The Class of 2008 got a glimpse of the future

 
By BILL MARTIN
Reporter Sports Editor 

 While I wouldn’t go as far as to say that Rockdale athletics have completely turned the corner, they certainly gained a peek at what is possible when you believe.
 As the Class of 2008 heads out into the real world, they can take solace in the fact that for the most part, they have left the program better than it was when they entered high school.
 The Class of 2008 was saddled with instability in the coaching ranks and that makes a difference, especially when you are in rebuilding mode.
 In the four years the current class competed in athletics, there were two football coaches, three basketball coaches, three baseball coaches and three volleyball coaches.
 Hard to build up any momentum with the coaches locker room door spinning off its hinges.
 In just over two years as athletic director, Jeff Miller has hired 19 coaches.
 Miller will have to replace a couple of varsity level coaches and three junior high coaches, but compared to last year, that’s downright stable.
 “This has obviously been a less stressful year for me when it comes to hiring,” Miller said.
 Big Blue football returned to the playoff arena with a well-earned second place finish in District 18-3A and it took a last second field goal by China Spring to finally shake the newly confident Tigers loose.
 Senior leadership was a key to that attitude adjustment after being pounded by the Cougars in their first meeting.
 The Tigers began the year 0-4 and could have surrendered at any time.
 Under new/old coach Dusty Loewe who returned to coach Rockdale after a 23-year absence, a young Tiger team with no returning starters unveiled a one-two sophomore punch in Lance Loewe and William McQuitter that will be hard to deal with over the next couple of years.
 The Lady Tigers struggled to find their footing under new coach Liz McQuitter and suffered their second straight losing season.
 However, Coach McQuitter has gone back to the basics and is reaching down to the junior high level to try to improve skill levels and fundamentals.
 They lost just two seniors.
 The Lady Tigers softball team, which has been the most consistently stable sport in the entire program, suffered through a rare losing season under first-year coach Cheryl Dickens after three straight district championships.
 The team still hasn’t been able to replace stars Toni Ellis and Caitlyn Luetge from three years ago. Factor that in with losing pitcher Sammie Meyer (43 career wins) and catcher Brandy Morgan off 2007’s squad and they were due for a little lapse.
 Now, someone is going to have to step in for power hitting shortstop Kaitlynne Schnerr or the Lady Tigers are in for another disappointing season.
 Jarad Richard’s baseball team started out like a house-a-fire, jumping out to a 14-5 overall record and 3-0 in district and even found themselves in the state rankings.
 The Tigers faltered in the last of their schedule however and ended up 14-10, but with the first winning season in baseball since 2001.
 Krysten Brooks, a senior next year, blazed a trail to state in the 100-meter hurdles and has even higher aspirations for 2009.
 Perhaps the Class of 2011 will be able to look back and give credit to where the resurgence began.

stillbill@rockdalerporter.com  

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