11-25 sport
6
3/10/10
1:29 AM
Ellis County Chronicle,
Page 1
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Sports The view from the press box
Magic runs out, now time to build
I
f Lake Dallas was the turning point then Forney was the precursor — the Red Oak football team had turned the corner but eventually the well had to run dry. After living on the edge for much of the season, the narrow numbers game finally caught up to the Hawks. And it couldn’t have happened at a worse time. As Richie Barentios’ lowlining, knuckle-ball type kick inched over the crossbar, you had that feeling that Red Oak had found a little bit of that magic left that had led them to a District 15-4A title. When you live and ALEX die by making RILEY the last CHRONICLE play the SPORTS most important WRITER one, you’re bound to end up on the losing end at some point. Forney had showed that. So with a 9-7 lead with around five minutes left in the first round of the playoffs, no one could have seen Ryan Smith’s run coming. He had amassed 15 yards rushing for the whole day. His 51 yards passing were nothing. And as he rolled right, the Hawk defense had his receivers covered. However, there was the left side of the field. What Smith found was an opening, the only one Hewitt Midway was given all day. But in the end, that one play was the difference. Red Oak out hustled, out worked and out played Midway from start to finish. The defense got timely turnovers. The offense made plays when it needed to. Yet for one play, the Panthers got the better end of it. So with a 7-4 record, Red Oak was sent home from the post season. A sad ending to a season that was so much better than that one play. While it is what the players will think about for now, one can only hope that when time has passed they will see the bigger picture. A seven-win season, the first district championship since 1982 (and the first ever as a 4A school) and a third straight appearance in the playoffs. But most importantly the seniors created something the program hadn’t seen in decades – a foundation. A foundation for a program that has talked about building and becoming. Thanks to the 2009 team, that opportunity is now in front of them. Thanks to this squad, the time for talk is over. Now comes the doing. What this year’s team installed might come down to attitude, specifically a winning attitude. The veterans showed swagger and class at the exact same time. They didn’t have to say they were the better team, they let the play do the talking. If those traits rubbed off on the younger players who will line up between the hashes next fall, then the Hawks are in good shape. And then that magic will be here to stay. Alex Riley is a sports writer who cover Hawks sports for the Ellis County Chronicle. Contact him at alex.riley@wninews.com or at 469-517-1456.
Photo by Gary Puckett/Special to the Chronicle
Red Oak coach Mike Shields guided the Hawks to a district championship in his third year at the helm. Red Oak had not won a district championship since 1982 prior to this season and had never won one as a 4A school.
A year of risk and reward Chronicle sports writer Alex Riley sits down with football coach Mike Shields to talk about the Hawks’ 2009 district championship season, pulling wins out of the fire and the future of the team asked to step up next season?
Q.
Most peop l e pegged the team as a squad that would have to squeak into the playoffs. Instead you came out and won a share of the district championship for one of the best seasons in program history. Do you feel you e x c e e d e d expectations?
A.
A.
Photo by Gary Puckett/Special to the Chronicle
Replacing the senior leadership of players like (from left) Colby Houston, Alex McGraw, Sergio Munoz and Travis Wallis will be a big factor in Red Oak’s continued success next season.
W e feel good. Those seniors came in, they wanted to win a district championship and that’s what we had talked about doing all year and they did that. Like I’ve said, you always want one more. Unless you win a state championship you always say man if we had won one more game, or two more games or something like that. But we’re proud of them and what they did. And we’re looking forward to next season.
then Alex McGraw kind of took Victor Cooper’s spot and kind of got us lined up back there. But those guys are going to be missed. And then you even throw in Cody Monnette in the middle, talk about getting us lined up. His stats may not have been there with the tackles and everything but knowing what defense we wanted and to be in those formations, those guys are going to be missed.
Q.
Q.
A.
A.
You guys seemed to live and die by the last second play. Do you think that kind of caught up to you at the end of the season?
Sometimes you worry about that. Your nine lives, if you’re done with that. It’s funny, the very first year we did that it Photo by Gary Puckett/Special to the Chronicle Red Oak junior seemed like every Mandel Dixon fourth quarter. Then scored the go-ahead last year it was just the opposite. It seemed and winning touchlike it didn’t go. But downs in two games. then this year it did. I The Hawks won six don’t know if it’s just games by single dig- a mentality deal with its this season. the kids believing that we are going to win this thing and just find a way. You hope that it is and you hope you can incorporate that in to them in the offseason and be ready for it next year.
Q.
Defensively you had some relative unknown seniors step up and post some all-district worthy numbers. How glad were you to have that leadership and play from them?
Photo by Gary Puckett/Special to the Chronicle
Red Oak quarterback Travis Wallis started off the year battling for the starting job. He finished the season as the team’s leading rusher and guided the Hawks to a 7-4 record in his only season as a starter.
Q.
Quarterback Travis Wallis really carried a lot on his shoulders this year. Was that surprising considering it was a battle up until the season opener?
A.
They really stepped up, starting with the two outside linebackers, Prestin Granzin and Sergio Munoz. Man you know, comparing their stats, their number of tackles and leadership compared to last year it was just tremendous this year. And then you look for the cornerbacks Mark Thomas and Jason Daughtry that really came on, you throw Josh Day in there and he did a great job. And
Y o u always want to see that. We thought some of our juniors stepped up this year. And hopefully they saw that and saw what it takes to win a district championship and hopefully we’ll see it again. You know, a number of those guys, Granzin, and Sergio Monnette, didn’t play another sport, so they were in here in offseason the leading us and stuff and you need guys like that.
A.
We went into the season not knowing who was going to be quarterback, let them battle it out and we thought Travis stepped forward and I think he showed that. Now we hope James Sadderwhite can do it next year, step forward and lead us and have a good year.
Photos by Gary Puckett/Special to the Chronicle
Senior linebackers Cody Monnette and Preston Granzin were key to the defensive success this season. The pair combined for 141 tackles for the Hawks.
Q.
Has the senior leadership rubbed off on the younger players who will be
A lot o f underclassmen coneven tributed, started, this season. How important was it for those guys to gain experience moving forward?
Photo by Gary Puckett/Special to the Chronicle
Despite battling early season injury, junior receiver Ishmael Harrison led the Hawks with 376 yards receiving and was a factor in the running game with 204 yards on the ground.
I think it’s a real big part of the plan because that’s what my goal was. I didn’t know we could win a district championship and said, ‘Hey, the goal is get these guys in the playoffs and give them experience at it so that they just get better and better and start believing.’ And by doing that, when the kids believe in it, they obviously play better than when they don’t. Hopefully those young guys did that and it’s going to show the next couple years.
Photo by Gary Puckett/Special to the Chronicle
Getting players like junior Jeremi Lewis playing time this season should help the Hawks as they go into next fall. Lewis finished as the third leading rusher for Red Oak this year with 333 yards and three touchdowns.
Q.
I ’ m sure t h e kids wanted to keep playing but with the season over, how’s the locker room vibe now, especially with the success you did have?
A.
There’s disappointment because we’re not playing but I think as soon as we get back from Thanksgiving it’s a season to build on as they say. We can get them going, get See SHIELDS, Page 7
11-25 sport
8
3/10/10
1:29 AM
Ellis County Chronicle,
Page 2
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Sports
Ready for more Chronicle sports writer Alex Riley sits down with volleyball coach Hope Porter to talk about the 2009 success, first-year coaching and what to expect next season
Photo by Gary Puckett/Special to the Chronicle
In her first season as head coach of the Red Oak volleyball program, Hope Porter guided the Lady Hawks to a 20th straight district title and advanced to the regional finals in the state playoffs.
Q. A.
Your sub-varsity teams started off kind of slow but rebounded for big seasons in district play and finished with great records. How does that bode for the rest of the program in the future?
I think the mental aspect of it is really important for those kids. I know they were struggling mentally at the beginning of the year but we play a tough preseason schedule and there’s a lot of those kids that are multi-sport kids, that do other things, that have to put a lot into volleyball. I think maybe it was a Photo by Lezley Noris/Special to the Chronicle little bit of wake up call for them that look if we’re going to continSeniors Jennifer Lawson (left) and Breanna Saum (right) ue to be good, I have to work a little harder than I’m working. provided the Red Oak volleyball team with a tremendous So, I did see some improvement on both of the sub-varsity teams front line height advantage this season. The pair combined this year and some highlights that I’m looking forward to getting a chance to work with this season and hopefully can keep our little trafor more than 135 blocks this year. I know you dition going. were an Photo by Gary Puckett/Special to the Chronicle a s s i s t a n t Red Oak junior varsity player Caleah Wells was one of here for a long time, three players called up to the varsity roster for the playbut does the record as offs. With her length, Wells could factor into the varsity a first-year coach surprise you? How easy roster next fall.
Q.
of a transition was it?
A.
Photo by Mike Sackett/Special to the Daily Light
Red Oak senior Tara McKenney spent the majority of the season at libero for the Lady Hawks. Her backline defense was a big part of the team’s run to another district title.
you Well know, when I took the position or when I applied for this position, I knew there was a talented bunch of girls coming into this year. So I knew they would need a little guidance, a little coaching here and there but for the most part it was a talented group of girls. They jumped right in whole-heartedly, bought in to what I was trying to sell them and did what I asked to do and it all came together in the end. There were times when we thought, ‘Oh, we’re not going to make it through this.’ But for the most part it came together and they performed phenomenal if you ask me. I couldn’t ask any more than what I got out of them.
Q.
A lot of teams in the area were forced to play younger players in major roles. While some juniors did play and were starters, the majority of your lineup was senior laden. How big of a deal was it to have those veterans around?
A.
We had nine seniors on the team so we had an old team and they’ll definitely be missed in all aspects of the game whether it’s just physical talent or the personality they bring to the team or just leadership with the way they are on and off the court. Every one of them has something they contributed to the team, regardless of whether it was on the stat board or on the court itself. Everybody that was a senior this year did something that contributed to our success.
Q. A.
In the preseason, I think some publications might have written the team off because of the coaching change and such. Did you see the success you did have this year coming?
Photo by Lezley Norris/Special to the Chroniclet
Senior Andrea McQuaid’s play will be hard to replace for Red Oak next season. McQuaid, who led the team in numerous categories, will play for Oklahoma next season.
Q. A.
While it was mostly seniors, some juniors did play major roles. How important is that for next season?
It doesn’t surprise me. I think it surprises some of the people. I think maybe they thought it’s downhill from here. Like I said, I knew what talent was out there, that it could be a great year. With the last match aside, it was a great year and I’m very proud of the girls.
Q.
As disappointing as the ending was with the loss to J.J. Pearce that close to the state tournament, what do you hope these players take away from the year?
We have three kids that really played major roles this year and we have two other juniors on the team that got as much playing time as I could get them that will have major roles next year they’ll have to step up and take charge of. There’s a little bit of talent coming back but we’re losing a ton. We have to get to work. We started this morning. We’re back at work and going to try to keep it going again.
A.
Photos by Gary Puckett/ and Lezley NorrixSpecial to the Chronicle
Juniors Morgan Watts (15) and Hunter Porter (6) played major roles in the starting lineup. Gabby Pena (left) figures to become a major player next season.
Before we walked out of the locker room, I told them, ‘Look, I know you’re upset. I know you’re hurt. Cry, do whatever you need to do.’ I said, ‘But when you walk out that door of this locker room, you hold your head up high. You have not one thing to ashamed of. Photo by Gary Puckett/Special to the Daily Light Be proud of what you’ve accomplished, know that Junior setter Kaycie Bird led the Lady you’re a great team. Hawks in assists and points served. ‘Every match has to That experience will be key for the have a winner and every squad going into next season. match has to have a loser and this match could have went either way on any given day so don’t walk out of here feeling bad about what you’ve done this season.’