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Wildcats aim for district title
  
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By STEPHEN WHITFIELD
The Humble High School football team is a confident group these days.
They have every reason to be confident, especially after posting a 9-1 record and advancing to the area finals last year.
A season like that will get people talking, and even though the Wildcats lost 15 starters from last year’s team, they still expect to make a deep playoff run in 2008.
“If we lose before the second round, then that’s just a waste of a season,” junior linebacker John Walker III said. “I’m not going to say we’ll make state or anything like that, but if we can get past the second round, then there’s no telling what could happen after that.”
Humble has some key leaders returning, including senior quarterback Keith Baker and senior defensive tackle Lamarc Strahan, two All-District second team players last season.
But the key to the Wildcats’ season rests in the hands of the newcomers. Humble’s freshman and junior varsity teams combined to lose only three games in 2007. If the Wildcats are to challenge for a district title and make the playoffs, they will need major contributions from the new guys.
Head coach Walt Beasley said the incoming sophomores and JV players will need some time to adjust to the varsity game.
“I think they have the talent physically, but mentally it’s a lot faster game,” Beasley said. “It’s a lot more physical, it’s a lot more intense and they’ve got to stay more focused. The big question is can they do that?”
Humble fans looking to see if the Wildcats are a district title contender will find out very early in the season.
The Wildcats’ non-district schedule is among the toughest in the Houston area. Humble opens the season with Cypress Ridge High School, a team picked by many to win District 15-5A. The Rams’ quarterback, Louisiana State University commit Russell Shepard, is a versatile threat who combines great running speed with a strong arm.
Also on Humble’s non-district schedule are Spring High School and Klein High School, two playoff contenders in District 13-5A. Last year, Spring beat Humble 38-6.
Even the weakest team in Humble’s non-district schedule, Jersey Village High School, has a wide-open offense that will challenge the Wildcats’ inexperienced secondary.
Walker said he is not worried about the early part of Humble’s schedule.
“That really doesn’t scare me, looking at the schools,” Walker said. “We’ve just got to be ready to face them. If we just come out there and work hard that week in practice, then they should just be like any other game.”
By contrast, Humble’s district should provide a respite. Outside of a back-to-back stretch against Aldine Eisenhower and Kingwood, the Wildcats should not face any particularly challenging opponents.
Given that the majority of teams in Humble’s district are committing to more run-oriented offensive schemes, Beasley said the district schedule should play in their favor.
“I think this year, with the district the way it is, we’re probably not going to be playing as many wide-open offenses, so that’s probably going to help us,” Beasley said.
2007 HUMBlE FOOTBALL RESULTS
Week 0 at Aldine Eisenhower W 28-26
Week 1 Bye
Week 2 vs. Jersey Village W 14-10
Week 3 at Spring L 6-38
Week 4 vs. Baytown Sterling W 20-0
Week 5 at Channelview W 14-0
Week 6 Atascocita W 28-0
Week 7 Kingwood W 24-21
Week 8 vs. Baytown Lee W 21-12
Week 9 at Beaumont West Brook L 6-14
Week 10 vs. P.A. Memorial W 39-17
Bi-District Playoffs vs. Deer Park W 16-7
Area Playoffs vs. F.B. Hightower L 13-14
2008 HUMBLE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Friday, Aug. 29: Cy Ridge, Berry Center, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 5: Spring, George Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 12: Jersey Village, Turner Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 20: Klein, Turner Stadium, 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 27: Aldine*, Thorne Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 3: Atascocita*, Turner Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 10: Eisenhower*, Thorne Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 17: Kingwood*, Turner Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 24: MacArthur*, Thorne Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 7: Nimitz*, Turner Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
Home games in bold
* denotes district game
They have every reason to be confident, especially after posting a 9-1 record and advancing to the area finals last year.
A season like that will get people talking, and even though the Wildcats lost 15 starters from last year’s team, they still expect to make a deep playoff run in 2008.
“If we lose before the second round, then that’s just a waste of a season,” junior linebacker John Walker III said. “I’m not going to say we’ll make state or anything like that, but if we can get past the second round, then there’s no telling what could happen after that.”
Humble has some key leaders returning, including senior quarterback Keith Baker and senior defensive tackle Lamarc Strahan, two All-District second team players last season.
But the key to the Wildcats’ season rests in the hands of the newcomers. Humble’s freshman and junior varsity teams combined to lose only three games in 2007. If the Wildcats are to challenge for a district title and make the playoffs, they will need major contributions from the new guys.
Head coach Walt Beasley said the incoming sophomores and JV players will need some time to adjust to the varsity game.
“I think they have the talent physically, but mentally it’s a lot faster game,” Beasley said. “It’s a lot more physical, it’s a lot more intense and they’ve got to stay more focused. The big question is can they do that?”
Humble fans looking to see if the Wildcats are a district title contender will find out very early in the season.
The Wildcats’ non-district schedule is among the toughest in the Houston area. Humble opens the season with Cypress Ridge High School, a team picked by many to win District 15-5A. The Rams’ quarterback, Louisiana State University commit Russell Shepard, is a versatile threat who combines great running speed with a strong arm.
Also on Humble’s non-district schedule are Spring High School and Klein High School, two playoff contenders in District 13-5A. Last year, Spring beat Humble 38-6.
Even the weakest team in Humble’s non-district schedule, Jersey Village High School, has a wide-open offense that will challenge the Wildcats’ inexperienced secondary.
Walker said he is not worried about the early part of Humble’s schedule.
“That really doesn’t scare me, looking at the schools,” Walker said. “We’ve just got to be ready to face them. If we just come out there and work hard that week in practice, then they should just be like any other game.”
By contrast, Humble’s district should provide a respite. Outside of a back-to-back stretch against Aldine Eisenhower and Kingwood, the Wildcats should not face any particularly challenging opponents.
Given that the majority of teams in Humble’s district are committing to more run-oriented offensive schemes, Beasley said the district schedule should play in their favor.
“I think this year, with the district the way it is, we’re probably not going to be playing as many wide-open offenses, so that’s probably going to help us,” Beasley said.
2007 HUMBlE FOOTBALL RESULTS
Week 0 at Aldine Eisenhower W 28-26
Week 1 Bye
Week 2 vs. Jersey Village W 14-10
Week 3 at Spring L 6-38
Week 4 vs. Baytown Sterling W 20-0
Week 5 at Channelview W 14-0
Week 6 Atascocita W 28-0
Week 7 Kingwood W 24-21
Week 8 vs. Baytown Lee W 21-12
Week 9 at Beaumont West Brook L 6-14
Week 10 vs. P.A. Memorial W 39-17
Bi-District Playoffs vs. Deer Park W 16-7
Area Playoffs vs. F.B. Hightower L 13-14
2008 HUMBLE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE
Friday, Aug. 29: Cy Ridge, Berry Center, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 5: Spring, George Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 12: Jersey Village, Turner Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 20: Klein, Turner Stadium, 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 27: Aldine*, Thorne Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 3: Atascocita*, Turner Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 10: Eisenhower*, Thorne Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 17: Kingwood*, Turner Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 24: MacArthur*, Thorne Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 7: Nimitz*, Turner Stadium, 7:30 p.m.
Home games in bold
* denotes district game
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