Fort Bend Hightower vs. Friendswood Mustangs at Alvin Memorial Stadium - November 14, 2014

 On Friday, November 14, 2014, the Friendswood Mustangs hosted the Fort Bend Hightower Hurricanes at Alvin Memorial Stadium in the first round of the 6A playoffs.
     The game was touted as being a contest of defenses.  It turned out to be more of a game of  overcoming mistakes and being determined to win.  Friendswood received the kick off to start the game and it looked like Friendswood would run all over Hightower.  It took less than 2 minutes of playing time for Friendswood to put points on the board.  However, for a majority of the game, Friendswood was their own worst enemy.
     I'm guessing it was due, in part, to the cold weather; but Friendswood's team was inconsistent, mainly in the first half.  The team seemed to have huge swings in enthusiasm and technique. They would display great tackling on one play, and try arm tackling on the very next one.  They would make a huge offensive gain on one play, then look like ice sculptures trying to move through mud on the next. I wish I could say what was going on on the field, but I truly can't. Perhaps the team really wasn't thinking about this game as they should have been and instead thinking about future games.  Perhaps the first possession went so smoothly, they felt like they didn't need to put forth their best effort.  Whatever the cause, the adjustments that surely happened at halftime were needed and mostly effective.
     Hightower seemed to be a team like Friendswood in that the longer they played, the better they got.  Hightower is either a group of very quick learners or they had studied a lot of film before the game.  I'm guessing the later based on their reaction when the Friendswood offense decided to shake it up a bit - which is exactly what was needed.  The Friendswood offense became ineffective toward the end of the first half, meaning it was time to shake things up.  And I have to say, I was very glad to see that Coach Koopman did not suffer from Van Meter Disease during that game (see Einstein's definition of insanity). We saw offensive players on defense, defensive players on offense and all kinds of mixing it up.  Having a diverse team is a necessity when playing at this level.  It is vital to do everything in your power to make sure the opposing team can't well and truly prepare to face you.
     The referees during this game made a lot of mistakes and I think they made a conscious effort to ignore some rule infractions in order to even the playing field after making a mistake (ie. we should have called that and didn't, so we'll let the next thing slide).  While not being biased, it does leave everyone with a bad taste in their mouths after the game.  I think both teams can honestly say that they got lucky sometimes and robbed others.
     The end of this game was one of the most exciting I've seen in a while.  The only other game that comes to mind is one that was played in Friendswood, but I can't remember the opponent.  It took three overtimes to decide that game.  If you want to read stats and interviews, I encourage you to check out the Houston Chronicle, http://www.chron.com/sports/highschool/article/Hightower-vs-Friendswood-5894433.php#photo-7145747 or the Friendswood Journal,  http://www.yourhoustonnews.com/friendswood/sports/friendswood-s-shocking-rally-lifts-mustangs-to---overtime/article_2035c3e6-65eb-5585-88a0-847372640506.html

     The box score from the game was

                           1Q  2Q  3Q  4Q   OT FINAL

FB Hightower     8     7     7     7       0     29  

Friendswood       7     0     8     14     6     35

  There are alot at "attaboys" to hand out after that game.  I will probably forget someone, so if you know you played a great game and your name isn't listed here, I apologize.  This week's "attaboys" go to: Longbotham, Crespo, Langston, Swaney, King, White, Robinson, Chidester, Beaty, & Thurman.

For the 2nd round of the playoffs, Friendswood will take on their old friends, the Dawson Eagles.  This game has the potential to be a grudge match after the way the last few meetings between these two teams have turned out.  My advice to the Mustangs - Never give up, Never surrender.  Add to that, as you prepare for this next game, and during the game itself, remember how it felt to see the final score after the Dawson game last year; and remember how it felt to get on the busses after the Stratford game last year.
     The game against Dawson will take place at Rice Stadium on Saturday, November 22, 2014.  Kick off will be at 2:30pm.  

Clear Brook Wolverines vs. Friendswood Mustangs - November 6, 2014

     On Thursday, November 6, the Clear Brook Wolvereines hosted the Friendswood Mustangs at CCISD Memorial Stadium. The Wolverines came into this game with a 1-9 (1-5) record.  The Mustangs were 6-3 (4-2).
     This was the first game I had been to in this stadium and I have to say, it has an interesting feel to it.  It is a full size stadium, but it is so compact that it feels like you are in a miniature stadium.  There is no track at the stadium and there are nets behind the front goal post because it is so close to the parking lot.  I felt like I was right on top of the players, even though I was close to the top of the stands and I wasn't able to see everything that happened near the sidelines close to the end zones.
     Due to the early start time and the traffic in that area, both bands were late for the game.  Neither band was in place for school songs nor to welcome their teams onto the field.
     This was one of the best offensive showings Friendswood has had in a while.  It looks like the offense is finally starting to really "click" with Sargent's offensive style; which is different from the style they played while Page was playing quarterback.  They have made steady improvements over the past month and Thursday night they looked their best yet.  And I suspect they haven't peaked, yet. If the coaches and players pace it right and play like they did on Thursday, they may peak at just the right time for a deep playoff run.
     While the defense did its job and looked good most of the time, they did not look their best.  After the game, I read that Friendswood had never played against an offense using that style before.  While that may be true, they have seen offenses that were better "fakers" than Clear Brook.  I was very impressed with a few members of the defense in their ability to read the offense even before the ball was snapped. These guys are listed below in the weekly "attaboys."  One play in particular, one of the players on defense seemed to be scooting in as the offense was getting set.  It was almost like he was reading the mind of one of the Wolverines' offensive players.  By the time the ball was snapped, he was in perfect position to put a quick end to the play.  Of course, the Mustangs are still susceptible to the breakaway.  And Clear Brook's RB was fast.  All of Clear Brook's points were set up by these breakaways.
     One piece of advice I would offer to all the players - it seemed that many of the players who don't normally start were trying to imitate the starters.  Guys, you are each good players.  Don't try to be someone you're not.  You each have different strengths and weaknesses.  By trying to play like someone else, you are shortchanging yourself and the team.  Be you!
The final score for this game was Friendswood Mustangs 38 - Clear Brook Wolverines 22.
     On Friday, November 14, the Mustangs will take on the Fort Bend Hightower Hurricanes in the first round of the playoffs.  The game will be at Alvin Memorial Stadium at Alvin High School.  Friendswood will be the home team.  Kick off will be at 7pm.  It will be cold!  Be sure to dress warm and cheer for the Mustangs.  Texas High School football playoffs is single elmination - so the Mustangs must win in order to play the following week.
Go Mustangs!!

Clear Lake Falcons vs. Friendswood Mustangs - October 31, 2014

     Tonight, the Friendswood Mustangs celebrated Halloween by hosting the Clear Lake Falcons at Henry Winston Stadium for the last regular season game to be played this year in that stadium.  This was also the annual Pink Out game.
     I don't know if it was because it was Halloween, or if there was something else going on, but the stadium seemed awfully empty tonight.  It could also be that many band parents stayed home since the band has roll call at 4am on Saturday,  I don't know if the lower attendance affected the players much, but it did affect the atmosphere.  Also affecting the atmosphere was most of the band leaving after half time - again due to 4am roll call.
     Of course, you could also argue the the game's lack of drama affected the atmosphere.  I'm not saying that the teams didn't play great.  Both teams put forth a great effort and worked very hard tonight.  There were some amazing catches, some great blocks and lots of flags.  I don't know.  I'm having trouble putting into words what it was like in the stands tonight.
      When the game first began, everything seemed to be going to Mustang's way.  It took the Mustangs less than 2 minutes to find the end zone - and the Mustangs kicked off to Clear Lake.  Three minutes later, the Mustangs found the end zone again.  Things began to slow down after that.  It took the Mustangs almost 8 minutes to get back into the end zone.  The penalties really got started here and seemed to increase in frequency as the night went on.  By my count, there were 11 penalties tonight.  Too many of them were unsportsmanlinke conduct and the Mustangs earned/received too many of them.  I'm not saying they were undeserved - I'd have to see the video to be sure on most of those - but if they were deserved, then Friendswood needs to keep their cool better than they did this evening.
     One good thing about tonight's game was that some of the players who don't get to play alot did get to play tonight.  Some of those players are improving as the season goes on and tonight they got to show us a little of what they've learned.  That makes me optimistic for the future of the Mustangs with so many of the starters being seniors.  Also, tonight, some of the players got to play different positions than what they usually play - and saw success.   They weren't players who are not starter material in their regular positions.  They are starters.  They just got to do something a little different and showed everyone that they are good at more than one thing.
     Tonight, the defense seemed to do the opposite of what they normally do.  Most games, the defense gets stronger and tougher as the night goes on.  Today, they seemed to play worse the longer the game went.  I'm not saying that each play was worse than the last.  Just that the defense didn't dominate as much.  Also, Clear Lake seemed the learn that while the Mustangs usually stop a receiver quickly, it's usually after the pass is caught that the stop is made.  This is a problem that has plagued Friendswood for years and needs to be remedied.  Those caught passes move the line of scrimmage, the chains and the numbers on the scoreboard.
     Some of the Mustangs played great tonight.  Those "attaboys" include: White, Longbotham, Crespo, Roher, Vandersypen, Robinson, Langston, King, Roenne, Swaney, and Toney.
     Tonight's boxscore was
                                            1Q    2Q   3Q  4Q   Final
Clear Lake Falcons             0       3     0     8      11
Friendswood Mustangs     14     14     7     0     35
   
 Next week the Mustangs will travel to League City on Thursday, November 6, 2014, to take on the Clear Brook Wolverines in the last regular season game of the year.  Kick off will be at 6pm.

Friendswood Mustangs vs. Dickinson Gators - October 24, 2014

     Tonight, the Friendswood Mustangs traveled to Dickinson to take on the undefeated Gators.  Friendswood came into Dickinson after a heartbreaking loss to Clear Creek last week.  The Mustangs were hungry and wanted the win, but there were more injuries this week which made this an even more difficult game for Friendswood.
     First, let me get my soapbox issue out of the way so we can focus on what happened during tonight's game.  If this is your first time reading my blog, my soapbox issue is referees.  More and more I am having an issue with referees; not just at high school football games, but in almost every sport I watch.  It seems that many referees are either obviously biased, turn a blind eye to too many things, are on a power trip, or don't know the rules of the game well enough to enforce them.  None of these things help either team playing.  Players continue to make illegal plays and sometimes players get injured.  For example, tonight was the second time I've seen a helmet come off a player during a play.  In neither instance did the refs even seem to notice.  Tonight, players from both teams noticed as well as some of the coaches, but no one actually addressed the issue.
     Many people get angry when coaches are "arguing" with the officials, but I applaud them; assuming they are doing so respectfully.  If our coaches don't stand up for their players, who will?  Coaches should continue (or start) teaching their players to follow the rules regardless of the officials lack and be sure to let the officials know that they are watching.  Always watching.  (What movie is that line from?)
     I could go on and on about referees, but that is not the purpose of my blog.  Even though, on paper, this game should have been a solid victory for the Mustangs, with the injuries that have been sustained - both players who are sidelined and players who are back but haven't had the play time they would like - Friendswood knew that anything less than their best would not be good enough.  And even then, it might not be enough.  Friendswood's defense played an outstanding game tonight.  They are still susceptible to the occasional, very occasional, break away play.   But who isn't.  There were a few missed tackles.  A few mistakes.  But overall they did an amazing job.  We got to see another one of Robinson's JJ Watt impressions.  And we got to see Dehoyos intercept a pass.  I think the most damaging mistake they made tonight was using poor tackling technique when they found themselves to be in the wrong position.  But even that was rare tonight.
     The pass coverage tonight was also good.  It helps that Dickinson prefers to throw long, which is what the Mustangs are better at defending against.
     On offense, there is improvement, but that improvement wasn't enough to find the endzone.  All of Friendswood's points tonight came on field goals.  Sargent's accuracy on the long passes is improving.  And for the most part, the offensive line gave him a long time to do something with the ball.  But Dickinson did a good job of covering the receivers.  Sargent was intercepted at least once and threw into good coverage several times.  The receivers showed great improvement, catching passes that didn't look like they would be caught.  Unfortunately, with the improvement in the long passes came more mistakes with the short passes.  Practice, practice, practice.  You can't spend so much time working on one thing that other things that you have mastered start to decline.  And that's true of anything you do.
     One thing that Friendswood is often guilty of, and it happened again tonight, is that the play callers sometimes seem "unimaginative."  They seem to like certain plays, regardless of how many times it was called and how many times it was successful.  I think a good way to describe it would be "playing with blinders on."  For those of you who don't know, blinders are what you put on a horse so that he can't use his peripheral vision.  He can only see what's directly in front of him.  As a play caller, you can't get stuck on one play or one receiver.  If you do, the defense will always know what's coming and how to stop it.
     Tonight's "attaboys" go to: Vandersypen, White, King, Thurman, Chidester, Robinson, Lowe, Crespo, Deyohos, Langston, Toney, the rest of the o-line, and everyone who was on the field with the defense.  Swaney also made a couple of smart plays.  And a huge "attaboy" to the fans tonight.  The fans were more into the game than any other game this season.  It seemed like everyone was on their feet making noise for every play.  I especially liked the drumline coming over to play in front of the parents section.  Made me feel like I was back in high school.  Loved it!
The box score for tonight's game is
                                        1Q   2Q  3Q  4Q  Final
Friendwood Mustangs     0     3     6     0     9
Dickinson Gators             3     7     0     7     17

     This game is always odd for me.  I grew up cheering for the Dickinson Gators.  But now, I love to see them beat; especially by my favorite team, the Mustangs!  Tonight wasn't the Mustangs' night.  Actually I think this wasn't their week.  But next week, they get to play again.  And hopefully more of the injured players will be returning.  I haven't heard an official word, but what I have heard leads me to believe that more of them will be returning before the season is over.
     In order to prepare for the next game, I would advise that the decision makers take the blinders off.  Really look at all the options available and decide what is in the best interest of the team as a whole.  Are there players who could be better utilized in other positions?  Are there players who are not the "go to" people who have improved enough to become a "go to" person?  Are there other plays that might be more effective?

     Next week, the Mustangs will host the final home game of the season against the Clear Lake Falcons.  The game will take place on Halloween night.  The pregame dinner will be hosted by the choir and trick-or-treating will be set up in part of the school for the younger kids.  It is also senior night and the annual Bob & Sue dance where the Wranglerettes dance with their dads during halftime.  Kick off is at 7pm  BE THERE!

Clear Creek Wildcats vs. Friendswood Mustangs - October 17, 2014.

     Tonight, the Friendswood Mustangs hosted the Clear Creek Wildcats in a game of undefeated, district 24-6A teams.  Tonight was a rather long night for the Mustangs.
     It's kinda hard to analyze what I saw tonight because I'm not sure who that was wearing the black jerseys.  But I do know that those were not the guys I'm used to seeing on the field on Friday night.  The offense looked "off" for most of the game and the defense didn't appear to have near the passion that they usually display.
     Of course, there were some good things that happened for the Mustangs tonight, as well as some things that were highlighted as areas that need work.  Since I want to end on a positive note, I'm going to start with the stuff that needs work.  Sometimes, I really hate being right.  Tonight was one of those nights.  The pass coverage tonight was worse than usual, and it's never great.  Yes, the Mustang defense does a great job of stopping the receiver, but it's almost always after the catch has been made.  Allowing the other team to catch the ball moves the chains and puts points on the board.  Tonight, the defense did prevent more passes from being caught (percentage wise), but those that were caught weren't stopped as quickly,  And Creek's last pass - what was that??  Was anyone other than the line even trying to stop that play?  That receiver was wide open and I think he could have walked into the end zone and still made it.  And why were they allowed to run up the middle so much?  Is Creek's offensive line that much stronger than Friendswood's?  Were the Mustangs just not in the right position to stop it?  Again, where was the passion for the game that the defense usually has?
     I know I don't mention special teams very often; after all, it's mostly the same guys who are on offense or defense - but tonight the special teams play reminded me of the Mustangs of old (5ish years go) and that's not a compliment.  The opposing special teams did a much better job of blocking for their ball carriers than the Mustangs usually do, and they had no problem making sure that the Mustangs were not in a position to stop the ball carrier.
     There were some interesting changes on offense this evening.  They seemed effective, so I'm not sure why they didn't use those players in those positions more.  The offense just seemed a little lack-luster tonight.  They looked like they were working hard.  I can't put my finger on what was wrong, but it was like watching a good imitation of the Friendswood offense instead of seeing the real deal.
     Even though the team as a whole was not as dynamic as usual, there were some bright spots during the game.  A few players were back from injuries and played well.  A few players tried out some new positions and had success, though I wouldn't make the moves permanent - permanently occasional wouldn't be bad, thought.  And one player earned his first varsity touchdown - though I don't understand why they don't throw it to him more often.  I haven't seen the numbers, but I think it's a safe bet that Sargent had a larger percentage of his passes caught tonight than last week, not counting the interceptions, and I only saw one bad snap, the first snap.  The offensive line also did a great job of protecting the quarterback.
     Tonight's "attaboys" go to: Roher, Sargent, Longbotham, Vandersypen, Thurman, King, White, Rollen, Dehoyos, Gardner, #88 (sorry, I don't know who you are), Toney, and Langston.
Tonight's box score was
                                       1Q   2Q    3Q   4Q   Final
Clear Creek Wildcats     7     20     7     14     48
Friendswood Mustangs  7      0      7      7      21

     If this team doesn't find it's heart quick, fast and in a hurry, next Friday night will be even longer than tonight.  Dickinson has been an easy week in the past, but that is not true any longer.  They are a tough team and it will take everything the Mustangs have to pull out the W.  I know that they can, but if they don't believe it, it won't happen.
     The Mustangs have got to figure out a way to both solidify the new offense and contain the passing game.  Those two things are musts!  If they can do those without losing what they have already mastered, then Dickinson won't know what hit 'em when Friendswood rolls into town next week.
     Students - next week, obviously, is an away game.  Which means, . . . . No designated student section.  Sit close to the band.  Allow the drum cadences and music the band plays to pump you up. That energy will transfer to the field and help the team.  The Mustangs will need all the help they can get against the Gators and you could be the deciding factor in the game.  Make the short drive to Dickinson and show them that Friendswood is there to make a statement.  If the team can pull off the upset, it will be a statement heard around the State.

Clear Springs Chargers vs. Friendswood Mustangs - October 10, 2014 - Homecoming

     On Friday, October 10, 2014, the Friendswood Mustangs hosted the Clear Springs Chargers.  It was Homecoming for the Mustangs and the first ever meeting between the two teams.  Entering the game, the Chargers were 3-2 (2-0) and the Mustangs were 4-1 (2-0).
     The game was preceded by some "smack talk" that got a little personal.  Based on what I had seen, heard and read, I was expecting a violent game full of fights and near fights.  Instead, it was a mostly clean game with two teams giving everything they had to earn the W.
     This was a fast paced game, especially in the first half.  With it being homecoming, I was surrounded by family and friends and really had a hard time keeping up at first.  We've never actually used all of our season tickets before.  We usually have extras and can spread out a little.  This week, we felt like sardines during the first half.  Most of our guests left during the third quarter (grandparents, or relatives with preschool children).  But even with the cramped area and the quick action on the field making it difficult for me to see and tweet the game, I wouldn't have traded a minute of it.
     I would like to start with a short positive comment about the refs (yes, you read that correctly).  While no ref is perfect, and biased, uncaring refs is my big soapbox issue, these refs did a better job than most of the crews we have seen this year.  Of course, they missed a few things.  But they were fair.  And while they weren't afraid to throw a flag when it was warranted, they didn't throw excessive flags.
 
      Now to the good stuff.  The research I had done on Clear Springs showed them to have a similar offensive scheme to Friendswood.  They have a quarterback who can both run and pass as well as a running back who is a work horse.  They utilized both Friday night.  That worked out well for Friendswood.  So far, the Mustang defense has mostly seen teams that prefer to run the ball.  Friendswood's defense has become very good at controlling a running game.  Of course, there were still too many runs up the middle; but that group of guys has gotten very good at reading an opposing offense and being in the right place at the right time.  Robinson showed us more of his JJ Watt impression Friday night and White, King & Co. came up with key plays to keep the number on the Clear Springs' side of the scoreboard at zero.  Some of those key plays being recovered fumbles and an interception near the goal line.  Which reminds me, does it still count as an interception if the person who caught the ball fumbles it and the ball is recovered by the team who originally threw the pass?
     The Mustangs' offense had to make a huge adjustment toward the end of the first half under circumstances no one would want to see.  Due to an injury, sophomore QB Page spent the end of the first half and the entire second half pacing the sidelines with ice strapped to him while Senior QB Sargent led the Mustangs through the rest of the game.  Both quarterbacks are very good, but they each have a different style.  The offense did a good job of making the necessary adjustments.  Sargent's long passes were sometimes too long, but with more practice this week for the offense with his style of playing, I'm sure the passing game will look even more solid next week.  The offensive line did a great job this week, as always, protecting the quarterback and providing blocking for the ball carrier.
     The box score for the game was
                          1st   2nd  3rd  4th  Final
Clear Springs     0      0       0     0      0
Friendswood      7      0       7     3     17
 
    Going forward, . . . . If I were running the defense, I would have them practice more on preventing receptions in the passing game.  Based on what I saw Friday night, I would guess that they have been working on that.  The defense is amazing at stopping the receiver once he catches the ball.  And they are improving on preventing the reception - not a small improvement either.
     I am excited to see the game this coming Friday against another of the top teams in the new district 24-6A.  From what I have read so far, it seems that this next team has an offense that is different from what the Mustangs have previously faced.  I am certain that the Mustangs can handle this different offensive style and I am looking forward to see what that containment looks like.  I'm also anxious to see the offensive changes.  I suspect that the Mustang offense will either have an exhilarating night, or a very long night.
     I almost forgot the best part of my weekly entries.  This week's "attaboys" go to: Page, Sargent, Longbotham, Brewster, Crespo, Beaty, Langston, Robinson, White, King, Rollen, Shelby, Lowe, Follis, Chidester, Gardner, & Toney.  This week I'd also like to offer a pat on the back to those players who are on the field for very few plays but are still watching and learning.  I see some of you watching each play and listening to the coaches talk with the players.  You obviously want to learn more so that you can be a better player when you do get to line up on the field.  Kuddos to you.
     The Mustangs' next game will be on Friday, October 17, 2014, at Henry Winston Stadium against the Clear Creek Wildcats (4-2, 3-0).  Before the game, the Wranglerettes will host a pregame dinner beginning at 4:30pm in the cafeteria with performances by the Fall Clinic students, Drill Trainers and Wranglerettes beginning at 5pm.  Chick-Fil-A will be served.  If you are looking for tickets, ask any Wranglerettte.  Tickets will also be available at the door.  I hear that there will be some great items in the silent auction as well.  Kick off for the game will be at 7pm.
Go Mustangs!!

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 one of my kids.  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 35+ 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. 

Friendswood Mustangs vs. Brazoswood Buccaneers - October 3, 2014

     Tonight, the Friendswood Mustangs traveled to Freeport to to take on the Brazoswood Buccaneers.  This is the first time these teams have met since 2009, if memory serves.  I remember being at that game, and I remember that parking was terrible, and that the Mustangs didn't put their best foot forward.  But I don't remember much else.
     I did some reading about the Buccaneers before tonight's game and was not really expecting what I saw.
     Before I get into the good, the bad, and the ugly; I want to share an observation over the last couple of years.  I've noticed that it has become more common that the band, cheerleaders, and drill team of the away team (not specifically speaking about one particular school),  to often be late to the game.  Late enough to miss the playing of their school song.  Why is that?  Are there transportation issues preventing the buses from picking up these support groups in order for them to be on time?  Are schools not allowing the students to leave in a timely fashion?  Do leaders/directors not consider being present for the school song before the game a priority?  Why?  I have to say that I don't like it.  The purpose of those groups being at football games in to support the football team and to provide halftime entertainment.  Watching the varsity team take the field, seeing the cheerleaders and drill team cheer the players on and hearing silence from the band isn't what should be happening at a Texas High School Football game.  I would like to ask the leaders of these groups to please do everything in your power to get your students in place in time for them to be introduced before the game, play the school song, and cheer for the players as they take the field.
     And now for what happened on the field tonight.  Since it's always more motivating to get patted on the back before your mistakes are pointed out, I'll start with the good.  Friendswood players always play with heart.  It's one of the things I love about high school football.  Tonight, even when the refs seemed to be doing a terrible job; and Coach Koopman seemed to be having to point out a mistake to them on every play, Friendswood didn't give up.  Even when the down markers showed 3rd down and almost 40 yards to go, they didn't give up.  They played just as hard as if it were first and goal.  I love that about Friendswood.  Tonight, I liked seeing the players take the opportunity to make decisions and change plays when the play wasn't unfolding the way they thought it would.  That shows that our coaches have really taught the players to understand the game as well as how to think through what's happening and what's about to happen.  I liked seeing that on running plays, the ball carriers have figured out that usually, going around the defense is more efficient than going through them.  The newest version of Friendswood defense is "gelling" much faster than I thought they would, and that's a great sight.  While I still disagree on some of the defensive tactics, to see them playing as a unit is a great thing.  And I loved watching the defense give their JJ Watt impersonations.  Sacking quarterbacks, batting down passes, intercepting passes (even if the ref was somehow unable to see it), was a great thing.  Defense - you are already a group to be feared by your opponents, keep improving and more than just the Houston area will hear about you.  Keep reading to see which players earned "attaboys" tonight.
     So what didn't go right.  Unfortunately a lot of things.  I realize that referees who can't/won't take charge and call a fair game is something that they players can not change.  But there were some other things that the team/coaches can change.  First, even though the defense is showing greatly improved tackling technique, great timing and great reading of the opposing offense, I still feel like our defense plays too far off the receivers.  If you've read my blog before, you know this is something I've been complaining about for years.  Why do the defense coaches think this is a good idea?  I realize that it allows you to spread your defense out more, and cover more area.  But the problem with tackling the receiver right after he catches the ball is that all those completed passes move the chains and get the ball into the end zone.  The Mustangs have a stellar defense, why not teach them to completely shut down the passing game as opposed to slowing it down.  The defense has finally learned to consistently tackle correctly.  They have finally learned to read an offense.  Why not force your opponent to run the ball?  Our run defense is already good, not perfect, but good.  Take the passing game away and your opponent's after-game stats will be even less impressive.  The main problem in the defense stopping the run game is allowing the opponent to run up the middle.  That has definitely gotten better, but it still continues to be a problem.  I realize that the running back for Brazoswood is the size of a tank, which is why I'm not going to spend too much time on this, but the defense needs to learn to do a better job of closing those gaps.
     On the opposite side of the ball, the offense gave the fans quite a scare tonight.  The first snap of the game was too low, and recovered by Brazoswood.   There was only one other bad snap that I saw tonight.  Not perfect, but a good improvement from previous games.  There were a few other incomplete passes, but it was good to see the offense "spreading the love".  I still think that can be done more, but it was an improvement.  The biggest problem the offense had tonight was penalties. Not all of them were deserved, but some were.  And that leads me into the ugly portion of tonight's game.
     Does anyone know what the record is for most penalties in a game.  I wasn't able to find that information on bing, but I did find the most penalties in a college game - 36.  By my count, there were 33 flags thrown tonight.  I don't know that I've ever seen anything like it  For a while, there was a flag on every play.  And some of the plays that didn't get flagged should have.  Many people know that unfair reffing, and refs who don't enforce the rules that are designed to keep players safe is one of my soapbox issues.  How do people sleep at night knowing that they either put players at risk of being hurt or by being so biased that you are blatantly helping one team over the other.  Whether you are a paid referee or a volunteer.  Whether you are officiating in a football game, basketball game, or any other sport.  How can you look at yourself in the mirror each day and be confident in the person you are if you are cheating or putting kids at risk of a serious injury.  Now, I realize that referees are human and therefore imperfect.  I'm not talking about making a mistake.  I'm talking about obvious, blatant dishonesty.
     Tonight's refs need to be looked at by their governing body.  They allowed play to continue after a helmet had gone flying from the player being hit so hard.  They ruled interceptions incomplete passes.  Ruled fumbles as down by contact (yeah, contact with invisible players).  They waited way too long to blow the whistle at the end of the play and then threw flags when fights broke out.  They made mistakes that benefited both teams, but they seemed to be trying to help out Brazoswood as much as possible.  The two words that come to mind for this crew are sad an pathetic.
     I am about to fall asleep as I type this, so I will give credit where credit is due, call it a night, and reread and finish this entry tomorrow.  This week's "attaboys" go to; Page, Crespo, Longbotham, White, King, Langston, Robinson, Lowe, Beaty, Roenne, Thurman, Chidester, and the entire O-Line.

The final score of tonight's game was Friendswood 35 - Brazoswood 20.  The next game for Friendswood will be homecoming against Clear Springs.  Be there!

Updated 10/4/2014

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 one of my kids.  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 35+ 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. 

Clear Falls Knights vs. Friendswood Mustangs - September 26, 2014

     On Friday, September 26, 2014, the Friendswood Mustangs hosted the Clear Falls Knights.  This was the first 6A district game for Friendswood and Friendswood's annual Patriotic Halftime show.
     The 2014 varsity Friendswood Mustangs, ver. 2.0, came out of the field house sporting new uniforms while the speakers outside the inflatable tunnel played AC/DC's Back in Black.  The team did a great job keeping this secret.  I read something that made me thing something was up, but I thought that the team was going for a black out in the stands, similar to previous pink outs, blue outs and white outs.  I knew that wasn't it, because no organization was selling a black out t-shirt.  I loved the new uniforms, as did everyone I talked to.  The numbers are still difficult to read, but not any worse than the other jerseys that the Mustangs have worn this season.  I can't wait to see what the away uniforms look like this coming Friday.
     This district opener came after a bye week for the Mustangs, and that bye week couldn't have come at a better time.  The Mustangs sustained several injuries at the game against Kingwood two weeks earlier and the bye week gave the players time to recover.  Unfortunately, one of those players is unable to recover from his injury and will be out for the season, after his ankle surgery earlier in the week.
     The starting defense on Friday was not the same set of guys who took the field in the first game of the season.  That was obvious early.  Don't get me wrong, the defense is still good, they are still strong, and they are still powerful.  But with the changes, they seem to be still trying to gel into a cohesive unit.  It seemed like the original starters had played together enough that they knew what the other were going to do in any given situation, even before the other players moved.  This new starting defense is still learning to read each other's minds.  I'm sure that it will come with time.  Each player has the necessary tools, but they have to spend as much time together as possible to learn how the others think, how they move and how they play.
     The defense, while playing well, still needs to work on how they cover receivers.  They are very good at stopping the receivers after they catch the ball, but now we've learned that they can catch interceptions.  I'd like to see more interceptions and more passes batted away or knocked down as opposed to stopping the receiver after the catch.  Stopping them after the catch still moves the chains and still allows your opponent into the end zone.
     On offense, there were some new faces under the Friday night lights, but none of them are new to Friendswood football.  As usual, Friday night's offense was the Page and Longbotham show.  Both guys are very good.  Both are very versitle.  But there are so many options available to the Mustangs that the play callers are not utilizing.  I can count the number of passes Friday using my fingers.  I realize that some of the receivers haven't been consistent, but I've also seen some of the younger receivers warm up, and I watched them when they were on sub-varsity squads.  I know they can catch.  I wish the Mustangs would use a more rounded approach to offense.  Utilizing the same players all night long, while effective, will give your opponents too much to prepare with and will overuse the players, making them less effective later in the season.  The "center - quarterback exchange" needs work.  Each game there has been more bad snaps than the previous game.  They are going backward instead of improving.  The only way I know to fix it is repetition.  Whatever it takes to fix it, do it.  That is costing the offense way too many yards.  And when we go up against Creek or Dickinson, those mistakes could cost you points.
     Special team - well, let's just say they look the same as always.  If you've been watching Mustang football for any length of time, you know what that means.
     Something the players did that I thought was really cool - when the players entered the field after halftime, leading the pack was Lockwood, being pushed in his wheelchair by his teammates.  He had surgery for an injury earlier in the week, but he was still at the game, and still included by the other players - Loved it!
     If you just read this, and didn't see the game, you would think that the Mustangs got beat, bad.  Not the case at all.  The box score is below.  The Mustangs took care of business.  Longbotham gave a tackle breaking lesson; Page gave a duck and run lesson; Robinson showed his JJ Watt impersonation; and Chidester showed the rest of the defense how to catch an interception.  Many players deserve attaboys this week, including; Page, Longbotham, King, Chidester, Robinson, Rollen, Langston, & White.
 
Box Score                        1st   2nd  3rd  4th     Final
Clear Falls Knights           0     0     7      7          14
Friendswood Mustangs     7    14    7     10         38
   
     Last week, with Friendswood having a bye week, we decided to support friends in the neighboring town and went to the Pearland game.  Watching that game was so different from watching a Friendswood game.  The fans didn't seem nearly as involved or as invested in the game as what we are used to in Friendswood.  Part of that may have been because the game was a serious mismatch.  After the game, we hadn't even left the stadium when we realized that the refs didn't throw a single flag during the entire game.  Now imagine that Mustang fans, an entire game without a penalty.  You can't imagine it, can you?  I didn't know it was possible.  I know I had never seen it before.  Unfortunately, I just can't see the details on the field well enough to argue whether Friendswood actually deserves all the penalties called against the team.  But seeing a game with no penalties, and a week later seeing a game where no more than three game clock minutes elapse between penalties, it makes me wonder if it's really a difference in teams or a difference in officials.  Just something to think about, . . .

     On Friday, October 3, 2014, the Friendswood Mustangs will travel to Brazoswood to take on the Buccaneers.  If my memory is correct, this will be the first time to two teams have met since 2009.  What I have read about Brazoswood and what I've seen on their scoreboards don't coincide.  I can't wait to see how the Mustangs 2.0 improve over then next week and what the truth is about Brazoswood.

George Ranch Longhorns vs. Friendswood Mustangs - September 5, 2014

     On September 5, 2014, the Friendswood Mustangs hosted the George Ranch Longhorns.  This was the first meeting for these two teams.  This was also Channel 13's game of the week.  George Ranch entered this contest ranked 5th in the state for 5A.  Friendswood was not ranked in 6A.
     Friendswood came into this game a little cocky, and it showed.  Don't get me wrong.  Friendswood is very good.  But being overconfident can be a problem; as the Mustangs saw tonight.  Once the Mustangs realized that there was a very real chance that they could lose, they started playing much harder.
     Before the game even began, and increasingly throughout the game, I wondered if the mosquito truck had been by.  Even with deep woods off and cutter, we were still all being eaten alive.  Some more than others.
     And now, for the game.  This game was decided within the last minute.  Both defenses played huge roles in the game.  Even though defense doesn't typically score points, and therefore can't win the game; tonight, each teams defense was stout and controlled more of the games than the offense did.  Both teams were able to see what areas need work and what areas they should not mess with.
      On what areas should Friendswood spend more time?  Kick returns are in a definite need of work.   This is our 8th season to live in Friendswood and this is an area that has plagued Friendswood for most of those years.  Friendswood seems to struggle on both sides of the ball when it comes to returning a kick off or a punt.  Guys, if you want to know how it should be done, watch this film and watch what George Ranch did.  The Longhorns were very good at blocking for their ball carriers and creating holes for them to run through.  The middle of Friendswood's defensive line also needs to learn how to stand their ground.  The Longhorns were able to create way too many holes tonight and their ball carriers took advantage of those holes.  Thankfully, Friendswood's secondary knew what to do to prevent most of those from being breakaway plays.  It's not always about who is bigger.  Sometimes, it's about who can use his size better.  I wish I could give you a good example of who to watch for this type of thing.  I know there are some really good teams and really good players who don't get pushed around and know how to stand their ground.  But right now, I'm not able to come up with any.  When I remember a good example, I'll edit this entry.
     Something else to work on is that Friendswood's offense needs to diversify. The play callers seemed to be falling victim to "Van Meter Disease" tonight.  Especially toward the end of the game.  If you are new to reading my blog, Van Meter Disease" occurs when a play caller calls the same play over and over and over and over.  It gets to a point, when the disease is chronic, that the only time the play goes well is when things don't happen as expected.  It's similar to Einsten's definition of insanity.   Granted, in the last 2 minutes of the game, there were some new plays.  And they usually worked because George Ranch hadn't already figured out what was about to happen.  No team should be so repetitive that the opposing defense knows what's coming and how to stop it without having to even look at the offense.
    Friendswood needs to learn to play tighter on the receivers.  Don't get me wrong.  Freindswood's defense is one of the best I've ever seen.  But waiting to make a play until after the pass is caught means that the opponents still get the first down.  Last week and this week I saw some hard hits delivered to receivers by the Mustang defense.  But those hits all came just after the receiver caught the ball and earned the first down.  Why not try to breakup the pass?  Why, instead, do you give receivers a few yards cushion, then make a diving drive into him to prevent him from gaining more yards?  Friendswood has had some players who were really good at this.  Watch old film with an analytical mind and you'll see it.
     After reading all this, I'm sure you're wondering how in the world Friendswood won if they played so bad.  They didn't play bad, at all.  I just like to get the "needs improvement" section of my blog done first before I start praising players.  It helps people to appreciate the "pat on the back" a little more.
     Friendswood has a great defense.  I think I may have already said that, but if not, I'll say it again.  Friendswood has a great defense.  The defense wasn't able to read the George Ranch offense as well as they were in Texas City.  But I don't know if I've ever seen a team fake as well as George Ranch did tonight.  Guys, when I say that our players need to work on their acting skills, this is what I mean.  How many times did Friendswood tackle the wrong guy?  How many times were the fans fooled into thinking the wrong person had the ball.  Yes, this sounds like something Friendswood needs to work on, but really it's just that George Ranch was that good at it.
     Friendswood doesn't give up.  Even when our guys were down by 13, they didn't let up.  They just down shifted and kept going. When the offense blocked for our ball carriers, they blocked well.  Friendswood has well rounded football players who can play multiple positions and play them well.  I've heard it said that people struggle in sports when they move to Friendswood because we have so many talented players who work very hard to be the best at what they do and who are very versitle within their sport(s).  Friendswood High School is blessed in that they have a great talent pool to pull from.  They may, in part, be due to the year that so many players got hurt during preseason that by the time district rolled around, there were more JV players suited up on the sidelines on Friday nights than there were varsity players.  Whatever the reason is behind it, Friendswood has a much more rounded athletic program.  And it shows.  I saw a few people playing positions that they don't normally play and running plays that someone else normally runs.  And they did those jobs well.
     There was also a great improvement to the passing game this week.  Whatever y'all did in practice this week, keep doing it.
     This week's attaboys go to:  Robinson, Longbotham, Vandersypen, Page, Langston, King, White, Rollen, Crespo, and Chidester.
     The final score for the game was George Ranch Longhorns 35 - Friendswood Mustangs 38.  Next week, the Mustangs will play a rare Thursday game against Kingwood at Turner Stadium.  This should be an interesting game.  I know nothing about Kingwood, except that their colors are blue and white and they are the Mustangs.  Guess I'll have to do some studying this 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 one of my kids.  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 35+ 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. 

Friendswood Mustangs vs. Texas City Stingarees - August 29, 2014

     On Friday, August 29, the Friendswood Mustangs traveled to Texas City to open the football season against the Stingarees.  There was a light rain off and on throughout the game.  The Friendswood band and Wranglerettes left after halftime due to the weather; but the majority of the fans stayed and got to see a good football game.
     Tonight was the first time that Friendswood has played a game with the new 40 second play clock.  I haven't had the opportunity to hear from any of the players or coaches to see how they felt about it, but from the perspective of a fan and blogger - I don't like it.  First, I don't understand why they felt the need to make this change.  I understand that the NCAA has been using the 40 second play clock for quite a while now; but why does that mean that the UIL has to use it, too.  This caused the game to move too quickly.  It was liking watching a game that has been DVR'd and cutting through everything but the actual plays.  It just felt wrong.  It also made it difficult for me to keep up with twitter.  I have fast thumbs, especially during a football game; but they are going to have to get faster.  I did notice that toward the end of the game, there were a lot of situations where the refs were starting the play clock.  When the ref starts the clock, the clock starts at 25 seconds - just as it has.  This was a much better pace for the game.  It gave the offense the option to hurry things along, or to breathe a little between plays.
     So, how did Friendswood play tonight?  Well, there are some guys who had a great night.  There are some who didn't have such a great night.  And there were guys who were having to work harder than they should have because others were not doing what needed to be done.
     Who didn't have a great night?  Well, I saw problems with both the offensive and defensive lines.  The people backing up those lines stepped up and took care of business.  But in order to play in the big leagues, which is where Friendswood is now, those lines can not allow themselves to be pushed around to maneuvered out of the place they want to be.  Offensive line, you've got to open those holes and block for your ball carriers.  Defensive line, you can't allow your opponent to get through you.  If that doesn't get fixed immediately, then next Friday will be a long, long night.
     That being said, the offense did do a good job of protecting the quarterback and giving him time to find open receivers and make decisions.  Some of those decisions I would love to chat with them about, wondering why they felt that was the best decision over some other options that were available.  But having time to make those decisions is incredibly important.
     Tonight, Friendswood used a two quarterback system similar to what Manvel used a couple of years ago.  I understand why this decision was made.  Both Sargent and Page are great quarterbacks with different skill sets.  However, the implementation of this scheme didn't work out so well.  The problem - it didn't take long to figure out which quarterback prefers to run and which prefers to pass.  The defense was able to set up accordingly, knowing what type of play was most likely about to occur, simply based on which quarterback was on the field.  Now, it wasn't like they were switching them in and out every other play.  They each would play for a possession.  However, it was easy to anticipate what was coming based on which quarterback was on the field.  In order for this two quarterback system to be effective, it needs to be less predictable.
     Something else that needs work is the receivers.  Did anyone count how many dropped passes there were tonight?  I'm not counting the almost interceptions that were dropped.  I'm talking about players who had the ball and dropped it.  Players who were the intended target of the pass and juggled and dropped the ball.  Do we really not have anyone who can consistently catch the ball?  I have a hard time believing that.  Especially knowing who is on the sidelines.  The receivers need to spend alot, I mean alot, of time "playing catch".  If this isn't able to be fixed with the personnel that was in uniform tonight, then look at the JV teams for help.  I saw some great catches from them yesterday.
     So, did anything go right tonight?  Yes, as evidenced by the score board, somethings did go right.  Some of the linebackers and defensive ends had a great game.  Their timing was perfect and they often had a perfect read on what the play would be.  A few of the people of offense demonstrated that they are still energizer bunnies and don't know the meaning of the word "quit".  Some showed why it is important to never, ever, give up on a play.  You might think you know how the play is going to end; but until you hear that whistle, it ain't over.  There were some interceptions and some near interceptions by the Mustang defense.  There were some great stops that were not in line with the defensive style that I have seen from the Mustangs over the last few years - and I liked it.  I have often complained about the way the Mustangs defend against the pass.  Tonight, I saw a few players breaking that mold and they were very effective.
     One thing that most definitely affects the Mustangs (and every other team), but is completely out of their  control is the officials.  If you've been reading my blog, then you know that I have complained about the officials with increasing regularity.  Tonight is no different.  Last year's game against Texas City probably had the most fair officials I have seen in the last few years.  This year was not the same.  Comments I heard from the stands include, "You're missing a good game, ref." and "Call a fair game or someone is going to get hurt."  Both of these fans are exactly right.  Officials have a responsibility to call a fair game and to do everything in their power to prevent injuries.  One way calling a fair game helps to prevent injuries is by letting the players and the coaches know, preferably immediately, that rule infractions will not be tolerated.  Many of the rules are put in place to help protect the players.  If a rule is not enforced, it is human nature to push the boundaries to see what other rules can be ignored.  The more rules that are ignored, the more likely a player is to be injured.  This means calling all penalties, regardless of which team it is.  Officials, please, please, please, enforce the rules strictly and fairly in every game.
     I'm not posting too many details tonight because it was the first game.  And because, as evidenced by the score board (see below), it wasn't a typical game.  The Mustangs usually score more points than they did tonight and they played differently.  Also, Texas City wasn't as commanding as they have been for the last few years.  I'm sure the weather also played a factor in the game.  While it wasn't raining for most of the game, the turf was wet.  Slick turf can be a factor in a game.
     Even without the details, I still have to give the well deserved pats on the back to a number of players.  This week's attaboys go to: King, Robinson, White, Rollen, Longbotham, Page, Chidester, Gardner, Crespo, Thurman, Clement, & Lowe.
   
 Tonight's box score was
Friendswood     7     3     14     0    24
Texas City         0     0      0      0     0

  I am looking forward to the first game in Henry Winston Stadium for this year.  The Mustangs will host the George Ranch Longhorns on Friday, September 5, 2014.  With what I have read about George Ranch, this looks to be a real test for the Mustangs.  Come out and support the boys in blue.  Kick off will be at 7pm.

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 one of my kids.  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 35+ 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.