1. Just because Jim Ned is not in the playoffs does not mean there isn't football related news.
I have a camera and time, and I will be writing about the efforts of our 6-2A representatives on here, mostly in the form of a photo series.

2. Basketball is around the corner here, so there is plenty of news that I will be posting here about that.

I'll be doing these two things in an attempt to keep this page updated more often.

In reality, for the Indians and the Bluecats, this game was a playoff game in itself. With Early and Wall securing a spot in the postseason, only one more seat was available, and either Jim Ned or Coleman moved forward and the other team went home. Unfortunately, it didn't go the way the Indians had hoped.

We lost two of our most prolific receivers in Michael Shelton and Kit Lefevere, somewhere in there, but it didn't slow down the offense. It opened the gates for younger talent to do what they could do. For example, Jordon Coffman's abilities may have been stifled by the Coleman defense, this game, but his determination alone shows only a preview of what a team Jim Ned is going to be, next season.

A fan actually told me they didn't think that the Indians will be as good of a team the next few years after this one. From what I have seen they're going to be just as good as they were this season, if not better. We have depth to give away on the lines, as long as growing pains and centers of gravity cease to be an issue. We have a superb set of receivers in the mist and a trio of quarterbacks that are behind Taylor Cain, who will undoubtedly helm the offense in '07.

To the seniors: Jon, Kit, Colt, James, Rance, Garrett, Phillip, Kirk, Dayton, Chance, and Colter:

This was a year to remember. I am proud of your effort on the field and your attitude off. You guys represented your school without question, and your futures will no doubt be very bright, regardless the fields you choose. I had a LOT of fun, this season, and I am already looking forward to see what happens next, in basketball, baseball, tennis, or whatever it is you guys do (debate, even!) do it with all your heart, because you may never get to do it again, but what you do achieve -- those are the things you get to talk about when you're 50 and working at the office. I should know. I hear all about good high school sports a lot where I work! But the memories are the best -- so keep them good.

Thanks again...

...at least the truck was red.

The matchup that will most likely decide who goes to playoffs between the Indians and the Bluecats is, incidently, the last game of the season for both teams -- and it's in Coleman. Can the Indians go to Bluecat Country and leave as winners? Regardless the score on the board, I say yes.

But that game is two weeks away, and currently, the Indians are focusing entirely on the Wall Hawks.

Part Two of my preseason report is now in session, albeit a couple of days late. I'm discussing the defense, here.

I don't think defensemen get their glory, especially when it comes to the linemen and ends. I have taken many a picture where the reason a running back made a good run was because one of the linemen found a hole and exploited it. This happens rarely with the Indian defense.
The struggle at the line almost always ends in the Indians' favor.

You'll normally find brothers Payden and Garrett Brown on that line, somewhere. Juniors Trenton Tippett and Brian Schulle beef up the middle, and Will Meiron usually on one of the ends. At first, it looked like Tippett and Schulle would be on one side of the ball, only, but coaching staff saw it better to put both of them together -- which will turn out to be a good move. Garrett is usually on one of the ends, as well, and his quickness has proven poisonous to opposing offensive units. Meiron and Payden are new to the varsity team. Expect them to shine as they mature throughout the season. I'm also going to make a prediction that Joe Mayfield could be one of the ones to make the trip from JV into Varsityland this season. He is really an outstanding player.

In the backfield, Jim Ned lacks experience, but makes up for it with ability. Luke Taylor, Tallen Swanzy, and Jordan Coffman work in the back, and did very well stopping the Merkel receiving game, last night. Whatever makes it past the linebackers, these guys will stop the play before the first down can be achieved.

The seniors, Colt Sansing and Kirk Whitehurst, are carrying over some of their best performances from last season.

Kolby Kelley and Hayden Holson are the roming Mad Maxes of the Defense. With pads that have neckrolls that remind me of Mel Gibson's character from that movie, they roam behind the line somewhere, and without flinching roll up on the unassuming ball carriers, and at times, the quarterback. Holson had at least one last night against Merkel.

Some of the offensive faces may make an apperance in the defensive lineup: Taylor Cain, whose primary role is quarterback; and Kit LeFevre, a receiver both may see some time in the backfield.

The first Friday Night football game has come and gone for the Jim Ned Indians, and thankfully, it ended with a "1" in the Win column.

The Merkel Badgers hosted the event, and immediately put their mark on the board, with a 40 yard connection from QB Matt Gabaldon to Jacob Mendez. Rodrick White, who kicked the field goal, would score later in the first quarter on an 18 yard run into the end zone.

From then on, it was all Jim Ned, as Michael Shelton caught two passes in the second and third quarders, and Philip Perez found a rare opening in the Badger's defensive line in the final period to seal the win. Frankie Rohr nailed all three of his PATs.

Notes of Interest
Jon George and Taylor Cain both took snaps during the game, appearing to share equal time The move by Coach Hargrove worked, as Merkel's defense had some difficulty adjusting to each of the quarterback's style of play. While Cain and George do play a lot alike, there must be something intangible that was just enough to throw off the oncoming defense.

Thumb's Down
The injury bug has hit the Indians hard the last couple of days, with multiple players getting banged up on the Junior Varsity squads, and two key injuries for the V. Rance Cook and Kit LeFevre both stepped out of the game early; however LeFevre was able to return. Several of the players were already donning casts and splints, mostly for damaged done to their thumbs.

This is part one of my preseason look at the Jim Ned Indians. Today, I will cover the offensive game, and tomorrow I will discuss the defense. Let the comments begin!!!

I forgot this is a blog, so let me get comfortable in my blogginess and let's get down to business.
I don't have a JV report, yet, because honestly, I still don't know everyone on the teams....and I don't have enough time either...but they'll get coverage. So on to varsity:

Offense

At quarterback, the preseason has seen the trio of Jon George (SR), Taylor Cain (Jr), and Jeremy Shaw (Jr) taking snaps. Cain, unfortunately, was nailed hard during the latter part of the Hawley scrim, and did not suit out for the test against Sonora. He appeared to be okay, however, cheering happily from the sidelines for that game. His strengths include an insane ability to scramble and target his receivers regardless what side of the field they are on. He also dabbled a bit as an RB. George seemed the strongest, in that it seemed like he didn't mind taking some pretty nasty hits in order to pick up a couple of yards by himself. He seemed to prefer the running game over passing, and even still, showed tight accuracy on the short passing game. Shaw has little, if any, varsity experience, but his speed and size are more than welcome on the team. Sonora gave him a big challenge, but he connected with Tallen Swanzy (Jr), who managed to get out of traffic for a catch just inside the line.

For the running game, Philip Perez(Sr) is definately going to be the main guy. He was second only to Stephen Hernandez ('06), and probably took about a third of the handoffs. He brings the most experience in the category, but junior Kolby Kelley and senior Colt Sansing will be helping him with the load. Kelley is a formidable bulldozer who will post some good numbers, if he stays at 100%. Sansing, I believe, played all defense last year, so I'm not sure how he will do, as he took one handoff that I could see. I'll talk more about him when I write about the Defense. Another player who has not seen varsity time is Jake Lovelady (Jr). He did not get to play during the preseason, due to a lingering injury, but last season, he was a veritable pinball, bouncing off defensemen and finding the endzone. It was rare that he was actually tackled, as it was usually a fast defender in the backfield that was able to dive for his ankles. No joke.

On the receiving end, Michael Shelton(Sr) has been getting a lot of press for his abilities. Some may say he's one of the best players on the field. He's got the size, speed, and hands anyone would want on their team, and he's sure to be on a college team, next season. Follow that up with Rance Cook (Sr), who flanks the other side of the field, usually, and you have a troublesome duo for any opposing team. Kit LeFevre (Sr)is returning from a season that ended before it began (injury). The three of them really boost Jim Ned's scoring threat, and make the team a serious contender for a playoff berth. Garret Brown (Sr), and Kirk Whitehurst (Sr) give solid depth to the receiving department. Hayden Holson (Soph) took passes during the scrimmages, as well as Jordan Coffman (Jr), and both of them, along with Luke Taylor (Soph) and Tallen Swanzy (Jr), remind us that the passing game is in good check for at least two more years.

Our lone kicker is, once again, Sophomore sensation Frankie Rohr. He's the best field goal kicker on the team. I'd say that for kickoffs, but he shares that job with Garrett Brown, who probably owns that title. However, the 10th grader has been getting some kickoff time in the scrimmages. He started on the varsity team about three games into last season.

Our linemen on the offense look about the same as the linemen on the defense. Actually they're the same people, generally. The line, from left to right, usually reads something like Dayton Ferguson (Sr), Colter Sherley (Sr), Chance Darby (Sr) or Will Meiron (Jr) at center, Bryan Schulle (Jr), and Garrett Brown. Juniors Trenton Tippett and Payden Brown got time on the offense as well, but their mainstay looks to be defense. I can say one thing about the guys that make up this line -- they're not BIG by any means. They're not little, either. But they have gelled big time in the seven days between Hawley's scrimmage and Sonora's test that leaves me nothing more than confident that they'll not let anything get between them and their quarterback, be it Jon, Taylor, or Jeremy. I was immensely impressed with their 180 change -- it was that noticeable -- in that week. Whatever coach Walter Hargrove told them -- it worked.

You know, I just realized I named every player on the team. Every player contributes to the offensive plan for the Indians. That's awesome. Haha. Well that's my offensive report. Tomorrow I'll write about the defensive situation, and I'll also let you know how the JV teams did this afternoon.

Kolby Kelly couldn't have said it better himself, announcing "I can't wait for football to start!"

And that was during a baseball game...which the Indians won.

Well, neither can we, and how much cooler it is to see a date, time, and location assigned to the moment everyone's wait will be over. Without further adieu, here are the schedules for the Jim Ned Indian 2006-07 Varsity, JV Red/White, and 7th/8th Grade football teams.

2006-07 Jim Ned Indians JV Red/White Football Schedule
August 18 - meet the Indians - 6:30pm @ the Stadium
August 19 - scrimmage @ Hawley @ San Angelo - TBA
August 24 - scrimmage v Sonora @ San Angelo - 5:00/6:00
August 31 - vs Merkel - 5:00/6:30
September 7 - vs Breckenridge - 5:00/6:30
September 14 - Open
September 21 - vs Eastland (HOMECOMING) - 5:00/6:30
September 28 - @ Early - 5:00/6:30
October 5 - v Ballinger - 5:00/6:30
October 12 - v San Saba - 5:00/6:30
October 19 - @ Bangs - 5:00/6:30
October 26 - v Grape Creek - 5:00/6:30
November 2 - @ Wall - 5:00/6:30
November 9 - v Tuscola

2006-07 Jim Ned Indians 7th/8th Grade Football Schedule
August 18 - meet the Indians - 6:30pm @ the Stadium
September 7 - @ Breckenridge - 5:00/6:30
September 14 - Open
September 21 - vs Eastland (HOMECOMING) - 5:00/6:30
September 28 - vs Early - 5:00/6:30
October 5 - @ Ballinger - 5:00/6:30
October 12 - v San Saba - 5:00/6:30
October 19 - v Bangs - 5:00/6:30
October 25 - @ Grape Creek - 5:00/6:30
November 2 - v Wall - 5:00/6:30
November 9 - @ Coleman - 5:00/6:30

2006 2A ALL STATE TEAM

PITCHERS
FIRST TEAM- Josh Caperton- Hughes Springs, Taylor Jungmann- Rogers, Tad White -Coahoma, Riley Deaver -Brock
SECOND TEAM- Matthew King- East Bernard, Cody Conley- Quitman, Ray Martin -Arp, Braeden Riley -Woodville
THIRD TEAM- Dallas Gallant- Trinity, Nick Harrison- Troup, Bobby Garcia -Abernathy

CATCHERS
FIRST TEAM- Ben Grard -Peaster, Matthew Johnson -Grand Saline, Rowdy Smith -Brock SECOND TEAM- Ricky Brooks -Elkhart, Rance Melton -Blooming Grove
THIRD TEAM- Ryan Besetzny- Schulenburg, Chris Joshlin -Rogers

1ST BASE
FIRST TEAM- Kinney LaPrade- Grand Saline, Adam James -Celina
SECOND TEAM- Logan McCune -Leon, Matt Castellon -Crane
THIRD TEAM- Garrett Brown -Tuscola Jim Ned, Steve Simons- Schulenburg

2ND BASE
FIRST TEAM- Eric Bosanko- Stockdale, Shane Wilson -Blanco
SECOND TEAM- Joe Robinson- Palmer, Jeff Windham -Nacog. Central Heights
THIRD TEAM- Cody Finch -Holliday, Ricky Shelton- Hughes Springs

SHORTSTOP
FIRST TEAM- Colby Welsh- Peaster, Jarrod McKinney -Hughes Springs
SECOND TEAM- Travis Lee- Crane, Kirk Pritchard- Mildred, Josh Green -Celina
THIRD TEAM- Tell Ross- Troup, Randy Castillo- Kermit, Noe Cantu -Yorktown

3RD BASE
FIRST TEAM- Tanner Jacobs- Crawford, Joe Hibler -Rivera Kaufer
SECOND TEAM- Jacob Ashley- Blanco, Errol Jones -Weimar
THIRD TEAM- Zachary Livingston- Palmer, Kole Weber -George West

OUTFIELD
FIRST TEAM- Stuart Slakey- Gunter, Jeffrey McGee -Leon, Desmond Royal -Hughes Springs, Paul Demny -East Bernard
SECOND TEAM- Marshall Coots -Rogers, Jeremy Gauna -Palmer, Cody Cuellar -Anna, Andy Watson -Hughes Springs
THIRD TEAM- Lance Pomykal -Rosebud Lott, Ryan Ricketts- Brock, Trevor Rainey -Woodville, Cody DeArmond- Holliday, Jacob Jordan -Brock

Bangs beat Breckenridge 26-20 (3-0)
Ballinger beat Merkel 36-7 (3-0)
Early beat Eastland 19-9 (3-1)
Coleman beat hamilton 23-13 (2-2)
Jim Ned beat Coahoma 19-13 (2-2)
San Saba lost to Jarrell 14-49 (1-3)

Soon after the second quarter began, Cameron Decker found his own hole
in the Bulldog D and gave Frankie Rohr his first opportunity to show the world why Jim Ned put the freshman on the varsity squad. Rohr, who was called up from the JV Red team, kicked a flawless field goal to bring the game up to a 7-all tie.

But shortly after, Antonio Gonzales brought the 'Dogs to a 6-point lead after a hard-fought offensive drive.

After half-time, it was all Jim Ned. Something sent the Indians' motivation into the stratusphere. ARN reported that Coach Walter hargrove challenged his defense to step up to the plate -- which they ended up blanking the visiting team.

Perez finally had his chance to tell Coahoma what he thought of Crofts block, when he ran in a 3-yard TD to tie the game. The kick was a fumble, and the score remained tied at 13.

Then, after a harrowing 4th quarter, which both teams saw some serious chances, Jim Ned found themselves seven yards from destiny. With 18 seconds left on the game clock, Decker found Michael Shelton, who was wide open for the touchdown. After a failed PAT, the clock ticked down, and the game was done.

Some other Indians of note in the game were Lane "Train" Davis, who rushed for 47 yards and caught two passes for 11 more. Taylor Cain caught one for 11, and Jacob Bunton had 3 for 24. Rance Cook also had a reception for a whopping 34 yards(!).

Picture Time!

Little Did Michael Shelton know his destiny would be to save the game...

Frankie made all of us proud -- I believe he's been dubbed "Frankie the Fish" by some of his peers, but I am not sure. Sounds like a mob gangster, to me. I like it!

Donnie Garcia started the scoring for Coahoma with this run.

Kirk Whitehurst's sack is one of the many highlights of Jim Ned's defensive play.

Ballinger beat Brady 28-13 (2-0)
Bangs beat Clyde 34-21 (2-0)
Early beat Dublin 55-0 (dang!!) (2-1)
Coleman lost to Sonora, 6-14 (1-2)
Jim Ned beat Grape Creek 32-0 (1-2)
San Saba lost to Goldthwaite 14-21 (1-2)