High School Sports

By SHANE STARK
Staff Writer

WHITEHOUSE -- Soggy weather forced the Whitehouse football team to move Tuesday's practice to Wildcat Stadium. It also gave head coach Randy McFarlin the chance to remind the players of their role in history.

"We told them they would be sitting in the stands 30 years from now as grandparents, and you can tell (your grandkids) 'Hey, I was there the day they put that scoreboard up,'" McFarlin said.

While the Wildcats began preparing for the upcoming season last week, the finishing touches to their renovated home were being made. When they begin the season Aug. 29 against Garland Naaman Forest, the stadium will have been furnished with a video scoreboard, field turf (the reason for moving practice), a renovated press box and additional seating (capacity has increased to 7,000).

The renovations come as the program continues setting unprecedented standards for success. The Wildcats have captured -- at least a share of -- back-to-back district titles for the first time in school history, recorded their first 10-win seasons and set new boundaries in postseason travel.

"The growth of the stadium and the growth of the team, you can kind of see a parallel," McFarlin said. "Four years ago when I first came to look at this program, I saw a little old wooden-bleacher stadium with three or four thousand seats. And I thought, this is a 4A program and look at what they have facility-wise. The facility matched the program Whitehouse had."

During the run of success, the fan support for the Wildcats has grown to a point at which their stands are more densely populated than their opponent's on most occasions. That's served as a key toward the renovations, too.

"The commitment from the community grew," McFarlin said. "When the playoffs came around, the community got excited...the stadium improvements with the turf, the increased seating, the press box and the scoreboard now reflects a top-level program."

This season, the Wildcats hope to continue in that direction. They return seven starters from a 10-3 Class 4A Division II area finalist, and have been considered a favorite to contend for the District 14-4A title.

McFarlin said a team strength will be the experience on offense; the skilled positions and offensive line are locked in and ready to go.

He said a weakness will be a lack of experience on defense; four sophomores are expected to start.

Improvements won't be given much time to show their face. The non-district schedule is the most difficult in school history, McFarlin said. It includes Naaman Forest (9-3 in 5A last season), Sulphur Springs (led by blue chip quarterback Tyrik Rollison), Corsicana (one of the state's all-time winningest programs), Red Oak (10-3 4A Division II regional finalist last season) and Celina (defending 16-0 state champ in 3A Division II).

"It's going to be a challenge," McFarlin said. "But, then again, that's part of the excitement. There will be sellouts for sure against Sulphur Springs (went 9-2 last season, both losses coming against Whitehouse) and Celina. People will come to watch those games (who) are not even Whitehouse people."

Meanwhile, quarterback Brady Attaway returns for his senior year following a passing campaign of 3,127 yards and 39 touchdowns, which led to him being named the District 14-4A Most Valuable Player. He's excited about his final year.

"It means a lot," he said. "Hopefully I will have a really good year like I had in the past years," he said.

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Whitehouse Football Schedule

Aug. 29 Garland N. Forest 7:30

Sept. 5 Sulphur Springs 7:30

Sept. 12 at Corsicana 7:30

Sept. 19 Red Oak 7:30

Sept. 26 Celina 7:30

Oct. 10 *at Jacksonville 7:30

Oct. 17 *Lindale 7:30

Oct. 24 *at Kilgore 7:30

Oct. 31 *at Nacogdoches 7:30

Nov. 7 *Henderson 7:30

*District 14-4A