On Saturday, November 23, 2013, the Friendswood Mustangs hosted the Stratford Spartans at Fort Bend ISD's Mercer Stadium. It was still a great day to be a Mustang, but it was not the Mustangs' day.
Before I get into what went right and what went wrong, let me say thank you to all the seniors. Thank you for your years of contribution to this program. Your influence will be felt after you leave the field house for the last time, thanks to the way you led the younger players. They will continue to look up to you in the years to come. Thank you Collin Faulk, Walker Williams, Slade Holle, Anthony Makransky, Brandon Brower, Cameron Faulk, Garon Stewart, Eric Loll, Nick Flores, Blake Reagan, James Bauer, Brad Rains, Zach Dillon, Garrett Wenzel, Wes Dooley, Ryan Wilcox, Blake Stansberry, Matt Mazza, Mason Cruse, James Richardson, Robert Mejia, Kade Beyer, Hunter Kirkland, Jake Ranostaj, Gatlin Lowe, Alan McNatt, Matt Moffitt, Blake Anderson, Justin Deatherage, Chris Ykac, Carlos Benem, Jordan Pike, Jackson Pruet, and Shawn Scheknecht.
And now, for the good, the bad and the ugly.
I hate having to do this, but I have to start with the Refs. Shame on you! Turning a blind eye to that many rule infractions should never happen in any sport at any level. Whether it's little kids just learning the game, high school varsity sports, or at the professional level. If an athlete doesn't know he/she is doing something wrong, the bad habit or illegal move will not stop. And if the athlete does know that he/she is doing something wrong, receives no consequence for the action and sees his/her team being rewarded as a result; the action will not stop. Why would it? Sports is a metaphor for life. A person must learn to play by the rules in order to have long term success in life. As an official, it is your responsibility to help these athletes learn the game. And in order to do your part in these athlete's education, you must call the game fairly. This was a playoff game. The final score of this game sent one team to the next round. And for the other team, their season is over. How do you sleep at night knowing that your lack of proper officiating could have been the difference that ended the season for the team on the wrong side of the score board? Now, with the way the Mustangs were playing Saturday (and I'm about to get to that), I can't honestly say that fair officiating would have made the difference. But, the score probably would have been much closer. This season I have seen more poor officiating than I have seen in a long time. Why? Is there some sort of shortage resulting in poorly trained officials, or officials who don't take pride in their work? Is there a lack of officials who care about doing a good job? Is the game becoming too complex for the current officials? Do we need more officials on the field to keep a better watch on the game? Do we need less officials? What is the cause in the deterioration of the quality of officiating in varsity football?
And the bad, well, most of the game could qualify for this. Stratford had obviously studied film of Friendswood's games. They knew what the Mustangs were going to do and how to stop it. They knew how to make holes in the Mustang defensive line and how to prevent the Mustang offense from creating holes. The offense did not block for the ball carriers, and the Spartans knew how to take advantage of that. This is a problem that has been seen and previous games. The play callers continued to call plays that didn't work. Someone on the Mustang sideline definitely meets Einstein's definition of insanity. Just because a play worked well against one team does not mean that it will work well against every team. Variety is the spice of life. Keep trying different things if what you think will work, doesn't. Don't give up and don't stick to the same old same old. The preparation by the Mustangs' opponent was made more apparent by the mistakes made by the Mustang offense. At least three fumbled snaps and three or four interceptions thrown. (I think Sargent at least doubled the number of interceptions he threw this season during this one game). And how many passes were incomplete either because the receiver wasn't where he was supposed to be or the ball was thrown to the wrong spot? Did the Mustangs study the Spartans? Just looking at the team stats on the Houston Chronicle's website, I knew that the team preferred to run the ball and was good at intercepting. Before Saturday, their quarterbacks only completed 50-56% of their passes and their defense had 11 interceptions. That completion percentage and interception rate both greatly improved for the Spartans on Saturday.
So that was the ugly and the bad; now for the good. Even in the face of having to play the Spartans with "blind" refs, the Mustangs never gave up. They went out and played each snap like it would be the one to be the difference between winning and losing. And every Mustang should be commended for that. As I previously said, the Mustangs played their hearts out on Saturday. They left it all on the field. Defense - once again you were the heart and soul of the team. You are a unit to be admired and looked up to by future squads of the varsity Mustangs. Seniors, please pass on your knowledge to the younger players. I've been watching high school football for more than three decades (man that makes me sound old), and I've rarely seen a defense that dominant. I know that Saturday was not your day. I don't know if you weren't prepared for Statford's offensive scheme, or if it was just a bad day. But don't let your heads hang for long. You have a lot to be proud of. Special teams + you got to work a lot more than you probably would have liked, but you played smart and consistent all day. Faulk, I know the fans weren't fond of the low punts; but when punting into the wind, that was effective. Whoever's idea that was knew what he was talking about. The Mustang offense worked for every yard they got. They earned each of them. They played two different quarterbacks and brought Williams in from the defense to play receiver for a while. Neither Longbotham nor Vandersypen touched the ball much, but they both dug deep and gave it everything they had on every play to try to get into the end zone. Page is really improving at the quarterback position as well as running and receiving the ball. Sargent didn't have a great day, but he never allowed any frustration he felt to show. He appeared calm and collected through the whole game.
So, what can the Mustangs do to help next season's team go even farther into the playoffs? A lot actually. And as many have said, next season starts today. I waited longer than usual to write this week's blog because of some things I realized while discussing what happened on the way home from the game. I wanted to spend some time thinking and organizing my thoughts before I sat down to type.
The first thing I realized is that, over the season, the quarterbacks become more like robots. This is not a phenomenon that is limited to this season. This is something that has happened many seasons. When the season begins, the quarterback(s) reads the field, sees what his options are, and chooses the best option available. Some quarterbacks have been better at this than others. Sometimes, the quarterback(s) made poor choices. But they seemed to be making choices. As the season progresses, the quarterback(s) appear to be following the play more and making decisions less. And by the time we get to the playoffs, it looks like the quarterback(s) is handing the ball or throwing the ball to the exact place that the play dictates, regardless of who is open, who is under double coverage, or where the intended receiver actually is. Again, this is not an observation that is exclusive to the game against Stratford. This is a trend that I have observed over several seasons. And I usually notice it in the game that knocks the Mustangs out of the running for state. Whether this is intended or not, I believe it is something that is deserving of a second look. It is in the best interest of the each player and the team as a whole to teach the players to think while they are on the field. Yes, have a plan, but allow the players to make adjustments when the intended receiver is under double coverage and someone else is wide open with a clear shot at the end zone. Teach the players to read their opponents, anticipate their opponents, and make decisions. And once you've taught them to do that, trust them to do it. Trust them to follow through with what you have taught them. If the coaches trust the players, the players will trust themselves.
This same principle can be applied to the whole team. Teach them to read, anticipate and make decisions. Or, "Improvise, Adapt and Overcome." Those three words can transform a team of any kind.
The second thing I realized is that the Mustangs seemed to peak in the game against Dawson. The Texas City game was a great game, and with the way the two teams played, it really could have gone either way. But the Dawson game was better. So, the question is, what changed after the Dawson game? Did the team's or coach's attitudes change? Did practice change? Did the time change effect anything? Something changed. And speaking of attitudes; attitudes can be a dangerous thing. Being over confident is just as dangerous as having no confidence. Be sure to remain confident but humble. Nothing is a given, in sports or in life. Know who you are. Know what you can and can't do. And before you take the field, believe that you can do something, not that you will. That attitude will take you far.
To the coaches, as you prepare for next season, please take the time to think on my observations. I am not at your practices, nor on your sidelines. I'm just an observer who can not only see the results of your coaching, but can also read the body language of the people on the field/sidelines. Dismiss what is irrelevant, and make changes based on what is. This is my two cents and is worth exactly that; two cents.
To the players, now that the season is over, you can read all your press that you want to read, and read it all with a grain of salt. Look at your stats and watch your game film. What can you do differently to improve yourself as a player and a person? What did you learn this season? and What can you pass on to younger players?
One more thing that I noticed this season, and I waited until the season was over to comment on this because I didn't want to jinx anyone; but the lack of serious injuries this season was a nice change. And everyone in the organization deserves credit for this. From the sports medicine trainers who help tend to the athletes, the coaches and the weight trainer(s), and the athletes themselves. Whatever you did different this year, please continue.
Don't worry, I didn't forget about the "atta boys" for the Stratford game. The last set of "atta boys" for 2013 go to: Robinson, Loll, Page, Faulk, Longbotham, Vandersypen, Williams, White, Bertlesman, Holle, and Kirkland. Good job guys.
The box score for this game is:
Spartans 6 14 7 7 34
Mustangs 7 0 0 0 7
Football season has come to an end. Time to move onto basketball, or whatever sport you prefer to play next. Only 277 days until we get to watch the Boys in Blue take the field again.
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Friday, November 15, 2013
Friendswood Mustangs vs. Angleton Wildcats - November 15 , 2013 - bi-district play off
Tonight, the Friendswood Mustangs traveled to Angleton to take on the Angleton Wildcats in bi-district play, round one of the playoffs. While the result was favorable for the Mustangs, what happened on the field in the second half (mainly the third quarter) was sad and slightly worrisome.
I'll start with the box score. That should be enough to show you why I am concerned.
Friendswood 14 14 0 0 28
Angleton 7 7 6 0 20
Did the same people play both halves, you might ask. Well, they looked like the same people. They had the same jerseys, the same faces, but they did not play like the same people. So what happened? I wish I knew.
The game started off great. We kicked off to Angleton to start the game. On the first play after the kick off, it appeared that the Wildcats fumbled the ball and it was recovered by Friendswood. The refs declared the Wildcat was down by contact before losing possession of the ball. Angleton maintained possession. It didn't really make a difference except in field position, because Angleton ended up going three and out. Instead of starting at the Wildcat 30 yard line, the Mustangs started at their own 38 yard line. Friendswood looked like they would have the same fate, but decided to fake the punt and have Faulk throw the ball. Pass complete, first down Friendswood. Friendswood started the next set of downs at the Wildcat 37 yard line. A few plays later, Friendswood found the end zone for the first time during this game.
It took Angleton less than three minutes to answer, putting seven points of their own on the board. The Wildcats gained most of the yards needed for those seven points on a break away run; proving that Friendswood is still susceptible to that.
After that, it took just over one minute for the Mustangs to retake the lead.
Angleton looked like they were going to score again once they got the ball back, thanks to another break away. Angleton earned the first penalty of the game during this drive, and the clock ran out on the first quarter before the drive was over.
Friendswood scored their last two touchdowns of the night before Angleton would score again. The second quarter was probably the most exciting for the fans who packed the visitors side of the stadium. (I think there were more fans on the Friendswood side of the stadium than the Angleton side.) Even though there was only fourteen points scored in this quarter by the Mustangs, and Angleton scored seven, our defense and offense both played, and played with heart. Yes, there were mistakes, but every player worked for it. There was blocking. There was passing. There was running. There was more than one play called. And then the third quarter happened.
I wish I knew what happened during the third quarter. The team that came out of the locker room played completely different from the team that was on the field during the first half. They didn't block worth a darn. They didn't catch worth a darn. And the play caller fell victim to "Van Meter disease". (He was on the sideline tonight, so maybe that's why that happened). I've talked many times about Einstein's definition of insanity. If you've never heard it; it simply states that insanity is repeating the same action and expecting a different result. Running up the middle over and over again didn't work tonight (does that every work?). Handing off to Longbotham or Vandersypen and providing minimal to no blocking didn't work tonight. Having Page keep the ball and running with little to no blocking didn't work tonight. I believe every player who stepped onto the field during the third quarter is better than what he showed during those twelve minutes. I've seen them all play better. So what happened?
I will say that there was an issue with condensation in the bleachers before the game began and it got progressively worse throughout the game. If the field and/or the ball were as wet as the bleachers, that would definitely impact the game. However, it seemed to have much more of an impact on the Mustangs than the Wildcats.
The Mustang defense played their hearts out for three of the four quarters tonight. The Mustang offense played their hearts out for the first half of the game (some played the whole game, but most were MIA during the second half). Special teams did a good job tonight. We won! We're moving onto the next round. So I should be excited, right.
Well, here are just a few of the reasons I'm nervous. The defense is still playing too far off the receivers. Playing five or more yards off is too risky. Especially against a team with Angleton's speed. Those completed passes kept Angleton drives alive. And we were able to make the stop once the ball was caught. But isn't it better to prevent the reception or intercept the ball. This is a strategy that I have complained about for years (I think as long as I've lived here). There have been players in the past who were great at covering receivers (Taube and Wood are the first two who come to mind). But those were individuals, apparently not a team strategy.
The second reason I'm concerned is because Angleton seemed to know what the plays were before the ball was snapped. This was especially true during the third quarter. If future teams know exactly what our offense is about to do, then it won't matter how good we are, or how bad they are. We will lose, or win by the skin of our teeth. If they knew because we ran the same plays over and over or if it was because they had studied that much of our film, we have to do a better job of keeping the opposing defense on their toes.
The third reason I'm concerned is because I realized tonight that a lot of our starters haven't played a full game in about four weeks. They've played the first half, but there was a lot of subbing during the second half of the last three games. I understand the logic behind that decision. Save the starters for the playoffs. Injury prevention (they are much less likely to get hurt on the sidelines). Allow some of the non-starters to get some playing time; evaluate them for future games and future seasons. Allow seniors to get some time on the field in their last season of play. I get it. Really, I do. But, what are the negative impacts? Inability to keep focus and adrenaline going for the full forty-eight minutes (3 hours). Deteriorating cardio (I'm sure cardio and conditioning are done during practice, but the body's response to the adrenaline of the game is different from the response during practice.) Whatever the negative impacts were, they need to be negated in some way.
The fourth reason I'm concerned is attitude. Not the players (although they may have this same issue), but the parents and the fans. Everyone seems to think that the second round is always easy because it's against a Houston team. Well, guess what. Our next opponent is someone we've played before, and they didn't roll over and play dead either of the times we've faced them. So why in the world would they do that now. They won't. This is not an easy week. This is not the time to take a break. This week the players have to work harder than the week before. And no one, parent, coach, fan, or friend, should tell the players that round two is always a breeze. You can't overlook any team, or you'll be spending your Thanksgiving break watching football instead of playing.
All of that being said, there are a few player who are deserving of "atta boys" for their performance tonight. These players either played with their heart, or made great plays to help the Mustangs secure the victory. This week's "atta boys" go to: Lockwook, Thurman, Page, Holle, Robinson, Langston, Lowe, Faulk, Kirkland, Bauer, King, Williams, Longbotham, Vandersypen, Pruet, Sargent, and Blumrick. Good job, guys. If a name is not on this list, please don't take that to mean that he didn't play hard. It just means that I didn't see him do whatever he did that was great. I'll admit, I can't watch everyone all the time. But these are the player who did something on the field that I did see.
The next step on the road to state for the Mustangs will be Saturday, November 23, 2013, at 1pm. The Mustangs will play the Stratford Spartans at Mercer Stadium in Sugar Land. I will be there ready to cheer on the Mustangs. Will you be there?
- Just a person opinion ~ High school football is a sport that is best played and best enjoyed after dark. I'm sure that the coaches chose this time for a reason. But I find that games played after dark are more enjoyable and more exciting. The field lights (assuming they work for the whole game) and the night air are part of high school football. Again, just my two cents, take the two pennies, or leave them. :)
GO MUSTANGS!!!
If you want stats on this, or any other game; a couple of great sources are: http://www.maxpreps.com/high-schools/friendswood-mustangs-(friendswood,tx)/football/home.htm and http://www.chron.com/sports/highschool/scoreboard/?mkt=houston&site=default&tpl=team&Sport=1&TeamID=225&SchoolID=&Season=2013&DistrictID=&SearchDate=11%2F16%2F13&SearchDateEnd=11%2F16%2F13&SearchLastName=&SearchFirstName=&Market=9&SearchType=Teams
Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that I am watching the game and "taking notes" by tweeting during the games. I am at each game with at least one of my kids, if not both. Sometimes, my husband is able to attend with us and sometimes I have other family with me as well. My football education is from attending high school football games for 30+ years and sitting between my dad and my grandpa for the first 12 of those years. I was 3 when my parents bought my first season ticket. I missed 2 home games from the time I was 3 years old through junior high, and started traveling (not missing a single game) during high school. I started taking my kids to games before they could walk and have been taking them ever since.
I'll start with the box score. That should be enough to show you why I am concerned.
Friendswood 14 14 0 0 28
Angleton 7 7 6 0 20
Did the same people play both halves, you might ask. Well, they looked like the same people. They had the same jerseys, the same faces, but they did not play like the same people. So what happened? I wish I knew.
The game started off great. We kicked off to Angleton to start the game. On the first play after the kick off, it appeared that the Wildcats fumbled the ball and it was recovered by Friendswood. The refs declared the Wildcat was down by contact before losing possession of the ball. Angleton maintained possession. It didn't really make a difference except in field position, because Angleton ended up going three and out. Instead of starting at the Wildcat 30 yard line, the Mustangs started at their own 38 yard line. Friendswood looked like they would have the same fate, but decided to fake the punt and have Faulk throw the ball. Pass complete, first down Friendswood. Friendswood started the next set of downs at the Wildcat 37 yard line. A few plays later, Friendswood found the end zone for the first time during this game.
It took Angleton less than three minutes to answer, putting seven points of their own on the board. The Wildcats gained most of the yards needed for those seven points on a break away run; proving that Friendswood is still susceptible to that.
After that, it took just over one minute for the Mustangs to retake the lead.
Angleton looked like they were going to score again once they got the ball back, thanks to another break away. Angleton earned the first penalty of the game during this drive, and the clock ran out on the first quarter before the drive was over.
Friendswood scored their last two touchdowns of the night before Angleton would score again. The second quarter was probably the most exciting for the fans who packed the visitors side of the stadium. (I think there were more fans on the Friendswood side of the stadium than the Angleton side.) Even though there was only fourteen points scored in this quarter by the Mustangs, and Angleton scored seven, our defense and offense both played, and played with heart. Yes, there were mistakes, but every player worked for it. There was blocking. There was passing. There was running. There was more than one play called. And then the third quarter happened.
I wish I knew what happened during the third quarter. The team that came out of the locker room played completely different from the team that was on the field during the first half. They didn't block worth a darn. They didn't catch worth a darn. And the play caller fell victim to "Van Meter disease". (He was on the sideline tonight, so maybe that's why that happened). I've talked many times about Einstein's definition of insanity. If you've never heard it; it simply states that insanity is repeating the same action and expecting a different result. Running up the middle over and over again didn't work tonight (does that every work?). Handing off to Longbotham or Vandersypen and providing minimal to no blocking didn't work tonight. Having Page keep the ball and running with little to no blocking didn't work tonight. I believe every player who stepped onto the field during the third quarter is better than what he showed during those twelve minutes. I've seen them all play better. So what happened?
I will say that there was an issue with condensation in the bleachers before the game began and it got progressively worse throughout the game. If the field and/or the ball were as wet as the bleachers, that would definitely impact the game. However, it seemed to have much more of an impact on the Mustangs than the Wildcats.
The Mustang defense played their hearts out for three of the four quarters tonight. The Mustang offense played their hearts out for the first half of the game (some played the whole game, but most were MIA during the second half). Special teams did a good job tonight. We won! We're moving onto the next round. So I should be excited, right.
Well, here are just a few of the reasons I'm nervous. The defense is still playing too far off the receivers. Playing five or more yards off is too risky. Especially against a team with Angleton's speed. Those completed passes kept Angleton drives alive. And we were able to make the stop once the ball was caught. But isn't it better to prevent the reception or intercept the ball. This is a strategy that I have complained about for years (I think as long as I've lived here). There have been players in the past who were great at covering receivers (Taube and Wood are the first two who come to mind). But those were individuals, apparently not a team strategy.
The second reason I'm concerned is because Angleton seemed to know what the plays were before the ball was snapped. This was especially true during the third quarter. If future teams know exactly what our offense is about to do, then it won't matter how good we are, or how bad they are. We will lose, or win by the skin of our teeth. If they knew because we ran the same plays over and over or if it was because they had studied that much of our film, we have to do a better job of keeping the opposing defense on their toes.
The third reason I'm concerned is because I realized tonight that a lot of our starters haven't played a full game in about four weeks. They've played the first half, but there was a lot of subbing during the second half of the last three games. I understand the logic behind that decision. Save the starters for the playoffs. Injury prevention (they are much less likely to get hurt on the sidelines). Allow some of the non-starters to get some playing time; evaluate them for future games and future seasons. Allow seniors to get some time on the field in their last season of play. I get it. Really, I do. But, what are the negative impacts? Inability to keep focus and adrenaline going for the full forty-eight minutes (3 hours). Deteriorating cardio (I'm sure cardio and conditioning are done during practice, but the body's response to the adrenaline of the game is different from the response during practice.) Whatever the negative impacts were, they need to be negated in some way.
The fourth reason I'm concerned is attitude. Not the players (although they may have this same issue), but the parents and the fans. Everyone seems to think that the second round is always easy because it's against a Houston team. Well, guess what. Our next opponent is someone we've played before, and they didn't roll over and play dead either of the times we've faced them. So why in the world would they do that now. They won't. This is not an easy week. This is not the time to take a break. This week the players have to work harder than the week before. And no one, parent, coach, fan, or friend, should tell the players that round two is always a breeze. You can't overlook any team, or you'll be spending your Thanksgiving break watching football instead of playing.
All of that being said, there are a few player who are deserving of "atta boys" for their performance tonight. These players either played with their heart, or made great plays to help the Mustangs secure the victory. This week's "atta boys" go to: Lockwook, Thurman, Page, Holle, Robinson, Langston, Lowe, Faulk, Kirkland, Bauer, King, Williams, Longbotham, Vandersypen, Pruet, Sargent, and Blumrick. Good job, guys. If a name is not on this list, please don't take that to mean that he didn't play hard. It just means that I didn't see him do whatever he did that was great. I'll admit, I can't watch everyone all the time. But these are the player who did something on the field that I did see.
The next step on the road to state for the Mustangs will be Saturday, November 23, 2013, at 1pm. The Mustangs will play the Stratford Spartans at Mercer Stadium in Sugar Land. I will be there ready to cheer on the Mustangs. Will you be there?
- Just a person opinion ~ High school football is a sport that is best played and best enjoyed after dark. I'm sure that the coaches chose this time for a reason. But I find that games played after dark are more enjoyable and more exciting. The field lights (assuming they work for the whole game) and the night air are part of high school football. Again, just my two cents, take the two pennies, or leave them. :)
GO MUSTANGS!!!
If you want stats on this, or any other game; a couple of great sources are: http://www.maxpreps.com/high-schools/friendswood-mustangs-(friendswood,tx)/football/home.htm and http://www.chron.com/sports/highschool/scoreboard/?mkt=houston&site=default&tpl=team&Sport=1&TeamID=225&SchoolID=&Season=2013&DistrictID=&SearchDate=11%2F16%2F13&SearchDateEnd=11%2F16%2F13&SearchLastName=&SearchFirstName=&Market=9&SearchType=Teams
Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that I am watching the game and "taking notes" by tweeting during the games. I am at each game with at least one of my kids, if not both. Sometimes, my husband is able to attend with us and sometimes I have other family with me as well. My football education is from attending high school football games for 30+ years and sitting between my dad and my grandpa for the first 12 of those years. I was 3 when my parents bought my first season ticket. I missed 2 home games from the time I was 3 years old through junior high, and started traveling (not missing a single game) during high school. I started taking my kids to games before they could walk and have been taking them ever since.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Friendswood Mustangs vs. Galveston Ball Tors November 8, 2013
Last night, the Friendswood Mustangs traveled to "The Rock" Kermit Courville Stadium on Galveston Island to take on the Galveston Ball Tornadoes. While there, the Mustangs proved that they can put just as many points on the board by running the ball as they can by throwing it.
The game was not the experience that the previous games have been. First, there weren't nearly as many fans who made the trek to Galveston as there usually are for an away game. Second, I don't think the band played nearly as much as they usually do. Third, the game was rather one sided. But, many of the players got a chance to be on the field.
Four quarterbacks took snaps for Friendswood. Four running backs played during the game. Lots of players took turns blocking and making holes for those players. And the defense spent most of the first quarter on the field. Zero points were scored during that quarter, but Friendswood made up for that by scoring 31 points in the second quarter. With a 31 point lead, the Mustangs spent the second half allowing back up players to get some playing time.
Highlights from the game include all six touchdowns and the field goal as well as Longbotham reaching 1,000+ rushing yards on the season.
The Mustang defense is continuing to improve. They recovered two fumbles and displayed excellent awareness of the opposing offense. This is a nice change from years past. I really enjoy watching an explosive and controlling defense.
"Atta-boys" go to Longbotham, Page, Holle, Thurman, King, Robinson, White, Sargent, Vandersypen, Marabella, Bauer, Williams, Lowe, Langston, Kirkland, Lockwood, Dooley, Toney, Pruet, Blumrick, Makransky, Chidester, and the O-line members who opened that nice hole for Vandersypen in the third quarter (sorry, I didn't see your jersey numbers).
Now for the not so good. The kick off return team looked like the Mustangs of old. And that's not a compliment. Too many of the players missed tackles and the ball carrier(s) gained too many yards. The defense was able to take care of business after those returns, but that doesn't erase the fact that the return shouldn't have happened the way it did. And while Sargent did complete passes to Holle, they seemed to be out of sync for most of the game. Hopefully, that can be chalked up to just being one of those days.
Overall, this was an impressive performance by the Mustangs and a great way to end the regular season. Next week, the Mustangs will travel to Angleton to open play off play. It is my understanding that Friendswood lost a coin flip to determine home team/location. However, seeing as how Friendswood comes in as the number one seed for our district and Angleton is the number two seed for their district; wouldn't it make more sense for Friendswood to host and be the home team? Regardless of that logic, the game will be at the stadium at Angleton High School on Friday, November 15, 2013. Kick off will be at 7:30pm. I know where I will be next Friday. Where will you be?
Box score for the Friendswood - Galveston game
Friendswood. 0 31 20 0 51
Galveston Ball 0 0 0 6 6
Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that I am watching the game and "taking notes" by twittering during the games. I am at each game with at least one of my kids, if not both. Sometimes, my husband is able to attend with us and sometimes I have other family with me as well. My football education is from attending high school football games for 30+ years and sitting between my dad and my grandpa for the first 12 of those years. I was 3 when my parents bought my first season ticket. I missed 2 home games from the time I was 3 years old through junior high, and started traveling (not missing a single game) during high school. I started taking my kids to games before they could walk and have been taking them ever since.
The game was not the experience that the previous games have been. First, there weren't nearly as many fans who made the trek to Galveston as there usually are for an away game. Second, I don't think the band played nearly as much as they usually do. Third, the game was rather one sided. But, many of the players got a chance to be on the field.
Four quarterbacks took snaps for Friendswood. Four running backs played during the game. Lots of players took turns blocking and making holes for those players. And the defense spent most of the first quarter on the field. Zero points were scored during that quarter, but Friendswood made up for that by scoring 31 points in the second quarter. With a 31 point lead, the Mustangs spent the second half allowing back up players to get some playing time.
Highlights from the game include all six touchdowns and the field goal as well as Longbotham reaching 1,000+ rushing yards on the season.
The Mustang defense is continuing to improve. They recovered two fumbles and displayed excellent awareness of the opposing offense. This is a nice change from years past. I really enjoy watching an explosive and controlling defense.
"Atta-boys" go to Longbotham, Page, Holle, Thurman, King, Robinson, White, Sargent, Vandersypen, Marabella, Bauer, Williams, Lowe, Langston, Kirkland, Lockwood, Dooley, Toney, Pruet, Blumrick, Makransky, Chidester, and the O-line members who opened that nice hole for Vandersypen in the third quarter (sorry, I didn't see your jersey numbers).
Now for the not so good. The kick off return team looked like the Mustangs of old. And that's not a compliment. Too many of the players missed tackles and the ball carrier(s) gained too many yards. The defense was able to take care of business after those returns, but that doesn't erase the fact that the return shouldn't have happened the way it did. And while Sargent did complete passes to Holle, they seemed to be out of sync for most of the game. Hopefully, that can be chalked up to just being one of those days.
Overall, this was an impressive performance by the Mustangs and a great way to end the regular season. Next week, the Mustangs will travel to Angleton to open play off play. It is my understanding that Friendswood lost a coin flip to determine home team/location. However, seeing as how Friendswood comes in as the number one seed for our district and Angleton is the number two seed for their district; wouldn't it make more sense for Friendswood to host and be the home team? Regardless of that logic, the game will be at the stadium at Angleton High School on Friday, November 15, 2013. Kick off will be at 7:30pm. I know where I will be next Friday. Where will you be?
Box score for the Friendswood - Galveston game
Friendswood. 0 31 20 0 51
Galveston Ball 0 0 0 6 6
Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that I am watching the game and "taking notes" by twittering during the games. I am at each game with at least one of my kids, if not both. Sometimes, my husband is able to attend with us and sometimes I have other family with me as well. My football education is from attending high school football games for 30+ years and sitting between my dad and my grandpa for the first 12 of those years. I was 3 when my parents bought my first season ticket. I missed 2 home games from the time I was 3 years old through junior high, and started traveling (not missing a single game) during high school. I started taking my kids to games before they could walk and have been taking them ever since.
Friday, November 1, 2013
Baytown Lee Ganders vs. Friendswood Mustangs - November 1, 2013
Tonight, the Friendswood Mustangs hosted the Ganders from Baytown Lee. Tonight was also Patriotic Half Time.
While the Patriotic Half Time is pretty much the same every year (Dr. K., can we please find some new patriotic music), I still enjoy it. Its a great reminder that we live in the best country in the world. We have friends and family who have served in our armed forces (including my grandpa, dad, and husband) as well as friends and family who are currently serving. THANK YOU to everyone who is serving/served to protect our freedom. That's something that we don't say often enough, but is felt every day.
Now, on to the football game. Before the game began, the Ganders walked into the stadium with an 0-5 district record for the season and the Mustangs with a 4-1 district record. While the Mustangs definitely used their starters in the game, mainly the first half; tonight was also the night that the people who don't get to play often got some time under the Friday night lights. Lights which went out for a while in the third quarter.
The fans tonight were mostly quiet. There wasn't nearly as many plays to get excited about as there were last week against Dawson. And even though the bands played more, it still left the stadium with a somewhat dead feeling.
Friendswood's defense got some good time in on the field. They were able to force Baytown Lee to punt several times. Lots of sacks and great plays by several people. An interception for White and near interceptions for Makransky and someone else (sorry, I didn't get a good look at your jersey number to see who you were). Yes, the defense gave up a few plays they shouldn't have. And I think (hope) those who were on the field and those who were giving directions know what they did wrong and how to make sure it doesn't happen again. For tonight, those plays didn't make the difference between a W and an L, but in two weeks, they could. The Mustang defense continues to be well disciplined and tenacious. They play hard every play and they never give up. The mistakes were missed tackles and mistakes in reading the offense. Both things that the Mustangs do right regularly.
Friendswood's offense looked great during the first half. During the second half? Not so much. Blumrick came in for most of the second half and his being at the helm seems to set a different tone for the offense. I didn't get a good enough look at the O-line members during the different halves; so I don't know if it was the same players each time. But when Blumrick is playing quarter back, the protection doesn't seem to be as good. Blumrick doesn't make plays as quickly as Sargent usually does. But even if he did, he doesn't have the time to get the ball off. Even when he hands the ball off, the protection isn't as good. And unfortunatley, he doesn't seem to be in sync with the receivers. Perhaps a few more sessions of catch are in order. Or maybe just more overall practice time with the whole offense.
I was excited to see Page take a few snaps. He still played WR and on special teams, but when he's in at QB, he reminds me of Jordon Wood. I think, that with more time under his belt, he'll be even better than Wood. I haven't seen him throw much, but he's got great team mates he can hand the ball off to, and he can run and avoid tackles. He's exciting to watch and I'm glad we get more years to watch him play.
Special team - oh special teams. I'm so glad those mistakes were made against Baytown Lee instead of Dawson. During the first kick off return, you looked like the Mustangs of old, and that's not a compliment. Baytown Lee's receiver dropped the ball on almost every kick off return. You should have capitalized on that every time. Instead, the first one out of the gates and he goes eighty yards? Really? Yes, the defense made up for that, but still. Whatever you did differently this week from last (at practices, before/after school, whatever), please don't do it again.
The refs this week seemed to be okay. Much better than the ones who were here last week. But can someone please explain that delay of game penalty? I've been watching football for 30+ years and I don't think I've ever seen a delay of game penalty against the defense. And I know I haven't seen one on a defense that was standing around waiting for the offense to get themselves ready.
There were a few things that brought some excitement tonight. White's safety (wish I had seen the jersey number of the guy who helped with that play. White's interception. King chasing down receivers who thought they had gotten away. Kings fumble recovery. Holle's, Longbotham's Richardson's Flores', touchdowns. The field lights going out during the third quarter. All great plays. I just wish the fans had been more excited. A couple of other great plays that weren't as exciting - I saw some great blocking by Longbotham and Vandersypen. I've never noticed them making those plays before and I was impressed.
This week's "atta boys" go to Sargent, Page, Holle, Faulk, Faulk, White, Makransky, Longbotham, Vandersypen, Lowe, Chidester, Dooley, Thurman, Bertlesman, Robinson, and all the guys who made great plays who aren't on the published roster. I'll do what I can to learn your names before next week's game.
Before I show the box score and tell you about next week, there is one other thing I have to say. I know that I'm a big picture person when it comes to watching the game. And my eyes tend the follow the ball and miss details that don't happen near the ball carrier, passer or receiver. But I do notice when a player stops playing before the whistle. There were no injuries on the field tonight and therefore no excuse for not playing to the whistle. I'm not going to name names, but you know who you are. And if I were your coach, you'd be running Mustang miles until you threw up for that. If you're not injured and you don't have an equipment failure which prevents you from playing, then there is no excuse.
The box score from tonight's game is below. It's a bit one-sided and obvious when the non-starters got their time to shine.
Baytown Lee 6 0 0 8 14
Friendswood 16 19 0 7 44
And just for the record, did anyone else know it was going to rain tonight? I was wondering what was going on when the band left. But I found out that the awning over the pressbox is enough to keep you dry if the rain is coming at the correct angle and you have your back pressed up against the wall. I was thankful when the rain stopped for the end of the game and we were able to walk out to our cars without getting soaked.
Next week, the Friendswood Mustangs will head south to the island to take on the Galveston Ball Tors to close out the regular season. I expect that to be another game of experiments. Which isn't a bad thing, just not as exciting to watch.
It is my understanding that with tonight's win, the Mustangs have secured the top seed in the large school division of the playoffs. With tonight's loss to Richmond Foster by Angleton, I suspect that we will see Angleton in the first round of the playoffs in two weeks. If/When I get more info, I will share it on twitter: momrod2000
If you're not able to make it to the island next week, I will be there and will be tweeting the game. Amazingly, after watching Galveston County football for most of my life (mostly 4A games), I don't beleive that I have ever been to Galveston Ball's stadium. I think this is the only 4A or larger stadium I haven't been to, so this will mean that I've attended a game in every public high school stadium in the county with the exception of Hitchcock. Hope to see you on Galveston next week!
Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that I am watching the game and "taking notes" by twittering during the games. I am at each game with at least one of my kids, if not both. Sometimes, my husband is able to attend with us and sometimes I have other family with me as well. My football education is from attending high school football games for 30+ years and sitting between my dad and my grandpa for the first 12 of those years. I was 3 when my parents bought my first season ticket. I missed 2 home games from the time I was 3 years old through junior high, and started traveling (not missing a single game) during high school. I started taking my kids to games before they could walk and have been taking them ever since.
While the Patriotic Half Time is pretty much the same every year (Dr. K., can we please find some new patriotic music), I still enjoy it. Its a great reminder that we live in the best country in the world. We have friends and family who have served in our armed forces (including my grandpa, dad, and husband) as well as friends and family who are currently serving. THANK YOU to everyone who is serving/served to protect our freedom. That's something that we don't say often enough, but is felt every day.
Now, on to the football game. Before the game began, the Ganders walked into the stadium with an 0-5 district record for the season and the Mustangs with a 4-1 district record. While the Mustangs definitely used their starters in the game, mainly the first half; tonight was also the night that the people who don't get to play often got some time under the Friday night lights. Lights which went out for a while in the third quarter.
The fans tonight were mostly quiet. There wasn't nearly as many plays to get excited about as there were last week against Dawson. And even though the bands played more, it still left the stadium with a somewhat dead feeling.
Friendswood's defense got some good time in on the field. They were able to force Baytown Lee to punt several times. Lots of sacks and great plays by several people. An interception for White and near interceptions for Makransky and someone else (sorry, I didn't get a good look at your jersey number to see who you were). Yes, the defense gave up a few plays they shouldn't have. And I think (hope) those who were on the field and those who were giving directions know what they did wrong and how to make sure it doesn't happen again. For tonight, those plays didn't make the difference between a W and an L, but in two weeks, they could. The Mustang defense continues to be well disciplined and tenacious. They play hard every play and they never give up. The mistakes were missed tackles and mistakes in reading the offense. Both things that the Mustangs do right regularly.
Friendswood's offense looked great during the first half. During the second half? Not so much. Blumrick came in for most of the second half and his being at the helm seems to set a different tone for the offense. I didn't get a good enough look at the O-line members during the different halves; so I don't know if it was the same players each time. But when Blumrick is playing quarter back, the protection doesn't seem to be as good. Blumrick doesn't make plays as quickly as Sargent usually does. But even if he did, he doesn't have the time to get the ball off. Even when he hands the ball off, the protection isn't as good. And unfortunatley, he doesn't seem to be in sync with the receivers. Perhaps a few more sessions of catch are in order. Or maybe just more overall practice time with the whole offense.
I was excited to see Page take a few snaps. He still played WR and on special teams, but when he's in at QB, he reminds me of Jordon Wood. I think, that with more time under his belt, he'll be even better than Wood. I haven't seen him throw much, but he's got great team mates he can hand the ball off to, and he can run and avoid tackles. He's exciting to watch and I'm glad we get more years to watch him play.
Special team - oh special teams. I'm so glad those mistakes were made against Baytown Lee instead of Dawson. During the first kick off return, you looked like the Mustangs of old, and that's not a compliment. Baytown Lee's receiver dropped the ball on almost every kick off return. You should have capitalized on that every time. Instead, the first one out of the gates and he goes eighty yards? Really? Yes, the defense made up for that, but still. Whatever you did differently this week from last (at practices, before/after school, whatever), please don't do it again.
The refs this week seemed to be okay. Much better than the ones who were here last week. But can someone please explain that delay of game penalty? I've been watching football for 30+ years and I don't think I've ever seen a delay of game penalty against the defense. And I know I haven't seen one on a defense that was standing around waiting for the offense to get themselves ready.
There were a few things that brought some excitement tonight. White's safety (wish I had seen the jersey number of the guy who helped with that play. White's interception. King chasing down receivers who thought they had gotten away. Kings fumble recovery. Holle's, Longbotham's Richardson's Flores', touchdowns. The field lights going out during the third quarter. All great plays. I just wish the fans had been more excited. A couple of other great plays that weren't as exciting - I saw some great blocking by Longbotham and Vandersypen. I've never noticed them making those plays before and I was impressed.
This week's "atta boys" go to Sargent, Page, Holle, Faulk, Faulk, White, Makransky, Longbotham, Vandersypen, Lowe, Chidester, Dooley, Thurman, Bertlesman, Robinson, and all the guys who made great plays who aren't on the published roster. I'll do what I can to learn your names before next week's game.
Before I show the box score and tell you about next week, there is one other thing I have to say. I know that I'm a big picture person when it comes to watching the game. And my eyes tend the follow the ball and miss details that don't happen near the ball carrier, passer or receiver. But I do notice when a player stops playing before the whistle. There were no injuries on the field tonight and therefore no excuse for not playing to the whistle. I'm not going to name names, but you know who you are. And if I were your coach, you'd be running Mustang miles until you threw up for that. If you're not injured and you don't have an equipment failure which prevents you from playing, then there is no excuse.
The box score from tonight's game is below. It's a bit one-sided and obvious when the non-starters got their time to shine.
Baytown Lee 6 0 0 8 14
Friendswood 16 19 0 7 44
And just for the record, did anyone else know it was going to rain tonight? I was wondering what was going on when the band left. But I found out that the awning over the pressbox is enough to keep you dry if the rain is coming at the correct angle and you have your back pressed up against the wall. I was thankful when the rain stopped for the end of the game and we were able to walk out to our cars without getting soaked.
Next week, the Friendswood Mustangs will head south to the island to take on the Galveston Ball Tors to close out the regular season. I expect that to be another game of experiments. Which isn't a bad thing, just not as exciting to watch.
It is my understanding that with tonight's win, the Mustangs have secured the top seed in the large school division of the playoffs. With tonight's loss to Richmond Foster by Angleton, I suspect that we will see Angleton in the first round of the playoffs in two weeks. If/When I get more info, I will share it on twitter: momrod2000
If you're not able to make it to the island next week, I will be there and will be tweeting the game. Amazingly, after watching Galveston County football for most of my life (mostly 4A games), I don't beleive that I have ever been to Galveston Ball's stadium. I think this is the only 4A or larger stadium I haven't been to, so this will mean that I've attended a game in every public high school stadium in the county with the exception of Hitchcock. Hope to see you on Galveston next week!
Disclaimer: Please keep in mind that I am watching the game and "taking notes" by twittering during the games. I am at each game with at least one of my kids, if not both. Sometimes, my husband is able to attend with us and sometimes I have other family with me as well. My football education is from attending high school football games for 30+ years and sitting between my dad and my grandpa for the first 12 of those years. I was 3 when my parents bought my first season ticket. I missed 2 home games from the time I was 3 years old through junior high, and started traveling (not missing a single game) during high school. I started taking my kids to games before they could walk and have been taking them ever since.
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