay is a good coach but he also has help from one of the states best defensive coaches, WT Johnston.