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No margin for error
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| The Friendswood Mustangs roll into the playoffs this week against Lamar Consolidated. An integral part of the team this year have been (left to right) receiver Austin Fitzpatrick , offensive lineman/running back Colton Yuchnewicz and defensive back Kevin Thornton. |
By TED DUNNAM
Even in a phone interview, it’s apparent that Lydell Wilson exhibits a good poker face.
The Lamar Consolidated head football coach is full of praise for the Friendswood Mustangs, and he wasn’t lacking in that area on the heels of Friendswood’s 69-48 win over La Marque last week.
“We’re just going to try to hold them under 100 points,” Wilson said. “Everything they do is good on offense.
“Jacob (Karam) is a good quarterback, their line is good, their running back is good, their receivers are good.”
And how about the Friendswood defense that allowed more than 500 yards to a young La Marque team?
“Each game is different,” Wilson said. “All I know is that those guys will be ready to play Friday.”
Two years ago, Lamar Consolidated routed Friendswood in the bi-district round of the playoffs. However, the make-up of both teams is entirely different this time around.
“I just had a chance to talk with (Jacquizz Rodgers) and he’s coming back as a fifth-year senior,” Wilson joked about his former star. “He’s a once-in-a-lifetime player.”
Two years ago, Rodgers shredded the Mustang defense for more than 200 yards – and did the same against USC this year as a redshirt freshman for Oregon, pinning the Trojans with their only loss to date. Rodgers is averaging 118 yards per game for Oregon this season.
“Each year is different. That game two years ago doesn’t mean anything,” Wilson said. “I had a chance to work with Jacob two years ago at an LSU football camp. He’s the real deal. He’ll continue what Graham Harrell is doing at Texas Tech.”
Friendswood head coach Steve Van Meter said his team absorbed something from the teams’ playoff game two years ago.
“We learned that Jacquizz Rodgers could wreak havoc on us, USC and everybody else,” Van Meter said. “He and his brother were definitely the difference-makers in that game.”
This year, Lamar Consolidated is led by running back Jordan Towers, who has gained 820 yards on 125 carries and has scored seven touchdowns.
Quarterback D.J. Smallwood has completed 44 of 101 passes for 939 yards and eight touchdowns.
“The Smallwood kid is what makes them go,” Van Meter said. “They’ve got a good offensive team and they’re athletic on defense.
“There’s no question they’re a much-improved football team since the start of the season.”
Van Meter is hoping his defense can perform considerably better than it did last week when it allowed 48 points and more than 500 yards to La Marque.
Van Meter called the effort “the worst defensive performance in my head coaching career and the worst tackling in the history of high school football.”
Van Meter says he believes Friendswood’s defensive woes have been resolved.
“I believe we’ve got it figured out,” Van Meter said. “It’s up to those 11 kids to do the things they’re supposed to do. If not, I’ll find 11 that will.”
Offensively, Friendswood counters with Karam, who has completed 146 of 238 passes for 2,352 yards and 31 touchdowns. Fourteen of those TD tosses have come in the last two weeks.
Karam’s favorite target has been wide receiver Andre Gautreaux, who has 44 receptions for 1,031 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Running back Andrew Cole has rushed for 546 yards on 62 carries and scored five times while averaging 8.8 yards per carry.
Lamar Consolidated lost its first two games to Texas City and Elkins, but has won six straight.
“We’ve been progressing each week since the hurricane,” Wilson said. “We kind of shot ourselves in the foot those first two weeks, but we’ve gotten better.
“The rain is hurting us a little right now. Anytime you can’t get out on the field, it’s a tough situation. It’s flu season and we don’t want to get anybody sick this week. It’s a delicate situation.
“The basketball coaches have the gyms tied up now, too, but we’ll try to get something done.”
Van Meter’s not sweating that issue.
“That’s what the plastic field is great for,” he said. “It’s not hampered us at all. We were very focused and attentive in practice yesterday, and I expect us to have the same intensity today.”
FRIENDSWOOD VS. LAMAR CONSOLIDATED
When: 7:30 p.m., Friday
Where: Pasadena
Records: Lamar Consolidated 6-2, Friendswood 7-1
Noteworthy: Lamar Consolidated has won six consecutive games while Friendswood has won its last five.
Tale of the tape
Lamar Con. (6-2)
Texas City 26, LC 21
SL Elkins 35, LC 28
LC 35, Buda Hays 24
LC 35, Oak Ridge 25
LC 14, Bay City 2
LC 31, Foster 7
LC 13, Terry 0
LC 24, El Campo 14
Friendswood (7-1)
Friendswood 42, Dayton 21
Friendswood 27, Texas City 22
Angleton 28, Friendswood 25
Friendswood 45, Santa Fe 19
Friendswood 61, Dawson 28
Friendswood 28, Manvel 27
Friendswood 49, Brazosport 28
Friendswood 69, La Marque 48
The Lamar Consolidated head football coach is full of praise for the Friendswood Mustangs, and he wasn’t lacking in that area on the heels of Friendswood’s 69-48 win over La Marque last week.
“We’re just going to try to hold them under 100 points,” Wilson said. “Everything they do is good on offense.
“Jacob (Karam) is a good quarterback, their line is good, their running back is good, their receivers are good.”
And how about the Friendswood defense that allowed more than 500 yards to a young La Marque team?
“Each game is different,” Wilson said. “All I know is that those guys will be ready to play Friday.”
Two years ago, Lamar Consolidated routed Friendswood in the bi-district round of the playoffs. However, the make-up of both teams is entirely different this time around.
“I just had a chance to talk with (Jacquizz Rodgers) and he’s coming back as a fifth-year senior,” Wilson joked about his former star. “He’s a once-in-a-lifetime player.”
Two years ago, Rodgers shredded the Mustang defense for more than 200 yards – and did the same against USC this year as a redshirt freshman for Oregon, pinning the Trojans with their only loss to date. Rodgers is averaging 118 yards per game for Oregon this season.
“Each year is different. That game two years ago doesn’t mean anything,” Wilson said. “I had a chance to work with Jacob two years ago at an LSU football camp. He’s the real deal. He’ll continue what Graham Harrell is doing at Texas Tech.”
Friendswood head coach Steve Van Meter said his team absorbed something from the teams’ playoff game two years ago.
“We learned that Jacquizz Rodgers could wreak havoc on us, USC and everybody else,” Van Meter said. “He and his brother were definitely the difference-makers in that game.”
This year, Lamar Consolidated is led by running back Jordan Towers, who has gained 820 yards on 125 carries and has scored seven touchdowns.
Quarterback D.J. Smallwood has completed 44 of 101 passes for 939 yards and eight touchdowns.
“The Smallwood kid is what makes them go,” Van Meter said. “They’ve got a good offensive team and they’re athletic on defense.
“There’s no question they’re a much-improved football team since the start of the season.”
Van Meter is hoping his defense can perform considerably better than it did last week when it allowed 48 points and more than 500 yards to La Marque.
Van Meter called the effort “the worst defensive performance in my head coaching career and the worst tackling in the history of high school football.”
Van Meter says he believes Friendswood’s defensive woes have been resolved.
“I believe we’ve got it figured out,” Van Meter said. “It’s up to those 11 kids to do the things they’re supposed to do. If not, I’ll find 11 that will.”
Offensively, Friendswood counters with Karam, who has completed 146 of 238 passes for 2,352 yards and 31 touchdowns. Fourteen of those TD tosses have come in the last two weeks.
Karam’s favorite target has been wide receiver Andre Gautreaux, who has 44 receptions for 1,031 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Running back Andrew Cole has rushed for 546 yards on 62 carries and scored five times while averaging 8.8 yards per carry.
Lamar Consolidated lost its first two games to Texas City and Elkins, but has won six straight.
“We’ve been progressing each week since the hurricane,” Wilson said. “We kind of shot ourselves in the foot those first two weeks, but we’ve gotten better.
“The rain is hurting us a little right now. Anytime you can’t get out on the field, it’s a tough situation. It’s flu season and we don’t want to get anybody sick this week. It’s a delicate situation.
“The basketball coaches have the gyms tied up now, too, but we’ll try to get something done.”
Van Meter’s not sweating that issue.
“That’s what the plastic field is great for,” he said. “It’s not hampered us at all. We were very focused and attentive in practice yesterday, and I expect us to have the same intensity today.”
FRIENDSWOOD VS. LAMAR CONSOLIDATED
When: 7:30 p.m., Friday
Where: Pasadena
Records: Lamar Consolidated 6-2, Friendswood 7-1
Noteworthy: Lamar Consolidated has won six consecutive games while Friendswood has won its last five.
Tale of the tape
Lamar Con. (6-2)
Texas City 26, LC 21
SL Elkins 35, LC 28
LC 35, Buda Hays 24
LC 35, Oak Ridge 25
LC 14, Bay City 2
LC 31, Foster 7
LC 13, Terry 0
LC 24, El Campo 14
Friendswood (7-1)
Friendswood 42, Dayton 21
Friendswood 27, Texas City 22
Angleton 28, Friendswood 25
Friendswood 45, Santa Fe 19
Friendswood 61, Dawson 28
Friendswood 28, Manvel 27
Friendswood 49, Brazosport 28
Friendswood 69, La Marque 48
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