Go Friday Night

EAGLE HONORS

Coach of the Year: Steve Warren

QB Taylor Potts, Sr. Offensive co-MVP
LB Michael Reno, Sr. Defensive MVP

First Team All District Offense

Running Back- Casey Bell, Sr.
Guard- Wade Hood, Sr.
Tackle- Kegan Carey, Jr.
Wide Receiver- Lyle Leong Jr, Sr., Jason Boone, Sr.

Second Team All District Offense

Center- Mitch Harvey, Jr.
Guard- Danny Dudgeon, Sr.
Tackle- Grant Zeller, Jr.
Tight End- Ben Gibbs, Sr.
Wide Receiver- Chris Hale, Sr.

Honorable Mention Offense

Wide Receiver- Luke Kittley, Sr.

First Team All District Defense

Defensive Line- Marcus Brooks, Sr.
Inside Linebacker- Jividen McCoy, Sr.
Outside Linebacker- Jeff Williams, Sr.
Corner- Stephen Powell, Sr.
Safety- Wade Baker, Sr.

Second Team All District Defense

Defensive Line- Andrew Hamaty, Sr.
Outside Linebacker- Michael Baker, Sr.
Safety- Brian Johnston, Jr.

Honorable Mention Defense

Defensive Line- Garrison Hardin, Jr.
Corner- Keith Brown, Jr.

Congratulations to all twenty three players. 17 Seniors and 6 Juniors.
Congratulations to Coach Steve Warren and his entire staff.

• November 29, 2005 6:52 PM

The band of brothers, they make me smile

Band of brothers, is what this year’s edition of Eagles called themselves. I have another name for them and that is band of sons. I love these guys. I am as proud of them as I am of my own son and I tell you that is saying a lot.

I hurt with them for the horrible loss they have incurred at the hands of Southlake Carroll. It was a game that the Eagles ran into a very good opponent and the Eagles did not have an answer for on offense or defense. They scored at will almost and the Eagles were shutdown and shutout. I still have a hard time accepting that SLC was so much better than the Eagles but that was the case. It is also hard for me to believe that anyone will stop SLC this season but there are some great teams left and only time will tell.

This team accomplished much this season. I think back over the season and it makes me smile. I looked back at pictures I made of the Black and Gold game and of the summer and of the beginning of the season and I smile and laugh. I think of how Abilene High began the season with 18 of 22 positions being filled by either new players or players in new positions or both. I think about new coaches and new duties and that makes me smile. Winning five games before district with out a loss makes me smile. Winning all five District 3-5A games with out a loss makes me smile. Winning two playoff games makes me smile. Reflecting on a 52-0 loss and knowing that the Eagles played every down of the game with the intensity we as fans expect makes me smile.

Knowing that this last game was the last game for many of my adopted sons makes me smile even though my eyes are wet as I finish this blog makes me smile. Knowing that I have in even the smallest way been a part of the EAGLE FAMILY this season makes me smile. There is so much love and dedication that goes on in the background by moms and dads and brothers and sisters and friends of Eagles that most people have no idea the little things that are taking place. Thank you’s go to the Eagle Band and the pep squads and the cheerleaders and the drill team and everyone that works to make the Eagle program what it is

Looking forward to next year makes me smile. We lose many players and with that loss we lose many skill players and with that loss we lose much leadership. Who will step forward and lead? You know who you are and if have not started, it is high time you get started.

To those of you, friend and foes who have posted comments, that makes me smile. To those of you that have shown up at the booster club and have worked hard for this program, you make me smile.

To the young man that has been in contact with our coaches and our administrators while serving this nation in harms way and to all your comrades you make me smile AND YOU MAKE ME PROUD. The tears that rolled down my face Friday night as the Eagle Band played our National Anthem were tears of joy and pride for the job each of you do, I thank you and may God bless each of you and keep you safe.

Smile Eagle fans, SMILE

• November 26, 2005 9:49 PM
• Comments (6)

Southlake Carroll 52 Abilene High ZERO!

Bathe it! Put perfume on it! Dress it up however you wish. This one stinks awful. How far South can a 12-0 season go when it crashes down around your head and becomes a 12-1 year and ends with a country whipping that left nothing unturned? It was not even close as the score indicates. Clocks were cleaned for the Eagles courtesy of the Dragons of SLC land.

Did you see coming? I doubt many Eagles fans did. Sure there will be some who will say I told you so! I had a few fans from elsewhere tell me it was going to be a blowout. I wasn’t sure we could beat SLC but I thought we could make them struggle for the victory. Boy was I wrong. After two straight scoring drives by SLC I told everyone around me that if they scored again before the Eagles did that it was going to get ugly. I had no idea how prophetic that statement was. OK! I am through venting now.

!0-0 2 in a row! Sweet my anybodies standard! Outright District Champions again. Winners of two playoff games again. Lots of folks would love to say those things about their teams. The Eagles took lots of new faces, coaches and players alike, and went right back to where they had been the year before and didn’t miss a step. Las year’s game with SLC was close and an instant classic while this game this year was a blow out. What can I say. It was a long trip home and now I have a couple of grandbabies in my home for the holidays and they are both crying so that will end this blog for the night. Later this game and season will be revisited.

• November 26, 2005 2:29 AM
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Today is here at last!!!!!

Well, today is a great day. The day after Thanksgiving and the Eagles still have a game to play. Not just any game mind you. No sir! Today’s opponent is Southlake Carroll. The defending State Champions, Southlake Carroll Dragons. OH man! It doesn’t get any better than this.

Are the Eagles underdogs for today's game? Doesn't happen often but I would say most folks see Abilene High as the decided underdogs. That is ok. All season long, it has been the Abilene Eagles with a target on their backs. Don’t get me wrong, it is still there. Now, you see, the Eagles also draw the bullseye on other people too.

Last season the Eagles met SLC in the playoffs at Texas Stadium. GOOD NIGHT NURSE! What a great game it was. Both teams undefeated going in knowing that only one would advance. SLC did the advancing, outscoring the Eagles that day last year 35-30. SLC went on to claim not only a State Championship but a mythical National Championship as well.

That was then and this is now. SLC and Abilene High both are undefeated, 12-0, and once again are on a collision course with each other. Tonight in Waco they will line up once again and battle for the right to advance.

Revenge may be on the mind of many Abilene High fans but that is not the motivation for the Abilene High Eagles. No? No! The Eagles, also known as the Band of Brothers, want to be the best and desire to win a State Championship of their own. IF they are to do that then tonight they have to defeat the Southlake Carroll Dragons. It will not be an easy task. How hard will it be? Well. The Dragons have only tasted defeat once in the last three years. The Katy Tigers took down the mighty Dragons in the championship game two years ago by a single point. Few teams have tested SLC since then. One of those were the Eagles last season. SLC had a couple of hard games after the Eagles in route to their state title.A win tonight would not assure the Eagles of a state title but a loss definitely ends the season.

GOOD FOOTBALL TO YOU Eagles as you give the effort to answer the challenge that stands in the way of your mission .

See you in Waco!

• November 25, 2005 9:51 AM

Southlake Carroll, Abilene High Round 2

By now you all know it is official. The Southlake Carroll Dragons and the Abilene High Eagles have made it to the third round of the playoffs again and for the second year in a row will face off against each other. Texas High School Football, which is the best in the nation period, has had many a storied match ups through the years. The game last season was the first match up between the two schools and instantly became known as one of the classic games of high school football in Texas. Carroll won that game by the score of 35-30 in Texas Stadium before a very large crowd of people. I still to this day refuse to say the Eagles lost, only that we were outscored. I have never whined about the fact that the Eagles were banged up that day especially on defense. Had they fielded a healthy team that day, SLC would not have advanced. I don’t know that Abilene High would have gone on to win a state championship but I know in my heart we would have won that game. SLC did indeed win the State Championship for the second time in three years. The year they didn’t win they lost to Katy by a single point in the finals.

That was then and this is now . Last year’s contest is history. We will never know for sure if things would have been different or not. SLC, like this year’s edition of the Abilene High Eagles, have been compared all year long to their respective teams from the year before. Depending on who you visit with you will hear that neither team is as good as last year’s team. That may well be the case. You can only compare them against each other in your mind. Yes there are players on both teams that played last year but there are many from both teams that have graduated. I tell you this without a doubt in my mind, both are very good. You can not be 12-0 and not have some good things going on.

SLC opened their season right here in Abilene at Shotwell Stadium by beating Midland Lee. They looked very good and they have shown improvement over the course of the season. They have not been seriously challenged all year. Grapevine perhaps gave them their toughest game. Last season SLC was know for being an offensive powerhouse. Little has changed this season. Often times people tend to forget about the Dragon defense. They never received the attention they deserved last year until they were able to lift the Championship trophy over their heads. This season has been pretty much the same thing. Everyone worries, rightfully so, how to stop the Southlake Carroll offense but I tell you they come as a packaged deal. They have a fantastic defense.

What about Abilene High you ask? The Eagles have won 12 games and some were my the skin of their teeth. 12-0 anyway you slice it. The offense has looked great at times and less than great at times. The Abilene High D has performed very solid all season, Without their solid performances, there would be no 12-0 record. That is not to say they have carried the team with the word team being the key word in that sentence.

Abilene High can beat SLC. I am not saying they will beat SLC but only that they can. A win by Abilene High will mean that the Offense hits on all cylinders and that we have no turnovers and few if any penalties. The better the ground game does the better the Eagles chances are of winning this game. Ball control and time management are the keys on offense. Abilene High’s passing game is a thing of beauty and they will complete passes. It goes without saying that the Offensive Line which has been stellar all season will have their biggest challenge of the season ahead of them opening holes for the running backs and protecting the quarterback when we pass.

The Defense will have to play aggressively and with emotion. More so than against Weatherford in the Bi-District game and I thought that was the most aggressive I had seen them all year. The pass defense must stop the awesome passing game of SLC. It will not stop there. The Eagles will have to shut down a powerful ground game as well. I don’t think the Eagles or any other team shuts down the ground or passing game of SLC. They must limit them as much as possible.

Special teams will have to be more than special. We will need to kick the ball deep on kickoffs. Deep as in no returns. Make SLC look at 80 yards every time they start a drive. Punts. NO blocked kicks. Field position will mean everything in this game. Kickoff returns will be crucial. The Eagles must make good judgments on handling the return chores. It sounds like what I am asking of the Eagles is to play a perfect game without any type of mistakes. That my friends is pretty much exactly what it will take for the Eagles to win. I have said all along if you want to be the best you have to beat the best. Right now, that opportunity is squarely in the hands of the Abilene High Eagles. I believe that this coaching staff and the players and the fans have waited for one year to have this opportunity again. The challenge is there. Do you accept?

Thanksgiving weekend and the Eagles are still playing football. That is a small reason to be thankful. We have so much more to be thankful for. Many a mile has been logged following the Eagles this season and as far as I know we have all been safe. Let’s keep it that way. Friday night 7:30 PM, Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco, Texas, Abilene High against the defending State Champion Southlake Carroll Dragons. Can it get any better than that?

GO EAGLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• November 20, 2005 6:42 PM
• Comments (5)

EAGLES WORK OVERTIME. NOW 12 and 0, AGAIN!!!

The Abilene High Eagles have won their first 12 games without a defeat for the second year in a row. The Eagles have been on a roll for several weeks now. Friday night started out like a typical night at the office for Abilene High. They jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. In the end, the night was anything but typical with Abilene High being forced to work overtime to get their 12th victory of the year with a 28-21 over Lubbock Monterey.

Lubbock Monterey finished their season with 6 wins and 6 losses. Up and down all year, the Plainsmen made their last stand for this season by overcoming the Eagles 14-0 1st quarter lead to take a 21 to 14 lead. The Eagles had to rally themselves and overcome three turnovers, 2 interceptions and a fumble, to tie the score and force overtime. From there the Eagles gained a 28-21 advantage and the stopped Monterey with an interception to seal the victory.

The BB boys, Casey Bell and Xavier Beaver ran the ball well. Casey finished the night with 21 carries for 127 yards and a touchdown and Xavier collected 65 yards on 6 carries and two touchdowns.. Eagle QB Taylor Potts finished the night passing completing 23 of 38 passes for 263 yards. He threw 2 interceptions. Taylor became the district’s career passing leader passing Shea Morenz of San Angelo Central.

On the receiving end of Pott’s record breaking passes were six different receivers. Jason Boone caught 6 passes for 74 yards. Lyle Leong caught 5 for 59 yards and a touchdown. Chris Hale caught 3 for 50 yards. Ben Gibbs caught 4 for 33 yards. Kortney McDow caught 2 for 27 yards. Finally, it was Luke Kittley catching three for 20 yards. The Eagles had 416 yards of team offense.

Defensively, the Eagles held Monterey to 130 on the ground and 56 yards passing for a total of 186 yards. That is an outstanding accomplishment against an option offense that the Eagles don’t often face. I can’t say enough about the Eagle D. The line and linebackers were awesome in holding the Plainsmen to 130 yards on the ground. The defensive backs were equally awesome in only giving up 50 yards of passing. We had three receivers that each had 50 are more receiving yards.

The outstanding plays of the games were without a doubt the interception made by Wade Baker during the overtime to end the game and Lyle Leong’s touchdown catch on 4th and 6 with 5:51 left in the game to tie the game at 21 all and Xavier Beaver’s 7yard run for a touchdown in overtime.

Coach Warren spoke of winning this one with heart and I agree. He also said this was a total team effort and I certainly have to agree with that and as a result of that the game ball goes to the team!

With this win, the Eagles advance to the third round of the playoffs for the second year in a row and will play next Friday night in Waco’s Floyd Casey Stadium against the winner of the Southlake Carroll and Allen winner. Anyone want to wager which team that might be?

Thank you players and coaches for another week of football at Dear Old Abilene High! I can’t wait for Friday night!

See you there.

• November 19, 2005 3:39 PM

In Search of another win.

The Abilene High Eagles will board the bus to Lubbock on Friday with one goal in mind and that is to defeat the Lubbock Monterey Plainsmen. No one should be fooled by Monterey’s 6-5 record. Everyone must realize that Friday night in Lubbock, the Eagles perfect season is on the line. A win will allow the search for a 13th win. A loss and this wonderful season comes to an end. Just like that, it will be over.

To a player, the Eagles want to be the best. To be the best you have to beat the best. Monterey is on the plate this week. They are a very good team that has come together and is playing great football. The Eagles must play a solid football game to advance to the 13th game of the season.

Coach Warren and his staff have challenged the Eagle team to improve every week. That is a difficult thing to do. The Eagles are all about executing the fundamental elements of the game. They were working on that way back in August and they continued to work on it this week. Coach wants them concentrating on what the Eagles can do more so than what the other team can do. If our team does what they are capable of doing, what they have trained to do all season long , then it doesn’t matter what the other team brings to the table. The Eagles biggest opponent is themselves. If they don’t beat themselves, not many other teams will.

Play or stay. Sounds harsh doesn’t it? That is the reality of the playoffs. 11 and 0 is a good year. 11-1 and it is over. 12-0 advances to Waco. Fans, make the trip and back these young men to victory.

GO EAGLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• November 17, 2005 8:45 PM

Lubbock Monterey: A familiar foe

I guess that Abilene High has played Lubbock Monterey in football more times than any other team in the last 10 years including teams from our district. Monterey historically speaking has started the regular season off slowly. The Eagles of Abilene High are a huge reason because they have spanked Monterey often in the regular season.

This season was no exception as the Eagles defeated Monterey here in Abilene the first game of the season by a score of 37-14. Abilene High was searching for their identity back in week zero and Monterey was searching for a quarterback after their starter went out with an injury prior to that first game.

During the current playoff stretch being enjoyed by each of these fine programs, the results have been a tad bit different. In three previous playoff contest, the Monterey teams have beaten Abilene High twice while the Eagles have bested them once.

Monterey over the years have been committed to the run when on offense using the wishbone formation that everyone used to run. There are many options that one can use when the wishbone is executed properly. Hardly anyone use this formation now. Monterey does and they run it very well. They will pass but not often.

Looking back at this season’s earlier match up between these two schools, Lubbock ran the ball 41 plays while passing 12 times. That is a lot of passing for Monterey. Their success comes from running the ball. They rushed the ball for 236 yards that game. Out of the 12 pass attempts, they completed only 3 passes for 29 yards. Stephen Powell of the Abilene Eagles defense intercepted two passes that night making him the top receiver for Monterey that night.

The advantage of running the wishbone offense is the multiple options it causes the other team to defend. It also allows them to make long , time consuming drives that eat up time on the clock and keeping the ball out of the hands of the opponent’s offense. Sounds good on paper but it doesn’t always work. Option teams usually have more turnovers. That was not the case back in week zero. To their credit, Monterey only had one fumble but the Eagles did recover it. Also time of possession favored the Abilene High squad that night as the Eagles controlled the ball 28 minutes and 47 seconds while Monterey had the ball only 19 minutes and 13 seconds.

Offensively, the key to victory for Abilene High is to score early and often and force Monterey to throw the ball more than they want to. Abilene High built up a 21-0 lead and then carried a 28 -7 lead into the half during the earlier meeting this season. Defensively, the Eagles must limit the yards Monterey is able to gain with their rushing attack.

We know that Abilene High has gone on to win ten additional games since the week zero encounter with Monterey. What have the Plainsmen done since then? Their overall record of 6 and 5 includes losses to a good Class 4A school and Odessa Permian of our district. They lost to Amarillo High and San Angelo Central in District 2-5A play. Their victories came against El Paso Franklin and Midland High before district play and Lubbock Coronado, Lubbock High, and Amarillo Tascosa in district.

Their last win was over El Paso Coronado in Bi District. The score was 73-14. They are hitting on all cylinders and look forward to having the opportunity to knock off the undefeated Eagles in Lubbock Friday night 7:30 PM at Lowery Field.

GO AND SUPPORT YOUR ABILENE HIGH EAGLES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

• November 13, 2005 8:30 PM
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ABILENE HIGH EAGLES 11-0 Bi-District Champions!

Abilene High put another notch in their belt Friday night in Brownwood by defeating the Weatherford Kangaroos 49-14. Weatherford was making their first playoff appearance in Class 5A while Abilene High’s program was there for the 7th straight year.

Weatherford advanced out of District 4-5A as the second seeded team in the Division II Class 5A state playoffs. They were 7-3 during the regular season with all their losses occurring in district play. Their district losses were to Mansfield Summit 49-28. Summit took out Midland Lee last night for the second year in a row, The score was 50-14. Burleson defeated Weatherford in district by the score of 56-27. Burleson did not make the playoffs. Weatherford’s other district loss was to North Crowley by the score of 47-14.The Midland High Bulldogs eliminated North Crowley last night 28-3. I give this information for only one purpose. The UIL will announce realignment of districts in February and one of the hottest rumors is Abilene High could find themselves in the same district with Weatherford next season.

Back to the task at hand of blogging for the Abilene High Eagles. The Roo’s team collectively went to the dentist Friday night and you all know the routine. They got DRILLED. DECLEATED! SLOBBERKNOCKED! SEPERATED FROM THEIR PROTECTIVE GEAR! LIT UP! Oh my! The Beatles and Elvis put together did not have as many “hits� as the Eagles administered last night. You usually can go home from watching a game with one hit in your mind that you classify the “hit of the night�. Not last night. I have to admit right up front that I am a defensive nut and when we lose a shut out I am bummed for quite some time. With that said, I don’t know if I have ever seen the Eagles as aggressive as they were last night. Both sides of the ball. The Abilene High entire defensive unit that I refer to as the dentist gets a game ball.

Casey Bell ran and ran with authority. I give him a game ball BUT it must be shared with THE Offensive Line. Those young men are good. Week in and week out they open the holes that our running backs run through and they protect their QB like a secret service mans protects the President. Well, there you have it. We have the dentist on D and the Secret Service on Offense. The Eagle passing game clicked again. The play that excited me the most on offense was Luke Kittley’s touchdown reception. It was a beautiful thing. Yes, Luke gets a game ball from the blogger. He has contributed all season and that was icing on the cake last night.

On a sour note, maybe at $3.00 a car Brownwood made enough money to add some additional seating. They really do have a nice stadium but it ain’t big enough for an Abilene High playoff crowd! Can it be worse than that? The answer is yes. Looking ahead, I understand we will play an El Paso team in Pecos if need be. Folks, the info I have says Pecos’ stadium hold less than half what the Brownwood stadium holds. My source is TexasBob.com. That is about 250 miles from Abilene. The rest of the bad news there is that game would be Friday night at 7:00 PM. The other side of that bracket as a familiar foe, Lubbock Monterey and that game supposedly will be played in Lubbock Friday night at 7:30 PM. Either way, I will be asking for the day off on Friday.

Don’t get me wrong. I am proud to be an Eagle fan and I will be happy to watch the game in Bear Stadium at Balmorhea if that is where we are PLAYING in the playoffs!

ABILENE EAGLE FOOTBALL! It is the best!

• November 12, 2005 10:12 AM

MMMMMMMMMM AND O!!!!!!!!!!!!

For those of you that are silliness challenged, the M’s are upside down W’s and they stand for marbles and we got all of them Friday night at Grande Stadium. Ten and O TWO in a row. Sweet.

Lee made some noise in the first half but it was all Eagles in the 2nd half. Leading by only 2 at the half, the Eagles won by 49-27. On the ground and through the air, the Eagles were supreme. Take away a beautiful kick off return for a touchdown and an interception that led to a short touchdown by LEE and you have a total rout instead of just a good whupping. The Eagles amassed nearly 500 yards of offense while allowing Midland Lee less than 200 yards. That pretty much tells the story. Both Abilene High and Midland Lee advance in the playoffs with Midland High, same as last year.

Abilene High takes on Weatherford Friday night in Brownwood. Midland High plays at Shotwell Friday night against North Crowley, and Midland Lee plays Mansfield Summit Friday night in Sweetwater.

Good Football To You!

• November 5, 2005 3:15 PM