Brazosport Football Story

From the Brazosport Facts
FREEPORT — Third year in, Brazosport’s Ben Rudolph is slowly but surely building something with the Exporters on the gridiron.

After subpar 3-7 and 1-9 seasons, Rudolph understands the slow process.

“I don’t think the groundwork ever stops. It is a constant work in progress,” he said. “Some of the things we’ve been able to do the last couple of years are starting to pay off.”

A new era is starting with the Ships as they’ve dropped a classification with the University Interscholastic League realignment. So far, Rudolph thinks his team is right on schedule.

“It’s been a good August, we’ve been working hard each and every day,” he said. “The kids have put forth a good attitude and good effort, so I have been very pleased.”

With a scrimmage already past them against Edna, the Exporters will now scrimmage Houston Davis and Northbrook at 9 a.m. today at Northbrook High School.

“We had some success with the younger levels during that Edna scrimmage, and that was very important because of how they can buy into what we are doing offensively and defensively,” Rudolph said. “I thought the older guys played extremely well at times, but made some bad plays at other times. It was a good, coachable scrimmage that we can learn a lot from the film.”

Now in Class 4A District 12 Division II, the Exporters return 10 starters, including an offensive line that could be crucial to the success for this year’s team.

With Austin Closs (6-foot-3, 305 pounds) at center and Bryce Wilds (6-foot-7, 284) at guard, the Ships also return Mark Contreras.

“Experience is so critical, and these boys have been in the program for the past couple of years,” Rudolph said. “It helps that they have a base knowledge of what we want to do and how we want to do it. With their experience, they can take an inexperienced player behind them and make them more experienced.”

Daniel Martinez and Ruben Garcia will fill out the other holes up front. This line will need to be strong, especially with senior Jody Virgil, junior Novontae Darthard or senior Kedrian Young stepping in under center. All three have been battling it out in the August sun.

“Jody is leading the race and, of course, has played the position for the last couple of years,” Rudolph said. “But all three of them at times do things real well, so that pleases me that all of them are getting more and more comfortable taking snaps.”

Virgil is considered a complete quarterback who can run and pass, while Darthard brings more of a running style to the position. Young is just athletic.

“Kedrian can do some things that are unexpected,” Rudolph said. “He’s been a surprise at that position, but with all three, we are teaching them multiple positions within the offense.”

It looks like seniors Nathan Lewis and Tahj Edwards will get a majority of the carries in the backfield. Also, Jeremiah Credit can be added to the mix.

“Both Nathan and Tahj have done just about anything we’ve asked of them in the past couple of camps,” Rudolph said. “Jeremiah has been the running back we thought he could be, so those three have really helped us out.”

Senior Alfredo Gabaldon, along with juniors Michael Burton and Credit, will fill out some of the wide receiver positions.

“We are going to try to run the ball and play to the strength of our offensive line,” Rudolph said. “That is the experience that is coming back, and that is who we are going with. It should help us in several fronts. I’d say we are going to be a run-first football team.”

The defense returns just four starters. Damian Gomez will line up at one defensive end spot, with Nate Lewis at the other side. Garcia, Martinez and Closs will help out in the middle.

All three linebackers return in Edwards (45 tackles), Jahcyi Thomas and Adrian Aluiso.

“All three played the position last year, so some schematic changes with the hiring of coach (Gilbert) Gardner” are their challenge, Rudolph said. “We’ve put some pressure on them on where they are lining up and have been learning at a fast pace so far this August. I was pleased with their effort against Edna.”

Burton and Malcom Crane will fill the cornerback positions for the Exporters. Credit, Darthard and several others will take a stab at the safety spots.

The addition of Gardner, a former NFL linebacker who starred at Purdue and Angleton, is something that pleases Rudolph a lot.

“He is such a good-quality person that his football knowledge is incredible, but his knowledge on character and human relationships is impeccable,” Rudolph said. “So that was a critical hire for our staff. We got better simply by the addition.”

With a 4-2-5 base defense, the Exporters are in a rush to pick up the system.

“He’s brought in several new ideas on how we play defense, so it has been a good breath of fresh air and a good start to our defense,” Rudolph said.

Multisport athlete Eric Covarrubias will handle the kicking and punting duties this season. Last season, Covarrubias was 19-for-19 on extra points.

The nondistrict season will be a challenging one, district will have to be taken a week at a time because of the opponents awaiting them.

“I told everybody that dropping a classification there is not a drop in competition whatsoever,” Rudolph said. “It leveled the playing field, but to go into the district with the likes of Columbia, El Campo and Stafford, Needville and Bay City, I think it is going to be very competitive race. We preach to the kids that we are going to take it one at a time, and that is the approach we are taking, that no other game is important as the next one or the one after that.”

Brazosport will open the 2014 season Thursday on the road at Ken Hall Stadium against Fort Bend Willowridge. Rudolph believes it could be the first step in breaking a five-year playoff drought.

“I believe so, and so many things go into that, he said. “We have to stay healthy, we have to take care of the football and have to play good aggressive run defense and good aggressive run offense.

“If we can take care of business, and I hope we can get into the playoffs because this high school, this community, these kids and coaches deserve that. But nothing will be given to us. We are going to have to earn every bit of it.”