Posted 10:16 am Friday, October 10, 2008
John Tyler Lions Enter District Play on Three-Game Streak
By HAROLD WILSON
Staff Writer
With three straight wins to end non-district, the John Tyler Lions lobbied an early case for being in the thick of the District 11-5A football race.
Staff Writer
With three straight wins to end non-district, the John Tyler Lions lobbied an early case for being in the thick of the District 11-5A football race.
Five more teams seem as capable of making a run for the gold ball with district play set to begin tonight.
JT (3-2) begins its march around the 11-5A horn against Mesquite Horn (2-3) at Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium's Earl Campbell Field.
The Lions enter a wide-open district race with its first of back-to-back home games, including a homecoming affair with Mesquite next week. Of the six district teams, only JT comes in with three straight wins, giving the Lions enough reason to think they can not only make the postseason but possibly go into it with a gold ball.
"Everything -- throughout the offseason and summer -- was geared toward getting ready for district play," said John Tyler head coach Dereck Rush. "Right now it's in the back of our minds. We're just worried about doing things right and getting better every week."
The Lions proved well-rounded in non-district, getting more than 100 yards of offense from five different players and TDs from seven.
Only JT ranks among the district's top three in total offense and total defense.
"Offensively we just have to keep doing what we're doing and taking care of the football," said Rush, whose team has turned the ball over only twice during the current win-streak. "Defense, that was our concern going into the year but those guys have stepped up to the plate."
Both JT and Horn closed out non-district with wins over Lewisville. While JT rallied from a fourth-quarter hole to win in overtime (27-20), Horn handled Lewisville with more ease (37-21).
Horn heads the district in total offense, putting up 431.8 yards per game. On the flip-side, the Jaguars rank dead-last in total defense and scoring defense, allowing a generous 402.6 yards and 41 points per game.
"We watched that game last Thursday and they looked good," Rush said of Horn. "They moved the ball around with that spread offense and did a good job stopping Lewisville when they needed to stop them."
While JT wants to get in the playoffs after missing out on the party last year, Horn hopes to make the postseason for the first time in school history.
"Right now anybody can beat anybody on any given night," Rush said. "We just have to worry about John Tyler, stay focused, keep our kids grounded and look up and see what happens on Friday night and (during the) weeks to come."
PROBABLE STARTING LINEUPS
OFFENSE
MESQUITE HORN (Spread) --
OFFENSE
MESQUITE HORN (Spread) --
WR 6 Korey Winn (150, Sr.), WR 81 Emmanuel Fasanya (175, Sr.), LT 56 Richard Skateli (255, Sr.), LG 70 Colton Davis (265, Jr.), C 54 Patrick Griffin (245, Jr.), RG 78 Ladedrian Carraway (280, Sr.), RT 55 Ryan Carbon (245, Jr.), QB 11 Emory Miller (175, Jr.), RB 27 Ottis Nevels (155, Jr.), WR 20 Matt Coleman (170, JR.), WR 1 Taylor Gabriel (170, Sr.), K16 Nathan Hunke (175, Sr.).
JOHN TYLER (Shotgun/Two-Back) --
SE 10 Courtland Nickelberry (6-0, 180, Jr.), FL 1 Dominic Ward (5-6, 150, Sr.), LT 66 Reginald Carroll (6-4, 245, Sr.), LG 51 Craig Jones (5-10, 250, Sr.), C 55 Azael Arispe (5-11, 260, Sr.), RG 52 Israel Nunez (5-10, 250, Jr.), RT 77 Gerron Anthony (6-4, 305, Jr.), FL 3 De'Trich Morgan (5-9, 170, Sr.), SE 18 Tarrington Joiner (5-11, 150, Sr.),QB 15 Jeremy Johnson (6-0, 165, Jr.), RB 22 Ky'Ordric Black (5-9, 195, Jr.), FB Kedrick Chancellor (5-9, 195, Jr.), K 40 Jesse Diaz (5-11, 170, Jr.).
SE 10 Courtland Nickelberry (6-0, 180, Jr.), FL 1 Dominic Ward (5-6, 150, Sr.), LT 66 Reginald Carroll (6-4, 245, Sr.), LG 51 Craig Jones (5-10, 250, Sr.), C 55 Azael Arispe (5-11, 260, Sr.), RG 52 Israel Nunez (5-10, 250, Jr.), RT 77 Gerron Anthony (6-4, 305, Jr.), FL 3 De'Trich Morgan (5-9, 170, Sr.), SE 18 Tarrington Joiner (5-11, 150, Sr.),QB 15 Jeremy Johnson (6-0, 165, Jr.), RB 22 Ky'Ordric Black (5-9, 195, Jr.), FB Kedrick Chancellor (5-9, 195, Jr.), K 40 Jesse Diaz (5-11, 170, Jr.).
DEFENSE
JOHN TYLER (4-3) --
B 80 Alijah Williams (5-10, 205, Sr.), NT 85 Ashton Dorsey (6-2, 275, Jr.), DT 56 Sydney Terrell (5-9, 245, Sr.), DE 26 Ricky Marshall (6-1, 205, Sr.), WLB 32 Alvin Arps (5-10, 190, Jr.), MLB 34 Cliff Caldwell (6-0, 205 Jr.), SLB 28 Joe Bayonne (5-10, 205, Jr.), CB 30 LaKendrick Wilkerson (5-8, 170, Sr.), CB 7 Jeremy Biggs (5-11, 170, Sr.), SS 2 Correy Wilson (5-11, 185, Sr.), FS 9 Billy Thompkins (5-11, 195, Sr.), P 6 Tarik Spencer (6-2, 175, Jr.).
JOHN TYLER (4-3) --
B 80 Alijah Williams (5-10, 205, Sr.), NT 85 Ashton Dorsey (6-2, 275, Jr.), DT 56 Sydney Terrell (5-9, 245, Sr.), DE 26 Ricky Marshall (6-1, 205, Sr.), WLB 32 Alvin Arps (5-10, 190, Jr.), MLB 34 Cliff Caldwell (6-0, 205 Jr.), SLB 28 Joe Bayonne (5-10, 205, Jr.), CB 30 LaKendrick Wilkerson (5-8, 170, Sr.), CB 7 Jeremy Biggs (5-11, 170, Sr.), SS 2 Correy Wilson (5-11, 185, Sr.), FS 9 Billy Thompkins (5-11, 195, Sr.), P 6 Tarik Spencer (6-2, 175, Jr.).
MESQUITE HORN (3-3-5) --
DE 58 A.J. Nebe (225, Sr.), NT 90 Freddie Mosley (225, Sr.), DE 35 Demarcus Looney (195, Sr.), WLB 14 Spencer Saffle (165, Jr.), MLB 39 Jared Armstrong (195, Jr.), SLB 31 Calvin Coleman (180, Jr.), CB 2 Ty Holmes (170, Sr.), CB 12 Anson Johnson (155, Sr.), S 28 Eric Brown (165, Jr.), S 10 Donte McCauley (165, Sr.), DB 36 Terrence Brady (175, Sr.), P 16 Nathan Hunke (175, Sr.).
DE 58 A.J. Nebe (225, Sr.), NT 90 Freddie Mosley (225, Sr.), DE 35 Demarcus Looney (195, Sr.), WLB 14 Spencer Saffle (165, Jr.), MLB 39 Jared Armstrong (195, Jr.), SLB 31 Calvin Coleman (180, Jr.), CB 2 Ty Holmes (170, Sr.), CB 12 Anson Johnson (155, Sr.), S 28 Eric Brown (165, Jr.), S 10 Donte McCauley (165, Sr.), DB 36 Terrence Brady (175, Sr.), P 16 Nathan Hunke (175, Sr.).
