Pioneers no longer league patsies
Posted on Wednesday, August 27, 2008
GENTRY ó The football resurrection at Gentry High School continues under the watchful eyes of second-year head coach Brian Little, whoís more optimistic than ever that the Pioneers are making progress.
ì Iím also a realist, î says Little, who went 3-7 his first season as a newly minted head coach. ì If you think about where we were in the majority of our conference games last year ó finished at halftime ó we want to be competitive and I think we will.
ì That means that in the fourth quarter of conference ball games weíre going to have a chance to be in the game. The record may or may not be any better. But I know that weíre going to be improved. Weíre going to be a better football team. Hopefully, our record will reflect it. î
It starts at quarterback, where sophomore sensation Caleb Ramsey returns as a junior. A participant in this summerís Top Gun QB 1 Challenge, Ramsey has several targets.
ì Heís throwing to a lot of people, î Little says. ì We donít necessarily have that someone to replace (graduated ) Matt Pierce in terms of that ëgo-to guy. íî
Junior Robert Henderson returns as Ramseyís primary target. Henderson was the teamís thirdleading receiver with 13 catches for 181 yards, including a 48-yard reception and a touchdown.
Also in the mix are seniors Josh Corter and Tyler Wade and junior Justin Wilks (eight catches for 176 yards and three TDs ).
Seniors Josh Hancock and Jake Tuttle are two more receivers. Sophomore Justin Stewart is getting quite a few reps.
ì Heís had a good fall camp and proven that he has the speed and the hands to jump in there and play and help us out, î Little says. ì We have depth. Sure do and thatís a good thing. We can move the ball around and not necessarily have people hone in on one or two guys. î
Ramsey will be handing off to junior running backs Kyle Miller and Nick Weeks.
ì Iíve been impressed with their vision and their toughness, î Little says. ì I think thatís a result of the weight room. Theyíre two of the stronger, faster guys on the team. î
The Pioneersíoffensive and defense lines also benefited greatly from the weight room, the former Rogers Mounties assistant head coach says. ì They are not only bigger, stronger and faster, they are a smart group of young men, î he says of his linemen. ì With football the way it is in general today, those guys have to know a lot of information in their head and they have to be prepared for a lot of different schemes, blitzes, et cetera. î Senior Connor Willet is working at center right now in first rotation. The guards are sophomore Gunter DeZurik and junior Elisha Patterson and the tackles are junior Austin Duncan and senior Landon Harwell. ì Iíve been real proud of their grasp of what we are doing and how theyíve picked it up ó running and passing game, î Little says. Henderson and Hancock are also counted on playing big roles on defense, aided by Weeks, sophomore Eathen Ramsey and junior Mario Orozco.
Little has been involved with other football resurrections, notably at Greenwood and Rogers.
ì Iím seeing the fact that we are going to be a better football team this year than we were last year despite what the record may or may not be, î he said. ì I know weíre making progress.
ì Because I have been involved, for example, at Greenwood and Rogers in previous stops, I do have a little bit of an idea what Iím looking for. I know it when I see it. Iím also encouraged to still have my staff back in place. î
He was asked if the Pioneers struggle, why that would be.
ì It will be because we are in the 1-4 A Conference, î he says without hesitation. ì Week in, week out, itís a fight. There are no patsies. Gentry might used to have been a circle on peopleís schedule, but I hope weíre not anymore. î
NOTES: For the second straight year, the number of Pioneers on the roster is up ó to 44 last week. ì We fluctuated between 35 and 40 the last three weeks, î Little said. ì I feel real good about that. I hope to maintain that number. Depth is a critical aspect to the success of our program. I donít know how Frank McClellan did it at Barton with 18 kids. You have to be smart about how you practice, prepare and work with what youíve got. î
Gentry has a sophomore (Tanner Morgan ) and a junior (Cameron Smith ) from Decatur. ì Both are good young men, smaller in terms of size but quick and intelligent, î Little said. ì I see those guys factoring in for us somewhere. Iíve been real proud of them. They have, since the move, come in and havenít missed a beat. î
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