Archive : August 2006

August 31, 2006

My Prediction - Sweetwater/Wichita Falls

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I have tried to gather as much info on this game as I can.
I think part of the fun of high school football is offering up zaney predictions when I don't really have the slightest clue on any of it....but here goes anyway.

The Coyotes have a very good QB and he is going to get his pass completions. Heck, with 4 or 5 receivers on every play...the odds are with him. If I'm the Mustangs....I say, move it 80 yards on that nickel and dime passing...we will take those odds. As far as I can see, there isn't a running game (and that could surprise me, but there are no facts to see any kind of running game.) Sooooooo, If I'm the Mustangs...I try to stunt and blitz and hopefully maybe get some coverage sacks too, to contain the potent offense of the Coyotes.

On offense...the Mustangs have to be aware of the very good defensive line of the Coyotes....My idea is NOT to run into the teeth of that size and strength of the defensive line...this sort of plays right into the Mustangs plans anyway. It doesn't matter if the defense "bull rushes strainght up the field....the sweep will take care of alot of that...I don't know about the Coyotes "lateral" movement...I'm not getting a feel for their linebackers at all...

Bottom line is this...if the Mustangs can limit the Coyotes passing game...we should have a chance to win.

My prediction?

Sweetwater 28
Wichita Falls 20

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August 27, 2006

The Center of Attention

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Center James "Bull" Beckwith

Much has been talked and written about when it comes to the re-tooled Mustang offensive line. Pick up any newspaper, listen to any radio show about the 2006 version of the Sweetwater Mustangs, and everyone seems to be questioning the offensive line. It's a natural question because of all the notariety that the established running backs of Sweetwater has. Everyone knows about Skye Green, Auston Davis, and Joseph Banyard. Their reputation preceeds them. They have skins on the wall.

The offensive line is going to be a close knit unit also.

The starting center is James Beckwith. 5'11 257, Bull for short. Bull Beckwith will anchor a line that does have some experience. That isn't talked about much in the media, or at least somewhat overlooked. Joining Bull Beckwith will be Brandon Bugarin, LG 5'8, 269. Jeffery Straley, RG 5'9, 175. And then there is #71 Eric Hernandez, DT/OT 5'11 248 on one side as a tackle with Chase Strother 6'3 268. And there are some good players with size to step up as reserves also. Chris Ramirez, 6'0 314.

The practices are better every day. The scrimmage games are better every week. The plan will continue to be run the option for the Mustangs. I think the line will continue to open holes so the popular running backs of Sweetwater will continue to make good yardage. I think Bull Beckwith and the rest of the talented line will see to that.

http://www.sweetwatermustang.com


August 12, 2006

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Mustangs ready to speed through foes again

Mustangs ready to speed through foes again

By RON HOWELL/Reporter Sports Editor

Changes may be coming for the 2006 Sweetwater football team when it plays its new schedule this fall, but the winning is likely to continue.

That's because the Mustangs should be explosive again on offense - they return a pair of 1,000-yard rushers - and they have a lot of returning talent on defense as well. Sweetwater will need all that talent to compete well in its new 7-3A district, which retains Wylie and Clyde and adds Breckenridge and Comanche.

Sweetwater plays at Wylie - which has handed the Mustangs their only district loss each of the past two years - on Oct. 27. Both teams are state-ranked by Texas Football with Sweetwater No. 12 and Wylie is No. 18, according to the publication, which ranks the top 25.

The Mustangs and Bulldogs have also shared 4-3A district honors with Snyder (now in District 3-3A) the past two years, and they were a combined 23-5 in 2005 with Sweetwater (13-2) making the Division II semifinals and Wylie (10-3) going to the Division I quarterfinals.

But forgive head coach Kent Jackson for not concentrating on Wylie. He must worry about a Murderer's Row non-district schedule that could make it tough for the Mustangs to match last season's 13 wins, which equalled a school record.

Sweetwater begins this season Sept. 1 at Class 4A Wichita Falls, a tradition-rich program which was 6-4 a year ago. The Mustangs will then face an even more tradition-rich Class 4A school - Brownwood - a week later when they host their second annual Sammy Baugh Classic.

After that, Sweetwater plays three consecutive road games starting with a trip to Brownwood's Gordon Wood Stadium on Sept. 14, where the Mustangs have a Thursday night game against Decatur at the Gordon Wood Classic. After that, Sweetwater has road contests at Canyon and Big Spring before finally returning home Oct. 6 to play Borger in its last non-district game.

Brownwood, Decatur, Canyon and Big Spring all made the playoffs in 2005, while Borger and Wichita Falls missed but still had identical winning records of 6-4.

Canyon was a 10-2 regional semifinalist last year, losing 39-36 to Wylie in the second round. The Eagles and Borger are picked by Texas Football to finish 1-2 in District 5-3A. Big Spring, of course, was in Sweetwater's old 4A district for many years until the Mustangs dropped to 3A.

Sweetwater goes to Comanche for its 7-3A opener Oct. 13, then hosts Clyde Oct. 20 before facing Wylie. After a week off, the Mustangs host Breckenridge Nov. 10 to end the season.

Breckenridge - yet another tradition-rich school - was an 8-4 playoff team in 2005 and Comanche made it to the bi-district round. Clyde was just 3-7, but gave Sweetwater a tough game in district as the Bulldogs lost just 20-13.

“People will have to understand that all of the folks on our schedule are capable of winning at any time,” Jackson said. “It will be a playoff level atmosphere from the beginning, but we will be stronger for it. Staying healthy will be a huge deal. There are a lot of intangibles that we won't know until we get started. But every group we've had has found a way to step up to the challenge and I feel like this group will, too.”

Jackson, who has a 52-15 record and has led the Mustangs to playoff appearances in each of his five seasons since becoming head coach here, is well aware that Sweetwater's scheduling problem is no accident.

“When you have had the success we've had, folks find other teams to play,” he said. “But the thing about it is that playing them will make you better. We look forward to getting after it.

“We won't ever be able to get out of the day-to-day mentality. We've got to find a way to keep getting better each game. It will be a challenging deal, but also rewarding if we approach it the right way. We've got to be prepared for what we know will be an extremely tough district.”

Offense

While more and more high school teams are throwing the ball a lot these days, don't expect a big change at Sweetwater. Not when you have three returning running backs who gained just over 3,000 yards.

Seniors Joseph Banyard and Skye Green give Sweetwater one of its most potent 1-2 backfield tandems ever. In 2005, Banyard (181) rushed for 1,288 yards and 23 touchdowns while Green (148), who was the Class 3A bronze medalist in the 100 dash, had 1,241 yards and 22 TDs. The two all-state speedsters also each caught 10 passes. Junior fullback Auston Da-vis (184) also returns after gaining 558 yards and earning first team all-district honors.

Also getting playing time will be J.J. McCoy (127), Maurice Rosas (169), Rufus McCann (185), Justin Rodriguez (151) and Martin Williams (156).

Assuming the fulltime quarterback duties is senior Duone Cunnings (175), who saw considerable action at the position a year ago until a serious collarbone injury knocked him out for several weeks. Thomas Holsey (149), up from the JV team, will also get playing time.

There are plenty of holes to fill on the offensive line, which was wiped out by graduation, and some new faces at receiver as well.

James Beckwith (257) will move from tackle to center and Brandon Bugarin (269) will be at right guard, with Max May (172) or Jeffery Straley (175) at left guard. Fighting it out to start at left tackle will be Shane Rains (270), Eric Hernandez (248) and Chris Ramirez (314). Chase Strother (268) will contend with Ramirez to start at right tackle, while brothers Ad-am Salazar (208) and Frankie Salazar (274) will compete to start at center and right guard, respectively. The tight end will be Justin Adames (190), with Keifer Adamez (174), Rico Garza (199) and David Covington (180) also seeing action.

The receiving candidates are Bryan Boyd (150), Logan Glass (160), Travis Wallace (146), Lundi Cotten (126) and Cory Fergeson (150).

Defense

Sweetwater has quite a few returning players who started at least a handful of games on defense this past season. The most prominent are Adames at middle linebacker, McCann at strongside linebacker, Rodri-guez at cornerback and Bugarin at tackle, as all four earned all-district recognition in 2005.

Adames, who also earned all-state honors, led the team with 161 tackles and McCann - the district's top defensive newcomer - recorded 116. Another returning starter is Banyard, an all-district linebacker who was moved to strong safety. Davis is expected to be the starting weakside linebacker with Williams, Covington and Rosas also seeing action. McCoy, Green and Anthony Hunter (128) will compete to start at the other cornerback spot while Wallace, Glass and Cotten will also get time. Banyard will contend with Boyd and Fergeson at strong safety, and Holsey, Cunnings and Colton Burton (150) are the free safety candidates.

Bugarin will be backed by Rains and Ramirez at one tackle, while Beckwith, Hernandez and both Salazars are competing at the other tackle spot. Straley, May and Garza will vie for one of the end positions, and Adamez and Strother are competing on the other side.

Kicking, special teams

Either McCann, last year's starter, or Cunnings is expected to handle the punting duties in 2006. Beckwith handled kickoffs a year ago and will contend with Banyard for those duties, and either Beckwith or Banyard will be the new extra point and field goal kicker. Glass is expected to be the deep snapper and Boyd will be the holder.

The candidates to handle the kick returns are McCoy, Banyard, Green, Cunnings, Rodriguez and Holsey.

August 8, 2006

SYFL Pee Wee League

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"The first picture is of mine and "mustang84"'s son, Kendall "TANK" Rea going up against Andrew Davis (little brother of Auston Davis #36 on Mustang Varsity). These boys really go hard all the time. They are both 10 yrs old and are on the SYFL Jr Pee Wee team."

MustangMom44



August 7, 2006

Time for football!!

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Good morning Mustang fans!
As the first day of practice is here, I just want to take this opportunity to let everyone now we are committed to bringing you everything we can on what's going on with the Sweetwater Mustangs for 2006!

We hope to be able to cover it all.

I appreciate being able to work with the Abilene Reporter News again this year.
Not only will we be covering the Mustangs from this blog on GoFridayNight.com, as you know there is a new Mustang website, www.sweetwatermustang.com. From the Mustang website is a new bulletin board The Pony Express which can be accessed from the website.

We want to report on the Mustangs with even more in-depth coverage this year.

If you want Mustang coverage, we will have it for you. Your comments and participation will be encouraged here. Join us, as we support the Sweetwater Mustangs on another great season.

If you have any information that you would like to add regarding the Mustangs, e-mail me here.

We would appreciate any info on the Booster Club, and any information on rosters, as well as any photos that you could supply. Let's make this a community blog to follow the Mustangs this year. I look forward to a great year.

August 3, 2006

Mustangs!!

Jackson among finalists to coach in all-star game

Jackson among finalists to coach in all-star game

Sweetwater's Kent Jackson has been chosen as a semifinalist to coach in the Texas High School Coaches Association All-Star Football Game next summer.

Jackson has compiled a 52-15 record in five years as the head football coach at Sweetwater. Under his guidance, Sweetwater has made it to the playoffs in all five years and was 13-2 this past season while reaching the Class 3A, Division II semifinals.

Before becoming Sweetwater's coach in 2001, Jackson was at Olney for six years and had a 45-21-1 record.

Jackson is a 1982 graduate of Seminole High School and a 1986 graduate of Lubbock Christian University.

Russell Clayton, a 2006 Sweetwater High graduate, played for the North team in Tuesday's THSCA all-star game won by the South.

Rick Davis, athletic trainer at Sweetwater, was honored on Wednesday's final day of the annual coaching school when he was named High School Trainer of the Year.

August 1, 2006

Howdy Mustang Fans!!!!! Ready for 2006!!

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Wow...seems like it's been forever since last football season..but we are back!!!!!

I owe a very large apology to everyone. I had to reformat my computer hard drive and I lost all of my information to log on here, but thanks to Laura, we finally figured it out.

I posted some old comments that were from earlier in the spring...

Sooo, looks like the Mustangs report for two-a-days on August 7th...Just around the corner.

By the way, the Mustang website is coming along nicely, and there is a link there to the bulletin board The Pony Express

The website is www.sweetwatermustang.com

Notcie it's Mustang, not Mustangs (plural). There was an issue with the Mustangs (plural)

When you get to the site...just look for the Pony Express Forum and it will take you to a growing list of Mustang fans! Come join us...

Getting ready for a new season...let's go Mustangs!!!!

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