Posted 1:01 am Thursday, November 01, 2007
Brotherton Helping Lee Wrangle Up Running Backs
By CHRIS PARRY
Staff Writer
When your after-school job entails wrestling calves away from their 1,200-pound mommas as a rancher, overpowering offensive linemen is easy.
Robert E. Lee senior Mark Brotherton, a 6-4, 285-pound defensive tackle, regularly manhandles whoever is in front of him.
Lee head coach Mike Owens said Brotherton's size and strength forces opponents to double-team him.
"He won't get knocked off the line of scrimmage; it's just not going to happen. I guarantee whoever he goes against is not as physical as he is," Owens said. "He closes those gaps in there and squeezes them down," Owens said. "We have to have him in there. He's just the toughest kid out there."
Brotherton made his first varsity appearance as a sophomore before earning a starting nod last year. That began a streak of consecutive starts by the senior defensive tackle. Despite being injured this season, Brotherton continued to start and play until last week when his coaches decided to give him a one-week rest.
"We were using some three man fronts and he was injured so we felt like we could hold him out," said Lee defensive coordinator Randy Huffstickler. "Still, he came every day of practice and he was there if we needed him."
Owens echoes his assistant coach adding Brotherton has never missed a day of practice.
"This year he's been injured all year and (still) never missed a practice and never even asked to miss one," Owens said.
Brotherton said there is another reason he's a regular on the practice field.
I (like being at every practice) so I won't have to run extra," Brotherton said. "And I love playing football too."
After practice, Brotherton replaces his helmet and shoulder pads with a saddle and rope as he heads for his job at a local cattle ranch.
"I work for a company working cattle," Brotherton said. "My boss buys cattle and we work them and give them all of their shots. Then we take them to the place where he bought them for."
On the field, the senior is a key part of a Lee defense that is giving up 16.6 points in District 12-5A play while allowing 239 yards per game this season. Brotherton - even with missing last week - is fifth on the team in tackles (35). Against Longview, Brotherton helped bottle up Longview's tailbacks for 85 yards on 23 attempts.
Brotherton faces another tough test this week against John Tyler's Ramonte' Hampton, the district's leading rusher with 772 yards and eight touchdowns. One thing the senior admits is anger will play a role in how he plays.
"(When the ball is snapped) I concentrate on getting off the ball and how they make me mad," Brotherton said. "They made me mad when they are trash talking and stuff and that makes me angry, or stuff from the house that makes me angry. I take that all with me playing football."
The senior is 1-1 in the Rose City Rivalry and would like to close out his senior year with a win.
"To me it's an important game. Sophomore year we lost in my first year ever playing varsity and I would like to it my senior year because I won it my junior year and would like to win it again."
Staff Writer
When your after-school job entails wrestling calves away from their 1,200-pound mommas as a rancher, overpowering offensive linemen is easy.
Robert E. Lee senior Mark Brotherton, a 6-4, 285-pound defensive tackle, regularly manhandles whoever is in front of him.
Lee head coach Mike Owens said Brotherton's size and strength forces opponents to double-team him.
"He won't get knocked off the line of scrimmage; it's just not going to happen. I guarantee whoever he goes against is not as physical as he is," Owens said. "He closes those gaps in there and squeezes them down," Owens said. "We have to have him in there. He's just the toughest kid out there."
Brotherton made his first varsity appearance as a sophomore before earning a starting nod last year. That began a streak of consecutive starts by the senior defensive tackle. Despite being injured this season, Brotherton continued to start and play until last week when his coaches decided to give him a one-week rest.
"We were using some three man fronts and he was injured so we felt like we could hold him out," said Lee defensive coordinator Randy Huffstickler. "Still, he came every day of practice and he was there if we needed him."
Owens echoes his assistant coach adding Brotherton has never missed a day of practice.
"This year he's been injured all year and (still) never missed a practice and never even asked to miss one," Owens said.
Brotherton said there is another reason he's a regular on the practice field.
I (like being at every practice) so I won't have to run extra," Brotherton said. "And I love playing football too."
After practice, Brotherton replaces his helmet and shoulder pads with a saddle and rope as he heads for his job at a local cattle ranch.
"I work for a company working cattle," Brotherton said. "My boss buys cattle and we work them and give them all of their shots. Then we take them to the place where he bought them for."
On the field, the senior is a key part of a Lee defense that is giving up 16.6 points in District 12-5A play while allowing 239 yards per game this season. Brotherton - even with missing last week - is fifth on the team in tackles (35). Against Longview, Brotherton helped bottle up Longview's tailbacks for 85 yards on 23 attempts.
Brotherton faces another tough test this week against John Tyler's Ramonte' Hampton, the district's leading rusher with 772 yards and eight touchdowns. One thing the senior admits is anger will play a role in how he plays.
"(When the ball is snapped) I concentrate on getting off the ball and how they make me mad," Brotherton said. "They made me mad when they are trash talking and stuff and that makes me angry, or stuff from the house that makes me angry. I take that all with me playing football."
The senior is 1-1 in the Rose City Rivalry and would like to close out his senior year with a win.
"To me it's an important game. Sophomore year we lost in my first year ever playing varsity and I would like to it my senior year because I won it my junior year and would like to win it again."
