State championship 2017

State Champs VII A SPECIAL PROJECT OF

THE COMMUNITY NEWS JANUARY 20, 2017

Photos by Tony Eierdam, Rosealee Hoffman and Karen Towery. Cover photo

by Rosealee Hoffman.

2B January 20, 2017

Aledo Bearcats State Championship

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CONGRATULATIONS BEARCATS on your 2016 State Championship!

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Wes Harris #99

TH

IN 8 YEARS!

Wyatt Harris #25

Rhett Harris #20

Michaela Harris

The Community News

January 20, 2017

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Bearcats’ perfect 16-0 state-championship season adds to legacy of Aledo football

By Tony Eierdam The Community News

Sixteen and 0.

What can you add to that?

The Aledo Bearcats ran the table in 2016, and wordsmiths can add all the adjectives and superlatives they want and nothing written says more than 16-0.

But it wasn’t as easy as the record indicates for the Bearcats, who this season captured the school’s seventh state football championship – the sixth in eight years and the third in the past four years.

The Bearcats had an extremely tough non-district schedule – the season opener at Colleyville Heritage and the non-district finale at Mansfield Legacy sandwiched around a home game against a successful California team.

Just the scores alone from the Heritage (41-36) and Legacy (59-41) games point out that the non-district schedule was intended to prepare this team for district play and the playoffs. Beating Westlake, Calif. 65-7 may not have been the revenge of Bishop Amat (the 2014 state-championship team’s lone loss) but anytime a high school football team from Texas whips a Cali team we all feel good, especially if it is our Bearcats doing the whipping.

I really enjoyed the Heritage and Legacy games. Not only did they provide drama that is not usually associated with a Bearcats football game, but those two teams prepared Aledo for the back end of the playoffs. The Bearcats knew if they could ward off challenges from those two talented teams that they could beat anybody.

I always wonder how the season would have gone had senior safety Logan Childs not intercepted that pass when Heritage was driving for a chance at a last-second win. But he did, and I have to believe a team that wins when it is on the brink of losing gains the kind of confidence not replicated in other situations.

It was after the Legacy game that I felt the Bearcats would run the table. With no disrespect to Corpus Christi Calallen or Mesquite Poteet, I felt Legacy was the best team the Bearcats faced this season. Senior quarterback Dillon Davis willed that win, and I believed after that game that if Aledo faced any team that could put points on the board that the Bearcats’ offense could outscore anyone.

Then came District Then came District 6-5A play. Last year, in the old District 8-5A, I expected tough games at Everman and Crowley and felt Burleson and Burleson Centennial may offer legitimate challenges. But each game was an easy win for the Bearcats.

Aledo head coach Steve Wood and his players hold up the 2016 Class 5A, Division II state championship trophy won after the Bearcats defeated Corpus Christi Calallen, 24-16, at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. It was the seventh football state title in school history and the second won by Woods in his three years as Bearcats head coach.

This season, 6-5A proved a stronger district.

The first big game came at Northwest and their high-powered offense led by junior quarterback Prince Mavula. This game was so big in hype that some “prognosticators” actually picked Northwest to hand Aledo its first district loss since 2007. Silly prognosticators.

Yes, Mavula was everything advertised, and the talented signal caller passed for 341 yards, 195 of which were recorded by senior receiver Gavin Holmes. But like most district games Aledo has played during the past nine years it was over after three quarters as Aledo led 54-24.

But it was a good game played by the Texans, who trailed 14-10 after the first quarter and 41-24 at the half to keep fairly close. But it’s like I say when someone asks me if a Bearcats’ opponent is good: “They are good; just not Aledo good.”

Most of the other district scores were lopsided, but each team had a special quality that will make next year’s district games interesting. Azle has an extremely talented

freshman quarterback who will be better next year as a sophomore; Eaton has a great running back that will challenge Donnie Evans and Jase McClellan next year for the district’s top running back; Brewer showed some life this year and scored 24 points on the Bearcats; and that brings me to Boswell.

Don’t look now, folks, but Boswell has just turned into Aledo’s rival in all sports, but their rise to being a top football team in the area this season made everyone notice.

The Pioneers were the last hurdle for the Bearcats in completing their ninth consecutive undefeated district season in the district final at Bearcat Stadium.

The Bearcats led just 7-0 after the first quarter and 21-14 at the half. Game on.

But in typical Bearcats fashion, Aledo scored two quick touchdowns and led 35-17 after three quarters and ended up winning by 25 points. When the playoffs began both Aledo and Boswell were in the Division II (small schools) bracket, and I don’t think anyone here or in Saginaw thought these teams would face each other again this year.

But more on that later.

The Playoffs The playoffs began with another “calendar circle” matchup as Aledo and 10-1 Grapevine would hook up if both won their respective playoff openers, which both easily did.

Again – and maybe this is just wishful thinking from non-Aledo folks – but many of those high school football prognosticators felt that Grapevine – with probably its best team since its state championship team 18 years ago – could upset the Bearcats.

Uh, yeah, wishful thinking. The Bearcats put a 51-7 pounding on the Mustangs, and at that moment I believe everyone else saw this was a Bearcats team that could not be stopped. The next week, in the lone real road trip of the season, Aledo shot down Abilene Cooper at Shotwell Stadium in convincing fashion as the Bearcats advanced to the fourth round – regional final or state quarterfinals if you prefer – for the fourth consecutive year.

But an unexpected opponent loomed Turn to LEGACY, page 5B

4B January 20, 2017

Aledo Bearcats State Championship

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Recipe for success

One huge reason for continued success of Bearcats’ football programs is great assistant coaches; coaching staff that has stayed intact

By Tony Eierdam The Community News

Most people are familiar with the proverb, “the more things change; the more they stay the same.”

The adage could also be used to describe the success of the Aledo Bearcats football team. The Bearcats defeated Corpus Christi Calallen, 24-16, on Dec. 16 for the Class 5A, Division II state championship, giving the school its seventh state football championship and the sixth in the past eight years.

There are myriad reasons for the program’s success, but the comparison to the aforementioned proverb lies with the Aledo assistant coaches.

Every year is a new football season – the change – but there is one consistent element that stays the same at Aledo High School: the assistant coaching staff.

In the past eight years that have produced those six state championship teams, the Bearcats coaching staff for the most part has stayed the same. In most cases, once a high school football team wins a state championship its assistant coaching staff gets picked apart as coordinators become head coaches at other schools and position coaches take jobs elsewhere as coordinators.

It is extremely unusual for a school at one of the highest levels to take six state titles in such a short amount of time, but it even more unlikely a staff as successful as Aledo’s sticks around.

It is a unique staff that recently promoted its long-time defensive coordinator, Steve Wood, to head coach, and it also employs former head coaches and coaches who have turned down head coaching jobs at other schools in order to stay at Aledo.

A few years ago, Wood himself turned down a job as Lake Travis’ defensive coordinator when that school was going through a state-championship run. His reason for not leaving? “Family,” he said.

Aledo ISD Athletic Director Tim Buchanan hired most of the coaches who have been on staff, although Wood recently hired assistants Stephen Reves and Andy Clark.

In addition to those two, the football coaching staff includes Robby Jones, Billy Mathis, Rocky Jones, Lee Bishop, Doug Wheeler, Greg Wright, Blake Christenson, Brad McCone, Joe McCoy, Stephen Reves, Chad Barry, Brock Gray, Scott Cartwright, Todd Bailey, Michael Corley, Chris O’Donnell, Joe Roquemore and Rick Lawrence.

Aledo assistant coaches Robby Jones, left, and Lee Bishop have been on the Bearcats’ football staff for six of the seven state championships at the school. Jones, a longtime Aledo assistant, is the Offensive Coordinator and Assistant Head Coach, and Bishop has coached the offensive linemen for the past eight years.

Learning Environment Buchanan explained the reasons these sought-after assistant coaches stay at Aledo.

“The majority of the assistants I hired have been here quite a while,” Buchanan, who stepped down as head coach to focus solely on athletic director duties three years ago, said. “There are multiple reasons why these coaches – coaches who could be head coaches at other places – are still here.

“If you look at a guy like (Offensive Coordinator) Robby Jones, who has been here since 2000, he started out as a middle school coach and worked his way up to being the assistant head coach and offensive coordinator.

“Robby could go get himself a head coaching job, but there are three things that keep Robby here. No. 1, he likes what he does and we treat him really well; No. 2, he likes the fact that his kids can go to school in a good academic school district that also has good athletics; and third, his wife (Cheryl) is an administrator in this district (principal at The Learning Center and former AMS principal). Robby has a really good job.”

Buchanan pointed to the fact that a lot

of coaches on the Aledo football staff have school-age children and want their kids to take advantage of the high academic standards of the school district.

“When you look at what Aledo ISD offers - if you look at the majority of our coaches they either currently have kids in school here or had kids in school here – it makes a big difference and is a big reason our good assistant coaches stay here as assistants,” Buchanan said. “Aledo is a great place to raise a family because of all of the things that are offered here.

“It is a safe community, a very safe school district, and it has high academic standards to go along with a successful athletics program. Aledo is a great place to live.”

Buchanan explained why a former head coach like McCone is so valuable to the staff and to Wood.

“Brad McCone had been a head football coach at Crowley High School for years, and when you hire a guy who has had head coaching experience – like another assistant we had before he retired, John Rhodes – that helps the head coach tremendously because they understand what is going on

with the head coach,” Buchanan explained.

“When Coach Wood is not able to be in a meeting with the defense, Brad can help (Defensive Coordinator) Billy (Mathis) with whatever he needs to do and Billy and Brad can tag team that defense.”

Deep Roots Mathis and quarterbacks coach Christenson played for Buchanan. The AD pointed to Mathis and his rise through the Aledo ISD ranks as possibly one reason he stays put in Aledo.

“Billy Mathis was the type of player who would do whatever the coaches would ask him,” Buchanan recalled. “He was a tremendous athlete in high school, and when we hired him he started out at the middle school and worked his way up to the high school.

“He went over to Godley with Randy Brawner (an assistant plucked from the Aledo staff due to the team’s success) to be a coordinator and eventually came back here. Billy is another assistant I see as a Turn to COACHES, page 7

The Community News

LEGACY from page three

ahead for the ‘Cats: Those pesky Boswell Pioneers reached the fourth round for the first time in school history, and the game would be played at the Taj Mahal of football in the state – AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

What I liked about this game was the margin of victory. The Bearcats, particularly the defense, felt like they did not play their best game in the district finale against the Pioneers, and the coaches used the score as a motivating factor.

Defensive tackle Wes Harris told me he got sick of hearing coaches bark out the number “24,” which was the amount of points Boswell scored on Aledo even though Boswell scored one touchdown on defense and another when the first teamers were already taking off their shoulder pads on the sidelines.

But coaches love fodder, and that certainly caught the Bearcats’ attention.

Boswell elation of its furthest playoff trek came quickly to an end. Aledo led 21-0 at the half and 35-0 before the Pioneers could score their first-ever fourth-round touchdown. However, I applaud Boswell and its three playoff wins and look forward to future competition between the Bearcats and Pioneers.

The last two playoff wins were barnburners – relatively speaking – and the win over Mesquite Poteet in the state semifinals

January 20, 2017

5B

may have been the Bearcats’ finest effort.

Like all Region II winners, Poteet had talent, speed and good coaching, but Aledo made them look mortal with an impressive 38-14 victory at the brand-new Ford Center in Frisco, the new practice digs of the Dallas Cowboys.

State Championship The state championship game offered a complete contrast in offensive styles, but it also showed me something about our starting quarterback. Davis was hobbled – to put it mildly – but he gutted it out and led the team to a 24-16 victory. In fact, Davis was not 100 percent healthy for the last three playoff games, but there was no way he was going to let his teammates down.

Calallen, with its primarily rushing offense led by talented quarterback Gaige Lamb, kept the contest close, but I really never got the feeling during that game the Bearcats would lose.

This was a team with great skill players, the best offensive line I have ever seen as a sports writer, a solid, aggressive defense and great coaches.

But what I will remember most about this season is this team had to overcome adversity with key injuries throughout the season and playoffs, and it overcame what could have been a distraction – the web cast series on the team called “Titletown, TX” - but never let it affect them. In fact, Titletown may have motivated them more.

My best memory of the season, howev-

er, will be the relationships I had with the players, coaches and parents. These kids are intelligent and understand what they were going through as football players was special. In other words, they never took for granted the situation they were in – they just kept working harder which is a testament to them, the coaches and their parents.

It will tough not seeing these seniors again in a Bearcat football setting, but then

again, I feel that way every year I have worked here.

The 2016 season will not only be remembered as an unblemished 16-0 state-championship campaign, but it also showed that hard work and dedication and the support of the community can come together to form a season to be remembered for as long as football is played in Aledo, Texas.

Congrats to Jase McClellan, Offensive MVP & James Williams, Defensive MVP

6B January 20, 2017

Aledo Bearcats State Championship

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CONGRATULATIONS

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January 20, 2017

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SLOAN PHOTOGRAPHY/SPECIAL TO THE COMMUNITY NEWS

Aledo 2016 coaching staff

COACHES from page four

head coach one day whether it is in Aledo or somewhere else. Same with Robby Jones.

Robby will end up being a head coach whether it is here or somewhere else.”

Wood, a former assistant, went on to explain why he stuck it out to become head coach at a place he was hired almost 15 years ago.

“Aledo is an unbelievable place,” Wood said. “The reason I stayed is my family, and I wanted my kids to have a home. This is their home. I didn’t want to be one of those coaches who moves all over the state. Some do, which is OK, but that is not me.

“Another reason is that this is such a great place to work. We have great kids, great facilities, an unbelievable community with good support, and coach Buc has been so good to me. From my standpoint, that is why I am still here.

“I think most of our assistant coaches feel the same way. They have their kids in a great school district, and I have no doubts that several of our assistants could go get head football coaching jobs. Our staff is unbelievable. In my three years as a head coach we have had one change on the varsity staff and that was when Coach John (Rhodes) retired.”

Buchanan went on to point out other Aledo assistants who have either been a coordinator elsewhere and taken a position coach job in Aledo, or others who have either turned down head coaching jobs in smaller districts or who have yet to test the head coaching waters, content in staying on the Bearcats’ staff.

“Andy Clark, the new guy that Wood hired, had been a defensive coordinator and then he comes to Aledo to be a position coach,” Buchanan said. “Greg Wright has not only tremendous football knowledge, but he has been around multiple programs and understands how things should operate.

Rocky Jones is another guy who is going to be a head coach one day. Rocky has a tremendous offensive mind.”

O-Line Coaches But arguably the coup de grâce of the staff is offensive line coaches Bishop and Wheeler. Bishop has been in the business as long or longer than Wood, and Wheeler, a former Texas Longhorns guard, is a younger but studious coach.

Buchanan must have been living right in 2009 when he lost two good assistant coaches – Joe Dale Cary and Randy Brawner – but found more than adequate replacements. Cary was a position coach who left to become a coordinator, and Brawner left to become a head coach in Class 2A. “You are not going to find two better offensive line coaches in Bishop and Wheeler,” Buchanan said. “People don’t believe this, but when I lost two really good offensive line coaches I hired Lee from Denton Ryan. I lost Joe Dale Cary when he went to Port Neches-Groves to be their offensive coordinator, and I lost Brawner to Godley where he went to be head coach.

“I had to hire two really good football coaches to take their place. To be honest, I did not think I could find two as good as Cary and Brawner, much less two that could do a better job, and these two (Bishop, Wheeler) work better together than Brawner did with Cary.

“Bishop and Wheeler work together well, and sometimes they take kids who can’t play defense – or can’t play any other positions – and they turn them into all-district and all-state type of offensive linemen.

“I will put Lee and Doug up against any offensive line coaches at any level – high school, college or the professional ranks.

Those two get it done.”

Wood feels the state-championship success is also in part a result of these coaches staying here, working together well and knowing the year-to-year routine which helps the players become successful.

“Our routine is the same, our expectations are the same, and everybody knows how we do things around here,” Wood said.

“The staff is great with these kids – they are kid people and great teachers – and you really don’t realize this until you are a head coach but you have to turn a lot of the football over to the coaches a lot of the times because there is so many other things a head coach has to take care of administration wise.

“This staff is a bunch of ball coaches who love what they do. It is seven days a week for them during the season and if you put the hours together some folks might say ‘y’all are silly; why do you do that?’ but these guys love it and they love being around these kids. They love the competition, and they are just a special group of guys. Without a doubt, the assistant coaches are one of the reasons for our success.”

Wood also appreciates the years of experience his staff brings to the coaching table.

“Our offensive staff works so well together with our two O-line coaches (Lee Bishop, Doug Wheeler) and the Jones brothers (Robby, Rocky),” he said. “They do a great job of working things out schematically.

Coach (Joe) McCoy took our special teams over completely and did an unbelievable job. “(Defensive Coordinator) Coach (Billy) Mathis played football here and he bleeds orange and black, and we got Brad McCone to come in from Crowley and he had been an excellent head coach there for a long time.

It is great to have a former head coach as an assistant because he knows what I am doing and what I am going through. He helps to head off things that I don’t want to have to deal with. You know, he has been there. “(Defensive backs coach) Greg Wright has coached as long as I have and played in college, and we see things the same way. It is not easy to coach defense when the head coach is an old defensive coach, but Greg and I see things the same way and it works well.

“Coach (Stephen) Reves had been an O-line coach his whole life but came over to the defensive side, learned cornerback play, and has become a really good cornerbacks coach. This year we added the former defensive coordinator from Alvarado, Andy Clark, just to coach our defensive tackles.

“The assistant coaches take care of business, they are professionals, and they love the kids. That’s all you can ask as a head coach. We have got a really neat staff, and without a doubt I feel like it is the greatest coaching staff in Texas. No question.”

There are multiple reasons the Bearcats have won six state titles in the last eight seasons. One that is at or near the top of the list is the experience and continuity of the Bearcats’ staff, a staff that is working hard this moment in preparations of adding an eighth state-championship monument to the foyer of Bearcat Stadium.

8B January 20, 2017

Aledo Bearcats State Championship

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Successful experiment

Moving two-time, all-state offensive guard Wes Harris to defensive tackle to pair with James Williams strengthened Bearcats’ defense

By Tony Eierdam The Community News

Last spring, Aledo Bearcats’ head coach Steve Wood acted more like a mad scientist when he asked two-time, all-state guard Wes Harris to move from the only position he had ever known to an unfamiliar position on the other side of the line of scrimmage.

But looking deeper, Wood’s “mad move” was a brilliant idea to clog the middle of the Bearcats’ defense with Harris playing next two two-time all-district defensive tackle James “Big Game” Williams.

But first, the old defensive coach had to convince his offensive coaches that moving the TCU-bound Harris was what would be best for the team – a team whose lone goal was winning the state championship after falling a game short the season before.

“I had no doubts from the beginning that this would be a successful move for Wes and our defense,” Wood said. “Our offensive line coaches were good with it. They were losing the best offensive lineman they had but they realized it was for the betterment of the team. Nobody this year wanted to run the football inside on us.”

Indeed. Although game statistics can be skewed – Aledo’s first-team defense rarely played in the fourth quarter of regular season games – there are some telling figures involving Harris’ move to defense. On four occasions, including twice in the playoffs, the Bearcats’ Black Shirts held their opponent to negative rushing yardage.

Only three times in district play did an Aledo opponent rush for more than 100 yards, and Aledo did not have a playoff opponent gain more than 100 yards on the ground until the fourth round of the playoffs when Boswell gained 125.

The Bearcats allowed more than 200 yards rushing in two non-district games – against Colleyville Heritage in the season opener and against Mansfield Legacy – but then settled down, keeping its first four district opponents to under 73 yards on the ground.

Settling In Harris felt like he got better every week along with the Bearcats’ defense. He also said it took a little time to feel comfortable at his new position.

“At the beginning of the season I was still doing my old O-line steps, but I gradually got the hang of it,” Harris said.

“I was much more comfortable with the move during the playoffs than I was in week one. At the beginning of the year I would think to myself ‘why didn’t they just keep me on the offensive line.’

“But by the time we got to the playoffs I really started to like playing defensive tackle. It is fun making tackles. Now, I think making a tackle is just as exciting as making a pancake block (block where offensive lineman blocks defender to the ground).”

When Williams heard of the news he could not contain his excitement. The big junior knew he would see less double teams with the larger-than-life Harris at his side in the middle of the defensive line.

“I was pretty excited when I heard the coaches were moving Wes next to me on the defensive line,” Williams said.

Aledo senior Wes Harris, left, was moved from offensive line to defensive line before the 2016 season to pair with junior defensive tackle James Williams, right. The move proved to be a success as Harris was selected as District 6-5A’s Defensive Most Valuable Player in 2016. Harris may be a one-of-a-kind player. As an offensive guard in 2015, he was selected as the District’s Offensive MVP, a very rare award for an offensive lineman. Harris also recorded a rarity, having played in 63 of a possible 64 games in his four years on varsity.

“He has been one of my favorite dudes since I have been in high school. We used to play against each other when he was on offense, but when I heard about the move I got excited.

“One of the reasons I was excited was I didn’t have to go up against him anymore in practice (Williams laughs).

Wes got a lot better from our first scrimmage until the state championship game. I saw in the first week that there were a lot of things Wes needed to work on, but he worked hard every week and got better every game. I can say he got as good as me by the time we played in the state championship game.”

Harris and Williams formed a kinship that translated into dominating play on the defensive line. Rarely did Aledo opponents try the middle, and Aledo coaches said it was a lot easier to game plan knowing the opponent would mainly look outside to run the ball.

“It is awesome playing next to a great defensive tackle like James,” Harris said. “When I get double teamed I know James is getting a solo block and usually shedding that block and making a tackle. Although I am going to TCU as a guard, I think, (TCU head coach Gary) Patterson gets real excited when I talk to him about defense. He jacks with me every now and then about keeping me on the defensive line.

“Our mentality was to play so physical that we put stuff on film that scared our next opponent. We played against some very good quarterbacks this year, and to limit these offenses to under their season averages and to win the games shows how our mentality and hard work paid off.”

When asked what made the Bearcats’ run defense so strong this year, Williams responded, “Honestly, I think it is

all of the work we put in during our time in the weight room in the offseason. We were strong up front, and we did a good job of penetrating and getting off blocks.

“I think we were equally good stopping the run and rushing the passer. There was not one team we played that successfully pounded the ball on us. The trait of our defense this season was our physical play. We were very physical and we went into every game wanting to be physical.”

Wood said a moment in the state championship game told him everything he needed to know regarding the move as a success, although he knew it well before then.

“Anyone who wants to argue about it I will sit here and debate it for awhile,” Wood said. “Wes was the district MVP defensively as a defensive lineman, and when he hurt his ankle in the state championship game and had to come out of the game there was a noted difference.

“Wes went back in and played on one leg and there was a noted difference. Wes is a freaky athlete – he is 300 pounds and a darn good athlete who could play almost anywhere on a football field. I had no doubts from the beginning that this would be a successful move for Wes and our defense.”

Harris, who completed his high school work in December and has enrolled at TCU to be able to participate in spring football, will be missed by his defensive tackle brother.

“I am going to miss Wes a lot next year,” Williams said.

“Not only as a fellow defensive tackle but as a friend. Our relationship has grown the past three years, and I am definitely going to miss him. Maybe I can join Wes at TCU after next year.”

The Community News

Band of brothers

January 20, 2017

9B

Posing with a trophy won during the 2016 playoffs are the Bearcats starting offensive linemen. Shown, from left, are Chuck Filiaga, Truett Knox, Seth Strickland, Drew Barton, James Hensley and Carter Tillman.

Bearcats’ brotherhood of offensive linemen helped pave way to 16-0 season, mega total yardage

By Tony Eierdam The Community News

In 2016, the Aledo Bearcats crushed opponents on their way to a perfect 16-0 season, and the Bearcats’ offensive numbers were off the charts.

Aledo gained an incredible 4,656 yards on the ground, and almost had three backs – that’s three – gain more than 1,000 yards.

Freshman Jase McClellan led the ‘Cats with 1,527 yards followed by senior Michael Jordan with 1,093 and junior Donnie Evans with 983. Had he played in all 16 games, Evans would have easily surpassed the magical 1,000-yard clip.

The Bearcats averaged an unheard-of 7.7 yards per carry and 291 yards per game on the ground.

The passing numbers were equal-

ly gaudy. Senior quarterback Dillon Davis (29-2 in his career) threw for 3,851 yards for 45 touchdowns and just 11 interceptions while averaging 240 yards per game, and like the running game, Aledo almost produced three receivers who gained more than 1,000 yards (Logan Bridges 1,144 yards, Hunter Rosson 930, Preston Jefferis 929).

None of these numbers, however, happen without the efforts of arguably the best offensive line in Class 5A. “I could not have done what I have without my (offensive) line,” Davis said. “Being a quarterback you get all of the glory, but I want to give it back to them because I would not be here – and we would have not won state - without them.”

The players Davis are referring to are starters Drew Barton, Truett Knox, Chuck Filiaga, Seth Strickland and Carter Tillman, although James Hensley also can be considered a starter as he filled in perfectly for Tillman when he missed a few games this season due to injury, including the state championship game.

But others, including Mason Jackson, Okataw O’Keefe, Gavin Gardner-Knight, Cameron Callaway, Logan Escamilla, Jett Barton, Colby Thomas and Chandler Knandel, were superlative backups who added depth.

“Our second O-line has played as well as our starters,” Jordan, a senior, said. “They are pretty good.”

Big Ugly Bond But the offensive line was more than just a solid, coordinated unit. The “Big Uglies” formed a bond like no other unit on the team, and it was obvious they had a special kinship for each other.

“Our offensive line has a brotherhood bond,” Hensley said. “We got better each week because we worked hard, and we knew what we were doing and had a plan about what we were doing. It was fun to play with these guys.

“Seeing all the yards our offense puts up every week made us feel unstoppable. It starts up front with us, and we are the ones

who have to carry it out throughout the game. Our line coaches (Lee Bishop, Doug Wheeler) are experienced and they know what they are doing, and everyone trusted them.”

Strickland almost echoed Hensley’s thoughts.

“It feels pretty good knowing I can look next to me on either side and know that guy is going to do his job as hard as he can,” he said. “As a unit, we knew we were going to do everything we could to get the running backs into the end zone.”

To a man, every Bearcats’ offensive linemen credited the coaching and work ethic of Bishop and Wheeler, but Strickland may have said it best in describing the two coaches.

“We have the hardest working O-line coaches in the entire state,” Strickland said.

“They are up here (field house) before anybody else and leave after everybody else.

Their work ethic is why I think they are so good.”

Turn to BROTHERS, page 10

10B January 20, 2017

BROTHERS from page nine

The line experienced a bit of a shakeup last spring when two-time, all-state guard Wes Harris was moved to the defensive line. The move was to help the defense, but a present also landed in the laps of Bishop and Wheeler when 6-7, 340-pound California transfer Chuck Filiaga made a move to Aledo for his senior year.

Filiaga, who announced on Jan. 7 he would play at the University of Michigan, said he saw from the first game that this would be a special offensive line.

“I thought after our first game that we would have a great offensive line,” Filiaga said. “We made adjustments at halftime of the (season-opening) Colleyville Heritage game, and in the second half we just blew them away.

“I feel we are a great unit because we play together and play for each other. On the offensive line, success is all about communicating. We have to recognize what front the defense is in, and we call out our man and tell each other what we are doing based on the play called.

“That came into play as early as our first game. The Brotherhood between us is strong, and we definitely would do anything for each other. We love each other, and some of my most memorable moments will come from our experiences – we clown on each other – in the locker room.”

Consistency Knox believes consistency in games and practices was what made the offensive line successful. Trusting each other, he said, was also key, along with the bad taste they each had in their mouths following last year’s state semifinal loss.

“I think what made our offensive line so good is we knew what we were doing and we knew who to block,” he said. “Our steps were always good and we were consistently getting our blocks. We held ourselves accountable and got on each other if we jumped (offsides).

“It was a great season, and this is something (winning the state championship) I have been looking forward to. All this past off season all we thought about was not losing. We all remember the Lake Ridge

Aledo Bearcats State Championship game (loss in state semifinals) last year.

We talked about that all of the time in the weight room. We decided we were not going to lose another game.”

Barton credits Bishop and Wheeler for the success of the offensive line. He added that playing on the O-line for those two coaches is not as simple as it appears.

“Coach Bishop and Coach Wheeler have very good knowledge about the game,” Barton said. “They both keep us motivated and that makes us go hard in practice. I would say our best quality as an offensive line is we work really well together.

“Once we are all firing on all cylinders there was not a defensive line that stopped us. There are about five different types of blocking we can do for every play, and we are blocking against three different fronts so it changes all of the time. It has taken all four years to get it all down. You have to be smart to play on this line in this system.”

Although he missed the biggest game of his high school playing days, Tillman not only appreciated the state championship, but also his bond with his O-line teammates.

“I missed being out there (during his first injury this season), and it felt good to finally get back in the lineup,” he said. “But not being able to play in the state championship (Tillman tore his Achilles tendon in state semifinal game) was tough.

“This line has played together for two years (31 games) and this year we really knew what we were doing and it was easier for us since we had two years together as a line.”

Tillman said he enjoyed playing in a complicated scheme that needed its offensive linemen to be as smart as they were physical.

“Our coaches are thorough,” Tillman said. “They work from your feet all the way up. They don’t just teach you how to block, they teach you how to take the right steps and do the right things. It is precise – an inch too short and you are not doing it right. We always had to be perfect. This has been a fun ride, and I have loved every second of it.”

Learning as a Backup Playing behind perhaps an NFL-bound tackle like Filiaga, Jackson did not get as much playing time as the starters. But the

astute senior explained how he learned a lot as an Aledo offensive lineman, and he added he just went through “the four best years of my life” playing and going to school at Aledo.

“A lot of people look at an offensive lineman and think all he does is block the guy in front of him,” Jackson said. “But it is really a lot more complicated than that.

It comes down to landmarks, steps, recognition, how high (blocking level) you are – Coach Wheeler has a saying: pad leverage, hand leverage and whole leverage – and you got to win at least two of those in the battle.

“You could hit a guy in the mouth and knock him on his back, but if you didn’t take the right steps or if you weren’t where you were supposed to be it is considered a bad block. There is a lot that goes into it, including pass blocking. People think it is just a big body protecting the quarterback, but it all comes down to your feet, hands, hand placement, hitting the right spot and competing.”

While the linemen credit their success to Bishop and Wheeler and their ability to teach technique and strategies, Jackson said another quality of the coaches stood out in his mind.

“Wheeler and Bishop are good coaches because they also want to have a relationship with us, and not just in football,” Jackson said. “I know if I need anything I can call Bishop or Wheeler and they would be there in a heartbeat. They are so interested in winning and wanting us to be good, and they critique us on every little thing.

“They both spend hours and hours and hours up here making sure we are doing the right thing. They are all in; this is their life, and this is all they want to do. They work hard – and work every weekend – just to make sure on Monday that we are prepared and ready to work that week in practice.

“It is awesome to play for them. It is weird to say, but Coach Bishop is like a dad to me and all of us. Just to know I have a relationship with him other than football is special, and Wheeler is like a big brother. They both have taught me more than just football – they have taught me how to become a man and how to be accountable and responsible.”

www.community-news.com

BEARCATS LEADERS 2016 Passing (completions/attempts/yards/TD/ INT) Dillon Davis 189/311/3769/45/11 Rushing (carries/yards/TD) Jase McClellan 201/1527/20 Michael Jordan 114/1093/17 Donnie Evans 142/983/23 Dillon Davis 55/372/4 Will Greenwood43/260/2 Zane Hayden 29/142/1 Receiving (receptions/yards/TD Hunter Rosson 51/930/13 Logan Bridges 51/1144/14 Preston Jefferis 40/929/10 Hayden Hyles 13/162/1 Logan Peterson 13/222/0 Jeffrey Carter 12/217/5 Tackles (solo/total) Aaron Hale Wyatt Harris Will Trawick James Williams Wes Harris Rhett Harris Brannon Webb Colt Ellison Michael Arlt

69/116 60/108 51/107 59/107 54/105 62/91 66/90 39/90 32/65

Sacks Michael Arlt Wes Harris Colt Ellison James Williams

14 10 10 8

Interceptions Brannon Webb Rhett Harris Wyatt Harris Logan Childs James Williams

5 3 3 2 2

Fumble recoveries Colt Ellison 4 Will Trawick 2 Michael Arlt 2 Brannon Webb 2

126 Ranch House Road The Community News

January 20, 2017

11B

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January 20, 2017

Opportunistic title

In each issue of The Community News sports editor Tony Eierdam offered personal analysis of the Aledo Bearcats football game played the previous week. Below are those opinion columns concerning all 16 games:

In lowest offensive output of the season, Bearcats use opportune moments to capture Class 5A, Division II state championship Great teams aren’t always great; they’re just great when they have to be.

Such was the case with the No. 1 Aledo Bearcats in their 24-16 state-title victory over Corpus Christi Calallen on Dec. 16 in the Class 5A, Division II state championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

Calallen’s defense held the Bearcats to season lows in points (24), total yardage (191), passing yardage (74), rushing yardage (117) and just about every offensive statistic.

Part of that was the Wildcats’ scheme.

Calallen won the time of possession game overwhelmingly, 30:01-17:59 using the old Wing-T offense, a primarily rushing offense that took advantage of the talent of quarterback Gaige Lamb.

The Wildcats averaged nine attempted passes a game (attempts, not completions) coming into the state title game and threw just four passes against Aledo. Calallen had a brilliant game plan, and although it is their plan every game, in my opinion the only way to beat this Aledo team was to keep the ball away from senior quarterback Dillon Davis and the explosive Bearcats’ offense.

If 100 people looked at the stat sheet from the state title game but did not know the score of the contest, my guess is 100 of them would have pointed to the Calallen side of the ledger and said, “That team won.”

Great teams aren’t always great; they’re just great when they have to be.

My thinking is that you are thinking the point to this opinion piece is the Aledo defense bailed out its offense. The Aledo defense held Lamb to well below his season rushing and team total yardage averages and held the Wildcats to its second-lowest points output of the year.

It did take this type of defensive effort to win a game like this where the offense is not afforded many opportunities, but that is not the specific area I am about to reveal.

While the Bearcats Black Shirts were marvelous, the Bearcats offense put together The Drive of the season, when, leading 17-10, they put together an 11-play, 71-yard drive that ended on a two-yard touchdown run by Donnie “Two Platoon” Evans.

The joking nickname I just gave the

junior athlete refers to his playing on offense as a tailback and on defense as a safety the last two games. Evans, who has never played in the secondary while wearing a varsity uniform, started the state semifinal and championship game at safety, replacing injured starting safety Logan Childs while also taking his place in the three-man tailback rotation with Jase McClellan and Michael Jordan.

That drive, which began with 10:26 left in the game and ended with 5:43 remaining, not only showed team character in a tight situation, but was also the resounding result of the key stat that won the game for the Bearcats.

Great teams aren’t always great; they’re just great when they have to be.

And now finally to the point of this piece.

Both teams turned the ball over twice, Calallen with two lost fumbles and Aledo with a lost fumble and an interception.

The key stat in this reporter’s opinion is listed at the very bottom of the official UIL statistic sheet which reads: Points off turnovers, Aledo 14, Calallen 0.

Both Aledo touchdowns came after the defense created a turnover. The TD that gave the Bearcats a 7-0 lead came on an unusual turnover, in fact, you could say this particular play had a “double” turnover.

Aledo quarterback Dillon Davis threw his lone interception with the game scoreless in the first quarter. But on his interception return, Calallen safety John Gaddis fumbled, and opportunistic offensive guard Seth Strickland recovered the loose football.

Six plays later, fullback Rhett Harris scooted untouched on a five-yard touchdown run. Each team had recorded a turnover, and Aledo was ahead 7-0.

With 5:36 left in the third quarter, Calallen linebacker Juan Felan recovered an Aledo fumble. But Calallen did not take advantage of the turnover and was forced to punt.

At the beginning of the fourth quarter, with the Bearcats holding a slim 17-10 lead, Calallen forced Aledo to punt and would have been in great shape to tie the score. But the Wildcats fumbled the punt, and hustling junior Carson Hyles recovered the ball at the Calallen 29.

Nine plays and 29 yards later, Evans out the game away with his TD. Two turnovers for Calallen resulted in zero points while Aledo turned the same number of turnovers into a pair of touchdowns. That was the difference in the game.

Opportunity knocked for Aledo, and the Bearcats opened that door to the tune of 14 points, while Calallen had nothing to show for the same opportunities.

Great teams aren’t always great; they’re just great when they have to be.

13B

State Championship Game Bearcats 24, Corpus Christi Calallen 16

“This is a huge joy but also a huge relief.

We got it done. I have enjoyed every second of this season; I have enjoyed the whole journey. To go out on top in my senior years with all of my brothers is amazing.”

Bearcats 24, Calallen 16 CCC AHS

0 7

3 3

7 7

6 -16 7 -24

1st qtr A – Rhett Harris 5 run (Quinn Davis kick) 2nd qtr C – Grant Gonzalez 20 field goal A – Davis 35 field goal 3rd qtr A – Jase McClellan 59 run (Reed Vierling kick) C – Gaige Lamb 32 run (Gonzalez kick) 4th qtr A – Donnie Evans 2 run (Davis kick) C – Alec Brown 3 run (kick failed)

- Senior quarterback Dillon Davis

14B January 20, 2017

State semifinals Bearcats 38, Mesquite Poteet 14

Aledo Bearcats State Championship

The Drive

www.community-news.com

Aledo imposed its physical will on Mesquite Poteet in critical moment of state semifinal victory Leading by just seven points, 21-14, the state-ranked No. 1 Aledo Bearcats wanted to make a statement to begin the second of half of its Class 5A, Division II state semifinal game against Mesquite Poteet on Dec. 9 at the Ford Center in Frisco, the new, 12,000seat indoor practice facility of the Dallas Cowboys and home to all eight Frisco ISD schools.

But Poteet, a surprise entry this deep in the playoffs, wanted to make a statement defensively. The Pirates kept the game close with a hustling defensive effort from senior safety Kid Dickerson, who recovered a fumble and scored on a 25-yard return in the second quarter.

Trailing by seven points, Poteet sensed it needed a stop when the Bearcats received the second-half kickoff. It got it, forcing the Bearcats to punt after three plays netted two yards. The Pirates also held Aledo out of the end zone on the Bearcats’ next possession as Aledo did not convert and third and one and had to settle for a Quinn Davis field goal.

Leading 24-14 with six seconds remaining in the third quarter, the Bearcats began a drive from their own 6-yard line that would be the make or break series for both the Bearcats and Pirates.

Score on the drive and Aledo puts away the game. Stop the Bearcats and the Pirates would gain momentum and would be a drive away from making it a one-score game.

When Aledo needed to score a touchdown on this drive to put the contest away, head coach Steve Wood and Offensive Coordinator Robby Jones put the ball into the hands of who Wood calls “The Horse,” freshman tailback Jase McClellan.

But another way to put it would be the coaches put the drive in the hands of their reliable and dominating offensive line of Chuck Filiaga, Seth Strickland, Carter Tillman, Truett Knox and Drew Barton.

McClellan was indeed “The Horse” on this drive. He carried on the first four plays of the drive on gains of 5, 16, 4 and 7 yards before senior running back Michael Jordan carried for four yards. Jordan was often paired with McClellan on this drive as he is without a doubt the best blocker in the backfield.

After a one-play breather, McClellan’s next carry of 10 yards not only moved the chains but brought the ball past midfield.

He followed with gains on the ground of 6, 3, 19 and 4 yards, the latter bringing the pigskin to the Poteet 16 before getting

Aledo junior defensive tackle Christian Duncan (50) heads down field after recovering a fumble during the Bearcats’ state semifinal win over Mesquite Poteet. Duncan advanced the ball 53 yards to the Poteet nine-yard line which led to Aledo’s final touchdown in the 38-14 victory.

“I wanted the ball and they gave it to me. I just kept telling (the coaches) to keep feeding me the ball. I never got tired, and all I wanted to do was to get the ball and execute the plays. ”

- Freshman tailback Jase McClellan

another brief rest.

Rhett Harris carried for six yards and gave the ‘Cats a first and goal from just inside the Poteet 10. Donnie Evans, who started at safety for injured senior Logan Childs (and it breaks this reporter’s and all of Bearcat Nation’s hearts that Childs will be unable to play for the rest of the season due to injury) carried twice for eight yards to bring the ball to the Poteet 2.

On third and goal from the two, with everyone thinking the ball would go to McClellan, senior quarterback Dillon Davis called his own number and sneaked in from two yards out to complete a 14-play, 94-yard drive that basically sealed the game.

The drive – which consumed a critical 6:21 of the fourth-quarter game clock – demoralized the Pirates, and with little time remaining it was quite apparent the Bearcats would go on to win and advance to the state championship game.

McClellan finished with 74 yards on nine carries on the drive as he and the Bearcats’ O-line wore down the backpedaling Pirates.

“That drive won the game for us,” Davis said. “Michael Jordan was big on that drive blocking for Jase. I am proud of him. Our line was giving us holes to run through, and Poteet was getting tired as we kept pushing and pushing. That was huge.”

Wood was ecstatic after the game when asked about the drive.

“How about that drive?” Wood said.

“Our offensive line has gotten it done all year, and I am so proud of them. And how about that 14-year-old running back (freshman tailback Jase McClellan)? He was a horse tonight.”

While that drive was indeed huge, the Bearcats’ Black Shirts were the other reason Bearcat Nation will be in Arlington today.

After Poteet scored on a 78-yard touchdown pass to knot the score in the second quarter, the Bearcats defense followed by forcing two punts, forcing Poteet out on downs and recording a turnover – a fumble recovery by linebacker Will Trawick – before that game-sealing drive.

Poteet would gain a little more than 100 yards of total offense following its offense’s lone score of the contest.

The Bearcats’ will to win – highlighted by “The Drive” and another stellar defensive effort by the Black Shirts – are two of the main reasons Aledo will be trying to secure its seventh state championship in school history. “(Poteet) is a good football team,” Wood said. “I am not lying when I tell you I was worried. But we got on a roll (in the second half ) and had that long drive. I like the way

we reacted to adversity early in the game, and a lot of that has to do with our senior leadership.

“It is unbelievable to get to the state championship game again. I am proud of our guys. I am very fortunate to have great football players and great coaches. You have to have great senior leadership to make it this far, and we do. I mean, they are unbelievable, and I could not be more proud of them.”

Bearcats 38, Poteet 14 1st qtr A – Jase McClellan 3 run (Quinn Davis kick) 2nd qtr P – Kaleb Fletcher 78 pass to Da’Miachael Smith (Angel Sevier kick) P – Kid Dickerson 25 fumble return (Sevier kick) A – Davis 32 pass to Hunter Rosson (Reed Vierling kick) A – Davis 38 pass to Preston Jefferis (Quinn Davis kick) 3rd qtr A – Quinn Davis 38 field goal 4th qtr A – Davis 2 run (Vierling kick) A – Michael Jordan 5 run (Quinn Davis kick)

The Community News

January 20, 2017

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16B January 20, 2017

Aledo Bearcats State Championship

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The Community News

Aledo Bearcats State Championship

January January 20, 14,2017 2011

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The Community News

Regional final (state quarterfinal) Bearcats 42, Boswell 14

Second time around does not help Boswell as No. 1 Bearcats romp to state semis Last week’s (Dec. 2) Class 5A, Division II, Region I final may have been looked at as “Experience versus Newbies” when the state-ranked No. 1 Aledo Bearcats faced District 6-5A rival Boswell at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

It was familiar territory for the Bearcats, who reached the Region I final (state quarterfinals) for a fourth consecutive season and seventh time in the last eight years.

For Boswell, it was the first time in school history the Pioneers had reached the fourth round.

The storyline on this contest was interesting, but it did not hold long.

The last time the teams met – on the final Friday in district play – the Bearcats took a 49-24 win. If you look at football at all levels, conventional wisdom says when two good teams meet twice, the second game is usually won by the team that lost in the first meeting.

However, conventional wisdom never had to play the Aledo Bearcats.

Any team that wins three playoff games not only has had an outstanding season, but is also a very good team, and Boswell is no exception. The Pioneers had to like their chances, and anyone who witnessed the first game between these teams saw firsthand saw that this was a scrappy, talented team with weapons that is well coached and plays hard.

Another aspect that some may have felt favored Boswell was that since the Bearcats beat them by 25 points, Aledo may come into the game not respecting its opponent.

Sounds good, but it didn’t happen that way.

What makes this Bearcat team special – and really, what makes all Bearcat teams special – is that it worries more about itself than its opponents. Of course, they find another team’s strengths and work and plan against those strengths, but what I am talking about in this instance is the Bearcats’ mental game.

To a man, following the first win over Boswell the Bearcats players on both offense and defense felt they had not played at a level they are capable of. They did not like seeing “24” under the name “Boswell” on the scoreboard, and they did not like the fact that the offense committed four first-half turnovers and led just 21-14 at the half.

The Bearcats also committed 18 penalties (with two declined) which raised the consternation of the coaching staff.

Aledo Bearcats State Championship

As expected

Aledo was not looking at this as just another step toward the goal of a state championship, but also wanted to show their district neighbors that they did not see Aledo’s “A” game the first time around.

Two things I predicted before this game rang true: Boswell would not score 24 points, and the Bearcats’ margin of victory would be greater than the first meeting. Bearcats 42, Boswell 14 indicated that Boswell indeed did not match or come close to the amount of points scored on Nov. 4, and the 28-point margin exceeded 25. And the Bearcats cut their penalties down to seven.

One reason I felt this would happen is because of the senior leadership on this team. Four-year letterman Wes Harris expressed displeasure after the first Boswell meeting on how the defense played. At the time, no one around Bearcat Nation felt the ‘Cats would meet Boswell in the playoffs, but when it was learned six days before kickoff that the Pioneers would be the opponent, I sensed the Bearcats wanted their version of “revenge” in a manner of speaking.

“We had something to prove,” Harris said. “We did not like the way we played the last time we played Boswell, and this was much better.”

It was clear from the stat that Boswell, like Aledo, had improved since the final week of the regular season. The Pioneers forced Aledo punts on two of the first three AHS drives, but the Bearcat Black Shirts stopped all seven Pioneer drives in the first half.

Four Boswell possessions ended with punts (three of which were three-and-outs), two more on downs and another on a brilliant interception by sophomore defensive end Colt Ellison. In fact, Ellison’s pick led to a third Aledo touchdown.

The Bearcats’ offense – which turned the ball over four times in the first half of the first meeting between the two – not only did not turn the ball over nearly as much (just one interception), but it found the end zone on three of its five first-half possessions.

This time, Aledo led 21-0 at the half, far better than the slight seven-point cushion on Nov. 4.

When the Bearcats scored on their first two possessions of the second half the ball game was over. Aledo led 35-0 with nine minutes remaining in the third quarter, but you could see the air let out of the Pioneers’ sails. There would be no Cinderella story for Boswell.

Boswell would finally find the scoreboard with a mere 3:32 left in the contest as the Bearcat starters rested, and BHS would add another “garbage” score.

But in between, Bearcat Nation got a glimpse of the future when freshman quarterback Jake Bishop entered the game.

Bishop - who is the third and final broth-

January January 20,14,2017 2011

19B xB

Bearcats’ senior offensive linemen Carter Tillman (53) and Seth Strickland (57) protect the passer during Aledo’s fourth-round playoff win over Boswell on Dec. 2 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

“We had something to prove tonight. And (Boswell) called us out (on social media) saying that they wanted us in the fourth round. They got old-fashioned, smash-mouth Aledo football.”

- Senior defensive tackle Wes Harris

er of the Bishop clan – has been called “Mini Manziel” in reference to former Texas A&M quarterback Johnny “Johnny Football” Manziel, who used his feet to earn a Heisman Trophy while playing for the Aggies.

Bishop looked like Manziel on his last carry of the game. Taking a snap from shotgun, Bishop faked a handoff but did not really catch Boswell off guard. But like his nickname namesake, Bishop accelerated past six Boswell defenders off left tackle before quickly cutting toward the left sideline.

After his cut, three Boswell defensive backs not only had the angle on Jake Football, but were four to five yards ahead of him. But like he found a fifth gear, Bishop exploded past the three startled defenders on his way to a 66-yard touchdown run that certainly made brothers Matt and Luke proud, along with Bearcat Nation.

It was no surprise to this reporter that the Bearcats gave a better performance than they did on Nov. 4.

But then again, this is a Bearcat time of year.

“We came ready to play,” Bearcats’ head coach Steve Wood said. “We didn’t feel like we gave them our best shot the last time.

But give Boswell credit, they played hard and they are good on defense (limiting Aledo to a season-low 431 total yards). They gave us some problems. It wasn’t like we ran up and down the field on them.

“I think our defense came to play tonight, and we didn’t have as many turnovers or silly penalties like we did the last time we played them. I am proud of our kids.”

Bearcats 49, Boswell 24 1st qtr A – Dillon Davis 40 pass to Hunter Rosson (Quinn Davis kick) 2nd qtr A – Michael Jordan 18 run (Reed Vierling kick) A – Davis 19 pass to Rosson (Quinn Davis kick) 3rd qtr A – Jase McClellan 14 run (Vierling kick) A – Donnie Evans 5 run (Quinn Davis kick) 4th qtr B – Brayden Thomas 7 pass to Breshun Berry (Jackson Counts kick) A – Jake Bishop 66 run (Vierling kick) B – Damon Williams 35 run (Counts kick)

xB January 20B January 14,20, 2011 2017

Regional semifinals

Aledo Bearcats State Championship

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Third-round down

Bearcats advance to regional final after convincing 56-35 victory over Abilene Cooper Thirty-five to six (35-6).

When analyzing Aledo’s 56-35 victory over Abilene Cooper in a Class 5A, Division II regional semifinal game on Nov. 25 at historic Shotwell Stadium in Abilene, that score is more indicative of what happened on the playing field as opposed to the gamewasn’t-as-close-as-the-score-looks final.

That score, 35-6, was the halftime score of the game played in the third round of the playoffs. Heck, the first quarter score may be more revealing as the Bearcats led 28-0 after the opening period. When the score grew to 42-6 with less than a minute remaining in the third quarter the blowout win was complete.

Let’s face it: In the two upper classifications in Texas high school football, year in and year out West Texas schools in Classes 5A and 6A cannot complete with the Dallas/ Fort Worth schools.

Aledo has not lost to a West Texas school in the playoffs since a loss to Wolfforth Frenship in 2005, 11 long years ago.

And if you attended the game, you knew it was over at the break. Yes, Cooper is a good football team and did show some fire power later in the contest, but having to settle for two field goals when the opponent scores five touchdowns in the first 24 minutes means you are getting blown away.

But more on the game later.

Looking West Last week in the third round of the 5A and 6A playoffs, West Texas teams matched up with D/FW teams seven times. The result? D/FW 7, West Texas 0.

It was a 4-0 sweep in 5A. In addition to the Bearcats’ win, district neighbor Boswell defeated Lubbock Cooper; Denton Ryan took out Lubbock Monterrey; and Colleyville Heritage bested Lubbock Coronado. In 6A, Allen defeated San Angelo Central; Duncanville beat El Paso Bowie, and Desoto defeated the crème de’ le’ crème of west Texas, the Abilene High Eagles.

Of the seven wins by Metroplex schools, four were by double digits and just two were the difference of one score. But this isn’t just a “this year” thing, and it is of no fault of the West Texas schools.

Because of the economy and the shrinking of west Texas towns (I mean, Amarillo High School dropped this year from 6A to 5A) for the past decade at least these schools end their seasons when the UIL playoff bracket matches them with D/FW schools,

Aledo sophomore cornerback Brannon Webb (37) intercepts a pass in the fourth quarter of the Bearcats’ 56-35 victory over Abilene Cooper in a Class 5A, Division II, Region I semifinal contest on Nov. 25 at Shotwell Stadium in Abilene.

“I just don’t think some of them (defensive backs) can cover me. But the reason I can catch these long passes is because (quarterback) Dillon Davis is putting the ball right on the money every single time.”

- Senior receiver Logan Bridges

which is typically in the third round.

With Texas’ population growing in urban centers like the Metroplex, this will continue. There will never be another Mojo (Odessa Permian), and the days of the “Little Southwest Conference” – the nickname given to the largest district in West Texas that used to annually include Odessa Permian, Midland Lee, Abilene High, Wichita Falls High School, Amarillo and Lubbock big schools – are forever gone.

In other words, ‘Friday Night Lights’ has been replaced by ‘Third Round Fright’ for west Texas schools.

Again, it is no fault of the schools, players or coaches from these West Texas schools.

They simply do not possess the quality numbers to compete with the suburban schools of our metropolitan area and the results of the past 10 years and more reveal such.

I guess you can say the Aledos and Allens of the Metroplex have replaced the “Mojo” of West Texas, and unless the economy shapes up out there it will stay the same.

But now, back to the game.

Again, at 28-0 after the first quarter all of the drama that could have been quickly vanished. But the home crowd stayed behind their Cooper Cougars, and much to its credit Cooper played hard until the final gun. The 22 points the Cougars scored in the fourth period attest to that.

Irresistible Force But there is just no stopping this Aledo offense – an offense that has produced 13 consecutive games of at least 500 yards of total offense and has demonstrated its many weapons on offense, which was evident last Friday.

All three running backs – Jase McClellan, Donnie Evans and Michael Jordan – each found the end zone at least one time. Even James “Big Game” Williams – a junior defensive tackle used as a fullback on offense in short-yardage situations – found the end zone on a running play.

Senior quarterback Dillon Davis is having a monster year to say the least – averaging 261 passing yards per game with 41 TDs and only eight interceptions– and he has a nice complement of extremely productive receivers who gain yardage in different ways.

Junior receiver Hunter Rosson is the “possession” receiver Davis likes to find on third downs, and Rosson also has speed as he has scored several times this season on touchdowns of more than 20 yards. Big 6-5 receiver Preston Jefferis is the big target, but what opponents have also discovered is Jefferis is fast with deceptive speed. Senior Logan Peterson is the best of all worlds as he can run, catch and is probably the best

blocker of the four starting receivers.

Which brings me to senior receiver Logan “Big Play” Bridges. This ‘Cat may be the fastest receiver in the region in Class 5A – if not the state – and this season he has shown he can catch a pass over the middle or simply beat double and single coverage on long pass plays.

“Big Play” scored three touchdowns against Cooper on plays of 50, 44 and 47 yards by simply outrunning his pursuers.

The skill players on this team light up the scoreboard, but Bearcats’ head coach Steve Wood knows that none of that happens without the “Big Uglies” on the offensive line – Chuck Filiaga, Truett Knox, Carter Windes, James Hensley, Seth Strickland and Drew Barton.

“We have some playmakers who have been making plays for us,” Wood said.

“When there are so many weapons out there it is hard to hone in on just one guy. The offensive line is playing well, and I expect them to get even better as we move along.

“Logan can really run – he is so fast. But he has also gained a lot of confidence as a receiver this year, and he is making plays.”

The story for the rest of the year will be, “can Aledo’s future playoff opponents outscore the Bearcats?”

Part one of that story begins (Dec. 2) when Boswell will be asked the same question.

Bearcats 56, Abilene Cooper 35 Aledo Cooper

28 0

7 6

7 14 -56 7 22 -35

1st qtr A – James Williams 2 run (Quinn Davis kick) A – Dillon Davis 50 pass to Logan Bridges (Reed Vierling kick) A – Jase McClellan 65 run (Quinn Davis kick) A – Donnie Evans 15 run (Vierling kick) 2nd qtr C – Jamie Pogue 26 field goal C – Pogue 29 field goal A – Davis 44 pass to Bridges (Quinn Davis kick) 3rd qtr A – Davis 47 pass to Bridges (Vierling kick) C – Terreon Page 92 kickoff return (Pogue kick) 4th qtr C – Austin Smith 63 pass to Tyrees Whitfield (Smith pass for two points) A – McClellan 9 run (Quinn Davis kick) C – Smith 85 pass to Aaron jones (Pogue kick) A – Michael Jordan 11 run (Vierling kick) C – Ender Freeman 17 pass to Jwan Hong (Pogue kick)

The Community News

Aledo Bearcats State Championship

Big game blowout

Area championship

In an expected tight game, Bearcats put ‘the Aledo’ on highly-touted Grapevine, 51-7 It really wasn’t coach speak when Aledo head football coach Steve Wood told me and his team that the Grapevine Mustangs would be the toughest opponent the ‘Cats would see to date.

The good coach pointed to Grapevine’s talented quarterback and talent in every skill-position area, and said the Mustangs possessed the biggest offensive line the team has faced in a while.

“They play physical, and they take pride in their physicality,” Wood said. “And that is on both sides of the ball.”

Well, 51-7 later, and it was just another early-round playoff blowout.

In no way am I here to accuse Wood of blowing smoke. Heck, I was concerned as well. I have interviewed Wood for many years now, and there are certain looks or body language movements he uses when he is dead serious.

When he was talking to me about Grapevine, I could tell he was serious, and just maybe a bit worried.

“I was a little worried last week,” Wood admitted to reporters after the game. “I am not going to lie to you.”

Wood also was telling the truth. Despite the score, anyone attending the game could see that Grapevine is one of the most talented and well-coached teams on this side of D/ FW Airport. And as I told another reporter asking me my take on the game, I said, “any team that can beat Colleyville Heritage is good.”

The Bearcats struggled to defeat Heritage, but in the Bearcats’ defense of their defense, it was also the first varsity start for three sophomore defensive backs.

But, I meant what I said and stand by it: Grapevine is a good football team.

But there is an old and honored saying that I feel applies here. “Let the sleeping dog lie,” and I think it might hold the clue as to why the Bearcats made Grapevine look like just another district opponent.

Another angle In my weekly analysis, I generally point out the whys of why the Bearcats won their past game. I will get to that later in this space, but for now I want to look at another angle.

The Bearcats were extremely motivated for this game, and it just wasn’t because the coaches were barking in their ears all week about how good the Mustangs are.

The area media recognized this could be an enormous game, and any time there is a chance Aledo could lose a football game there is coverage from every print and dotcom outlet in the area. As it should. Via social media these articles and blogs are posted, and the Aledo players could see for themselves how much attention Grapevine was – and rightfully so – getting.

Which brings me back to “let the sleeping dog lie.” Not sure if there were Facebook exchanges between the players, but I know the Bearcats read and recognized all the media attention Grapevine was getting. And reading some of the Mustangs’ quotes, they appeared to take pride in their physical play and couldn’t wait to play a team as physical as they are. Trust me, I am just paraphrasing, but that was the gist of the on-the-record comments.

Let the sleeping dog lie.

In my humble opinion the Bearcats read all this stuff and believed everything the coaches had been telling them. Some of the players themselves were talking about this after the game. “We heard they said …” or “We read (on social media) what they said…”

You get the idea.

Let the sleeping dog lie.

The Bearcats were rightly convinced they had a game on their hands – a game that everyone felt would not be decided until the final horn sounded.

Because of such this team came out ready to play hard and aggressively. Although this team does that every week, there seemed to be an urgency, and the intensity level was the highest I have seen all season. And that is saying a lot.

Now, it is not Grapevine’s fault that it got a lot of attention in the days leading up to the game. Heck, they earned that. And I am sure it was fun for the Grapevine players to have a week in the sun.

But I have to believe the attention worked in reverse. The Bearcats were probably convinced that Grapevine had what it takes to defeat a No. 1-ranked team, and as such they were going to do whatever they could to make sure it did not happen. It didn’t.

The sleeping dog was awakened.

Technically speaking I said I would get to a more technical analysis so here it goes: The Bearcats defense played its best game of the year, and the offense used its big-play capability to put the game away.

The Bearcats really didn’t give the Mustangs a chance after bolting out to a 14-0 lead in the first 1:43 of the game. An 85-yard touchdown run by Donnie Evans followed by a “scoop and score” by defensive end Colt Ellison – where the sophomore

January January 20, 14,2017 2011

21B xB

Aledo sophomore safety Wyatt Harris (25) drags down Grapevine running back Zach Carnes during the Bearcats’ 51-7 victory over the Mustangs in a Class 5A, Region I, Division II area championship game played Nov. 18 at Rough Rider Stadium in Saginaw.

“I told Dillon and the offensive line that we have to be on all cylinders to start the game. I got the first carry of the game, and when I made the first guy miss I was gone (on an 85-yard touchdown run on the first play of the game). ”

- Junior tailback Donnie Evans

picked up a fumble and returned the ball 31 yards to the end zone – put Grapevine in a hole that teams don’t crawl out of when playing Aledo.

But much to the Mustangs’ credit, they did come back and cut the lead to 17-7.

But it was another big play by the Bearcats that followed that really took the air out of Grapevine’s sails.

On third and 10 from the AHS 14, the Bearcats called a “safe” play as quarterback Dillon Davis flipped a short screen pass to Evans. Two broken tackles later, Evans was completing an 86-yard catch-and run touchdown.

That had to be a devastating blow to the Mustangs. Instead of forcing a punt and having a chance to cut it to a one-score game, the Mustangs were down 17 points, and that is too far of a hole to dig out of against this Bearcat squad.

The Bearcats added more big plays including a 25-yard TD run by freshman Jase McClellan, an 80-yard TD reception

by Logan “Big Play” Bridges and a 70-yard run to pay dirt by senior tailback Michael Jordan.

The big plays demonstrated the ‘Cats can use the big play if needed to decide a ball game.

And now they advance to the third round for the fourth consecutive year and the seventh time in the last eight years.

Bearcats 51, Grapevine 7 1st qtr A – Donnie Evans 85 run (Quinn Davis kick) A – Colt Ellison 31 fumble return (Derek Vierling kick) A – Quinn Davis 35 field goal G – Alan Bowman 8 pass to Zach Carnes (Carson French kick) 2nd qtr A – Davis 86 pass to Evans (Vierling kick) 3rd qtr A – McClellan 25 run (Vierling kick) A – Quinn Davis 41 field goal A – Davis 80 pass to Logan bridges (Vierling kick) 4th qtr A – Quinn Davis 25 field goal A – Michael Jordan 70 run (Vierling kick)

xB January 22B January 14,20, 2011 2017

Aledo Bearcats State Championship

WAY TO GO, BEARCATS!

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Aledo Bearcats State Championship

January January 20,14, 2017 2011 23B xB

Another bi-district blowout Bi-district Bearcats 63, Rider 20

Wichita Falls Rider pulled out all the stops but could not stop potent Aledo offense Wichita Falls Rider came at the stateranked No. 1 Aledo Bearcats on Nov. 10 in a Class 5A, bi-district playoff game at Northwest ISD Stadium with everything, as they say, but the kitchen sink.

The Rider Raiders took an early 7-0 lead by perfectly executing a fake punt, a fake so good that the punter went the distance and scored from 65 yards out. The Raiders also tried an onside kick and seem to pull out all the stops on offense.

But in the end, the contest ended with another Bearcat blowout as Rider could not slow down a potent Bearcats’ offense that rolled up 594 yards of total offense in the 63-20 victory.

Not only did Aledo execute big plays in the passing game, but it added 347 yards on the ground as all three running backs – Jase McClellan, Donnie Evans and Michael Jordan – each found the end zone. Even Rhett Harris – a linebacker used as a blocking back in short-yardage situations - managed to cross the goal line.

The stunning 7-0 deficit seemed like it happened a week prior when the final horn blew as the Bearcats enjoyed a 43-point victory.

“We gave up a fake punt, Rider had early momentum, but we kept battling,” Bearcats head coach Steve Wood said. “They schemed us good and we had to make some adjustments, and I feel we handled their running game for the most part after (adjustments on defense were made).

“But it is a four-quarter game, and we kept our composure and kept competing.”

For future Bearcats playoff opponents, including highly-regarded Grapevine today (7 p.m. Rough Rider Stadium in Saginaw) Wood’s last sentence is a sobering fact.

Teams may slow down or temporarily stop the Bearcats offense, but not for four quarters, as we have seen all year. But the story isn’t just the offense. Sure, the young Bearcats defense showed a little bend early in the season as Colleyville Heritage and Mansfield Legacy combined for 77 points.

And while skeptics will point to Brewer and Boswell each scoring 24 points on the Aledo defense, if you go back and look at those games – both blowout wins for Aledo – not many of the points were of any consequence as these games were won early by the Bearcats.

Against Rider, after allowing the fakepunt touchdown, the Aledo playmakers on defense went to work. Sensational sopho-

“I saw (Rider’s) receiver ran a six-yard hitch, and when the quarterback pumpfaked a pass I started working deep. I was deeper than the receiver so I went up for the ball and it kind of fell into my hands.

I think defensively we are playing better and we are getting more stops. We still need to work on our tackling, but overall I think we are playing pretty well. We know our keys and we are playing with confidence.”

- Sophomore cornerback Brannon Webb

more Brannon Webb set up the tying touchdown in the first quarter with an interception, and in the second half, a fumble recovery by Colt Ellison (another sophomore) and an interception by Logan Childs on a tipped pass by Webb stopped Raider drives.

But the main reason I am not too worried about the Aledo defense is that after Rider’s 13 first-half points, the Bearcat Black Shirts stopped the Raiders on their first three possessions of the second half to put the game away. Rider finally scored again in “meaningless minutes” with 5:11 left in the lopsided contest.

The Bearcats defense has a lot of help on the other side of the ball as Aledo offensively is averaging a gaudy 62 points per contest, and 56 points per game against their toughest opponents – Colleyville Heritage, Mansfield Legacy, Northwest and Rider.

Those are the type of offensive numbers you see in today’s Big 12.

Aledo junior receiver Hunter Rosson (12) gets loose on one of his four catches during the Bearcats’ bi-district playoff win over Wichita Falls Rider. Rosson recorded a team-high 119 reception yards and scored a touchdown.

Senior quarterback Dillon Davis is having a Big 12 QB type of season, and he has great tools around him running and receiving the ball. Of course, none of this is possible without the great play of the offensive line of Drew Barton, Truett Knox, Seth Strickland, Chuck Filiaga and James Hensley, who has fit right in at center after replacing injured Carter Tillman.

From today on out, Aledo opponent’s defensive coordinators have to be asking themselves this question: How many stops do we need to win this game?

I do not know the answer to that question but I do know this: If you want to beat Aledo, you have to outscore an offense that has not been stopped all year.

Good luck on that.

Bearcats 63, WF Rider 30 1st qtr R – Bryce Hughes 65 run (Nik Williams

kick) A – Dillon Davis 24 pass to Hunter Rosson (Quinn Davis kick) 2nd qtr A – Donnie Evans 2 run (Reed Vierling kick) A – Dillon Davis 49 pass to Preston Jefferis (Quinn Davis kick) R – Jorge Vargas 19 pass to Willie Cherry (Williams kick) A – Dillon Davis 55 pass to Jefferis (Vierling kick) 3rd qtr A – Evans 18 run (Rosson pass to Rhett Harris) A – Jase McClellan 3 run (Quinn Davis kick) A – Rhett Harris 2 run (Vierling kick) 4th qtr A – McClelan 8 run (kick failed) R – Vargas 6 pas to Aaron Miller (Williams kick) A – Michael Jordan 65 run (Vierling kick)

xB January 24B January 14,20, 2011 2017

Aledo Bearcats State Championship

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Regular Season Games BEARCATS 49, BOSWELL 24 No. 1 Bearcats secure ninth consecutive undisputed district championship with win over Pioneers Two big positives I saw during the stateranked No. 1 Aledo Bearcats’ 49-24 win over Boswell on Nov. 4 in the District 6-5A finale at Bearcat Stadium stood out.

The first was the result. The Bearcats, to a man, admitted after the game – which clinched the Bearcats’ ninth consecutive district championship and ran its district winning streak to 68 games – that they did not play their best as a team.

Honestly, that is relative to what we expect from the Bearcats and what they expect from themselves. But to not play your very best and still win by 25 points is the sign of a good, championship team.

The second? Senior quarterback Dillon Davis.

The Bearcats’ offense suffered four (yikes!) turnovers in the first half. Two of those were interceptions thrown by Davis, the second returned for a touchdown that not only cut Aledo’s lead to seven points at the half, but also gave Boswell new life and a reasonable expectation it could win this game and spoil the Bearcats’ two long district streaks. Davis also lost a fumble in the first half.

The question that popped up in my mind during halftime was would the first half have an effect on Davis in the second half. Honestly, I did not ponder that question more than a millisecond. My guess was after seeing him play 25 games over the last two seasons that not only would it not have an effect on him, it would in fact drive him to almost perfection in the second half.

Davis, as I thought he would, had a brilliant second half. He led the Bearcats on four touchdown drives, including another long TD pass, and showed poise and patience throughout the final two quarters.

“Dillon has a lot of character,” Bearcats head coach Steve Wood said. “He didn’t have his best game, obviously, but he didn’t sulk and bounced back in the second half.

Dillon is a go-getter, a competitor, and I couldn’t be prouder of him.”

The Bearcats offensive line of Chuck Filiaga, Truett Knox, James Hensley (in for an injured Carter Tillman), Seth Strickland and Drew Barton also had their quarterback’s back. The quintet blasted open holes that provided 152 second-half rushing yards for Davis and tailbacks Donnie Evans and freshman Jase McClellan.

The Bearcats put the game away on a final drive of nine plays, eight of which were running plays.

It was a sign of “yes, we can do this

Aledo freshman tailback Jase McClellan extends the ball over the goal line during the Bearcats’ 49-24 District 6-5A victory over Boswell on Nov. 4 at Bearcat Stadium. The win clinched the Bearcats’ ninth consecutive district championship.

McClellan rushed for a team-high 119 yards and two touchdowns. whenever we want’ and a sign of ‘no team beats us at Bearcat Stadium in district play.’

Yes, indeed, a sign of a good team is one that plays below its admitted standard but still wins the game.

And if anyone ever thought how Davis would react when things weren’t going completely his way, well, he proved that against Boswell.

Let the playoffs begin.

1st qtr A – Jase McClellan 1 run (Reed Vierling kick) 2nd qtr A – Dillon Davis 67 pass to Logan Bridges (Quinn Davis kick) B – Brayden Thomas 17 pass to Chris Delgado (Jackson Counts kick) A – Davis 23 pass to Bridges (Vierling kick) B – Breshun Berry 30 interception return (Counts kick) 3rd qtr A – McClellan 18 run (Quinn Davis kick) B – Counts 35 field goal A – Davis 58 pass to Bridges (Vierling kick) 4th qtr A – Aaron Hale recovers fumble in end zone (Quinn Davis kick) B – Thomas 3 pass to Dutch Patterson (Counts kick) A – Donnie Evans 2 run (Vierling kick)

BEARCATS 61, NORTHWEST 27 Defensive score led to shutdown defense in Bearcats’ comeback win over Northwest in battle of unbeatens If the Aledo Bearcats football coaching staff is known for one thing – and I mean through the Tim Buchanan and Steve Wood eras – it is the ability to make the correct adjustments at halftime.

This was quite apparent on Oct. 28 when the state-ranked No. 1 Bearcats struggled early but came back to take a 61-27 win over the previously unbeaten Northwest Texans in what was also a de facto district championship game on Oct. 28 at Northwest ISD Stadium.

After taking what appeared to be a comfortable 14-0 lead early in the contest, the Bearcats trailed twice in the first half – 17-14 and 24-20 – as talented Northwest quarterback Prince Mavula seemed to be having his way with the Bearcats secondary.

The Bearcats’ offense – an offense that seems unstoppable and has averaged 62

points per game – did its part to begin the comeback as quarterback Dillon Davis threw a pair of touchdown passes to help Aledo regain the lead.

But with the score “teetering” at 34-24 in favor of the good guys, a great individual defensive effort appeared to inspire the defense as a unit.

Just before the half ended, Mavula tried to complete a deep sideline pass just past midfield in hopes of continuing a drive that would cut the Bearcats’ lead down to a score. With Northwest set to receive the second-half kickoff, a score before the half combined with an early third-quarter score could either tie the contest or put the host Texans ahead before Aledo had the chance to touch the ball again.

But senior linebacker Rhett Harris had other plans. Reading a key on the Texans’ receivers routes, Harris stepped in front of Mavula’s offering, intercepted the pass and sprinted 55 yards for a back-breaking touchdown that gave the Bearcats a 41-24 lead at the half.

But that was just the beginning of the dominance of the Bearcats’ defense and the end of the Texans’ offense.

After adjustments were made at the break, Aledo held Northwest out of the end zone for the remainder of the game. The Texans added a meaningless field goal in the last minute of play to avoid being shut out in the second half.

Wood, like any other head coach, wouldn’t divulge exactly what the adjustments were other than a couple of personnel matters, but it was obvious the ‘Cats were blitzing a little more to make Mavula move around in the pocket. The secondary also played shut-down defense as Northwest failed to get back into the game.

“He (Mavula) got on a roll early, but once we got to the quarterback he started unloading a little earlier than he would like, and he stopped looking deep down field,” Wood explained. “We did make a couple of adjustments in the secondary, and we put Hunter Rosson in at cornerback and Preston Jefferis played a little at defensive end. Hunter was a real difference maker.

“But the main reason we stopped them in the second half was we were playing with a lot more confidence. This was good experience for our defense. It faced adversity but stayed positive and in the end played well.”

I have to admit it got a little scary there in the first half. Northwest’s offense looked as unstoppable as Aledo’s has been all season, and when it scored 17 unanswered points – which also brought the huge home crowd to life – and came back to regain the lead twice later in the opening half, I thought we may have another Texas Tech/Oklahoma game on our hands. OU outlasted Tech, 66-59, in regulation, two weeks ago.

But two thoughts came to mind: No

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January 20, 2017

B – Ingram 33 run (Rodriguez kick) A – McClellan 41 run (Quinn Davis kick) 4th qtr A – Davis 24 pass to Rosson (Vierling kick) B – Rodriguez 38 field goal A – Donnie Evans 20 run (Quinn Davis kick) B – Bryce Miller 43 run (Rodriguez kick) A – Michael Jordan 33 run (Zane Hayden run)

team can outscore the Bearcats; and the coaches always make the correct adjustments at halftime.

But thankfully Rhett and his TD calmed me down, and it was little to no surprise that the first-team defense pitched a shutout in the second half.

1st qtr A – Michael Jordan 5 run (Quinn Davis kick) A – Donnie Evans 19 run (Reed Vierling kick) N – Syrus Moore 59 run (Charles Cannon kick) N – Cannon 26 field goal 2nd qtr N – Prince Mavula 17 pass to Leo Saldana (Cannon kick) A – Evans 22 run (kick blocked) N – Mavula 15pass to Gavin Holmes (Cannon kick) A – Davis 18 pass to Logan Bridges (Vierling kick) A – Davis 40 pass to Hunter Rosson (Quinn Davis kick) A – Rhett Harris 55 interception return (Vierling kick) 3rd qtr A – Davis 40 run (kick blocked) A - Davis 41 pass to Rosson (Vierling kick) 4th qtr A – Evans 55 run (Davis kick) N - Cannon 32 field goal

BEARCATS 67, BREWER 24 Brewer stacks line; Davis, Bearcats exploit Bears’ secondary with array of big plays Aledo Bearcats head coach Steve Wood knew it was coming and had a plan to counteract the Brewer Bears’ strategy of taking away the AHS running game by stacking 8-9 players on or near the line of scrimmage on Oct. 21 in a District 6-5A contest at Bearcat Stadium.

Brewer had to pick its poison: Either run a “normal” defense with four or five down linemen and the usual compliment of players in the secondary to try and battle the Bearcats’ passing offense; or stack the line of scrimmage in hopes of stopping or at least slowing down the Aledo three-headed monster of tailbacks Michael Jordan, Donnie Evans and Jase McClellan that runs behind arguably the state’s best offensive line of Drew Barton, Seth Strickland, Carter Tillman, Truett Knox and Chuck Filiaga.

Again, pick your poison.

The story of the state-ranked No. 1 Bearcats 53-point win over their neighbor Brewer was the Bearcats’ big-play ability on offense.

Wood, admittedly “an ol’ defense coach,” guessed correctly at the beginning of last week when he told me he thought Brewer would stack the line of scrimmage on defense to try and slow down the Bearcats’

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BEARCATS 59, EATON 14 For second consecutive week Bearcats rush for more than 400 yards

Aledo junior linebacker Aaron Hale (26) along with Michael Arlt (30) and Will Trawick (11) team up to stop Brewer running back Bryce Miller (8) during the bearcats’ 67-24 victory over the Bears in a District 6-5A game on Oct. 21 at Bearcat Stadium. potent rushing attack by putting on average eight men at or near the line of scrimmage.

But Brewer knew by doing that it would leave its defensive backs in one on one coverage with Aledo’s dangerous and speedy wide receivers, and worse, give ‘Cats quarterback Dillon Davis a chance to pick them apart without his receivers being double covered.

Pick your poison.

I get Brewer’s strategy. The Bears offensively are a running team, and it is in their game plan every week to run the football – even in third and long situations – to run down the clock which “shortens” the game.

If the clock keeps ticking while Brewer has the ball that means less time for its opponent to have the ball, hence, less opportunities for its opponent to score.

Brewer also has talented ball carriers, so exclusively running the ball also plays to its strength.

But against Aledo the plan was to run the ball to run the clock and shorten the game. The hope was that maybe Brewer could get Davis to panic, but as we saw that didn’t happen, Instead, Davis thrived, as we all expected.

I am not criticizing Brewer’s game plan – it was as good of a plan as we have seen all year – and I feel most coaching staffs would prefer to try and take away the run because, as former famed Texas Longhorns head coach Darrell Royal used to like to say, “Three things can happen when you throw the ball, and two of them are bad.”

So, it was the lesser of two evils for Brewer.

Pick your poison.

Davis responded with touchdown passes of 22, 8, 31, 32 and 24 yards, not to mention a 50-yard gain to Hunter Rosson that set up another score. Rosson was the recipient of three of Davis’ TD passes. In addition to the 50-yarder to Rosson, Davis also completed passes of 35, 16 and 26 yards in the wideopen Brewer secondary.

Brewer actually held the Bearcats to their district low in total yardage, 505, but that was because the Bears limited the Bearcats’ number of plays by keeping the ball on offense.

The video of this game will no doubt be seen by Aledo’s future opponents, and those coaching staffs will have to ask themselves if they want to take away Aledo’s rushing attack or the passing attack.

Brewer tried to take away the passing game, but Davis would not let them.

Pick your poison.

1st qtr A – Quinn Davis 30 field goal A – Dillon Davis 22 pass to Hunter Rosson (Reed Vierling kick) 2nd qtr A – Davis 8 pass to Rosson (Quinn Davis kick) A – Davis 31 pass to Preston Jefferis (Vierling kick) A – Jase McClellan 2 run (Quinn Davis kick) 3rd qtr B – Carson Ingram 59 run (Oscar Rodriguez kick) A – Davis 32 pass to Hayden Hyles (Vierling kick)

As a football team, you have a pretty good idea you are running the ball well when the fourth-team tailback is nine yards shy of gaining 100 yards, and in less than one-half of a game of work.

Aledo sophomore running back Will Greenwood took advantage of second-half playing time in a game the state-ranked No. 2 Bearcats led 52-0 at the half and would end up winning 59-14.

For the second week in a row, the Bearcats gained more than 400 yards on the ground, this time a season-high 438 yards Saturday during Aledo’s romp over the Eaton Eagles. In fairness to the three-yearold school, Eaton does not have a senior class and last year its freshmen and sophomores played a junior varsity schedule.

But it was still a District 6-5A game, and in the first half the Bearcats regulars amassed 412 yards of total offense including 221 on the ground as they stayed focused en route to winning their fourth district game of the season and Aledo’s 65th consecutive league contest dating back to 2007.

But the halftime blowout score allowed head coach Steve Wood to insert a group of players that might just be the second-best team in 6-5A, the Bearcats reserves.

I got a kick out of a comment Greenwood made to me after the game which was played Saturday at Northwest ISD Stadium. When I asked him what it was like to run behind the second line, he excitedly explained: “Our No. 2 line is as good as our No. 1 line.” When I chuckled Greenwood was not laughing and he shot me a look that I interpreted as “I really meant what I just said.”

And he did. From my view high above in the press box, the “other” Aledo offensive line of Mason Jackson, Jett Barton, James Hensley, Okataw O’Keefe and Gavin Gardner-Knight looks exactly like the firstteam line: It pushes the opponents’ defensive line backwards. In other words, the second half looked like the first with white jerseys pushing back dark blue jerseys.

Greenwood got 11 totes in the second half as he nearly reached the century mark.

The first half was dominated by senior Michael Jordan, who finished with 174 yards on just 11 carries with a pair of touchdowns.

“Will Greenwood is a good sophomore and a good football player,” Wood said.

26B January 20, 2017 “He is a strong, good-looking kid who can play football. The second offensive line gets coached the same way the first team does, and they are very capable. A lot of those guys would be starters most years.”

In a game like this was – a game everyone knew would be over at the break – a lot of times the most interesting aspect is to watch the non-starters perform in the second half. Greenwood, not even on the varsity roster on opening day, has racked up 219 yards on the ground in just four appearances, all district games.

The Bearcats had six different backs carry the ball against Eaton, but what is astounding is that the total came on 39 carries, meaning Aledo averaged 11.2 yards per carry. In addition to Jordan and Greenwood, freshman sensation Jase McClellan had just five carries but gained 85 yards as he continues to make his mark on varsity.

Jordan is having a break-out season, and junior Donnie Evans’ speed makes him a home-run threat every time he handles the ball. And senior quarterback Dillon Davis also has proved to be quite the runner when he pulls the ball down and takes off or calls his own number on an option run. Through the air, Davis completed seven of 11 passes for 150 yards and three touchdowns while rushing for another against Eaton.

I feel to win in the playoffs a team needs two things: health and a solid running game. I do know the Bearcats have a solid rushing attack, and they have depth at running back and on the offensive line, which they prove each and every week.

1st qtr A – Donnie Evans 8 run (Quinn Davis kick) A – Dillon Davis 26 pass to Hunter Rosson (Reed Vierling kick) A – Davis 45 pass to Logan Bridges (Quinn Davis kick) A – Quinn Davis 46 field goal 2nd qtr A – Jase McClellan 8 run (Vierling kick) A – Michael Jordan 39 run (Vierling kick) A – Dillon Davis 41 run (Vierling kick) A – Davis 19 pass to Bridges (Quinn Davis kick) 3rd qtr A – Jordan 75 run (Vierling kick) E – Riley Taylor 20 pass to Jordan Brooks (Rhett Marshall kick) 4th qtr E – Titus Swen 21 run (Marshall kick)

BEARCATS 69, AZLE 0 Bearcats’ defense holds talented Azle QB to two pass completions, earns second shutout in 6-5A in 69-0 win over Hornets It was supposed to be a contest featuring a veteran quarterback against an up-and-coming freshman signal caller last

Aledo Bearcats State Championship week when the state-ranked No. 2 Aledo Bearcats hosted the Azle Hornets.

Aledo senior Dillon Davis, whose stock with college football coaches should be rising after the gaudy numbers he has put up this season, faced the area’s new feel-good story, quarterback Ken Seals, a freshman who came to Bearcat Stadium in June and defeated Aledo in a seven-on-seven game.

Seals has been on the national radar after leading a “select” football team to a “national championship,” but he has also shown his enormous talent at various college football camps. When Bearcats’ head coach Steve Wood tells me Seals is “the real deal” I have no reason not to believe him.

Plus, I was at that seven-on-seven game and saw him for myself. He’s good, and is very poised for a freshman.

But when the hype stepped aside and the actual 11-man game was played, the Bearcats’ defense made sure the freshman phenom would not strut his stuff on their home turf.

The battle of the quarterbacks never came to fruition.

The Bearcats’ Black Shirts limited Seals to one completed pass in nine attempts before he was removed and replaced by sophomore Cale McDonnell, a quarterback Seals beat out for the starting job after week two. Seals would come back in during the second half and complete a six-yard pass to give him two for the contest.

I feel the Bearcats’ defense was tired of hearing the hype and wanted to make its own impression. It did, holding the Azle offense to a scant 14 yards and two first downs in the first half. Aledo led 56-0 at the break and went on to earn a 69-0 victory.

Defense steals the show “How about that defense?” Wood said after the game. “I am proud of our defense.

They came ready to play.”

Much has been written in this space about the Bearcats’ offense from week to week, and although Davis had another fine outing, completing 10 of 15 passes for 169 yards and two touchdowns in two-and-a-half quarters of work, it was the Aledo defense that stole the show against the Hornets.

For the game, the Bearcats’ defense allowed just four first downs and 73 total yards, 46 of which came in the fourth quarter. And it pitched its second shutout in district play. In 6-5A action, Aledo has allowed seven points in three contests.

“We are honestly just trying to get better every day, practice or game,” junior defensive tackle James Williams said. Williams intercepted a pass in the game to give him two for the season. “We feel as a defense it is a huge accomplishment to get a shutout.

But we expect to get shutouts, and we want more of them.”

The defense also got into the scoring act, and in fact scored the first touchdown of the game when Wyatt Harris snared a Seals’ pass and rambled 25 yards to the end zone.

Linebacker Will Trawick also recovered a fumble.

But as well as the defense played, Davis led another offensive explosion, with QB Zane Hayden coming in to guide a pair of TD drives. Aledo racked up 604 total yards, including a season-high 417 on the ground.

Although Azle’s defense stopped one Aledo streak – the Bearcats had scored a touchdown on their first possession in the five previous games but failed to do so against the Hornets – it continued a streak of more than 500 total yards in every contest. This would be another good reason the ‘Cats are 6-0 and 3-0 in 6-5A. In fact, last week marked the second time the Bearcats have surpassed the 600yard mark in total offense.

The three-headed monster at running back with Donnie Evans, Michael Jordan and freshman Jase McClellan has been a riddle Aledo opponents have yet to solve.

But in fairness to the opposing defenses it is hard to find an Aledo running back with offensive linemen Chuck Filiaga, Truett Knox, Carter Tillman, Seth Strickland and Drew Barton clearing huge holes each game.

Davis and Williams feel their respective units are getting better each week, but both also feel there is room for improvement. If that is the case, that can’t bode well for the remaining district opponents and the teams who qualify for the Class 5A, Division II playoffs.

1st qtr Al – Wyatt Harris 25 interception return (Quinn Davis kick) Al – Dillon Davis 21 pass to Hunter Rosson (Reed Vierling kick) Al – Donnie Evans 42 run (Quinn Davis kick) 2nd qtr Al – Michael Jordan 7 run (Vierling kick) Al – Davis 23 pass to Preston Jefferis (Quinn Davis kick) Al – Davis 5 run (Vierling kick) Al – Jordan 4 run (Quinn Davis kick) Al – Evans 4 run (Vierling kick) 3rd qtr Al – Jordan 23 run (kick failed) 4th qtr Al – Will Greenwood 4 run (Vierling kick)

BEARCATS 70, SAGINAW 7 Davis leads Bearcats’ offense to 611-yard output in 70-7 victory over Saginaw A thought crossed my mind as I watched the state-ranked No. 2 Aledo Bearcats score on the first play of the game last week against Saginaw.

I was thinking the Bearcats had scored a touchdown on their opening possession in every game this year, but I knew I had to go back to the office and check my notes from previous games.

As I suspected, they have, and no one should be surprised.

The Bearcats have averaged 69.5 points per game in district and almost 60 points

www.community-news.com per contest overall.

Last week in a 70-7 win over Saginaw – which raised Bearcats’ record to 5-0 and 2-0 in District 6-5A – Aledo scored on its first three possessions. The Bearcats would punt just twice in the Saginaw contest.

The Aledo offense has not only put up incredible numbers this season in points and yardage, but what is most impressive is how fast it gets out of the gate. In four out of five games, the Bearcats have scored three touchdowns in the first quarter, and in one of those games crossed the goal line four times in the opening period. The lone exception was a two-TD output in the season-opening win against Colleyville Heritage.

The Bearcats have scored 103 first-quarter points, an average of a little more than 20 points per game in the opening period.

Against Saginaw, the Bearcats scored three different ways on their first three drives: on a long pass, a short run and a long run.

Such fast starts tell me this offense which has produced an unheard-of 2,700 total yards in five games under the guidance of senior quarterback Dillon Davis – is a fine, polished machine that evidently works hard in practice to be able to produce early in games.

As Bearcats’ head coach Steve Wood has always maintained, the offensive line of Drew Barton, Seth Strickland, Carter Tillman, Truett Knox and Chuck Filiaga are the keys that make the offense go. But Davis and receivers Hunter Rosson, Logan Peterson, Logan Bridges, Preston Jefferis and Jeffrey Carter have been on their respective games. Add the running back rotation of Donnie Evans, Michael Jordan, Jase McClellan and Will Greenwood and this is an offense that has yet to be stopped.

Last Friday was no exception.

“The guys were ready to play tonight,” Wood said. “They came out and got after it.

Dillon is something else. The truth of the matter is that he threw the ball this well last year, but we just weren’t able to get open and catch the ball like we have been this year. Our receivers are getting better, and as a team we will just keep working harder to get better.”

Aledo opened the scoring on what looked like a play you might see in the backyard of a pick-up game. Rosson simply sprinted down the middle of the field and ran underneath Davis’ long bomb to score on a 75-yard play on the first play of the contest.

Throw. Catch. Run. Touchdown.

The Bearcats got a short field on their next possession thanks to an interception by defensive tackle James “Big Game” Williams. Aledo has also made a habit of collecting turnovers this season as they have produced 14 in five games, including nine interceptions led by sophomore cornerback Brannon Webb with three. He swiped his third pass of the year against Saginaw.

That turnover led to a one-yard TD blast by Evans. The third touchdown of the first quarter was scored on a 30-yard sprint by freshman tailback Jase McClellan, who

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27B

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The Community News broke two tackles on his trip to the end zone.

All of a sudden, it was 21-0 Aledo and Saginaw had no chance. Much to the Rough Riders’ credit, they came back and found the end zone later in the period, but the Bearcats added three more touchdowns in the second quarter for a 42-7 lead at the half.

In other words, ballgame.

1st qtr A – Dillon Davis 75 pass to Hunter Rosson (Quinn Davis kick) A – Donnie Evans 1 run (Quinn Davis kick) A – Jase McClellan 30 run (Quinn Davis kick) S – Cade Puente 36 pass to Clint Smith (Felix Cano kick) 2nd qtr A – Davis 37 pass to Logan Bridges (Reed Vierling kick) A – Davis 62 pass to Jeffrey Carter (Quinn Davis kick) A – Davis 9 pass to Carter (Vierling kick) 3rd qtr A – Evans 1 run (Quinn Davis kick) A – McClellan 6 run (Vierling kick) 4th qtr A – Michael Jordan 4 run (Quinn Davis kick) A – Zane Hayden 25 pass to Beau Mask (Vierling kick)

BEARCATS 69, CHISHOLM TRAIL 0 Offense clicks, defense shines in No. 2 Bearcats’ District 6-5A opening win over Chisholm Trail A reporter asked me before the start of the state-ranked No. 2 Aledo Bearcats/ Chisholm Trail game what I thought the final score might be.

Aledo, which would go on to in its 62nd consecutive district game, easily dispatched of Chisholm Trail, 69-0, on Sept. 23 at Ranger Stadium in the 6-5A opener for both teams.

“Not sure, but it will probably be 49-0 at halftime” was my response to the reporter.

I was almost spot on. Because of one failed extra-point, the Bearcats led 48-0 at the break.

What it was is what Bearcat Nation has expected over the course of 62 straight league games – another win. The Bearcats have not dropped a district contest since 2007, and even that game was mired in controversy – just ask former Aledo and SMU receiver Cole Loftin.

Sometimes, I as a reporter and maybe you as fans, take for granted the Bearcats’ long district wins run. But the win over Chisholm Trail illustrated the hard work the team has put in since it walked off the field last year after a state semifinals loss.

Against Chisholm Trail, the offensive line created huge holes for running backs Donnie Evans and Will Greenwood and

January 20, 2017

29B

gave quarterback Dillon Davis plenty of time to throw the football. And the receivers – led by senior speedster Logan Bridges, who had a breakout game with six catches for 146 yards and two scores – are getting and taking advantage of one-on-one coverage as opposition defenses crowd the line of scrimmage in an attempt to slow down the potent Aledo ground game.

The Bearcats rolled up another 500-plus yards on offense, including 340 through the air as Davis completed 14 of 19 passes for 325 yards and three touchdowns. The Bearcats rushed for 185 yards – led by Evans’ 120 yards on 18 carries – for a total yardage of 525 yards.

Aledo has played four games this season, and on all four occasions has produced more than 500 yards of total offense.

“We have some skill at wide receiver,” Wood said. “All of our receivers have just gotten so much better as the season has gone along. All of those guys played last year, and they are learning and growing up. And what else can you say about Dillon Davis? I am proud of him and the way he is guiding the offense.”

1st qtr A – Rhett Harris 2 run (Quinn Davis kick) A – Dillon Davis 19 pass to Logan Bridges (kick failed) A – Dillon Davis 47 pass to Bridges (Quinn Davis kick) A – Will Greenwood 1 run (Reed Vierling kick) 2nd qtr A – Donnie Evans 1 run (Quinn Davis kick) A – Evans 1 run (Vierling kick) A – Evans 10 run (Quinn Davis kick) 3rd qtr A – Evans 80 kickoff return (Vierling kick) A – Dillon Davis 44 pass to Preston Jefferis (Quinn Davis kick) 4th qtr A – Zane Hayden 14 run (Vierling kick)

BEARCATS 59, LEGACY 41 Bearcats finish non-district slate at 3-0 with win over Mansfield Legacy It was a good news/bad news scenario when the Class 5A state-ranked No. 2 Aledo Bearcats outlasted the talented Mansfield Legacy Broncos in a 59-41 shootout that must have been a delight for fans of offensive football.

To some of the Aledo coaches, “offensive” may mean something other than a lot of offense.

The good news was that Dillon Davis and the talented Bearcats’ offense put point after point after point on the scoreboard.

And looking back, the key to the game was Davis and the offensive line of Seth Strickland, Drew Barton, Chuck Filiaga, Truett Knox and Carter Tillman leading the ‘Cats to the end zone on Aledo’s first two drives of the game.

Bearcats freshman running back Jase McClellan (9) sprints through a huge hole during Aledo’s win over Mansfield Legacy. McClellan rushed for 100 yards on 16 carries.

Those 14 points provided the necessary cushion to keep Legacy at arm’s length when the Broncos went on their touchdown rampage.

Surrounding those Aledo scores were a defensive stop on Legacy’s opening possession and defensive tackle James “Big Game” Williams’ fumble recovery the second time the Broncos had the ball.

Which leads to the bad news: The Bearcats gave up 424 yards and six touchdowns, and could not solve the riddle that was Legacy senior quarterback Kendall Catalon. Catalon passed for 161 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 112 yards and three TDs. That’s one player accounting for 273 yards and five trips to the end zone.

Those two AHS scores were huge seeing that after it was stopped on its first two possessions, Legacy found the end zone on its next six full drives. I say “full” because Legacy had a one-play drive with 29 seconds left until the end of the first half that went for negative yardage.

But what I got out of the Legacy game was how this impressive offense – an offense that has piled up exactly 1,600 total yards in three games including 536 against Legacy – keeps getting better each game, and how it responded last week when it knew it was in a shootout against another explosive team.

Like the Energizer Bunny, the Aledo offense just keeps going, and going and going.

Thanks to the two quick touchdowns and an answer following every Legacy TD, the Bearcats never trailed in this game. The two-TD cushion meant that after the first quarter, Legacy could never get closer than 11 points.

But I am certain Bearcats fans attending the game or following on The Community News’ live blog never felt comfortable until Donnie Evans – seeing his first playing action of the season (21 carries for 123 yards to lead all rushers) – entered the end zone for the fourth time in the contest with 1:57 remaining in the game when Aledo held a 59-41 lead.

Credit where credit is due Again, I have to give the Aledo defense a little credit because it forced Legacy to move the ball on long drives, which ate up the clock. Legacy came back with a 13-play TD drive, but Aledo never got burned with a big play and that drive ate up 6:12 of precious time.

On its next TD drive, the Bearcats’ Black Shirts kept containing the big plays, and the Broncos used up more than four minutes to reach the end zone. The only “big” plays were a 14-yard scramble by Catalon and an 18-yard scramble for a TD by the Legacy QB. When a team is down by double digits, it can’t afford to take more than 10 minutes off the clock in two drives. The Bearcats seemed

30B January 20, 2017 to shut down running back Kameron Session in the second half as Catalon took it upon himself to try and catch up. It was an inspiring effort by Catalon, but it wasn’t enough.

But when all is said and done the Bearcats won a shootout, giving them confidence that when they get deep in the playoffs and face another explosive offensive team they can get the job done.

“To win a game like this absolutely helps our confidence,” Wood said. “I never thought we weren’t going to win, but we can’t continue to put that kind of pressure on the offense because eventually you will get a bad play or penalty or even a turnover, so the defense has to hold up its end of the deal.

“We need this week off. We need to get back to work.”

1st qtr A – Dillon Davis 14 pass to Logan Bridges (Quinn Davis kick) A – Davis 15 pass to Hunter Rosson (Quinn Davis kick) L – Kameron Session 40 run (Jacob Rowland kick) A – Donnie Evans 5 run (Quinn Davis kick) L – Kendall Catalon 3 pass to Troy Edwards (kick failed) 2nd qtr A – Quinn Davis 28 field goal A – Evans 9 run (Quinn Davis kick) L – Catalon 14 run (Rowland kick) A – Davis 52 pass to Preston Jefferis (Quinn Davis kick) L – Catalon 6 pass to Edwards (Rowland kick) 3rd qtr A - Davis 31 pass to Jefferis (Quinn Davis kick) L – Catalon 12 run (Rowland kick) A – Evans 8 run (Quinn Davis kick) 4th qtr L - Catalon 18 run (Rowland kick) A – Evans 6 run (Quinn Davis kick)

BEARCATS 65, WESTLAKE (CALIF.) 7 Bearcats use power running game to pound California opponent In the pre-game hype, the Class 5A state-ranked No. 2 Aledo Bearcats wanted to extract revenge on a California school to avenge the 42-7 loss two years ago at home at the hands of Los Angeles Bishop Amat.

A convincing 65-7 victory over the Westlake Warriors from Westlake Village, Calif. on Sept. 2 at Bearcat Stadium now has taken some of the sting from that loss from two years ago.

But what was so impressive about the win was the way the ‘Cats came out focused and emotionally high. Why is that impressive? Well, the Bearcats were one week past a draining, emotional win over a talented and athletic Colleyville Heritage squad, and quite frankly, human nature dictated a pos-

Aledo Bearcats State Championship sible let down for the following game.

“I was proud of our kids,” Bearcats’ head coach Steve Wood said. “They came ready to play. To bounce back after an emotional win last week showed a lot of character. We got better, but we still have a long way to go.

We haven’t arrived. But we as players and coaches will keep working and we will get better.”

It wasn’t really that Aledo won by 58 points over a like-sized and successful school that was impressive, it was the way the Bearcats won it. The offensive line of Drew Barton, Truett Knox, Carter Tillman, Seth Strickland and Chuck Filiaga blew open huge holes to allow running backs Michael Jordan and freshman Jase McClellan to exploit the Westlake defense.

Aledo rushed for 340 yards, with Jordan leading all rushers with 171 yards on 18 carries and three touchdowns. McClellan proved why he is on varsity with 101 yards on 17 totes and a game-high four touchdowns. The Bearcats also gained 70 yards on the ground from quarterbacks Dillon Davis and Zane Hayden. Davis also completed 14 of 21 passes for 216 yards and a pair of TDs. “We were more physical than they were on both sides of the ball,” Wood explained.

“They couldn’t block us up front, and defensively we put a lot of pressure on the quarterback and we covered their receivers well.

“The offensive line is the heart of our football team. They created holes for the backs, and Dillon had plenty of time to throw the ball. They were putting eight guys up to the line but our guys still found a way to block them. I love our offensive line.”

On Monday, Wood made the announcement that last year’s leading returning rusher, junior Donnie Evans, will more than likely return today (Friday, Sept. 9) against Mansfield Legacy. Evans suited up against Westlake but wasn’t in the plans to play. He may feel a little antsy after watching Jordan and McClellan rip apart defenses the past two weeks.

But make no mistake, the two-headed rushing monster will be a three-headed monster when the speedy and elusive Evans returns to full strength, which cannot bode well for the Bearcats’ District 6-5A opponents.

“We have a lot of competition at that spot,” Wood said.

The Bearcats found the end zone nine times against Westlake, and seven times pay dirt was achieved on the ground.

The defense played like a “Bearcat defense” against Westlake, and the three sophomores in the secondary showed great progress from Week 1 to Week 2. Coaches will always tell you that the gap between the first and second weeks are huge in gauging progress of individuals and a team.

That is certainly the case with the Bearcats, who not only got better in Week 2 but also got a little Texas revenge with a victory over a California school.

Westlake 0 0 0 7 Bearcats 20 28 10 7

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1st qtr A – Jase McClellan 9 run (Quinn Davis kick) A – Michael Jordan 4 run (pass fail) A – Jordan 1 run (Davis kick) 2nd qtr A – Dillon Davis 44 pass to Jeffrey Carter (Quinn Davis kick) A – McClellan 4 run (Davis kick) A – Dillon Davis 30 pass to Preston Jefferis (Quinn Davis kick) A – McClellan 4 run (Davis kick) 3rd qtr A – Quinn Davis 38 field goal A – Jordan 57 run (Davis kick) 4th qtr A – McClellan 3 run (Davis kick) W – Brendan Udolph 9 pass to Nolan Brooks (Josh Garelik kick)

BEARCATS 41, COLLEYVILLE HERITAGE 35 Offense keeps Bearcats in game; defense seals win in end Aledo head coach Steve Wood said moments after the Bearcats’ victory over Colleyville Heritage that he was proud of his team for battling and fighting back in the seesaw season opener on Aug. 26 at Mustang-Panther Stadium.

In the second half alone the lead changed hands six times. Aledo senior quarterback Dillon Davis led the Bearcats’ offense to touchdowns on three occasions after Heritage, led by its talented senior signal caller Cam Roane, had regained the lead.

Although the AHS defense allowed 478 yards, it made a key play when it had to – and in doing so paid back an offense that refused to give up when it came back on the field trailing on the scoreboard.

In fairness to the Bearcat Black Shirts, Wood was starting three sophomores in the secondary, and they indeed got a baptism by fire, as they say. But the good news is a lesson was learned through victory, rather than usual way, by defeat.

“We had so many mistakes – turnovers and dropped passes – and we have a lot of work to do, but I am proud of them and proud of the way they battled,” Wood said.

“Every time we got down our offense would fight and come back.

“Our defense got tired – any time you face a quarterback who runs around like (Roane) the defense is going to get worn out. That showed us we need to get in better condition.”

Roane and the Panthers never seemed to slow down in the second half. He began the third quarter by capping off a drive with a four-yard keeper to the end zone.

After Davis brought the Bearcats back on a 13-play touchdown drive and two-point conversion, Roane overcame the 29-23 deficit and came right back and led another TD

www.community-news.com drive (this drive was also aided by an Aledo fumbled punt).

I, along probably with all of Bearcat Nation, thought the ‘Cats had clinched this wild affair when Davis’ routine sideline pass to wide out Preston Jefferis turned into a spectacular 79-yard touchdown on a brilliant effort by the senior receiver on the catch-and-run TD play that gave Aledo a 35-30 lead with 7:06 left to play.

“I knew when the ball was in the air that I would score,” Jefferis said. “I had some yards on him (Heritage defender) and I think he got me on the back but I brushed him off and there was no way anyone was going to catch me. I wasn’t going to stop running no matter what.”

But back came Roane, ending a 78-yard drive with a 15-yard touchdown pass to give the Panthers a 36-35 advantage.

But as good as Roane was, Davis was just a little bit better. In a drive that begin with two minutes left to play, the senior completed three consecutive passes to bring the ball to the Heritage 9-yard line. His nine-yard pass on a bubble screen to Jeffrey Carter with 1:24 remaining in the contest lifted the ‘Cats to a 41-36 lead.

But Roane had one more chance, and that is where the defense saved the day.

With the aid of an AHS unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, Roane got the ball back near mid field. He completed three passes for a combined 30 yards, and with 25 seconds left to play had the end zone in his sights with the ball at the Bearcat 19.

Roane had been almost flawless to that point, but then he made his lone mistake.

Aledo senior safety Logan Childs stepped in front of Roane’s pass in the middle and snared the aerial for the game-saving play.

Bearcat Nation celebrated.

“I saw the receiver take off across the field, and when the ball was in the air I broke underneath the receiver,” Childs said.

“The quarterback kept looking at the receiver so I thought he would throw it my way.

This is a good way to start the season.”

1st qtr A – Dillon Davis 14 pass to Jeffrey Carter (Quinn Davis kick) H – Cam Roane 7 pass to Ke’Von Ahmad A – Michael Jordan 15 run (Quinn Davis kick) H – T.J. Watson 25 field goal 2nd qtr H – Roane 17 pass to Mario Ortiz (Watson kick) A – Dillon Davis 2 pass to Wes Harris (Quinn Davis kick) 3rd qtr H – Roane 4 run (kick failed) A – Jase McClellan 1 run (Dillon Davis pass to Logan Peterson) H – Roane 31 pass to Ahmad (Watson kick) 4th qtr A – Dillon Davis 79 pass to Preston Jefferis (pass failed) H - Roane 15 pass to Ahmad (run failed) A – Dillon Davis 9 pass to Carter (pass failed)

The Community News

January 20, 2017

CONGRATS, BEARCATS!

We’re behind you all the way!

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31B

32B January 20, 2017

Aledo Bearcats State Championship

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