Sports
Badgers explosive all around in win
by Dan Kleiner
(Posted Wed 09:00 am)
Mike Kinney had more than 100 yards of total offense and two touchdowns for Karnes City on opening night. Big plays ruled the day as the Karnes City Badgers knocked off cross-county rival Kenedy 56-2 in the regular season opener at Poss Johnson Stadium Friday night.
J. Boyd Vaughn intercepted a Kenedy pass on the fifth play of the game and returned it for a touchdown, and as the clock expired before halftime hauled in a 33-yard touchdown strike from quarterback Clayton Labus to give the Badgers a 21-2 lead at the break.
Kenedy's defense held Karnes City in check for the majority of the first half, but Badger running back Mike Kinney broke the game open on the second play of the second half with a 50-yard touchdown catch-and-run to give his team a commanding 28-2 lead.
Vaughn, Kinney and Garret Schulz each scored two touchdowns for the Badgers, while the Karnes City defense forced five turnovers. Badger Jeremy Purser had his hand in three of those five turnovers, and quarterback Clayton Labus completed 14 of 24 passes for 153 yards and five touchdowns.
Kenedy scored its lone points of the evening on a safety by Stephen Monsevias.
"Our kids just kept playing," Badger head coach Tom Warlick said. "We never got frustrated and never got away from what we wanted to do. They gave us a defensive look that we had never seen before, so it took us a half to get adjusted. But we never panicked, we stayed focused, and the effort from the kids was just tremendous."
by Dan Kleiner
(Posted Wed 09:00 am)
Mike Kinney had more than 100 yards of total offense and two touchdowns for Karnes City on opening night. Big plays ruled the day as the Karnes City Badgers knocked off cross-county rival Kenedy 56-2 in the regular season opener at Poss Johnson Stadium Friday night.
J. Boyd Vaughn intercepted a Kenedy pass on the fifth play of the game and returned it for a touchdown, and as the clock expired before halftime hauled in a 33-yard touchdown strike from quarterback Clayton Labus to give the Badgers a 21-2 lead at the break.
Kenedy's defense held Karnes City in check for the majority of the first half, but Badger running back Mike Kinney broke the game open on the second play of the second half with a 50-yard touchdown catch-and-run to give his team a commanding 28-2 lead.
Vaughn, Kinney and Garret Schulz each scored two touchdowns for the Badgers, while the Karnes City defense forced five turnovers. Badger Jeremy Purser had his hand in three of those five turnovers, and quarterback Clayton Labus completed 14 of 24 passes for 153 yards and five touchdowns.
Kenedy scored its lone points of the evening on a safety by Stephen Monsevias.
"Our kids just kept playing," Badger head coach Tom Warlick said. "We never got frustrated and never got away from what we wanted to do. They gave us a defensive look that we had never seen before, so it took us a half to get adjusted. But we never panicked, we stayed focused, and the effort from the kids was just tremendous."
Runge blows by Brooks
by Eddie Davis
(Posted Wed 09:00 am)
It took the Runge Yellowjackets less than 10 seconds to score their first touchdown of the season.
Jonathan Espinoza fielded the opening kickoff of the season Friday against the San Antonio Brooks Bengals and ran 70 yards for a touchdown. That play was just a sign of things to come as the Yellowjackets steam-rolled the Bengals 54-14 in their season opener.
"It was a good way to start the season," head coach Bradley McElroy said. "We were hoping for a shutout but it was a good game. That kickoff set the tone for the game. We stepped up on special teams and everyone picked up their assignments."
by Eddie Davis
(Posted Wed 09:00 am)
It took the Runge Yellowjackets less than 10 seconds to score their first touchdown of the season.
Jonathan Espinoza fielded the opening kickoff of the season Friday against the San Antonio Brooks Bengals and ran 70 yards for a touchdown. That play was just a sign of things to come as the Yellowjackets steam-rolled the Bengals 54-14 in their season opener.
"It was a good way to start the season," head coach Bradley McElroy said. "We were hoping for a shutout but it was a good game. That kickoff set the tone for the game. We stepped up on special teams and everyone picked up their assignments."
Falls City Bests Brahmas on opening night
(Posted Wed 09:00 am)
Luke Swierc (30) busted loose on a 31-yard touchdown run to score the first points of the game for Falls City Friday night. Swierc finished with eight rushes for 84 yards and a score. The Falls City Beavers gained more than 350 yards on the ground in a 46-19 win over Stockdale Friday night. Running back Colin Dziuk rushed 13 times for 164 yards and two scores, and also caught a 46-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Cameron Soto.
The Beavers also got scores from Luke Swierc, Soto, Tad Nieschweitz and Ryan Wiatrek in the game.
Stockdale answered Falls City's opening touchdown with one of their own to close the score to 7-6, but the Beavers scored three unanswered touchdowns after that point to build a 26-6 lead.
(Posted Wed 09:00 am)
Luke Swierc (30) busted loose on a 31-yard touchdown run to score the first points of the game for Falls City Friday night. Swierc finished with eight rushes for 84 yards and a score. The Falls City Beavers gained more than 350 yards on the ground in a 46-19 win over Stockdale Friday night. Running back Colin Dziuk rushed 13 times for 164 yards and two scores, and also caught a 46-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Cameron Soto.
The Beavers also got scores from Luke Swierc, Soto, Tad Nieschweitz and Ryan Wiatrek in the game.
Stockdale answered Falls City's opening touchdown with one of their own to close the score to 7-6, but the Beavers scored three unanswered touchdowns after that point to build a 26-6 lead.
Lady Badgers finish 2nd at Tournament; volleyball teams compete
(Posted 8/25/2010 03:55 pm)
The Karnes City High School volleyball team placed second in the Faith Academy Volleybash Tournament last weekend with a 3-2 record. The Lady Badgers played Faith Academy for the championship and fell 16-25, 25-21, 22-25 and 23-25. Britney Wright and Kelsey Stulting received all-tournament honors.
Lady Jackets finish 4th
Runge finished fourth in the Three Rivers Tournament after advancing out of pool play in first place. The Lady Jackets split with Orange Grove, 25-15, 19-25, and beat La Pryor 25-19, 25-13, and Charlotte 25-4, 25-22.
In bracket play, they bested Dilley 25-18, 25-19 before losing to McMullen County 23-25, 21-25. Runge fell to the host team in the third place game.
"We played great against Orange Grove but just could not keep up the intensity the rest of the way," head coach Adrian Pena said.
Kenedy takes 3 wins in week
The Kenedy Leopards beat Nixon on Wednesday as all three teams came away with victories.
At last weekend's Three Rivers Tournament, Kenedy finished third in its pool with a win over Dilley and tie against McMullen County.
The Leopards then scored a win against Charlotte and fell to La Pryor and Orange Grove in bracket play.
"I was expecting a better overall result at this tournament but the girls are obviously playing more aggressive and confident," head coach Anna Machado said. "I'm proud of their hard work."
(Posted 8/25/2010 03:55 pm)
The Karnes City High School volleyball team placed second in the Faith Academy Volleybash Tournament last weekend with a 3-2 record. The Lady Badgers played Faith Academy for the championship and fell 16-25, 25-21, 22-25 and 23-25. Britney Wright and Kelsey Stulting received all-tournament honors.
Lady Jackets finish 4th
Runge finished fourth in the Three Rivers Tournament after advancing out of pool play in first place. The Lady Jackets split with Orange Grove, 25-15, 19-25, and beat La Pryor 25-19, 25-13, and Charlotte 25-4, 25-22.
In bracket play, they bested Dilley 25-18, 25-19 before losing to McMullen County 23-25, 21-25. Runge fell to the host team in the third place game.
"We played great against Orange Grove but just could not keep up the intensity the rest of the way," head coach Adrian Pena said.
Kenedy takes 3 wins in week
The Kenedy Leopards beat Nixon on Wednesday as all three teams came away with victories.
At last weekend's Three Rivers Tournament, Kenedy finished third in its pool with a win over Dilley and tie against McMullen County.
The Leopards then scored a win against Charlotte and fell to La Pryor and Orange Grove in bracket play.
"I was expecting a better overall result at this tournament but the girls are obviously playing more aggressive and confident," head coach Anna Machado said. "I'm proud of their hard work."
Cross Country programs looking to grow in numbers, achievement
by Dan Kleiner
(Posted 8/25/2010 03:54 pm)
The earliest risers of any athletes in Karnes County are also the ones who generally get the least amount of credit, but this year could be different as Kenedy and Karnes City cross country runners look to continue making strides.
For Kenedy, growing the sport while the athletes themselves grow will be the top priority this season. In Karnes City, two-time state qualifier Robin Garcez will lead a group that has its eyes set on the state meet.
"It's not an easy sport," Kenedy head coach Anica Alarcon said. "It's motivating them that they can do it. It's not easy the first time but once they get used to it the conditioning and the competition level is there. Most of it is knowing that you can do it. A lot of people want to stop, but getting to that mental part, knowing that they can finish, having that inspiration, all that mental part with them is very important. It goes with conditioning, being physically and mentally ready for it."
Alarcon is leading a program in Kenedy that is looking to grow. Many of the runners that come for her program embrace the competitive aspect, but many are also just there for the conditioning, which is just fine with Alarcon.
The training involved in taking on mileage ranging from 2 to 3.1 miles at meets throughout the season is progressive for her program. Runners start off slowly but build up endurance throughout the year, while also learning how to navigate terrain and the elements to the best of their abilities.
"The conditioning is very important," Alarcon said. "A lot of kids aren't used to running for a couple of miles. Getting them to that point, we start them off a little bit at a time and progress so they're not shocked at their first meet and bombarded by mileage. Last year we progressed at every meet, and that was our goal, to better our times every meet and they did. That was what I was looking for. Emilio Mendoza progressed in track last year and hopefully this year he'll get out there and perform his best. We had a girl get to regionals last year and we have another senior, Katy Rodriguez, this year who ran the year before that and hopefully she'll be able to get past district, and Samantha Espinoza ran last year as well."
Karnes City has most of its strength on the girls' side, where the team is used to getting to the regional meet, but would like to up the ante a little bit this season. Garcez has been to the last two state meets as an individual, but the Lady Badgers will have to move into the top two at regionals this season to accomplish their goal of going as a team.
Their main competition will likely be Navarro when they take on the district meet in Seguin in late October. They too will be working on progressing during the course of the season, which includes trips to Yoakum, Beeville, Port Aransas, and the UT-San Antonio meet, which always showcases a lot of powerful teams throughout the region.
"We challenge each other a lot on the team and that helps us challenge other teams," Karnes City senior Savanna Ramirez said. "Our practices are very early; they start at 6:15, so it's important for us to push each other. We're a very positive group and we're pretty close. You do it for yourself, but you also do it for your teammates."
Ramirez, Garcez, Kate Gibbens, Darian Ramirez and Tara Torres will be among the Lady Badgers top runners this season. On the boys' side, Miguel Perales will also look to advance past district by placing in the top 10 at the district meet.
It's all about improving every day for all those cross country squads, and they shouldn't have a problem with their day starting right around the time the sun comes up.
If the Lady Badgers have their way, this season could mark a new dawn for the program.
"We really want to make it to state because our region has been so challenging the last couple of years," Ramirez said. "That is our goal and would be a great feeling if we can make it happen."
by Dan Kleiner
(Posted 8/25/2010 03:54 pm)
The earliest risers of any athletes in Karnes County are also the ones who generally get the least amount of credit, but this year could be different as Kenedy and Karnes City cross country runners look to continue making strides.
For Kenedy, growing the sport while the athletes themselves grow will be the top priority this season. In Karnes City, two-time state qualifier Robin Garcez will lead a group that has its eyes set on the state meet.
"It's not an easy sport," Kenedy head coach Anica Alarcon said. "It's motivating them that they can do it. It's not easy the first time but once they get used to it the conditioning and the competition level is there. Most of it is knowing that you can do it. A lot of people want to stop, but getting to that mental part, knowing that they can finish, having that inspiration, all that mental part with them is very important. It goes with conditioning, being physically and mentally ready for it."
Alarcon is leading a program in Kenedy that is looking to grow. Many of the runners that come for her program embrace the competitive aspect, but many are also just there for the conditioning, which is just fine with Alarcon.
The training involved in taking on mileage ranging from 2 to 3.1 miles at meets throughout the season is progressive for her program. Runners start off slowly but build up endurance throughout the year, while also learning how to navigate terrain and the elements to the best of their abilities.
"The conditioning is very important," Alarcon said. "A lot of kids aren't used to running for a couple of miles. Getting them to that point, we start them off a little bit at a time and progress so they're not shocked at their first meet and bombarded by mileage. Last year we progressed at every meet, and that was our goal, to better our times every meet and they did. That was what I was looking for. Emilio Mendoza progressed in track last year and hopefully this year he'll get out there and perform his best. We had a girl get to regionals last year and we have another senior, Katy Rodriguez, this year who ran the year before that and hopefully she'll be able to get past district, and Samantha Espinoza ran last year as well."
Karnes City has most of its strength on the girls' side, where the team is used to getting to the regional meet, but would like to up the ante a little bit this season. Garcez has been to the last two state meets as an individual, but the Lady Badgers will have to move into the top two at regionals this season to accomplish their goal of going as a team.
Their main competition will likely be Navarro when they take on the district meet in Seguin in late October. They too will be working on progressing during the course of the season, which includes trips to Yoakum, Beeville, Port Aransas, and the UT-San Antonio meet, which always showcases a lot of powerful teams throughout the region.
"We challenge each other a lot on the team and that helps us challenge other teams," Karnes City senior Savanna Ramirez said. "Our practices are very early; they start at 6:15, so it's important for us to push each other. We're a very positive group and we're pretty close. You do it for yourself, but you also do it for your teammates."
Ramirez, Garcez, Kate Gibbens, Darian Ramirez and Tara Torres will be among the Lady Badgers top runners this season. On the boys' side, Miguel Perales will also look to advance past district by placing in the top 10 at the district meet.
It's all about improving every day for all those cross country squads, and they shouldn't have a problem with their day starting right around the time the sun comes up.
If the Lady Badgers have their way, this season could mark a new dawn for the program.
"We really want to make it to state because our region has been so challenging the last couple of years," Ramirez said. "That is our goal and would be a great feeling if we can make it happen."
Karnes City, Runge, and Yorktown face off in their three way scrimmage
by Eddie Davis
(Posted 8/25/2010 03:53 pm)
The Karnes City Badgers and the Runge Yellowjackets both appeared to have moved one step closer to being ready for the regular season in a three-team scrimmage Thursday with the Yorktown Wildcats.
The scrimmage was the final pre-season tune up for both Karnes City and Runge who open the regular season Friday. Runge will be at home against San Antonio Brooks and the Badgers will be taking on the Kenedy Lions.
The Runge defense took the field first against the Yorktown offense. In the early going, the Yellowjackets appeared to be in for a very long night. Yorktown took the ball on their first possession at their own 30 and took only three plays to drive for a touchdown.
Still on their first possession of the scrimmage, Yorktown struck again on a 20-yard touchdown run.
The Badger offense took the field next, against the Yorktown defense. The Badgers scored quickly on a 10-yard run by Mikey Kinney.
The Yellowjacket offense got back on track momentarily against Yorktown on a 40-yard run by Chris Brasher. The drive stalled out at the 10 and Runge was unable to score.
The Badgers showed some firepower on defense as well as on offense. Defensive back Nick Pacheco hauled in an interception, preventing what would have been an almost certain touchdown for Yorktown.
J. Boyd Vaughn and KD Glenn added touchdowns for the Badgers rounding out a solid offensive effort.
The Yellowjacket defense toughened up in the latter stages of the scrimmage.
"We knew these teams were going to be good. Overall, we're happy with how we played," Runge Head Coach Bradley McElroy said.
"We have a few minor things we have to correct but I was really impressed with the last quarter we had against Karnes City. We gave up some big plays but overall we held our own. Jonathan Espinosa did a really good job on defense and running back Randy Solis ran the ball really well."
Badger Head Coach Tom Warlick was pleased with the progress he showed from the scrimmage a week ago against Shiner.
"Our kids played hard. They are still a work in progress but we tackled much better than we did last week. Our defense played well. That is what I was proud of," Warlick said.
by Eddie Davis
(Posted 8/25/2010 03:53 pm)
The Karnes City Badgers and the Runge Yellowjackets both appeared to have moved one step closer to being ready for the regular season in a three-team scrimmage Thursday with the Yorktown Wildcats.
The scrimmage was the final pre-season tune up for both Karnes City and Runge who open the regular season Friday. Runge will be at home against San Antonio Brooks and the Badgers will be taking on the Kenedy Lions.
The Runge defense took the field first against the Yorktown offense. In the early going, the Yellowjackets appeared to be in for a very long night. Yorktown took the ball on their first possession at their own 30 and took only three plays to drive for a touchdown.
Still on their first possession of the scrimmage, Yorktown struck again on a 20-yard touchdown run.
The Badger offense took the field next, against the Yorktown defense. The Badgers scored quickly on a 10-yard run by Mikey Kinney.
The Yellowjacket offense got back on track momentarily against Yorktown on a 40-yard run by Chris Brasher. The drive stalled out at the 10 and Runge was unable to score.
The Badgers showed some firepower on defense as well as on offense. Defensive back Nick Pacheco hauled in an interception, preventing what would have been an almost certain touchdown for Yorktown.
J. Boyd Vaughn and KD Glenn added touchdowns for the Badgers rounding out a solid offensive effort.
The Yellowjacket defense toughened up in the latter stages of the scrimmage.
"We knew these teams were going to be good. Overall, we're happy with how we played," Runge Head Coach Bradley McElroy said.
"We have a few minor things we have to correct but I was really impressed with the last quarter we had against Karnes City. We gave up some big plays but overall we held our own. Jonathan Espinosa did a really good job on defense and running back Randy Solis ran the ball really well."
Badger Head Coach Tom Warlick was pleased with the progress he showed from the scrimmage a week ago against Shiner.
"Our kids played hard. They are still a work in progress but we tackled much better than we did last week. Our defense played well. That is what I was proud of," Warlick said.
Kenedy faces off against FC in their last scrimmage
by A.J. Atkinson
(Posted 8/25/2010 03:52 pm)
The Kenedy Lions took on the Falls City Beavers in their second scrimmage of the 2010 season August 19, returning from a well-earned victory over the Stockdale Brahmas last week. Both teams were allowed 10 plays for each squad and then faced off in a live 12-minute quarter.
The Beavers were very dominant early on in the afternoon, opening up their first drive with a 70-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Cameron Soto, and then continuing to push the ball up the field with a series of well-blocked runs on their next few positions.
The Lions would answer back, forcing a fumble and two incomplete passes which would reset the ball at the 30-yard line. Soto would again break off a chunk of yardage with back-to-back 15 yard runs; setting up the Beavers for a 3-yard touchdown run on fourth down. The second-team offense would not fare so well however, ending their 10 plays with six incompletions and two runs for a loss.
Kenedy's offense took the field next and immediately tried to find a hole in the strong Beaver defense. On several attempts Kenedy tried to answer back, establishing their passing game early in the allotted 10 plays. However, Falls City held its own, forcing a number of late incompletions and a sack to ensure their two-touchdown lead over Kenedy.
The second-team offense looked sharp, their line was quick off the ball, allowing for running back Jarryd Duenes to break a couple runs for major yardage. The Lions would march downfield using their running backs to propel their momentum deep into the Falls City secondary.
In just 10 plays the offense accumulated 72 total rushing yards including a 1-yard touchdown run on the last play of their drive.
At the end of regular play, Falls City and Kenedy faced off in a live quarter. Both teams' offenses and defenses took the field, but special teams were left out in case of injury before the regular season.
The Falls City offense took the field first, looking explosive as soon as they touched the ball. On their first series of downs the Beavers sprinted the length of the field in just three plays, ending the drive with a 28-yard touchdown run with over 10 minutes left on the clock. The Lions would try to answer back on the next series but would be forced to punt on forth down.
The Beavers' next drive looked equally as impressive as their first, with four different players touching the ball for over 80 total yards in just seven plays, ending their second drive with another touchdown, this one a 10-yard touchdown scamper from running back Tad Nieschweitz.
The Lions were forced to punt again on their next live series and with a little under two minutes left to go in the quarter, Falls City kept the ground game alive in order to chew time off the clock. At the end of play the score was Falls City 14, Kenedy 0.
by A.J. Atkinson
(Posted 8/25/2010 03:52 pm)
The Kenedy Lions took on the Falls City Beavers in their second scrimmage of the 2010 season August 19, returning from a well-earned victory over the Stockdale Brahmas last week. Both teams were allowed 10 plays for each squad and then faced off in a live 12-minute quarter.
The Beavers were very dominant early on in the afternoon, opening up their first drive with a 70-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Cameron Soto, and then continuing to push the ball up the field with a series of well-blocked runs on their next few positions.
The Lions would answer back, forcing a fumble and two incomplete passes which would reset the ball at the 30-yard line. Soto would again break off a chunk of yardage with back-to-back 15 yard runs; setting up the Beavers for a 3-yard touchdown run on fourth down. The second-team offense would not fare so well however, ending their 10 plays with six incompletions and two runs for a loss.
Kenedy's offense took the field next and immediately tried to find a hole in the strong Beaver defense. On several attempts Kenedy tried to answer back, establishing their passing game early in the allotted 10 plays. However, Falls City held its own, forcing a number of late incompletions and a sack to ensure their two-touchdown lead over Kenedy.
The second-team offense looked sharp, their line was quick off the ball, allowing for running back Jarryd Duenes to break a couple runs for major yardage. The Lions would march downfield using their running backs to propel their momentum deep into the Falls City secondary.
In just 10 plays the offense accumulated 72 total rushing yards including a 1-yard touchdown run on the last play of their drive.
At the end of regular play, Falls City and Kenedy faced off in a live quarter. Both teams' offenses and defenses took the field, but special teams were left out in case of injury before the regular season.
The Falls City offense took the field first, looking explosive as soon as they touched the ball. On their first series of downs the Beavers sprinted the length of the field in just three plays, ending the drive with a 28-yard touchdown run with over 10 minutes left on the clock. The Lions would try to answer back on the next series but would be forced to punt on forth down.
The Beavers' next drive looked equally as impressive as their first, with four different players touching the ball for over 80 total yards in just seven plays, ending their second drive with another touchdown, this one a 10-yard touchdown scamper from running back Tad Nieschweitz.
The Lions were forced to punt again on their next live series and with a little under two minutes left to go in the quarter, Falls City kept the ground game alive in order to chew time off the clock. At the end of play the score was Falls City 14, Kenedy 0.
Yellowjackets take it to Bloomington
by Eddie Davis
(Posted 8/18/2010 09:40 am)
The Runge Yellowjackets put together an impressive showing in their first scrimmage of the season, putting up three touchdowns to one against Bloomington. The Runge Yellow Jackets appeared to be in anything but a rebuilding mode in their first scrimmage Saturday against Bloomington. They look already rebuilt.
The Yellowjackets easily outscored Bloomington three touchdowns to one and had a solid all-around effort throughout the entire scrimmage.
"The whole defense played very well," head coach Brad McElroy said. "We shut them down during the two live quarters."
There was plenty to cheer about on the offensive side of the ball as well.
"Our quarterback, Rob Molina, played well after switching from playing wide receiver last year," McElroy said. "Our running backs, Travis Perez and Randy Soliz ran the ball very well."
The Yellow Jackets picked up their first touchdown on a run by Molina.
The second came from the defense as Chris Brasher intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown.
Patrick Ryan put the final touchdown on the scoreboard on a short pass from Molina. The touchdown was set up by a long run from Soliz.
There were a few of the usual early season glitches, including turnovers and penalties, but generally McElroy was happy with what he saw and also not surprised that his team performed as well as they did.
He is pleased with the condition his team is in at this point.
"We'll switch to one workout a day next week, instead of two-a-days, but the work level is going to keep escalating. As far as our condition right now, we're exactly where we need to be."
The Yellowjackets have struggled since dropping out of UIL competition several years ago but McElroy is optimistic that this should be the best team Runge has fielded in recent seasons.
"This is the biggest number of seniors that we have had in a long time. We should have really strong senior leadership."
The Yellowjackets will scrimmage at home Thursday against Karnes City and Yorktown at 5 p.m. They will open the regular season at home against San Antonio Brooks August 27 at 7:30 p.m.
by Eddie Davis
(Posted 8/18/2010 09:40 am)
The Runge Yellowjackets put together an impressive showing in their first scrimmage of the season, putting up three touchdowns to one against Bloomington. The Runge Yellow Jackets appeared to be in anything but a rebuilding mode in their first scrimmage Saturday against Bloomington. They look already rebuilt.
The Yellowjackets easily outscored Bloomington three touchdowns to one and had a solid all-around effort throughout the entire scrimmage.
"The whole defense played very well," head coach Brad McElroy said. "We shut them down during the two live quarters."
There was plenty to cheer about on the offensive side of the ball as well.
"Our quarterback, Rob Molina, played well after switching from playing wide receiver last year," McElroy said. "Our running backs, Travis Perez and Randy Soliz ran the ball very well."
The Yellow Jackets picked up their first touchdown on a run by Molina.
The second came from the defense as Chris Brasher intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown.
Patrick Ryan put the final touchdown on the scoreboard on a short pass from Molina. The touchdown was set up by a long run from Soliz.
There were a few of the usual early season glitches, including turnovers and penalties, but generally McElroy was happy with what he saw and also not surprised that his team performed as well as they did.
He is pleased with the condition his team is in at this point.
"We'll switch to one workout a day next week, instead of two-a-days, but the work level is going to keep escalating. As far as our condition right now, we're exactly where we need to be."
The Yellowjackets have struggled since dropping out of UIL competition several years ago but McElroy is optimistic that this should be the best team Runge has fielded in recent seasons.
"This is the biggest number of seniors that we have had in a long time. We should have really strong senior leadership."
The Yellowjackets will scrimmage at home Thursday against Karnes City and Yorktown at 5 p.m. They will open the regular season at home against San Antonio Brooks August 27 at 7:30 p.m.
Badger defense forces 6 turnovers
by Dan Kleiner
(Posted 8/18/2010 09:38 am)
Somewhere in that pile resides a Shiner offensive player. What does not reside with him is the football. Karnes City's defense forced six turnovers in its first scrimmage of the season but fell one touchdown to none. The last thing the Shiner Comanches saw before walking off Poss Johnson Field Saturday morning was a Karnes City defender coming down with an interception.
By that point, it must have been a familiar sight.
The Badgers forced six turnovers [150] three interceptions and three fumble recoveries [150] in a defensive show of force in their first scrimmage of the 2010 season.
Karnes City players wore numberless jerseys during the scrimmage and a loud and spirited crowd constantly chanting "One team, one heartbeat," added to the feeling of group accomplishment over individual accolades.
The Badgers did come up short in the scoring category, 7-0, but displayed plenty on both sides of the ball to come away feeling good about its first live action against an out-of-town opponent.
Karnes City's offense completed four passes of more than 10 yards on its first possession and picked up seven first downs on three drives in the game.
"Our defense did extremely well today, and we did some good things on offense as well," head coach Tom Warlick said. "We caused six turnovers, so we know that we're hitting the ball carrier and making the game fast for them. Our biggest thing on offense is just to continue doing the things we've been doing. We have some of our starting offensive linemen out right now, but we will continue to get better. That team we saw today, they know how to play."
The Badger offense took the ball first at Saturday morning's scrimmage and gained yardage quickly on its first possession. Under the scrimmage format, each team has three offensive possessions beginning at its own 25-yard line. If the offensive team reaches fourth down, the ball is reset at the 25 and the team starts another drive. Each team has three resets before turning the ball over to its opponent.
Karnes City picked up two first downs on its first possession and moved the ball past midfield before an incomplete pass on third-and-three reset the drive. They picked up two more first downs on consecutive passes of 12 and 16 yards before back-to-back fumbles stalled the drive. A sack and two incomplete passes ended the Badgers' first offensive possession.
The only touchdown of the morning came on Shiner's second play from scrimmage, a short pass to the left side that turned into a 68-yard touchdown after a Shiner receiver turned the corner on the Badger defense. Shiner would pick up gains of 15, 13 and 14 yards following the touchdown, but by that point, the Badger defense apparently had seen enough. They intercepted back-to-back passes after Shiner had moved the ball to the Karnes City 34-yard line, and after that point in the game, the Comanches only ran one play that went for a gain of more than nine yards and picked up just two more first downs.
"It's just running to the ball," Warlick said.
Karnes City recovered its first fumble at the end of Shiner's first offensive possession but stalled a bit on its second drive. While they weren't able to move the ball past their own 35-yard line, the Badgers did pick up two first downs in short yardage situations on their second possession.
They gained five yards on third-and-three and two yards on third-and-two against what Warlick said "might be the best defensive line we see this year." Shiner is ranked No. 6 preseason in the Class 1A Coaches' Poll.
The Badger defense recovered its second fumble on Shiner's second possession and allowed just one first down. The Badger offense picked up one first down on its third possession from a 13-yard completion, but penalties, two fumbles, and an interception prevented them from gaining much momentum on that drive.
On Shiner's final offensive series of the game, Karnes City recovered its third fumble, intercepted its third pass, and allowed just one first down before putting the game away.
Karnes City quarterbacks were 14 for 23 passing for 88 yards with two interceptions. The team carried the ball 11 times for 24 yards and fumbled four times, losing one. Special teams units did not participate in the scrimmage.
"The effort was there," Warlick said. "That's what you look for in scrimmages. The kids care about each other and continue to play well. It's a good sight right there."
by Dan Kleiner
(Posted 8/18/2010 09:38 am)
Somewhere in that pile resides a Shiner offensive player. What does not reside with him is the football. Karnes City's defense forced six turnovers in its first scrimmage of the season but fell one touchdown to none. The last thing the Shiner Comanches saw before walking off Poss Johnson Field Saturday morning was a Karnes City defender coming down with an interception.
By that point, it must have been a familiar sight.
The Badgers forced six turnovers [150] three interceptions and three fumble recoveries [150] in a defensive show of force in their first scrimmage of the 2010 season.
Karnes City players wore numberless jerseys during the scrimmage and a loud and spirited crowd constantly chanting "One team, one heartbeat," added to the feeling of group accomplishment over individual accolades.
The Badgers did come up short in the scoring category, 7-0, but displayed plenty on both sides of the ball to come away feeling good about its first live action against an out-of-town opponent.
Karnes City's offense completed four passes of more than 10 yards on its first possession and picked up seven first downs on three drives in the game.
"Our defense did extremely well today, and we did some good things on offense as well," head coach Tom Warlick said. "We caused six turnovers, so we know that we're hitting the ball carrier and making the game fast for them. Our biggest thing on offense is just to continue doing the things we've been doing. We have some of our starting offensive linemen out right now, but we will continue to get better. That team we saw today, they know how to play."
The Badger offense took the ball first at Saturday morning's scrimmage and gained yardage quickly on its first possession. Under the scrimmage format, each team has three offensive possessions beginning at its own 25-yard line. If the offensive team reaches fourth down, the ball is reset at the 25 and the team starts another drive. Each team has three resets before turning the ball over to its opponent.
Karnes City picked up two first downs on its first possession and moved the ball past midfield before an incomplete pass on third-and-three reset the drive. They picked up two more first downs on consecutive passes of 12 and 16 yards before back-to-back fumbles stalled the drive. A sack and two incomplete passes ended the Badgers' first offensive possession.
The only touchdown of the morning came on Shiner's second play from scrimmage, a short pass to the left side that turned into a 68-yard touchdown after a Shiner receiver turned the corner on the Badger defense. Shiner would pick up gains of 15, 13 and 14 yards following the touchdown, but by that point, the Badger defense apparently had seen enough. They intercepted back-to-back passes after Shiner had moved the ball to the Karnes City 34-yard line, and after that point in the game, the Comanches only ran one play that went for a gain of more than nine yards and picked up just two more first downs.
"It's just running to the ball," Warlick said.
Karnes City recovered its first fumble at the end of Shiner's first offensive possession but stalled a bit on its second drive. While they weren't able to move the ball past their own 35-yard line, the Badgers did pick up two first downs in short yardage situations on their second possession.
They gained five yards on third-and-three and two yards on third-and-two against what Warlick said "might be the best defensive line we see this year." Shiner is ranked No. 6 preseason in the Class 1A Coaches' Poll.
The Badger defense recovered its second fumble on Shiner's second possession and allowed just one first down. The Badger offense picked up one first down on its third possession from a 13-yard completion, but penalties, two fumbles, and an interception prevented them from gaining much momentum on that drive.
On Shiner's final offensive series of the game, Karnes City recovered its third fumble, intercepted its third pass, and allowed just one first down before putting the game away.
Karnes City quarterbacks were 14 for 23 passing for 88 yards with two interceptions. The team carried the ball 11 times for 24 yards and fumbled four times, losing one. Special teams units did not participate in the scrimmage.
"The effort was there," Warlick said. "That's what you look for in scrimmages. The kids care about each other and continue to play well. It's a good sight right there."
Beavers hot offense allows for victory
by Alisha Brodsky
(Posted 8/18/2010 09:36 am)
Falls City's offense stayed hot this weekend. Luke Mynier hauled in an interception and later scored a touchdown. The Beavers proved to have a hot offense during Falls City's first scrimmage, against the Jourdanton Indians Saturday morning.
At the beginning of the scrimmage, Falls City quickly played their way down the field. Senior Colin Dziuk outran the Indians and later in the game came an interception by senior Luke Mynier. As the scrimmage continued, a beautiful pass from sophomore Cameron Soto to Luke led to another Beaver touchdown.
As his first year coaching, coach Jim Ed Baugh said "This year I hope these boys have a lot of fun and that I'm able to teach the team something while learning new things from them."
Falls City's next scrimmage will be August 19 at 5 p.m. against the cross-county Kenedy Lions.
by Alisha Brodsky
(Posted 8/18/2010 09:36 am)
Falls City's offense stayed hot this weekend. Luke Mynier hauled in an interception and later scored a touchdown. The Beavers proved to have a hot offense during Falls City's first scrimmage, against the Jourdanton Indians Saturday morning.
At the beginning of the scrimmage, Falls City quickly played their way down the field. Senior Colin Dziuk outran the Indians and later in the game came an interception by senior Luke Mynier. As the scrimmage continued, a beautiful pass from sophomore Cameron Soto to Luke led to another Beaver touchdown.
As his first year coaching, coach Jim Ed Baugh said "This year I hope these boys have a lot of fun and that I'm able to teach the team something while learning new things from them."
Falls City's next scrimmage will be August 19 at 5 p.m. against the cross-county Kenedy Lions.
Lions began the 2010 season with a victory
by A.J. Atkinson
(Posted 8/18/2010 09:29 am)
Lane Gaskamp snags a 55-yard catch to set up a Kenedy touchdown. Gaskamp was 2-for-2 and had more than 60 yards receiving in the first 15 plays of the scrimmage. The Kenedy Lions traveled to Stockdale on Saturday morning for the opening scrimmage of the 2010 football season. Each team was allotted 15 plays for their first squad and 10 for their second. Possession began at the teams' own 30-yard line. If the offense reached fourth down, the ball was reset at the 30. Kenedy wore their white jerseys; while Stockdale players wore numberless purple jerseys during the early morning scrimmage.
The Lion offense took to the field looking a bit nervous on their first possession; starting it with a false start an ending with a fumble. Soon however, the Lions settled down and began to pull off a number of consistent short yard runs against the tough Brahman defense. On the Lions' third drive, quarterback Rolie Zepeda delivered a 55-yard strike to receiver Lane Gaskamp. Gaskamp made a nice turn around catch to set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Tray Vickery, ending the Lions first offensive show with a nice one touchdown lead over Stockdale.
Stockdale would take the field next and immediately complete a number of deep passes to several receivers including an 11-yard and a 22-yard pass. The Lions would answer back stopping the Brahmas second drive, forcing two incomplete passes and a tackle for loss. On the 12th play of the Brahmas' offensive set, their quarterback found an opening in the Lions' defense, completing a 30-yard touchdown pass to tie up the score at a touchdown apiece.
With both teams first squads complete, their second squads stepped on the field for 10 more plays. On the second play of the first Kenedy drive Zepeda would complete a nice 43-yard pass to Jarryd Duenes to push Kenedy further down the field. Four plays later the Lions would take the lead two touchdowns to one with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Sebastian Salas from Rhett Bell.
Stockdale would fail to answer back; in their final 10 plays they would rush a total of six times, gaining very few yards against the Kenedy second-team defense. The Lions showed definite promise Saturday with their quarterbacks completing 7 out of 11 passing attempts for 148 yards and a touchdown.
Their defense forced two fumbles and had several tackles for loss, solidifying its stand against the Brahman offense. The next scrimmage will be against Falls City on August 19 in Kenedy at 5 p.m.
by A.J. Atkinson
(Posted 8/18/2010 09:29 am)
Lane Gaskamp snags a 55-yard catch to set up a Kenedy touchdown. Gaskamp was 2-for-2 and had more than 60 yards receiving in the first 15 plays of the scrimmage. The Kenedy Lions traveled to Stockdale on Saturday morning for the opening scrimmage of the 2010 football season. Each team was allotted 15 plays for their first squad and 10 for their second. Possession began at the teams' own 30-yard line. If the offense reached fourth down, the ball was reset at the 30. Kenedy wore their white jerseys; while Stockdale players wore numberless purple jerseys during the early morning scrimmage.
The Lion offense took to the field looking a bit nervous on their first possession; starting it with a false start an ending with a fumble. Soon however, the Lions settled down and began to pull off a number of consistent short yard runs against the tough Brahman defense. On the Lions' third drive, quarterback Rolie Zepeda delivered a 55-yard strike to receiver Lane Gaskamp. Gaskamp made a nice turn around catch to set up a 1-yard touchdown run by Tray Vickery, ending the Lions first offensive show with a nice one touchdown lead over Stockdale.
Stockdale would take the field next and immediately complete a number of deep passes to several receivers including an 11-yard and a 22-yard pass. The Lions would answer back stopping the Brahmas second drive, forcing two incomplete passes and a tackle for loss. On the 12th play of the Brahmas' offensive set, their quarterback found an opening in the Lions' defense, completing a 30-yard touchdown pass to tie up the score at a touchdown apiece.
With both teams first squads complete, their second squads stepped on the field for 10 more plays. On the second play of the first Kenedy drive Zepeda would complete a nice 43-yard pass to Jarryd Duenes to push Kenedy further down the field. Four plays later the Lions would take the lead two touchdowns to one with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Sebastian Salas from Rhett Bell.
Stockdale would fail to answer back; in their final 10 plays they would rush a total of six times, gaining very few yards against the Kenedy second-team defense. The Lions showed definite promise Saturday with their quarterbacks completing 7 out of 11 passing attempts for 148 yards and a touchdown.
Their defense forced two fumbles and had several tackles for loss, solidifying its stand against the Brahman offense. The next scrimmage will be against Falls City on August 19 in Kenedy at 5 p.m.
Runge teams ready to rise to the top
by Dan Kleiner
(Posted 8/11/2010 09:38 am)
What a difference a few years make.
Five years ago, Runge High School football had dropped out of UIL competition due to a lack of student interest.
This year, the Yellow Jackets will compete in the largest Class 1A district in the state of Texas, with the largest student enrollment in athletic programs in recent memory.
Nearly 40 student-athletes have come out for football this year, and the volleyball team also boasts good numbers both on the court and in the stat sheets. The Lady Jackets finished last season 21-10 and look poised for a playoff run after missing out the last few seasons.
The addition of a power lifting program bodes well for strength and conditioning, and the positives of breaking a district losing streak last year should give the football program much to build on this fall.
Overall, a lot of positive factors are coming together at once for a great start to the coming year.
"Across the board, we want playoff-caliber teams in every sport, and I think we're on our way," athletic director Bradley McElroy said. "Over the last four years the attitude has changed for the better. We're competing on a higher level, and more importantly we're beginning to believe that we should be competing on that high level. At the beginning of each of the last several years we are seeing that winning attitude more and more, and it's a good feeling."
The success of last season around Yellow Jacket country came in several sports in varying degrees. The baseball program ended out the year on a high note in capturing a bi-district championship, the only playoff win by a Karnes County high school baseball team last year, and the fall season had also set the stage with several gains.
The football team broke a five-year losing streak in district contests, and despite missing out on the playoffs in the Class 1A "district of death" (four teams were ranked in the top 20), a 21-10 record under head coach Adrian Pena set a standard that should carry over into this year.
McElroy said he sees the differences every time he watches his student-athletes compete.
"The kids want to win," he said. "They want to be at the top, but there is a difference between wanting to be there and wanting to do the things that get you there, and these kids understand that. They're working hard, and they're one of the best bunch of kids we've had. They have a good concept of team and are all in it for one reason."
District realignments from last year should favor Runge. While the football program will have No. 2-ranked Falls City to contend with in district, their 15 returning starters is second to only Pettus (16) in their district.
Yorktown should provide quality competition for the Lady Jacket volleyball team, but a district championship is certainly within grasp in a district that now includes Austwell-Tivoli, Kenedy, Nordheim, Pettus and Woodsboro.
Seven-team districts are more common in volleyball (there are five in Class 1A), but it should provide the same type of highly competitive atmosphere that the football team is looking forward to this season.
And that's just fine with coach McElroy, who is ready to compete for titles year in and year out.
"Every game will be a big game, but we're going to approach it like we always do, one game at a time," he said. "We are excited, and ready to fight for playoff spots across the board."
by Dan Kleiner
(Posted 8/11/2010 09:38 am)
What a difference a few years make.
Five years ago, Runge High School football had dropped out of UIL competition due to a lack of student interest.
This year, the Yellow Jackets will compete in the largest Class 1A district in the state of Texas, with the largest student enrollment in athletic programs in recent memory.
Nearly 40 student-athletes have come out for football this year, and the volleyball team also boasts good numbers both on the court and in the stat sheets. The Lady Jackets finished last season 21-10 and look poised for a playoff run after missing out the last few seasons.
The addition of a power lifting program bodes well for strength and conditioning, and the positives of breaking a district losing streak last year should give the football program much to build on this fall.
Overall, a lot of positive factors are coming together at once for a great start to the coming year.
"Across the board, we want playoff-caliber teams in every sport, and I think we're on our way," athletic director Bradley McElroy said. "Over the last four years the attitude has changed for the better. We're competing on a higher level, and more importantly we're beginning to believe that we should be competing on that high level. At the beginning of each of the last several years we are seeing that winning attitude more and more, and it's a good feeling."
The success of last season around Yellow Jacket country came in several sports in varying degrees. The baseball program ended out the year on a high note in capturing a bi-district championship, the only playoff win by a Karnes County high school baseball team last year, and the fall season had also set the stage with several gains.
The football team broke a five-year losing streak in district contests, and despite missing out on the playoffs in the Class 1A "district of death" (four teams were ranked in the top 20), a 21-10 record under head coach Adrian Pena set a standard that should carry over into this year.
McElroy said he sees the differences every time he watches his student-athletes compete.
"The kids want to win," he said. "They want to be at the top, but there is a difference between wanting to be there and wanting to do the things that get you there, and these kids understand that. They're working hard, and they're one of the best bunch of kids we've had. They have a good concept of team and are all in it for one reason."
District realignments from last year should favor Runge. While the football program will have No. 2-ranked Falls City to contend with in district, their 15 returning starters is second to only Pettus (16) in their district.
Yorktown should provide quality competition for the Lady Jacket volleyball team, but a district championship is certainly within grasp in a district that now includes Austwell-Tivoli, Kenedy, Nordheim, Pettus and Woodsboro.
Seven-team districts are more common in volleyball (there are five in Class 1A), but it should provide the same type of highly competitive atmosphere that the football team is looking forward to this season.
And that's just fine with coach McElroy, who is ready to compete for titles year in and year out.
"Every game will be a big game, but we're going to approach it like we always do, one game at a time," he said. "We are excited, and ready to fight for playoff spots across the board."
Serving, passing solid as Lady Jackets take two games
by Dan Kleiner
(Posted 8/11/2010 09:37 am)
Bailey Elizondo makes a pass during Runge's first scrimmage game of the year. Runge High School started out its volleyball season on a high note Friday afternoon by defeated Prarie Lea and San Antonio Stacey in two 25-point scrimmage games.
The Lady Jackets overcame an early 9-6 deficit to beat Prarie Lea, 25-18, and ran off seven unanswered points to open the game in a 25-20 win over Stacey.
The team returns only three players from last year's 21-10 squad but saw a lot of positive signs from both new and old faces in the day-long practice rounds in their home gym.
Head coach Adrian Pena said his team is building a solid foundation for the season as it heads into the Industrial Tournament August 11-13.
"I saw some good things today," Pena said. "Our passing and our serving were great, and that was a big deal for our success last year. Our hitting is down right now, but it will come around. The big thing for us early on is to make sure that serving and passing is solid."
The serving game helped Runge create some separation in their first game, against Prarie Lea. After trailing 9-6 early, the Lady Jackets tied the score at 10-10 and went up 12-10 on an ace by senior Elisa Sanchez.
Sanchez held serve for four straight points to help build the lead to 18-13, and team showed solid passing and defense in a long point late in the game to bring the contest to game point at 24-18. The Lady Jackets scored the win on an unforced error, something they themselves committed very few of throughout the course of the day.
"They were pretty good at picking up our hits," Sanchez said. "We had to focus on trying to get better hits down. Our passing was really good. Our serving was also very good. We're really good at working together. We're all really good friends and we get along well. We've been together for a while now and that helps."
Runge's serving game continued to put them in good position offensively as they ran out a 7-0 lead against Stacey. Runge held serve for five straight points in the middle of the match to build an 18-8 advantage, however, the Lady Jackets had to withstand a late run to score their second unofficial win of the afternoon.
Stacey faced match point trailing 24-14, but scored six straight to close the gap to 24-20. Runge didn't panic, and focused on its defense to close out the final point and record a 25-20 win to go home happy at the end of the first full day of competition.
"We had some freshman coming up that are really pulling it together," senior Bailey Elizondo said. "It felt better working together and our communication is coming around well."
Coach Pena was also complimentary of his young players, particularly his group of setters, which consist of freshman Erin Bryan and transfer Jackie Zapata.
More than anything else, Pena was looking for chemistry among his young group, and said he was pleased with his team's growth at this early point in the season. He said the one facet of the game that is lagging a little behind early is hitting, but said that part of the game is often the shakiest early in the year.
"There's a lot of timing involved," Pena said. "You have to get that timing with the ball and the setter and you have to get used to that setter. It's going to take a little while but we're going to get there. Our main thing is making sure we're ready to go. By the time district gets here our rotations should be ready, everything should be fluid, everything should be second nature.
"Right now we're working on rotation setups and just making sure we've got girls in the right spots. I've only got three returning from last year so we're young, but we're doing well for where we are right now. We're expecting to be there at the end of the year. We expect to have a good season and be there at the end, and fighting for a playoff spot and hopefully a district championship."
by Dan Kleiner
(Posted 8/11/2010 09:37 am)
Bailey Elizondo makes a pass during Runge's first scrimmage game of the year. Runge High School started out its volleyball season on a high note Friday afternoon by defeated Prarie Lea and San Antonio Stacey in two 25-point scrimmage games.
The Lady Jackets overcame an early 9-6 deficit to beat Prarie Lea, 25-18, and ran off seven unanswered points to open the game in a 25-20 win over Stacey.
The team returns only three players from last year's 21-10 squad but saw a lot of positive signs from both new and old faces in the day-long practice rounds in their home gym.
Head coach Adrian Pena said his team is building a solid foundation for the season as it heads into the Industrial Tournament August 11-13.
"I saw some good things today," Pena said. "Our passing and our serving were great, and that was a big deal for our success last year. Our hitting is down right now, but it will come around. The big thing for us early on is to make sure that serving and passing is solid."
The serving game helped Runge create some separation in their first game, against Prarie Lea. After trailing 9-6 early, the Lady Jackets tied the score at 10-10 and went up 12-10 on an ace by senior Elisa Sanchez.
Sanchez held serve for four straight points to help build the lead to 18-13, and team showed solid passing and defense in a long point late in the game to bring the contest to game point at 24-18. The Lady Jackets scored the win on an unforced error, something they themselves committed very few of throughout the course of the day.
"They were pretty good at picking up our hits," Sanchez said. "We had to focus on trying to get better hits down. Our passing was really good. Our serving was also very good. We're really good at working together. We're all really good friends and we get along well. We've been together for a while now and that helps."
Runge's serving game continued to put them in good position offensively as they ran out a 7-0 lead against Stacey. Runge held serve for five straight points in the middle of the match to build an 18-8 advantage, however, the Lady Jackets had to withstand a late run to score their second unofficial win of the afternoon.
Stacey faced match point trailing 24-14, but scored six straight to close the gap to 24-20. Runge didn't panic, and focused on its defense to close out the final point and record a 25-20 win to go home happy at the end of the first full day of competition.
"We had some freshman coming up that are really pulling it together," senior Bailey Elizondo said. "It felt better working together and our communication is coming around well."
Coach Pena was also complimentary of his young players, particularly his group of setters, which consist of freshman Erin Bryan and transfer Jackie Zapata.
More than anything else, Pena was looking for chemistry among his young group, and said he was pleased with his team's growth at this early point in the season. He said the one facet of the game that is lagging a little behind early is hitting, but said that part of the game is often the shakiest early in the year.
"There's a lot of timing involved," Pena said. "You have to get that timing with the ball and the setter and you have to get used to that setter. It's going to take a little while but we're going to get there. Our main thing is making sure we're ready to go. By the time district gets here our rotations should be ready, everything should be fluid, everything should be second nature.
"Right now we're working on rotation setups and just making sure we've got girls in the right spots. I've only got three returning from last year so we're young, but we're doing well for where we are right now. We're expecting to be there at the end of the year. We expect to have a good season and be there at the end, and fighting for a playoff spot and hopefully a district championship."
Lions look sharp at intrasquad scrimmage
by Dan Kleiner
(Posted 8/11/2010 09:32 am)
Sammy Martinez carried the ball 11 times for 44 yards, breaking loose on two runs of more than 10 yards in the Kenedy Maroon and White scrimmage Friday evening. Kenedy High School celebrated a lot of things at its annual Maroon and White scrimmage Friday night, but none may have been more exciting than the first touchdown of what players and coaches are feeling like will be a solid year in Lion Country.
Newly anointed quarterback Rolie Zepeda ran for a one-yard touchdown at the end of a nine-play, 60-yard drive that showed good balance between the run and pass. Zepeda completed three passes to three different receivers for 35 yards, and four different ball carriers combined for 25 yards on the ground en route to Kenedy's first vacation in the end zone.
Both units celebrated the score, and both units turned in an impressive collection of highlights at a well-attended and highly spirited first venture of 2010.
Among all the highlights, head coach Lin Havron was most pleased to see his team coming out with a poise and professionalism that the growing program lacked at this time last season.
"Last year we were just crawling at this point," Havron said. "We had to pretty much stand in the huddle and talk about every play before we ran it, so it was good to see the offense calling the play and getting out. The kids know what they're doing. We're way ahead of where we were last year at this point."
The Maroon and White intrasquad scrimmage gave both the varsity and junior varsity offenses three possessions against their defensive counterparts. Zepeda completed a 17-yard pass to Jake Havron on the Maroon varsity's first possession, and Sammy Martinez broke off an 18-yard run to set up Zepeda's score. The White varsity was held in check on its first possession, partially aided by a tackle for a loss by Robbie Gutierrez.
During the White JV's first possession, Nathaniel Alvarez and Jacob Deleon intercepted passes on back-to-back plays. Dillon Cruz and Emilio Mendoza recorded tackles for a loss on the Maroon JV's first possession.
The Maroon varsity established a solid running attack on its second possession, as Martinez carried the ball for two 11-yard gains, and Rhett Bell also carried the ball for a 12-yard gain. Runs by Martinez and Eddie Villarreal set up Havron's five-yard run for a touchdown.
"We're really working on our running game," coach Havron said. "We know that we can throw the ball well so we're working on being able to have a balanced attack this season."
The White varsity got on the board on its next possession with the help of two explosive plays. Tray Vickery carried the ball for 35 yards to open the drive and Lane Gaskamp caught a 27-yard pass that ignited some friendly back-and-forth between the two varsity squads. Jarryd Duenes scored two plays later on a five-yard run on second-and-goal from the five.
Weston Hallmark provided the highlight on the Maroon JV's next possession with a 30-yard reception from quarterback JD de los Santos. The Maroon varsity's final drive was held in check with the help of a tackle for a loss from Miguel Morales. Ray Jay Garza and Robbie Gutierrez combined for a sack on the White JV's final possession, and Aaron Castillo recorded a sack in the White varsity's final time out.
Jacob Deleon pulled down his second interception of the night on the final play of the evening. Both squads met at midfield as the clock approached midnight, with everyone having a reason to go home happy.
"I saw lots of good things," coach Havron said. "Good blocking, good tackling, we played the base so we're looking at who could play with good technique. Intensity was there, the kids are getting after it. The offense had good moments, the defense had good moments. It's a very good first scrimmage. It's always good to get out in front of people and turn the lights and simulate what's going to happen during the season, and I think we accomplished that."
by Dan Kleiner
(Posted 8/11/2010 09:32 am)
Sammy Martinez carried the ball 11 times for 44 yards, breaking loose on two runs of more than 10 yards in the Kenedy Maroon and White scrimmage Friday evening. Kenedy High School celebrated a lot of things at its annual Maroon and White scrimmage Friday night, but none may have been more exciting than the first touchdown of what players and coaches are feeling like will be a solid year in Lion Country.
Newly anointed quarterback Rolie Zepeda ran for a one-yard touchdown at the end of a nine-play, 60-yard drive that showed good balance between the run and pass. Zepeda completed three passes to three different receivers for 35 yards, and four different ball carriers combined for 25 yards on the ground en route to Kenedy's first vacation in the end zone.
Both units celebrated the score, and both units turned in an impressive collection of highlights at a well-attended and highly spirited first venture of 2010.
Among all the highlights, head coach Lin Havron was most pleased to see his team coming out with a poise and professionalism that the growing program lacked at this time last season.
"Last year we were just crawling at this point," Havron said. "We had to pretty much stand in the huddle and talk about every play before we ran it, so it was good to see the offense calling the play and getting out. The kids know what they're doing. We're way ahead of where we were last year at this point."
The Maroon and White intrasquad scrimmage gave both the varsity and junior varsity offenses three possessions against their defensive counterparts. Zepeda completed a 17-yard pass to Jake Havron on the Maroon varsity's first possession, and Sammy Martinez broke off an 18-yard run to set up Zepeda's score. The White varsity was held in check on its first possession, partially aided by a tackle for a loss by Robbie Gutierrez.
During the White JV's first possession, Nathaniel Alvarez and Jacob Deleon intercepted passes on back-to-back plays. Dillon Cruz and Emilio Mendoza recorded tackles for a loss on the Maroon JV's first possession.
The Maroon varsity established a solid running attack on its second possession, as Martinez carried the ball for two 11-yard gains, and Rhett Bell also carried the ball for a 12-yard gain. Runs by Martinez and Eddie Villarreal set up Havron's five-yard run for a touchdown.
"We're really working on our running game," coach Havron said. "We know that we can throw the ball well so we're working on being able to have a balanced attack this season."
The White varsity got on the board on its next possession with the help of two explosive plays. Tray Vickery carried the ball for 35 yards to open the drive and Lane Gaskamp caught a 27-yard pass that ignited some friendly back-and-forth between the two varsity squads. Jarryd Duenes scored two plays later on a five-yard run on second-and-goal from the five.
Weston Hallmark provided the highlight on the Maroon JV's next possession with a 30-yard reception from quarterback JD de los Santos. The Maroon varsity's final drive was held in check with the help of a tackle for a loss from Miguel Morales. Ray Jay Garza and Robbie Gutierrez combined for a sack on the White JV's final possession, and Aaron Castillo recorded a sack in the White varsity's final time out.
Jacob Deleon pulled down his second interception of the night on the final play of the evening. Both squads met at midfield as the clock approached midnight, with everyone having a reason to go home happy.
"I saw lots of good things," coach Havron said. "Good blocking, good tackling, we played the base so we're looking at who could play with good technique. Intensity was there, the kids are getting after it. The offense had good moments, the defense had good moments. It's a very good first scrimmage. It's always good to get out in front of people and turn the lights and simulate what's going to happen during the season, and I think we accomplished that."
Kenedy feeling good vibrations after success, program growth last year
by Dan Kleiner
(Posted 8/4/2010 09:50 am)
A means that Kenedy High School athletics will compete on a little more level playing field this year, but athletic director Lin Havron still expects his athletes to level everyone on the playing field, court, course, or any other place his Lions and Leopards might roam.
A high level of success last year in several different sports set a precedent that coaches across the district hope will carry over to the new year. That, combined with record levels of participation in athletics and stability in the coaching staff, could make this a banner year for Kenedy.
"Last year the pride came back," Havron said. "We were low, and I'm sure at times it wasn't fun for the kids. But that pride in Kenedy came back and it's a testament to the work of the students, our coaches, and the community. Everyone has been very supportive, maybe moreso than we (coaches) deserved, and everyone in the program feeds off that. Last year was my most rewarding year of coaching because of that."
The last team to walk off the field for Kenedy athletics last year was the second-place baseball team, which qualified for the postseason after an impressive district run where they beat rival Karnes City twice. But the beginning of the last sports season was every bit as important, as the Lions football team broke a 25-game losing streak in the first week of the season, and registered a district win, against Nixon-Smiley, before finishing with a 3-7 overall record.
The Lions will compete in a four-team district this season, along with Charlotte, La Villa and Ben Bolt-Palito Blanco, and will qualify for the postseason if they are able to beat out just one of the three other teams in the district race. However, the football program is not the only group that will benefit from a different district schedule when play begins in just a few weeks.
The Leopards growing volleyball program will also benefit from the absence on their district journey of teams like Poth, which wins the Class 2A state title nearly every year.
The growth Havron said he sees in the volleyball program seems to be creeping slowly across the board.
"We have a very good group of freshman girls this year that can really hit," Havron said. "We just wrapped up a camp, and these girls are continuing to learn to play well and play as a team. These things are easier to develop when you're playing competitive matches. Let's just say that when the volleyball realignment came up, I was the only one in that room smiling."
Conditioning is playing the largest role in Kenedy athletes' summer plans. The school held a strength and conditioning program throughout the summer and several athletes are playing select sports this summer, particularly baseball and basketball. Kenedy's cross country program is also looking to grow, after having one athlete advance to the regional meet a year ago.
Regardless of what sport a student-athlete plays, Havron said the same mentality needs to be embraced.
"Our next step is not to be content with competing," he said. "Success builds on success. We've told our students from day one that we can't take anyone for granted. We're building a program, but we're not, at this point, going to intimidate anyone. No one is going to go into any game against us in any sport and say, 'Oh uh, it's Kenedy.' We need to earn that respect. We need to earn that respect by playing at a high level and competing every day."
by Dan Kleiner
(Posted 8/4/2010 09:50 am)
A means that Kenedy High School athletics will compete on a little more level playing field this year, but athletic director Lin Havron still expects his athletes to level everyone on the playing field, court, course, or any other place his Lions and Leopards might roam.
A high level of success last year in several different sports set a precedent that coaches across the district hope will carry over to the new year. That, combined with record levels of participation in athletics and stability in the coaching staff, could make this a banner year for Kenedy.
"Last year the pride came back," Havron said. "We were low, and I'm sure at times it wasn't fun for the kids. But that pride in Kenedy came back and it's a testament to the work of the students, our coaches, and the community. Everyone has been very supportive, maybe moreso than we (coaches) deserved, and everyone in the program feeds off that. Last year was my most rewarding year of coaching because of that."
The last team to walk off the field for Kenedy athletics last year was the second-place baseball team, which qualified for the postseason after an impressive district run where they beat rival Karnes City twice. But the beginning of the last sports season was every bit as important, as the Lions football team broke a 25-game losing streak in the first week of the season, and registered a district win, against Nixon-Smiley, before finishing with a 3-7 overall record.
The Lions will compete in a four-team district this season, along with Charlotte, La Villa and Ben Bolt-Palito Blanco, and will qualify for the postseason if they are able to beat out just one of the three other teams in the district race. However, the football program is not the only group that will benefit from a different district schedule when play begins in just a few weeks.
The Leopards growing volleyball program will also benefit from the absence on their district journey of teams like Poth, which wins the Class 2A state title nearly every year.
The growth Havron said he sees in the volleyball program seems to be creeping slowly across the board.
"We have a very good group of freshman girls this year that can really hit," Havron said. "We just wrapped up a camp, and these girls are continuing to learn to play well and play as a team. These things are easier to develop when you're playing competitive matches. Let's just say that when the volleyball realignment came up, I was the only one in that room smiling."
Conditioning is playing the largest role in Kenedy athletes' summer plans. The school held a strength and conditioning program throughout the summer and several athletes are playing select sports this summer, particularly baseball and basketball. Kenedy's cross country program is also looking to grow, after having one athlete advance to the regional meet a year ago.
Regardless of what sport a student-athlete plays, Havron said the same mentality needs to be embraced.
"Our next step is not to be content with competing," he said. "Success builds on success. We've told our students from day one that we can't take anyone for granted. We're building a program, but we're not, at this point, going to intimidate anyone. No one is going to go into any game against us in any sport and say, 'Oh uh, it's Kenedy.' We need to earn that respect. We need to earn that respect by playing at a high level and competing every day."
Rodriguez named to first team all-state for 2nd time
by Eddie Davis
(Posted 6/29/2010 04:00 pm)
The honors keep on coming for Runge Yellowjacket baseball standout Augie Rodriguez.
Rodriguez was chosen as a first team selection on the All-State Team last week for the second year in a row.
This year Rodriguez was chosen as a second baseman. Last year he made the squad as a pitcher.
"It was an honor to make the team," Rodriguez said. "Not many players have the chance to make the all-state team twice at two different positions."
"It was kind of a surprise, but not really that big a surprise," head coach Bradley McElroy said. "He had a really good year as a second baseman."
Although Rodriguez was primarily a pitcher, his stats as a second baseman may have made it impossible for the nomination committee to overlook. Rodriguez hit .480 in addition to knocking five homers in the 2010 season, en route to District MVP honors.
"It could also have just been one of those years when there were a lot of good pitchers," McElroy said.
Each player who is nominated for the All-State Team also has to have a secondary position listed on the nomination form. In addition to second base, Rodriguez also played shortstop during his sophomore and junior years.
"I switched him from shortstop to second base because he was going to be pitching for us so much," McElroy said. "Second base was going to be easier on his arm. He was an excellent defensive player at second and didn't make an error all season. He's a real solid player and obviously has a good arm." McElroy said he is also certain that Rodriguez could play third base or first base if the situation arose.
"That versatility should help him in getting to play at the college level," McElroy said. "Guys who can play multiple positions and can hit for power are pretty hard to find."
Rodriguez has participated in several tryout camps since graduating but has not selected a college yet. He is hopeful to play at the junior college level.
"The most important thing to me is just getting a chance to play, whether it is at second base, short stop or pitcher," Rodriguez said. "I'd really rather pitch but I'd be glad to get a chance to play at where ever they can use me."
Rodriguez helped lead the Yellowjackets to the playoffs for the first time in 17 years during his junior and senior years.
"We're proud of what he's been able to do. I wish we could have him again next year. We've got a lot of good players coming back next year and a chance to carry on with what we started this season," McElroy said.
by Eddie Davis
(Posted 6/29/2010 04:00 pm)
The honors keep on coming for Runge Yellowjacket baseball standout Augie Rodriguez.
Rodriguez was chosen as a first team selection on the All-State Team last week for the second year in a row.
This year Rodriguez was chosen as a second baseman. Last year he made the squad as a pitcher.
"It was an honor to make the team," Rodriguez said. "Not many players have the chance to make the all-state team twice at two different positions."
"It was kind of a surprise, but not really that big a surprise," head coach Bradley McElroy said. "He had a really good year as a second baseman."
Although Rodriguez was primarily a pitcher, his stats as a second baseman may have made it impossible for the nomination committee to overlook. Rodriguez hit .480 in addition to knocking five homers in the 2010 season, en route to District MVP honors.
"It could also have just been one of those years when there were a lot of good pitchers," McElroy said.
Each player who is nominated for the All-State Team also has to have a secondary position listed on the nomination form. In addition to second base, Rodriguez also played shortstop during his sophomore and junior years.
"I switched him from shortstop to second base because he was going to be pitching for us so much," McElroy said. "Second base was going to be easier on his arm. He was an excellent defensive player at second and didn't make an error all season. He's a real solid player and obviously has a good arm." McElroy said he is also certain that Rodriguez could play third base or first base if the situation arose.
"That versatility should help him in getting to play at the college level," McElroy said. "Guys who can play multiple positions and can hit for power are pretty hard to find."
Rodriguez has participated in several tryout camps since graduating but has not selected a college yet. He is hopeful to play at the junior college level.
"The most important thing to me is just getting a chance to play, whether it is at second base, short stop or pitcher," Rodriguez said. "I'd really rather pitch but I'd be glad to get a chance to play at where ever they can use me."
Rodriguez helped lead the Yellowjackets to the playoffs for the first time in 17 years during his junior and senior years.
"We're proud of what he's been able to do. I wish we could have him again next year. We've got a lot of good players coming back next year and a chance to carry on with what we started this season," McElroy said.
Rios named to Academic All-State team for Runge
(Posted 6/29/2010 09:51 am)
Runge High School's Lyndsey Rios was named to the Class A Academic All-State team last week.
Rios recently graduated as valedictorian of Runge High School and was a key contributor to the Lady Jackets softball team throughout her high school career.She batted leadoff this past season and hit for a .386 average with three doubles, eight stolen bases, eight runs scored and 10 RBIs. Head coach Adrian Pena said that he will miss much more than just Rios' ability on the diamond.
"She was pretty much my team leader," Pena said. "She did all the little things we needed. She was the person who kept everyone together. She's the one who kind of got everyone else involved. As a player she was great as well. She was my leadoff batter all year long and got on when she needed to get on. We'll definitely miss her."
To be selected to the Academic All-State team, athletes must be a senior and maintain a grade point average of 94 or above for grades 9 through 11. There were 37 athletes selected to the Class A Academic All-State team for softball this year.
(Posted 6/29/2010 09:51 am)
Runge High School's Lyndsey Rios was named to the Class A Academic All-State team last week.
Rios recently graduated as valedictorian of Runge High School and was a key contributor to the Lady Jackets softball team throughout her high school career.She batted leadoff this past season and hit for a .386 average with three doubles, eight stolen bases, eight runs scored and 10 RBIs. Head coach Adrian Pena said that he will miss much more than just Rios' ability on the diamond.
"She was pretty much my team leader," Pena said. "She did all the little things we needed. She was the person who kept everyone together. She's the one who kind of got everyone else involved. As a player she was great as well. She was my leadoff batter all year long and got on when she needed to get on. We'll definitely miss her."
To be selected to the Academic All-State team, athletes must be a senior and maintain a grade point average of 94 or above for grades 9 through 11. There were 37 athletes selected to the Class A Academic All-State team for softball this year.
Lady Badgers Make all-district
(Posted 5/25/2010 01:03 pm)
Nine Lady Badger softball players earned All-District honors for their Area-qualifying efforts in the 2010 season.
Freshman pitcher Aileen Lundquist was selected as Newcomer of the Year, while seniors Jerrica Medina, Evanly Gonzales and Vanessa Urrutia and junior Stephanie Bruce earned First-Team All-District.
Freshman Kalli Ferguson and junior Amber Riojas got Second-Team All-District, and Honorable Mention went to junior Erika Puente and sophomore Maria Moncada.
(Posted 5/25/2010 01:03 pm)
Nine Lady Badger softball players earned All-District honors for their Area-qualifying efforts in the 2010 season.
Freshman pitcher Aileen Lundquist was selected as Newcomer of the Year, while seniors Jerrica Medina, Evanly Gonzales and Vanessa Urrutia and junior Stephanie Bruce earned First-Team All-District.
Freshman Kalli Ferguson and junior Amber Riojas got Second-Team All-District, and Honorable Mention went to junior Erika Puente and sophomore Maria Moncada.
Lions, Badgers put 13 on all-district squad
(Posted 5/25/2010 01:02 pm)
Kenedy and Karnes City High Schools combined to place 13 student-athletes on the District 28-2A all-district teams.
First team selections for Kenedy included: Rolie Zepeda, Newcomer of the Year; Rhett Bell, second baseman; and Jake Havron, outfield.
First team selections for Karnes City included: J. Boyd Vaughan, pitcher; and Garrett Schulz, catcher.
Second team selections for Kenedy included: Isaac Cruz, pitcher; Jonathan Hackney, outfield; Lane Gaskamp, outfield.
Second team selections for Karnes City included: Lawrence Carrasco, pitcher; Colby Burson, first base; Garrett Liska, third base; Philip Vaughan, outfield; Clayton Labus, utility player.
(Posted 5/25/2010 01:02 pm)
Kenedy and Karnes City High Schools combined to place 13 student-athletes on the District 28-2A all-district teams.
First team selections for Kenedy included: Rolie Zepeda, Newcomer of the Year; Rhett Bell, second baseman; and Jake Havron, outfield.
First team selections for Karnes City included: J. Boyd Vaughan, pitcher; and Garrett Schulz, catcher.
Second team selections for Kenedy included: Isaac Cruz, pitcher; Jonathan Hackney, outfield; Lane Gaskamp, outfield.
Second team selections for Karnes City included: Lawrence Carrasco, pitcher; Colby Burson, first base; Garrett Liska, third base; Philip Vaughan, outfield; Clayton Labus, utility player.
Runge baseball places 7 on all-district team
(Posted 5/25/2010 01:02 pm)
Seven members of Runge High School's bi-district championship team earned spots on the all-district list for the 2010 season.
All-district selections pictured are Rob Molina, left, first team outfielder; J.J De Los Santos, first team infielder; Augie Rodriguez, district most valuable player; Marcus Bryan, first team catcher; Ryan Perez, first team utility player; Matt Perez, honorable mention outfielder; and Chris Brasher, first team designated hitter.
The Yellowjackets ended their season with a record of 13-13-1 and finished second in district.
(Posted 5/25/2010 01:02 pm)
Seven members of Runge High School's bi-district championship team earned spots on the all-district list for the 2010 season.
All-district selections pictured are Rob Molina, left, first team outfielder; J.J De Los Santos, first team infielder; Augie Rodriguez, district most valuable player; Marcus Bryan, first team catcher; Ryan Perez, first team utility player; Matt Perez, honorable mention outfielder; and Chris Brasher, first team designated hitter.
The Yellowjackets ended their season with a record of 13-13-1 and finished second in district.