Friday Night Lights 2021

2021 F R I DAY NI G HT LI G HTS

COMO-PICKTON | SULPHUR SPRINGS | CUMBY

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I’m so thankful, like most of you probably are, that it’s finally football season. After watching my Chicago Cubs dismantle our 2016 Championship team (and rightfully so), it’s time to turn our attention to the #1 sport in Texas, and that’s football.

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COMO-PICKTON | SULPHUR SPRINGS | CUMBY

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ON THE COVER

There’s nothing hotter than Friday night football in Texas.

I have yet to have the pleasure of attending a football game here in Hopkins County. Covid has pretty much halted any live events for me since I moved here, and I’m really pumped about getting to finally see some games. I want to thank the advertisers and our amazing staff here at The News-Telegram, because without them, we could never put out such a beautiful magazine like Friday Night Lights each and every year.

I hope that all our football programs here in Hopkins County enjoy winning seasons and stay healthy. I want to also thank the coaching staffs for their dedication and commitment to helping these players not only become better athletes, but first and foremost, better individuals. I hope everyone enjoys this year’s issue of Friday Night Lights!

Dave Shabaz Publisher

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TABLE OF CONTENTS Voice of The Trojans.............................................................12 Hometown Heroes Join Sulphur Springs.............16 Sulphur Springs Football Schedule.............................22 Sulphur Springs Wildcats..................................................26 Como-Pickton Eagles............................................................35 Como-Pickton Football Schedule................................39 Cumby Trojans............................................................................49 Cumby Football Schedule..................................................53

Friday Night Lights magazine is a publication of The Sulphur Springs News-Telegram and is published one time a year.

Friday Night Lights is copyrighted by and a registered trademark of The Sulphur Springs News-Telegram in Sulphur Springs, Texas. Reproduction of any part of the publication is strictly forbidden without written permission from The Sulphur Springs News-Telegram.

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STAFF

Todd Kleiboer

Ariel Phillips

Tyler Lennon

Asst. Managing Editor

Reporter

Sports Editor

Daylan Millard

Advertising Sales

Kat Curling

Graphic Designer

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VOICE OF THE TROJANS From the pressbox, Cumby’s Joey Patterson delivers encouragement and consoling words to players and fans alike

By Todd Kleiboer

As football fans roar as their team readies for a snap near the end zone, a single voice pierces the cacophony, signaling the down and yardage to go.

For a beat, the stands are quieter (never really silent), and when the ball is snapped and the running back charges into the end zone, that single voice then adds its own to the delighted screams and announces, “TOUCHDOWN, TROJANS!” In the Trojan Stadium press box, Cumby football’s own Joey Patterson then turns away from

the mic and clears his throat quietly before detailing what happened, a role he picked up about eight years ago.

“It started out with Michael Strickland and I,” Patterson said. “He was announcing, and I was running the clock. I was the timekeeper and scoreboard operator for Cumby.”

After some time, Strickland had time conflicts with his job and handed Patterson the mic in 2013, the same year former head football coach Tom Dracos was hired. Patterson already had prior experience

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with PA announcing through the Northeast Texas Youth Football League (NETYFL) and previously directed the Cumby Youth Sports Association’s football program.

“He [Dracos] and I just decided to say, why don’t I do that,” Patterson said. “He said I do a great job there. Why not do it here?”

Patterson had worked with the NETYFL for eight years prior to announcing at Cumby, traveling to area stadiums in Cooper or Commerce.

The league includes youth teams from nearby schools like Cumby, Cooper and Commerce.

Patterson has been such a staple in local announcing that at away games he attends, the crowd often turns to him to explain referee calls.

“Everybody will look at Joey and say, Joey, what’s that about?” Patterson said. “So I have to tell them what we’re doing and why it was this or what it was that.”

Hailing from Mesquite, Patterson and his

family moved to Cumby in 2002 after Mesquite and its school grew too large for their taste. His wife was raised in Cumby and had family here, and the rural atmosphere appealed to them. His day job is working as a servicewriter at Platinum Chevrolet in Terrell.

Patterson has long had a passion for the sport and “loves to talk,” he said. Those two aspects combined into the announcing roles he holds today.

“I’m not great at just meeting anybody and striking up a conversation,” Patterson said with a chuckle.

“But put a microphone in my hand, and I can talk with the best of them.”

While Patterson would love being a playby-play announcer for the games, the UIL doesn’t permit announcing during plays, and Patterson laughed when he retold a story of officials telling him to keep quiet.

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penalize the whole team,” Patterson said. “I would say, Taylor taking a snap under center, rolls right, throws the ball right flat to Jones for seven yards. And I’m just as enthusiastic about the visiting team as I am the home team.”

Patterson makes an effort to note the good plays and efforts made the visiting team, be it from the players on the field or the cheerleaders on the sidelines. Likewise, he gives it his all in the press box.

“I try to be as informative as I can for the fans,” Patterson said. “I like to explain what the penalty was or whether it marked from the spot of the foul or from the line of scrimmage.”

One part Patterson does not give much attention is unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.

While he will note any ejections or flags, he does not announce the number or name of the player.

“These are kids,” Patterson said. “I don’t care if you’re a 5-year-old kid or an 18-year-old kid, all you want to hear is your name come across that loudspeaker one time.”

With his background in youth sports, Patterson saw area athletes develop over the years from rowdy kids to local powerhouses, and sometimes those familiar faces turn up on the Frazier-Lawrence Field.

“It’s such a thrill to be able to announce their names again,” Patterson said. “You get watch these kids develop in nice young men, and I have kids that come up to me and say, hey Coach Joey, nice to see you.”

Two of those familiar faces are his sons: Garrett, who graduated in 2017, and Jared, who is a freshman this year. Garrett played offensive left tackle and defensive tackle, and Jared will be following in his footsteps.

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“It’ll be fun to announce his name, but since he’s a freshman, I don’t know how much he’ll play this year,” Patterson said. “But just being on field is good enough for us.”

Over the years, Patterson has seen his fair share of exhilarating victories and heartbreaking losses at Trojan Stadium, but in the midst of a loss’s fallout, he rallies the fans behind their home team and congratulates the victor for their efforts.

“The worst thing the fans, the parents can do is to get down on the players or get down on the team. You want to stay as positive as possible,” he said. “Parents need to understand that they’re just as much as a part of that moment as the player is. You try to build them up. You try to encourage the fans to stay behind their team.”

Patterson remembers telling Garrett when he walked off the field over his final game that though his football career was over, he would “cherish these moments the rest of your life.”

Heading into this season, Patterson said head football coach Charles Boles, now in his second season with Cumby, has had more time to implement his own system, and after a season disrupted and ended prematurely

by COVID-19, this year should be more structured and brighter.

“Coach Boles is a player’s coach, as I call it,” Patterson said. “He’s really going to be great for us, but I think it may take another year or so, or it may be this year, to have his system instilled.”

At the end of the day, Patterson just wants the fans, players and others to have fun while out on the field, and good sportsmanship reinforced by positive announcing strengthens that atmosphere.

“Football is supposed to be fun and exciting, and I know we’re supposed to take it seriously,” Patterson said. “I do. But when it boils down to it, it’s just high school kids having fun from the cheerleaders to the band to the football players. They’re still just kids.”

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Hometown Heroes Join Sulphur Springs Coaching Staff LOOK TO ADD UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE TO PROGRAM

BY TYLER LENNON Sulphur Springs ISD has produced some amazing talent over the years, guys who have left Hopkins County and went on to do great things, all while representing the town they grew up in and love.

Two of those legends are returning to Sulphur Springs this year to help the football program where their own careers began. 2008 state champion winning quarterback Tyrik Rollison is joining the program as running backs coach, and former fourthround NFL draft pick Keenan Clayton is taking over as cornerbacks coach.

“It’s an honor and a blessing at the same time, just to be able to come back and coach at the same place I got to play at, that’s definitely something big for me,” Rollison said. “As it to be my first year coaching and it to be at home, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Clayton shared that sentiment, saying, “It feels great, once you’ve been through Sulphur Springs High School and played the ball here,

there’s nothing better than actually getting to come here and give the kids some of the knowledge you know. It’s great to be back, that’s the best way to describe it man, it feels great.”

Rollison and Clayton have had two of the strongest playing careers of any athlete to every come out of Sulphur Springs. Rollison, who led the Wildcats to a state championship in 2008, left Sulphur Springs to play at Auburn University. From there Rollison went on to play at Sam Houston State, as well as Tyler Junior College and Texas A&M Commerce, each of which he had plenty of success at.

Clayton also had a very successful playing career, leaving Sulphur Springs to play football at Oklahoma University. Clayton’s success carried over to the college level, and he was eventually a fourthround draft pick by the Philadelphia Eagles.

Each of them talked about how much they were able to feel the love and support of the community while they were continuing their careers in other places.

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“I definitely always felt the love of Sulphur Springs no matter where I played ball at, everywhere I traveled it felt like the love and support was always there,” Rollison said. “When I played at Commerce it felt like I was playing at home again. The love and support of the community has always been behind me and I’ve always appreciated and loved it.”

Clayton had a particularly unique experience, as he played at both Oklahoma and Philadelphia, two teams that are generally rivals for fans in this area.

“It felt great, for me to go up to Oklahoma and to still have everybody cheering for you, that’s when you know that the whole community is behind you,” he said.

“I feel like this community supports anything that’s positive,” Clayton added. “Whether it’s band students, soccer players, volleyball, track, they support everybody.”

Rollison and Clayton are in a unique situation as coaches. For players, their ultimate goal is to have success and hopefully continue their careers at the next level. Both Rollison and Clayton were able to achieve that, and they did so while coming from

the same town their players now come from.

“I think I have a special way of connecting with kids,” Rollison said. “Of course you can walk down the hallways and see pictures of me and Keenan and these other guys. Just for the kids to walk through here and see those pictures and know that everyday they come to practice and get a chance to listen to us, I feel like they take our points really well.”

They also have the unique ability to see things from a different perspective than most coaches.

“I approach it from their perspective,” Clayton said. “I view it as if I were a player, then I have to learn to approach it at this level and be able to teach it.”

Rollison referenced how playing the quarterback position prepared him for a career in coaching.

“Just because of my position I had to play, I always felt like a coach on the field,” Rollison said. “So I always felt like my coaching IQ would naturally be a little higher.”

Both Rollison and Clayton seem very excited for their new roles, and excited for what they can

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bring to the program.

“As of now I’m just riding my wave, doing what I’m able to do to help my team be successful,” Rollison said. “We have a great coaching staff, I think everybody’s put in the right position they need to be in for our guys to be successful.”

As first-year coaches, I asked each of them who were some influences they had as coaches that they look to emulate their style from.

“Right here in Sulphur Springs,” Rollison was quick to say. “Every coach we had on our coaching staff is definitely somebody I look up to. Being coached by Coach Owens, he pushed us to levels that we wouldn’t have been able to reach.”

Clayton also was quick to state his admiration for Owens, saying, “I give coach Owens my utmost resect, because he’s seen this program at every level. He never folded, he never gave up, he just kept fighting and kept building and you see it slowly getting back.”

He also named fellow coach Casey Jeter as an influence.

“If I cold relate to students that way, he has a great relationship with everybody, no matter who you are, and I see a lot of that in coach Jeter,” Clayton said.

Both Rollison and Clayton also spoke about other ways they could help players, including preparing them for the next level.

“I know what it’s like leaving high school and getting to that level and not being prepared,” Rollison said.

“I can tell them what they don’t get told, that you have to get up at 5:30 everyday, that you have to study hard, you have to watch film and know how to study the film,” Clayton said. “That’s the stuff I can tell them. I can definitely help them understand what it’s going to take at the next level. They also have to understand that they’re leaving home. Mom isn’t going to be there to cook dinner every night, little stuff like that.

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Clayton added he could be “somebody in your corner that’s been there that can help you through the ups and downs.”

Both Rollison and Clayton spoke about how excited they are to begin their new careers, and how they each see it as a longtime thing.

“I feel like this will be something long term,” Rollison said. “You’ve got your Saturday night lights and your Thursday night lights, but there’s nothing like stepping on that field on Friday night’s when the lights are on.”

Clayton shared that sentiment, saying, “My first step is to be a great corners coach, that’s the focus right now.”

Clayton added that he’d like to continue to climb the ranks as a defensive coordinator or even a head coach but said, “My goal in the next five years is we’d be a contender, going 2-3-4 rounds depending in the playoffs every year.”

When asked if he saw himself staying in Sulphur Springs, Clayton made it clear that was his intention. “I’ve had opportunities to start my coaching career prior to this,” the corners coach said. “But I’m going to start somewhere, why not start here at home?”

Both coaches talked about how much the town and program have progressed since their time here, and how much they’ve enjoyed seeing it happen.

“Just to see the practice field and to be able to have an indoor facility and seeing the stadium change the way it has is a blessing,” Rollison said.

“The timing is perfect, you’ve got it set up to where other schools want to come in and play their playoff games here,” Clayton added. “I think it’s a great setup and it’s great for the kids. I’ve been to some places in both college and the pros that look terrible compared to this.”

After bothering each of them with several questions I ended each interview by opening the floor to them, and asking if there was anything they wanted to say that maybe I hadn’t gotten to.

“I’m definitely excited to be here and I want to thank Mr. [Michael] Lamb, Coach Owens and

Mr. [Derek] Driver for this opportunity. If it wasn’t for those guys I wouldn’t be in the position that I am now,” Rollison said. “I expect big things to come in the future for this program, we plan to change things around and get Sulphur Springs back on track to where it should be and where it needs to be. With this coaching staff we have now I feel like we’re going in that right direction.”

For Clayton, his goal was to “get out and support, support the kids, I don’t care what they’re doing, from choir, to football, to basketball, UIL, whatever it is.”

“Let them know that the community is behind them,” Clayton said. “Let these kids know that we’re behind them no matter what they’re doing.”

Both Rollison and Clayton are excited to be joining the coaching staff and doing everything they can to help further build the team, and to help the program the way the program helped them before.

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Sulphur Springs Football Schedule

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Sulphur Springs

WILDCATS Wildcats Ready For Season, With Strong Mix Of Returning Talent And New Players Enter the fall more prepared than ever

BY TYLER LENNON After the entire season for all 5A and 6A football teams were pushed back a month in 2020, the Sulphur Springs Wildcats are enjoying a return to normalcy for the 2021 season.

“It feels so much better to be starting with some normalcy,” head football coach Greg Owens said. “We had a normal EDGE summer and the committed kids are in shape and look great.”

The Wildcats look to build on a 2-4 season in which they got better each week as the season went on. With a strong mix of returning players as well as players looking to make their varsity debut, Sulphur Springs likes their chances heading in to the 2021 season.

After losing their first three games to open the 2020 season, the Wildcats picked things up, winning two of their final three games to finish the season 2-4.

“We continued to get better with each game last year,” Owens said. “Our executions of plays and understanding the schemes have helped us grow and gain confidence. After a day or two of fall ball, the returners have showed their retention and understanding. We just need consistent execution now.”

Sulphur Springs runs a spread gun with a b-back offense. On the defensive side of the ball the Wildcats run a 3-4.

When asked about some key returning players to watch for, Owens listed several players on each side of the ball. On the defensive line the Wildcats return Nick Cantillo, Bryton Ruhter and Cason Fenton who is both a defensive lineman as well as a tight end. Owens said out of his defensive line he expects them to be “nasty, physical and to control the line of scrimmage.”

The Wildcats return a ton of players in their secondary as well, including, Dominque Sims, Korderrian Turner and Colt Silman. Owens expects his secondary to be “confident playmakers” and to have “short term memory and to play this play.”

Offensively the Wildcats return talent at each level, including their offensive line which returns Jokobe Yarbrough and Sean Dial. Much like the defensive line, Owens expects his offensive line to be physical and control the line of scrimmage.

At the quarterback position Sulphur Springs is bringing back Matthew Mitchell and Brady Driver. Both of which have experience both as quarterbacks and defensive backs. When asked what he was looking for out of the quarterback position, Owens said, “Be decisive and execute the call.”

Joining them in the backfield is a pair of players who saw action last year, including Douglas Deloney and JJ Hall. Deloney’s best game of the season came in their season finale win against Crandall, when he rushed for 160 yards and four touchdowns.

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Hall had a strong season as well, rushing for 249 yards on just 43 attempts, giving him an average of 5.8 yards per attempt. He also picked up a pair of touchdowns in their 72-44 win over Crandall. The two are expected to each play major roles this year, while being physical and explosive runners.

One of the Wildcats biggest strengths this season will be the talent they return at the receiver positions. CJ Williams, Weston Fields, Matthew Sherman and Cable Glenn are all returning talent from last season. Owens hopes they will be “great route runners, confident with the catch and explosive after the catch.”

“I think the confidence of the returning guys will bleed over to the young guys and create a more confident team,” Owens said. “We are think in numbers at a few positions but our skill guys and first group of lineman are looking good.

“Most of these guys have dreamed about playing on Friday nights. Fridays are special!”

Owens added. “Make the most of your opportunity and have fun!”

The Wildcats have seen overall improvement from year-to-year over the past few seasons. When asked how to keep that trend going, Owens had plenty to say.

“We have to lock in everyday and every play.

Worry about this play/drill I’m doing right now.

Improve daily as a person and as a player,” Owens said. “Our theme this year is ‘get your mind right’after a year of COVID and shutdowns, not knowing what the next day holds we have become lethargic as a society.

“We must get back to the drive and focus that makes our country great,” Owens added. “I believe the team, group, company that gets their people refocused and has that drive will have the upper hand in whatever endeavor they choose. But preparation starts with believing you can and having the drive to do it.”

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Despite losing some strong members of their coaching staff, Owens was able to retain a lot of coaches, as well as add some new ones. Sulphur Springs legends Tyrik Rollison and Keenan Clayton will be going the coaching staff as running backs coach and cornerbacks coach, respectively.

“It is great having Tyrik and Keenan coaching our kids,” Owens said. “Both of these guys are hometown heroes who have played football at a very high level and truly understand the game.

“Both have a drive and focus to help kids be successful and they have an automatic respect because of their playing credentials,” Owens added. “After a few days of practice, both know how to connect and communicate with the players. Both are hard workers and eager to learn with infectious personalities.”

Despite everything the Sulphur Springs Wildcats have going for them,

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Dave Campbell’’s Texas Football Magazine predicted them to finish in seventh place of their eight-team district in their yearly preview. Sulphur Springs will look to exceed those expectations, however, and keep their yearly trend of improvement going.

With a strong mix of returning talent and incoming talent, the Wildcats like where they stand entering this season. After a return to normalcy and a strong EDGE summer workout, Sulphur Springs is looking to hit the ground running in 2021.

Sulphur Springs opens their season Friday, Aug. 27 against Frisco Wakeland. They return home for their Homecoming game against Crandall, Friday, Sept. 9.

Other home games include: Friday, Oct. 8 vs Royse City Friday, Oct. 22 vs Greenville Friday, Oct. 29 vs Forney (Senior Night) *all home games are scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

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Como-Pickton

EAGLES

Eagles Seek First Playoff Victory

Look to make fourth consecutive postseason

BY TYLER LENNON The Como-Pickton Eagles are a team who have become very familiar with the postseason. After three consecutive trips to the postseason, the Eagles will be looking to snag their first playoff victory in school history this year.

Heading into their third year under head coach Ronnie Green, Como-Pickton runs a Wing T offense and a Split Even Front defense. Although the team graduated a number of skill position players, the Eagles return a ton of talent on their offensive and defensive lines.

Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Magazine predicted the Eagles to finish in sixth place in their seven-team district, but Green and his staff like their chances of returning back to the postseason this year and perhaps advancing even further.

“What we’re working towards here is trying to win a playoff game. That has never happened here,” Green said. “I just like to build off what we’ve done in the past and those are playoff appearances.

“Once you get to the playoffs, things can happen for you that sometimes you don’t expect or other don’t teams don’t expect, if you get to the playoffs you have a chance,” Green added. “I push playoffs as far as a goal and getting there, and then we’ll make something happen when we get there.

That first playoff win is what we’re really pushing right now.”

For Green and his Eagles, simply returning to some sense of normalcy after last year’s COVID-19 pandemic season will be a good starting place.

“Last year we felt like we were off to a good start. We jumped out and won our first ball game.

Then the very next Monday after that we had our first quarantine,” Green said. “We were quarantined for week two and lost the next two weeks as far as practice and games go. Then as soon as we returned, we had our first district game.

“I think it really affected us early, and we lost a lot of what we’d gotten going and kind of had to start over again,” Green added. “This year it feels good, everybody’s just doing what we need to do.”

With many of the skill position players graduated, Green feels good about the mix he has of returning players and guys seeing expanded roles.

“We had a lot of kids returning this year, most of them linemen, that have already played and already started. We’ve actually got quite a few kids coming back with a good bit of experience,” Green noted. “I feel good about them, the kids here work really hard and have really good attitudes and try to do everything you ask them to do.”

Como-Pickton also has the benefit of entering the third year under coach Green and his system. Players are more comfortable with the schemes and are no longer having to learn them for the first time.

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“We’re starting off really slow and just putting in a few things at a time,” Green said of the first few days of practice. “We’ve already had several linemen that are like ‘come on let’s add this, let’s add that’ because all we’ve done is just repetition of some base stuff. We can already tell it’s a lot easier putting our stuff in than it’s been the last two years.”

When asked for some players to watch this season Green listed off several players, including junior center Klain Thomas, senior linemen Chris Ramirez, Jovany Tellez, Caden Perez and Tucker Rutledge. Green included seniors Ulyses Garza and Avelardo Villa, as well as juniors Christian Gilbreath, Cash Wilton, Carlos Perez and Hayden Potts.

“I don’t see there being a struggle for leadership,” Green said. “I’ve got kids here that are always in the right places and always doing the right things.

“Chris Ramirez is here in the weight room all the time, Jovany Tellez is another, always in the

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weight room, always putting in extra time.” Green added. “When you’ve got kids like that, our other kids will follow.”

Green spoke more about the confidence in his returning talent on the offensive and defensive lines. For a team that runs a more run-heavy offense, line play can be crucial to a team’s success.

“It feels good because our center [Klain Thomas], he’s been a two-year starter for us, coming back for his third year. He’s kind of what it all builds around and what it all starts around.”

“On the other side is Ramirez and Tellez, some of it’s going to be a couple of holes we have to fill but for the most part we’ve got several guys coming back that know what we want and what we need.”

Green was asked about the quarterback position, which is a two-man battle between junior Christian Gilbreath and sophomore Kevin Hernandez and said, “Both of them are good leaders. Both of them are extremely hard workers.

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“Both of them can run a little bit, whoever takes that spot we kid of expect them to run a little bit,” Green added. “Both of them can throw pretty well as well.”

I also asked Green about the support from the community. Como-Pickton is a school that in my time at the News-Telegram has had a very supportive fan base and have traveled to watch their teams play and make postseason runs.

“It’s a supportive community. It’s more of a community school is the way that I see it,” Green said. “We have real good support from the community. We travel well, we have great attendance at home, we have a lot of positive people who come watch us play and support the kids, so it’s a good feeling with the fan base that we have.”

Despite being predicted to finish towards the bottom of their district, coach Green likes his chances of his team competing, saying, “I think it’s a compete district for all of us.

“I feel like we can compete with everybody that’s here,” Green added. “I’m proud of our kids and the way they work, the way they fight, they’re a real scrappy bunch and I feel good competing with anybody in our district with this group.”

Como-Pickton is a school that has seen a lot of success across the board in all of their sports over the last few years. I asked Green how he felt about the overall state of their athletic program.

“Really we’ve done pretty well in all of our sports overall. We’ll try to keep things rolling,” Green said. “It’s felt really good so far. Our kids across the board, that’s what they’re expecting, for each of our teams to be in the playoffs.

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these kids and love them,” Green said in his final thoughts. “We have a coaching staff that’s fixing to push them and try to move them forward and get them better everyday. I know we’ve got some kids who are ready to get on the field and play, I know we want to have as normal of a year as possible and we’re just looking forward to getting back out there on Friday nights and getting some games going.”

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2021 Como-Pickton Football Schedule DATE

OPPONENT

PLACE

TIME

Aug 13 Aug 19

Hawkins Chisum

Home Chisum

To follow JV scrimmage To follow JV scrimmage

Aug 27 Sept 3 Sept 10 Sept 17

James Bowie Boles Prairiland Tom Bean

Away Home Home-Homecoming Away

7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30

Sept 24 Oct 1 Oct 8 Oct 15 Oct 22 Oct 29 Nov 5

Rivercrest Honey Grove Open Wolfe City Celeste Cooper Alba-Golden

Away Home

7:30 7:30

Away Home Away Home - Senior Night

7:30 7:30 7:30 7:30

DATE

OPPONENT

PLACE

TIME

SCRIMMAGES

NON-DISTRICT

DISTRICT

SUB VARSITY: 7TH, 8TH AND JV

Aug 13 Hawkins Home 5:00 JV Only Aug 19 Chisum Chisum 5:00 JV Only Aug 26 James Bowie Home 5:00 JV Only Sept 2 Boles Away 5:00 JH Scrimmage, JV Game Sept 9 Prairiland Away 5:00 JH and JV Sept 16 Tom Bean Home 5:00 JH and JV Sept 23 Rivercrest Home 5:00 JH and JV Sept 30 Honey Grove Away 5:00 JH and JV Oct 7 Open Oct 14 Wolfe City Home 5:00 JH and JV Oct 21 Celeste Away 5:00 JH and JV Oct 28 Cooper Home 5:00 JH and JV Nov 4 Alba-Golden Away 5:00 JH and JV Athletic Director/HFC: Ronnie Green Coaching Staff: Colby Rogers, Mitchell Green, Jim Solomon, Taylor Knickerbocker, Payton Turner, Shane Wilton, Darrell Franklin Trainer: Danny Bulls Superintendent: Dr. Greg Bower Principals: Kelly Baird, Jennifer Rock Cheerleading Sponsor: Rebecca Gilbreath School Colors: Columbia Blue, Black & White Mascot: Eagles

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Cumby

TROJANS Trojans Seek Sixth Consecutive Playoff Appearance ‘True caring, family atmosphere’

BY TYLER LENNON Few schools and tewams in the area had a tougher time with 2020’s COVID-19 pandemic than the Cumby Trojan football team. After having to go through multiple quarantines and having games canceled or rescheduled, the Trojans still found a way to go 2-3 in district play and make their fifth consecutive playoff appearance.

This year Cumby has eight starters returning on each side of the ball, as well as a home-heavy schedule that features seven home games. The Trojans have an excellent chance of keeping their streak alive and making their sixth consecutive postseason.

Cumby runs a spread offense, “with the mentality that we want to set up the run to set up the pass,” according to head coach Charles Boles.

Defensively the Trojans run a multiple 3-4 defense, which is a very high-pressure type of defense.

“We got to grow a lot as a team last year, and I got to see a lot of kids deal with adversity that was out of their control,” Boles said. “They were dealt a bad hand and we got to turn it into a winning hand by making the playoffs, and make some great positive things out of last season.”

Boles added that the team is looking stronger than ever, after having to deal with a very adversity-filled season in 2020.

“We had a great spring, I think we had phenomenal team chemistry because of a lot of the things we went thought last year and going through that hardship together,” he said.

“I think if I was going to name a team strength it would be team chemistry,” Boles added.

“I think that was just but on everything we went through last year.”

On top of a ton of returning talent, Boles and his Trojans have a few other things working in their favor. Entering his second season as head coach, Boles spoke on the benefit of the team being more familiar with his system.

“We don’t have to start from scratch now.

There’s a tremendous amount of mutual trust between the kids and the coaching staff,” Boles said.

“It definitely feels like a family and that has been our rallying cry all spring and all summer long, that we feel like we’re just one family that’s working together. It’s a great situation right now, and it feels really good.”

When asked for some players to watch this season Boles provided a number of players.

“Jacob and Justin Demidio are two big-time returning starters for us,” Boles said. “Logan Butler and Aiden Wenrick were big leaders for us, especially on the defensive side of the ball.”

“Dakota Ridings was a big impact player on both sides of the ball,” Boles added. “Christian 49

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Vizcaya and Fabian Camargo are also kids that we expect a lot out of. Trenton Wood is another kid that played a lot for us, played some quarterback and played some wide receiver and was a full-time defensive starter. Those are some of the kids that were impact players and we expect big things out of them again.

“There was so much more joy and enthusiasm with the kids this year,” Boles said in terms of their summer workouts. “We had tremendous numbers, way beyond my expectations, and we had great dedication by the kids.”

“It goes back to the whole family atmosphere, we have a bunch of kids who are in it for the right reasons, and they play hard for all the right reasons, and they work hard for all the right reasons,” Boles added. “As a head coach that feels really good and I can’t wait to see what they put on the field.”

The expectations are high this year for the Trojans, both within the organization and from the outside looking in. Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Magazine predicted the Trojans to make the playoffs once again.

A team that has made the playoffs and features a heavy amount of returning talent has a strong chance to do so, but they will also get the benefit of playing seven of their 10 games at home in front of their own crowd.

“We’re looking forward to playing in fortune of our home crowd, especially after only two home games last season,” Boles said. “I’m looking forward to it tremendously and I think it’s a huge benefit to us.”

Boles said he didn’t see this season as carry over from any of the previous seasons, however, saying, “We’re going to try to make a run ever year. We try to have a fresh start every year with a fresh mentality.”

The Cumby Trojans have worked hard to bounce back from last season and put in some great work over the summer. Boles and his staff made the decision to cut their summer workout program a week early due to all the hard work they put in.

“The last 16 months have been very difficulty

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on everybody,” Boles said. “We just felt like they needed a break and a chance to spend some quality time with their family.”

The Trojans returned from their break and hit the ground running when practice began on Aug. 2. With just a few weeks to prepare for their Aug. 27 season opener, Boles felt good about where his team was at.

“The big thing, like I said earlier, was the idea of there’s kind of a true caring, family atmosphere on this football team and in the field house right now and I think act can overcome a lot of physical things that we can’t control,” Boles said.

“I think our kids believe that and I think our kids believe in each other and I just think this is going to be an incredibly fun year for everybody and I’m really looking forward to it.”

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Good Luck to All Area Teams this Season!

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GO WILDCATS! Good Luck to Matthew and Kylie Clarke & ALL the Wildcats!

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