Wildcat Offensive and Defensive Coordinators Review Forney Game; Preview Ennis
Coach Young Assesses Offensive Performances
Wildcats Offensive Coordinator Matt Young enjoys talking about the Forney game last Friday (October 5). The Wildcats’ offense scored 56 points and racked up 606 yards. He says the Wildcats had a lot of guys make plays. Coach Young says the execution level was higher. The Wildcats were encouraged to increase their offensive tempo and Coach Young says it was better. He also stresses that the Wildcats are still not where they need to be with lots of things that can be done better.
Coach Young says quarterback D’Corian Young was great in the pocket completing 18 of 22 passes. Receiver Austin Dodd had another big night. Coach Young calls B-back Jermond Bryant-Amos an X-factor. Despite having only one catch, Coach Young says Bryant-Amos is becoming a force with his blocking, preparation and vocal leadership. He says Bryant-Amos brings a lot of intangibles to the table. Coach Young says receiver Landry Tyson made a great catch. He says Bryce McQueen had no catches but played his best game with his route running and blocking. Coach Young notes that receiver Pacen Edwards had a huge catch for a first down. He praises the line blocking by tackles Phillip Rater and Charlie Maddux and center Ethan Rogers.
Coach Young singles out big offensive tackle Hayden Daniel, who coaches call Hoss. He says Daniel had to move from tackle to guard when starting guard Giovanni Pizano went down with an injury. Coach Young says Daniel moved over and didn’t miss a beat. He says it’s tough for linemen to switch positions.
He notes that running back Choc Sims only had three carries but scored touchdowns on two of them. Coach Young says back Colton Allen had a big night while back Caden Davis provided explosiveness.
Coach Young also assesses the Ennis Lions’ defense the Wildcats will face Friday night (October 12) in Ennis. He says they are the same old Ennis with tough kids who play hard. Coach Young says they are good tacklers and are well coached. Ennis has 15 sophomores on heir varsity roster but Coach Young says they can play. He says the Lions have a freshman safety who makes tackles. Coach Young says the Lions have a pair of defensive ends that do a good job. He says they are undersized inside on the defensive line but adds they don’t play that way. Coach Young says the Lions’ inside linebackers are good tacklers. He says the Wildcats need to play with fast pace, execute and play a physical game. Coach Young says Ennis will play a physical game. He says the Wildcats have to decide whether to be the hammer or the nail. With Ennis trying to shorten the game with their strong running attack, Coach Young says the Wildcats goal is to have at least six possessions per half.
Coach Guerra Looks Back at Forney and Ahead to Ennis
Wildcats Defensive Coordinator Alex Guerra doesn’t mince words. When asked about the defensive play last Friday (October 5) against Forney, Coach Guerra says it wasn’t very good. He adds it was sloppy, included mistakes in communication in the secondary and featured mistakes defenders haven’t made since their scrimmage. Coach Guerra says the defense did regroup and made a couple of stops on two point conversion attempts. He says it was a rough night for the defense. Coach Guerra says the defensive line did a decent job. His bottom line though was that the defense was pretty average across the board.
Concerning Ennis, the Wildcats’ opponent Friday night on the road, Coach Guerra says the Lions have a shifty quarterback, a great running back and a receiver that is hard to defend. He says if any of those three get some space, they are hard to tackle. Coach Guerra says the Lions have a good offensive line. He expects Ennis to use some plays like ones that worked for Forney. Coach Guerra says it is important for the Wildcats outside linebackers to have a good game and he says he is challenging them to do just that.
Results of Brookshires’ Challenge Cross Country Meet
The Saltillo ISD sponsored the Brookshires’ Challenge Cross Country Meet last Thursday (October 4) at Lake Bob Sandlin State Park in Pittsburg. 723 runners participated.
In the varsity boys run, Saltillo’s Garrett Tarver finished first with a time of 17:41. Dillon Beadle of Saltillo was fourth with a time of 18:27. The Saltillo Lions were sixth in boys’ team competition.
In the varsity girls run, Saltillo’s Sienna Collins was third with a time of 12:04. Lexi Busby of Como-Pickton was ninth with a time of 12:33. Commerce won the varsity boys’ competition and Pittsburg was the varsity girls’ champ.
Saltillo won the junior high boys’ race and Miller Grove was second. Saltillo’s Gunner Tarver and Coy Collins finished 1 and 2 in the junior high boys race.
In the junior high girls’ team competition, Como-Pickton was second. In the junior high girls race, Kylie Melton of Miller Grove was fifth.
Candidates Focus on Education During Political Forum
Education and teacher retirement were the focus of Tuesday night’s Candidate Forum sponsored by the Hopkins-Rains Retired Teachers organization. Candidates for District 2 State Representative and State Senate along with one candidate for Lt. Governor addressed the packed City Council Chambers at City Hall and then answered questions from the audience.
District 2 Representative incumbent Dan Flynn and challenger Bill Brannon were first up. Flynn referred to the ranking of House members by educators and reminded those present he was named as one who is a friend of public education. He stated he has voted against a voucher system that would provide funding for families to use for private schools education. He also pointed to his actions to maintain retirement funding for retired teachers. He noted that he is a member of the Sunset Committee and is Chair of the Pensions Committee for the Texas House of Representatives.
Bill Brannon, Flynn’s challenger, said changes in appraisals and property tax are needed to increase funding for education and for teacher pensions. He said there are a number of departments that need change in the state naming Child Protective Services and the Department of Health Services as those needing specific work.
Kendall Scudder, Democratic challenger for the District 2 State Senate seat, told the crowd he would sound angry in his presentation and that he is angry due to the school voucher bill signed by his opponent, Bob Hall. Scudder said the bill will discriminate and prove an entitlement for the wealthy. He stated that public schools in small communities are the centerpiece of the community. He noted that the voucher system would lead to privatizing schools. Scudder said the biggest difference between his campaign and Hall’s is the funding and support of Empower Texans which he called a friend of the voucher system. Scudder said funding for schools and pensions could be found in higher taxes for high yielding gas wells. He said that would bring in billions of dollars to the state.
Although incumbent District 2 Senator Bob Hall could not be present, his representative was Andrew Greenberg, a Mesquite ISD teacher. Greenberg who teaches AP courses and Debate said there is a lot of rhetoric about education being heard in the campaign. He said opponents of Hall are using a scary rhetoric. Greenberg noted Hall’s “Promises Made, Promises Kept” slogan. He stated the slogan was a reference to teacher retirement and that the cause is important to Hall. He said Hall recognizes the current retirement model is broken and Hall plans to address the issue with new answers. He said Hall views education as the most important thing for the state and that students are the most important in the education system. He noted that Hall voted against unfunded mandates and seeks parity in pay for those in education.
Challenger Mike Collier noted the absence of Lt Governor Dan Patrick and stated that it is not unusual for him [Collier] to sit next to an empty chair at political candidate forums. Collier, an accountant, said politics will work better when those with a work background are elected to office. He stated he does not support vouchers and he has a plan to fund education. Collier said the state has made decisions over the years that have created serious revenue problems and unless those are reversed there will be difficulties to face. Regarding property tax, Collier said there is a loophole in the property tax law that allows large industrial and commercial properties to underpay their taxes. He said $5-billion dollars would be added by having those property owners pay appraised value. The power of the Lt. Governor is the power to force a vote. He said that when gerrymandering is killed the current animosity in politics will end. He said he knew he would lose the gerrymandering question in the first session but he made a promise to campaign against those who did not vote to lose gerrymandering.
Those present for the event were welcomed by Tommy Long, retired Superintendent of North Hopkins Schools, and chair of the Hopkins-Rains Retired Teachers and of the Hopkins County Democratic Party. Also present were Donnie Wisenbaker, Chair of the Hopkins County Republican Party and officers for the Hopkins-Rains organization and a number of retired teachers and members of the community.
PJC-Sulphur Springs: College Life, Dragon Float Day
DRAGON FLOAT DAY
Students at the PJC-Sulphur Springs Center campus enjoyed a refreshing taste of “Dragon Floats” Tuesday. They included a combination of Root Beer and ice cream and other flavor combinations. Above Sydnee Hawkins, Ethan Hill and Oscar Bustillo enjoy the refreshments between classes.
Poverty Simulation Set for October 17 Beneficial for Civic, Church Leaders, Educators, Volunteers
According to Shanna Martin of CANHelp, anyone who would like to sign up to participate in the national awareness campaign CAPS, or Community Action Poverty Simulation, set locally for Wednesday October 17 is welcome to do so. So far about 40 persons have signed up, but there is capacity for up to 80 participants. Those who took the initial offering of this simulation have commented that the experience was eye-opening and helpful to better understand the difficulties many families in Hopkins County face on a daily basis. It has also been used by some as an opportunity for professional development. Contact Shanna Martin for details at 903-885-9797 Ext 3 or [email protected].
From Shanna Martin:
This is just a reminder that CANHelp will be hosting our fall Community Action Poverty Simulation (CAPS) on Wednesday, October 17th from 1:00PM-4:30PM at The ROC located at 115 Putman St. in Sulphur Springs. This training would be a good experience for older students, people involved in civic organizations, healthcare or mental health workers, non-profit agencies, educators, community leaders, churches or anyone who wants to understand the realities many in our communities face every day and find out more about the efforts going on in our communities to help fight poverty! Please see the attached flyer for more information.
Why should you attend at Community Action Poverty Simulation (CAPS)?
Sometimes it is difficult for those of us who have enough to truly understand the situations that families living in poverty experience every day – the decisions they have to make, and the fears and frustrations they feel. That is why we are inviting you to walk a mile in the shoes of those facing poverty by participating in the Community Action Poverty Simulation (CAPS).
What to expect?
The CAPS provides participants with the opportunity to assume the role of a low-income family member living on a limited budget. The experience is divided into four 15-minute sessions, each of which represents one week in which you must provide for your family and maintain your home. As one participant commented, “This poverty simulation dramatically demonstrates how much time and energy many families have to give just to survive from day to day. It quickly dispels the myth ”that people would do fine if they would only go out and get a job!”
Space is limited, so please sign up quickly. Visit our website to register, www.canhelponline.org. If you have any questions or would like to volunteer in the simulation (good experience for previous attendees), please call CANHelp at 903-885-9797 ext. 3 or email me at [email protected]. Additionally, please help us spread the word and this along to your colleagues and invite them to attend as well. We hope to see you there.
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National 4-H Week Oct 7-13
October 7 thru 13 is being celebrated all across the United States as National 4-H Week. The Hopkins County Extension staff members – Johanna Hicks, Mario Villarino, and Barbara Sanders – invite everyone to view the 4-H Project Show entries this week, Monday thru Friday, between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., at the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Office, 1200-B W. Houston Street, in Sulphur Springs. Art, photography, leather work, sewing, metal work, horticulture, wood work, and many other items made by Hopkins County 4-H members are in display for public viewing.
I-30 West Shutdown During Wednesday Morning Due to Accidents in Hunt County
Interstate 30 Westbound will be shut down on Wednesday October 10, 2018, starting at Mile Marker 101 due to a multiple vehicle accident on Interstate 30 West in Hunt County. The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Department and Sulphur Springs Police Department were assisting along with Campbell Fire and Cash Fire Departments. Numerous vehicles were involved in the accident, and ambulances from Hopkins County were dispatched to assist victims, along with other units.
If possible, please avoid traveling Interstate 30 Westbound through the morning of Wednesday October 10 as first responders work to assist victims and clear the roadway.
Team Effort Enables Lady Cats Defeat of Royse City
For the third straight district match in Wildcat Gym, the Lady Cats’ volleyball team went into a fifth set with their opponent Tuesday night (October 9). After losses in the first two, the Lady Cats had one go their way against Royse City Tuesday night. The Lady Cats won 3-2 over the Lady Bulldogs. The score was 25-21, 15-25, 23-25, 25-21 and 15-11.
Big games by several Lady Cats put them over the top. Autumn Tanton had her usual solid game with a team high 13 kills, a service ace, 12 digs and a block solo. Abbi Baier had 12 kills and most of them were struck real hard. She also had 7 digs. Sydney Washburn was solid with 9 kills and a block assist. Madi Vickery had 8 kills and 2 digs. Again Lexi Whisenhunt contributed in many ways with 4 kills, 26 assists, 12 digs and a block solo. Sadie Washburn had 3 kills, 3 service aces and a block assist. Kate Womack made her time on the court count with 2 kills, 4 service aces with three coming in the decisive fifth set and 3 digs. Aubreigh Oliver chipped in 14 assists, 2 service aces and 5 digs. Maddie Millsap had a service ace and 4 digs. Sadie Stroud had a team high 17 digs. Taylor McElfresh had 4 digs.
The Lady Cats improve to 2-4 in district play. A loss by Greenville puts the Lady Cats and Lady Lions into a tie for the fourth playoff spot. The Lady Cats are now 26-11 for the season. The Lady Cats play second place Lindale Friday (October 12) at 5 p.m. in Wildcat Gym.
Owens Says Wildcats Biggest Challenge Friday Night is Knowing What Ennis Will Run
Wildcats Football Coach Greg Owens talked about Lions and Wildcats at his weekly media gathering Tuesday (October 9) morning. He said Sam Harrell is back in charge at Ennis after battling multiple sclerosis for several years. Coach Owens said Coach Harrell is still trying to figure out the identity of this year’s Ennis team. He said the Lions are changing their offense every week. Coach Owens said that puts in the Wildcats’ coaches in a bind trying to figure out what Ennis will run this week.
He said the Lions have a very talented quarterback, Dyllan Santos. Coach Owens said back James Harris will be the best back we have faced this year. He said the Lions’ offensive line really comes off the ball. Coach Owens said Zion Dove is a good receiver for Ennis. He said Ennis has not scored lot of points this season and he is not sure why. Coach Owens said they appear to be shortening games with their strong running game. He said the Lions have fifteen sophomores and a freshman on its varsity roster. Coach Owens said he’s heard that the Ennis sophomore class is being called the most talented Lions class to ever come through the program.
On defense, Coach Owens said the Lions defensive front is not that big but is very quick. He is impressed by sophomore Deryous Stokes. Coach Owens believes the Lions’ secondary has not been tested yet but he says the Wildcats will try to test them Friday night. The Lions lost their first two games to arch rival Waxahachie and to talented district foe Kaufman. Coach Owens said those two teams will beat a lot of people. Ennis has won three games in a row.
He said the Wildcats have to continue to get better and he added they can improve a lot. For keys to the game, Coach Owens said the Wildcats offensive and defensive lines must play a very physical game. He added the Wildcats must tackle much better and as always they must take care of the football.
Wildcat, Lady Cat Cross Country Teams Prepare for Regional Meet October 22
At the District 15-5A Cross Country Meet Monday at Mount Pleasant, the Wildcats won the district championship for the first time in nine years. The Wildcats finished four points ahead of host Mount Pleasant. The Lady Cats finished third behind Mount Pleasant and Royse City. Both the Wildcats and Lady Cats will advance to the regional meet on October 22 at Lynn Creek Park in Grand Prairie.
Wildcats and Lady Cats Coach Ross Hicks said it was a great day for his teams and he added the weather was good. The Wildcats were led by Landon Thornton, who finished second in the race. Coach Hicks said Thornton finished between two runners who went to the state meet last year as individuals. As usual, Wildcats junior Christian Palomino and senior Eli Sellers finished together in sixth and seventh place. Coach Hicks said they pushed each other and both ran personal bests. Nabian Ramirez finished tenth. Coach Hicks said Ramirez picked up valuable points by passing five or six runners during the final 800 meters of the race. Wildcats freshman Jose Mejia finished 18th with senior Andrew Escobar ending 19th. Rhett Reid also competed for the Wildcats.
The Lady Cats were led by junior Sydney Washburn who finished fourth. Lady Cats’ sophomore Maurie Flecker was 12th and Coach Hicks said she ran a gutsy race. Sophomore Landri McKinney finished 18th and senior Baylie Arrington was 19th. Next came senior Kaitlyn Ferrill, freshman Jessica Yanez and junior Ashley Noe.
The teams will compete at the regional cross country meet October 22.
