Cuero turns attention towards China Spring (Victoria Advocate)

[charlesrixey]

Cuero coach Mark Reeve appreciated the Gobblers’ Class 3A, Division II quarterfinal win over Palacios even more after traveling to Waco on Saturday.

Reeve and his staff watched China Spring capture a 31-28 quarterfinal win over Waco La Vega at Floyd Casey Stadium. As a result, China Spring (13-1) will meet Cuero (12-2) in a semifinal game Saturday at 6 p.m. at Burger Center in Austin.

La Vega opened District 17-3A play with a 42-13 win over China Spring but the Pirates were unable to stop Cougars quarterback Dustin Eskew in the rematch. The Gobblers began District 29-3A play with a 51-20 win over Palacios and repeated the feat with a 42-14 victory on Friday night at Memorial Stadium.

“There’s no question it’s tough to beat a team twice in a row,”Reeve said. “I know it helped us against Wimberley. It’s certainly an incentive.”

Reeve viewed a tape of the Palacios game early Saturday morning and was mostly pleased with the Gobblers’ performance.

“I thought we really played well for 3 1/2quarters,” Reeve said. “Once we got so far ahead (35-0) our intensity level dropped off and we got a little sloppy. But overall we didn’t miss a beat on offense, defense or special teams.”

Palacios coach Mike Treybig was disappointed with result but praised his team’s accomplishments. The Sharks snapped a playoff drought dating back to 1964 and finished with a 10-4 record.

“I’m awful proud of this team,”Treybig said. “They won games people said they shouldn’t have won. We talked about bringing back the pride and we did that this year. I think we were able to gain a little respect.”

Reeve knows the Gobblers will face a challenge defending the China Spring offense. Eskew threw for over 300 yards against La Vega and scored the decisive touchdown with under 2 minutes left in the fourth quarter before intercepting a pass to seal the win.

“They’ve got the best quarterback I’ve seen in many, many years,” Reeve said. “I think they threw 50-something times. They throw everything.”

NOTES: Cuero will be the home team against China Spring…Pre-sale tickets will be $8 for adults and $6 for students. All tickets at the gate will be $10.

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

[opher]

what time is this game - i know it is Saturday night at Austin's Burger Center - I thought it was at 6pm, but today's Austin American Statesman says the game is at 5pm. Which is it????

[44INAROW]

The game is @ 6PM ..

GO MEAN GREEN :)

ps I am bookmarking this thread (read the comment at the end)

Gobblers ready for defensive challenge
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BY MIKE FORMAN - ADVOCATE SPORTS WRITER
December 14, 2007
CUERO – Cuero has surrendered 50 points in its four playoffs wins, which hasn’t been a problem for the Gobblers, who have scored 177.

But a closer look reveals all but seven of the points scored by Cuero’s playoff opponents have come in the fourth quarter when the Gobblers already had the game in hand.

“We’re playing with a lot more confidence right now,” Cuero coach Mark Reeve said of the defense. “For a lot of these guys it was just getting some experience under their belts. A lot of these guys were new but they’ve played better as the season’s gone along.”

Cuero returned six starters on defense but most were on the line and the Gobblers had to replace their linebackers and the entire secondary with the exception of cornerback Quincey Whittington.

Inexperience didn’t seem to be a problem when Cuero held its first three opponents to a total of 17 points but reality struck in a 49-35 loss to Liberty Hill, which rushed for 428 yards and never punted. The Gobblers rebounded with a shutout of La Vernia before being victimized by some big plays in a loss to Bay City and wins over Palacios and Gonzales.

“I think it was just a matter of learning how to communicate,”cornerback David Williams said. “I knew we could be better. Our technique is better and everybody is working together. The big difference is just as soon as we get in a game we start communicating.”

Reeve figured as the defense gained experience it would eliminate the mistakes it was making earlier in the season.

“We’ve had a lot of guys step up,” Reeve said pointing to newcomers Jake Rangnow, Josh Hernandez and Tyler McKinney at linebacker and Isaiah Glover and Jennings Boothe in the secondary. “Some of the guys who haven’t been starters have given us significant minutes. That’s helped keep the guys on the offensive side of the ball really rested.”

Reeve also credits Cuero’s scout team for giving the defense a glimpse of what to expect from opponents and that proved extremely important in last week’s 42-14 quarterfinal win over Palacios.

“We had Cole Pargmann play (Palacios running back) Henry Solis in practice,” Reeve said. “He gave us a tremendous look and that really helped us in the game.”

Preparation will be critical for Cuero (12-2) in its Class 3A, Division II semifinal game against China Spring (13-1) on Saturday at 6 p.m. at Burger Center in Austin.

The Cougars operate out of multiple sets and have scored less than 30 points in only three games this season while averaging 393 yards per game. Quarterback Dustin Eskew has passed for 2,947 yards and 29 touchdowns and rushed for 658 yards and nine touchdowns and running back/wide receiver Mike Hicks has rushed for 576 yards and eight touchdowns and caught 77 passes for 1,239 yards and 12 touchdowns.

“Those guys will come out in everything from tackle over to no back,” defensive end Kaeron Johnson said. “We have to be prepared for everything. But we’ve had a good week in practice and we’ve really concentrated on what they do.”

The Cuero defense expected to go through some growing pains but has matured at the right time thanks to experience, preparation and hard work.

“Stefon (Hargrove) and I have done our best to get back there and pressure the quarterback,”Johnson said. “Quincey (Whittington) has done a great job of getting our young guys ready to play back there and Jake (Rangnow) helped our front get ready and become a force to be reckoned with. This is the best we’ve been all year.”

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

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comments
CSDAD said ...
you cannot stop CHINA SPRING you cannot prepare for what they are going to do to cuero.yall had a good season maybe next year read more

[Gobbler Fan]

i watched the LH vs cuero game on film in preparation of our playoff game......cuero looked athletic, more athletic than most south texas teams you see....and because they are more athletic than most teams they play, they played a little undisciplined just because they can out-athlete most teams they play...

dont see it working very well against CS's complicated pass scheme and talented recievers either...


Cuero Gobblers, you're next...

What's a Gobbler anyway? Looks just like a big ol'chicken, right? Get the axe...

where might we play next week?

I gotta believe it will be a home and home flip with CS taking Floyd Casey, and Celina taking Texas Stadium or possibly Mesquite or SMU. No way I would just play them in the metroplex. Play em here and put 15,000 people on CS side. Get all of the centex fans there.

These comments above were taken from another site I just thought you would find them interesting - Gobbler Fan

Why should we even bother showing up CS vs Celina next week for the state Championship , this week is just a warm up game I guess .

:rolleyes:


Someones in for a rude awakening :kiss:

[44INAROW]

yep - should be a good one for sure........

GO MEAN GREEN

[44INAROW]

more from another message board.............


Come on 6pm Saturday ;)


Originally posted by redskin4life:



Cuero is not as good as they use to be. They have over achieved this year and they have lost a lot of speed from last years team.

[pirate4state]

Originally posted by 44INAROW
more from another message board.............


Come on 6pm Saturday ;)

why would you take anything a "redskin fan" has to say anyway??? ;) :D


GO GOBBLERS!!!

[44INAROW]

Originally posted by pirate4state
why would you take anything a "redskin fan" has to say anyway??? ;) :D


GO GOBBLERS!!!

:clap: :clap: I never thought about it like that ;)

[GreenMachine]

CS won't know what hit them. Big chicken?...Big A$$ KICK'N Chicken :thumbsup: :D

[pirate4state]

Originally posted by 44INAROW
:clap: :clap: I never thought about it like that ;) I just realized I didn't finish my thought, but you understood anyway .... scary!!! :eek: :devil: :cool: :D

[44INAROW]

Originally posted by pirate4state
I just realized I didn't finish my thought, but you understood anyway .... scary!!! :eek: :devil: :cool: :D

I knew what you meant - heck, I think my mind even read what you thought.......... :D

[pirate4state]

Originally posted by 44INAROW
I knew what you meant - heck, I think my mind even read what you thought.......... :D

groovy :cool:

oh hey, don't forget to get my gobbler to send me updates!

[44INAROW]

Originally posted by pirate4state
groovy :cool:

oh hey, don't forget to get my gobbler to send me updates!

yep - will do (by the way - I have discovered what happens when you go "over' on the texting minutes lol.) :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: it's OK - some things are worth it :)


GO MEAN GREEN :)

[ToroChingon]

Cuero already has a copty of Celina's Defensive Playbook.

[Gobbla2001]

wow... interesting quotes there...