Thanksgiving early?: Apaches fans want team to carve up Gobblers Friday

[Gobbler Fan]

BY RANDY REESE/STAFF

If it truly was Thanksgiving Wednesday night in downtown Gonzales, no self-respecting turkey would have been safe within 30 miles of the cheering and rambunctious crowd on hand for the second city-wide Apache Pep Rally of the season.

Cries of "Beat Cuero" could be heard throughout the evening as the Apache band and cheerleaders pumped up the crowd for the pep rally.

Crowd estimates of upwards of 1,000 fans came out on Halloween night for the event, but there was only treats on this night and no tricks.

The Apaches and Cuero Gobblers lock horns Friday night beginning at 7:30 at Apache Field for the outright District 29-3A title and a bye in the first round of the playoffs.

Gonzales enters the game with the better record at 8-1 with their lone loss coming at the hands of Hutto earlier in the season.

Cuero has lost twice - once to top-ranked 3A Liberty Hill and once to always tough 4A Bay City.

However, both teams come into the game with perfect district records - Gonzales at 3- 0 and Cuero at 2-0.

Cuero had the week off last week and should be rested.

Gonzales kept the momentum going with a decisive win at Yoakum.

On the other hand, it has been years since Cuero has lost a district contest and the Apaches would like nothing better than to hand that first one to them.

At the pep rally Wednesday, the Apaches were battling Halloween and the traditional Wednesday night church crowd to lure fans to the event.

However, booster club officials decided to plan the rally at 8:30 so all the kids could trick or treat and everyone could attend the church service of their choice.

The ploy obviously worked and a larger crowd than the first time showed up for the event.

Cuero would like nothing better than to come into Gonzales and spoil the season for the team, but the Gonzales coaching staff has tried to make sure the team is ready for the always tough Gobblers.

Coach Darrell Bush told the crowd at the pep rally that the team has had a great week of practice and should be ready for the game.

The Cuero game is the last regular season game for the Apaches while Cuero has one to go.


Copyright © 2007 The Gonzales Inquirer










So it begins...Go get em Gobblers !

[STANG RED]

This is what it's all about.

God I love Texas High School Football!!!

[luvhoops34]

Do we have an Gonzales posters?

Come on Gonzales peeps! Sign up and post!

[44INAROW]

Scalp the Apaches :D


Go Mean Green :)

[gtown]

THANKSGIVING early for the Apaches! Crush 'em ORANGE! I can't wait!

[Old Green]

Keep the Apaches on the Reservation Gobblers !!!!

:p

[Darren]

What was the LH vs Cuero score?

[Old Green]

Originally posted by Darren
What was the LH vs Cuero score? 49-35 LH

[gtown]

I still predict a win for the Apache Nation by 6!!!!!

[44INAROW]

www.victoriaadvocate.com

Gobblers, Apaches renew rivalry for district championship
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BY MIKE FORMAN - ADVOCATE SPORTS WRITER
November 02, 2007 - Posted at 12:00 a.m.

Ricky Lock is in his first season as head football coach at Gonzales but it didn't take him long to learn about the Apaches' rivalry with Cuero.


"I've learned a lot about it here recently," Lock said. "It's a big rivalry and at times a bitter rivalry."


Mark Reeve has been at Cuero for five seasons and he found out about the rivalry before he had even coached a game.


"I talked to Leonard McAngus when I got the job," Reeve said of the former Gonzales head coach, who was the offensive coordinator at Victoria High when Reeve was the head coach. "He told me Gonzales didn't like Cuero."


McAngus led Gonzales to three wins in four tries against Cuero but the Apaches, like most teams, haven't had much success against the Gobblers lately. Gonzales' last win over Cuero came in 2002, the year before Reeve became Cuero's coach, and that was the Gobblers' last district loss.


Cuero (6-2, 2-0) will attempt to extend a 22-game district winning streak that includes four straight over Gonzales (8-1, 3-0) when the teams meet for the District 29-3A championship today at 7:30 p.m. at Gonzales' Apache Stadium.


The game shouldn't have any bearing on the teams' playoff possibilities. Gonzales, which has a bye next week, has already clinched the district's Division I berth and will meet Ingleside in the bi-district playoffs in a game tentatively set for Victoria's Memorial Stadium.


Cuero, which is coming off its bye week, is almost certain to be the district's top seed in the Division II playoffs and would meet either Orange Grove or Corpus Christi West Oso in the bi-district playoffs.


Gonzales' lone loss this season was to Hutto and the Apaches have won six straight games.


"I'm real pleased with the way the kids have played," Lock said. "They've given me a chance to put my program in. I'm pretty proud of their effort."


Reeve has noticed Gonzales' improvement from last season when Cuero rolled to a 37-0 win. Reeve gives much of the credit to Gonzales quarterback Jacob Bird, who has passed for a district-leading 2,054 yards and 25 touchdowns.


"He's been the biggest difference-maker for them," Reeve said of Bird, who has become Gonzales' career passing leader. "He's been playing really well. He has another year of playing time and that's helped him."


The presence of wide receivers Ckody Burton, who has 45 catches for an area-leading 945 yards and 12 touchdowns, and Landon Bozka, who has 29 receptions for 847 yards and nine touchdowns, has also given Bird a boost.


"We've taken a lot of pressure off Jacob," Lock said. "We've kind of simplified things for him and he's doing a very good job for us. Those receivers are pretty special. I don't know anybody who has two on one team who are as good as those two."


Lock is concerned about Cuero's offense, which is led by sophomore quarterback Tyler Arndt, who has passed for 1,332 yards and 13 touchdowns, and running back Quincey Whittington, who has rushed for 965 yards and 10 touchdowns and has caught 23 passes for 404 yards and three touchdowns.


"They have the ability to run and throw," Lock said. "Their quarterback has done a good job. His completion ratio is unbelievable and the line has done a good job of protecting him. Their tight end (Kaeron Johnson) is good and their offensive line is huge. They've got a lot of weapons."


Cuero used its bye week to heal some nagging injuries and prepare for the postseason.


"We've been playing real well," Reeve said. "Our offensive line has gotten better and better and that's the key. All year those guys up front have been playing hard and our new quarterback is getting better and better."


Gonzales has also improved and Lock hopes playing Cuero will help will help the Apaches gauge their progress.


"To beat a team like Cuero, you're going to have to beat them," Lock said. "You have to move the ball and score and not turn the ball over. You can't give up big plays and you have to make them earn everything. Our goal is to get into the fourth quarter and have a chance to win."


NOTES: The game will be broadcast on KBAR, 100.9 FM in Victoria, and KCTI, 1450 AM in Gonzales.

Mike Forman is a sports writer for the Victoria Advocate. Contact him at 361-580-6588 or mforman@vicad.com.

[Centextrash]

I have seen both play....

Cuero by 21. Only because its played in Gonzales. If it were played in Cuero it would be more.

I say 38 - 17 or 42-21 sounds about right...

[bigcat8]

who did you se both of these teams play against??????