Dawgs ready for district Schneider's return could give team a boost
THORNDALE—As far as the Thorndale Bulldogs are concerned, the 2008 season starts Friday when they board the yellow dog express and head over to Bartlett.
At 1-4 entering District 26A play, Thorndale Coach Todd Doughty’s bunch are probably in the market for a new lease on the season.
“I don’t know about a new lease,” Doughty said. “ These are the games we have been pointing to all season and now they are here.”
The Bulldogs could also get a spark of electricity from the return of senior speedster Cody Schneider who was not expected to play this season, but returned last week against Iola after gaining medical clearance.
“I think anytime any team gets a player like Cody back its a positive thing,” Doughty said.
Schneider played mostly defense last week, but Doughty hopes to work him into the offense more this Friday with an extra week of practice to get him up to speed with the Bulldogs’ new spread offense.
The Bulldogs enter the game last in district in both offense and defense and are giving up just over 40 points a game.
Shea Maupin leads Thorndale on the ground with 258 yards rushing.
Thorndale defeated Bartlett 33-0 in 2007.
Former Gatesville assistant Joe Mullins became the Bulldogs’ sixth head coach since 2000, replacing former Hutto assistant Dean Bunjoch who lasted one year.
Mullins was successful in stopping Bartlett’s 10-game losing streak with a pair of victories already in 2008, but is fields away from the Bulldog teams that won three state championships in the 1990s (90-92-99).
Heading into this year, Bartlett had won just seven games in the past three seasons combined.
The Bulldogs feature man/mountain Teddy Crews (6-foot-8, 340 pounds) on both offense and defense.
Eagles hope to keep mojo rolling into league action Defense ahs been the key to early success
MILANO—Heading into district play with a 4-1 record is something Milano should be thrilled about, but that ledger will be severly tested in the first three games of district play.
The loop fireworks begin this week when the Eagles host Granger at 8 p.m. Friday at Pruett Field.
“We had a good week and got a lot done,” Milano Coach Tim Berg said of his team’s open date last Friday. “We polished up some things before district and got healthy.”
Teams across District 26A open up district play this week and the Eagles know that it’s the beginning of a new season.
After opening up with Granger, things don’t get any easier when the Eagles travel to Thorndale next week.
The Eagles bested the Bulldogs last season for the first time in 72 years.
That game should be interesting, seeing as how it will be the return of Berg to his old stomping grounds where he was the defensive coordinator for the Bulldogs for a handful of years until this season. It is also Thorndale’s homecoming.
In week three of district play the Eagles will host a much improved Bartlett team. So one would think the Eagles are having to work extra hard in preparation, right? Wrong, and Berg intends to keep things they way they’ve been and continue Milano’s success thus far.
He added that he and his staff are taking one week at a time that his schedule was just luck of the draw, as Milano plays three of its five district games at home on Pruett Field.
“It’s a fast start,” Berg said of the first three district opponents. “But our kids know how important these games are.”
Scouting Granger
Berg knows that the Lions will be a tough opponent for the Eagles, even with the small set back Granger has had in losing its leading rusher.
Star senior running back Bradley Sims (5-9, 160) is out for the season with a broken ankle. He ran for 1,100 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2007.
“They are strong on both offense and defense and have lots of speed,” Berg said. “They are still loaded with talent (even after loss of Sims).”
In last year’s matchup, Granger beat Milano 48-34 on its way to an undefeated district title and finished with a 12-2 record, losing to Alto in the Division I state semifinals.
The Lions lost 35 lettermen and 18 starters off that team, but return five crucial starters, led by senior quarterback Kenny Sifuentes (5-10, 155).
The first team all-district signal caller rushed for 800 yards last year and threw for over 1,000. He was also first team at defensive back, where he recorded 87 tackles last season.
Granger and Milano sidelines both have rookie head coaches at the helm with Allen Dews for the Lions and the Eagles’ Berg.
However, Dews had been an assistant for Granger before getting the head coaching job after Stacey Hunt left for Class 3A Wharton.
The Lions are coming off two straight losses, an unfamiliar situation to say the least for the once Class A powerhouse.
Granger was the only team in its district to play last week with all other teams having an open date. (The Lions had their open date on Sept. 19.)
No. 6 Bremond pounded the Lions 48-24 and the week before a 41-0 shutout of Granger by Burton surprised a lot of Class A football fans. The Lions will come into Milano on Friday night with a 2-3 record. EAGLE TALONS—All District 26A games have been changed to 8 p.m. kickoff times... Milano fans are encouraged to wear their maroon on Friday night for the first ever “Maroon Out” at Pruett Field.
