Published: August 28, 2008 01:34 am            

Golden Circle Football Preview

Mildred

at Waco Reicher

7:30 p.m. Friday

At J.J. Kearns Stadium



RECORDS: Class 2A Mildred was 8-3 in 2007. TAPPS Division III state champion Waco Reicher was 12-2 in 2007.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Mildred: RB/SS Dang Nguyen, L Adam Stroder, FB/DE Freddie McDonald, LB/FB Preston Stephens. Reicher: QB Kenneth Cluley, LB Ross Rasner, CB Stephen Harrison, WR Jameson Wells.

FAST FACT: Reicher’s state title was the school’s seventh since 1958, and second this decade (2004).

UPDATE: Mildred begins the Phillip Harvell era with one of the state’s top private schools … Nguyen was a first-team all-area pick after rushing for more than 1,200 yards and 10 TDs last season … Stroder anchors an offensive line that lost all five starters to graduation … sophomore Thomas McDonald is moving from WR to QB … the Eagles were involved in six shutouts last season, four by their defense … Cluley had 3,621 yards and 39 TDs combined last year … Cluley and Rasner are considered Division I prospects, according to Texas Football magazine … Reicher defeated Grapevine Faith Christian in last season’s state title game, 41-7.

— Raymond Linex II



Valley Mills

at Kerens

7:30 p.m. Friday

At A.G. Godley Stadium



RECORDS: Class 1A Valley Mills was 8-4 in 2007. Class 2A Kerens was 7-3 in 2007.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Valley Mills: QB/DB Erik Johnson, L Brandon Anderson, RB Cody Sivils, RB Timothy Strange. Kerens: QB/DB Patrick Faulk, WR/DB Cameron Betts, RB/LB Byron Mitchell, L Keeton Roch.

FAST FACT: Kerens is picked to win the District 14-2A Championship in both the District Coaches Poll and Dave Campbell’s 2008 Texas Football Magazine.

UPDATE: The Bobcats missed the playoffs for the first time in several seasons in 2007 and they are eager to get the tradition back … veteran Patrick Faulk returns at quarterback and safety to lead Kerens … Cameron Betts has looked good in both scrimmages this year and expects to have a good season at wide receiver as Faulk’s favorite target … running back Byron Mitchell is experienced and completes the backfield with Faulk in which either player could go the distance on any given play … Lineman Keeton Roch anchors a much improved offensive and defensive front which should pay huge dividends for the Bobcats on both sides of the ball … Valley Mills was an Area Finalist in Class IA in 2007 … the Eagles return only 3 offensive and 3 defensive starters from that team … Erik Johnson is experienced on defense where he led his team last season and moves to quarterback on offense in a new role to add to his duties … Timothy Strange is an experienced running back and will share time with teammate Cody Sivils … a lack of experience may hurt the Eagles against the Bobcats veteran backfield duo of Faulk and Mitchell.

— Michael Crawford

Frost at Santo

7:30 p.m. Friday

At W.A. Lewis Field



RECORDS: Class 1A Frost was 0-10 in 2007. Class 1A Santo was 1-9 in 2007.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Frost: LB Ty Ritterbach, RB Johnathan Hopkins, OL Sam Melendez, TE Philip Page, RB Anthony Anaya. Santo: RB Luke Nichols, DE Jacob Moore, WR Matt Hubbard, QB Roland Pope, LB John Baker, DT Scott Belland, RB Dustin Hunter.

FAST FACT: New Frost head football coach Clark Moore will travel a tuff road ahead after a season in which the Polar Bears were only held to one score in their first five games.

UPDATE: Frost is coming off a season in which they were held to only 357 yards in 6 games…Senior RB Anthony Anaya and Junior FB Ty Ritterbach will lead the Polar Bear’s Wing-T offense…Anaya and Ritterbach combined for 190 total yards on the ground in 2007…The Polar Bears gave up an average of 47 points per game on defense last year…Constantino, Lankford, Stroder, and Anaya will lead Frost on both sides of the ball.

— Chris Watson



Dawson

at Bosqueville

7:30 p.m. Friday

At Bulldog Stadium



RECORDS: Class 1A Dawson was 3-7 in 2007. Class 1A Bosqueville was 5-5 in 2007.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Dawson: OL/DL Cameron Johnson, QB/DB Zack Edwards, OL/DL Trevor Carr, RB/DB Matt Blair. Bosqueville: QB Blaze Blackburn, WR/DB Cody Feight, RB David Johnson, OT Zach Nelson.

FAST FACT: Dawson played tough in the second half of last years contest against Bosqueville, but fell 19-14 in the effort.

UPDATE: Dawson ushers in the sophomore season of head coach Scott Hawkins in Bosqueville ... the Bulldogs return eight offensive and seven defensive starters in 2008 ... last season's squad finished with a 3-7 record, but finished the season strong with wins over Chilton and Iola ... Dawson fields a talented team this year, led by senior Edwards (6-2, 165) and sophomore RB/LB Alex Shaw (5-8, 185) ... anchoring the Dawson line on both offense and defense is senior Johnson (6-2, 300) ... Blackburn and Feight are an impressive duo for Bosqueville ... in last year's meeting between these two Bulldog teams, the pair hooked up for two of their squad's three touchdowns ... Blackburn threw for 167 yards with Feight tallying 49 receiving yards in the game.

— James Ratliff



Hubbard

at Dallas Life

7:30 p.m. Friday

At Dallas Life



RECORDS: Class 1A Hubbard was 5-5 last season.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Hubbard: TE Lance McClain, RB Andrew Thompson, DB Darnell Lang, QB Garret Martin, OL Rueben Lewis, RB Jermichael Jordan. Dallas Life: Anibal Renteriaj, Kelvin Renteria, Jamon Williams, Darius Coleman.

FAST FACT: Last season Hubbard improved from 2-8 to 5-5.

UPDATE: Hubbard is looking to continue improvement from last years 5-5 season after going 2-8 two years ago…Clay Mayo is returning for his second season as head coach…The Jaguars’ running game will be led by RB Andrew Thompson with 417 yards last season and OL Rueben Lewis…Hubbard will be relying on their offensive line to succeed in the running game…Garret Martin will be taking over the quarterback position, replacing last season’s All-Area Quarterback Stephen Chapman…The Jaguars will look to experience for success as 13 of last years 22 starters return…Even though the Jaguars have only 20 players, they will look to stay in the playoff hunt as they did last season…The Lions last season won their first ever district win.

—Nate Woodall



Rice

at Quinlan Boles

7p.m. Saturday

At Norris Birdwell Stadium (Canton)



RECORDS: Class 1A Rice was 2-8 in 2007. Class 1A Quinlan Boles was 10-1 in 2007.

PLAYERS TO WATCH: Rice: QB Blake Lewis, RB Trey Davis, DE Cedric Freeman, RB Kenneth Hart. Quinlan Boles: RB Joe Gilliard, QB Kailob Wallace, LB Kelly Dodson, OL Bryan Cleveland.

FAST FACT: Rice was shutout five times in 2007, while allowing 29.5 ppg on defense.

UPDATE: Rice is coming off just one district win 2007 ... Trey Davis (5-10, 152) carried the load for the Bulldogs as sophomore, rushing for 826 yards ... the Hornets went undefeated to in the Distrct 17-1A title, but lost in the area round of the 2007 playoffs to Maud ... Quinlan Boles returns seven players on both offense and defense in 2008, including leading rusher Joe Gilliard who ran for 1,847 yards last season.

— Shawn Edwards

        

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