Carl Junction (8-1) at Webb City (9-0)

11/01/2007

This one’s for all the marbles.   Well, not exactly.  But with a share of the Big 8 title now in hand and a 2-0 district start, Carl Junction couldn’t be happier with where they find themselves heading into week 10 of the Missouri high school football season.

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But somewhere deep down inside, they remember how tough the Carl Junction Bulldogs were in the season-opening jamboree held in Monett this past August.

On that night, the Webb City offense scored a pair of touchdowns against the Carl Junction defense.  But the Bulldogs returned the favor, scoring on a pair of Zak Porath touchdown runs.

That night set the tone for the Bulldogs’ season.

Since then, Porath has rushed for nearly 1,600 yards and scored an impressive 18 touchdowns.  He averages over 7.5 yards per carry.  He runs behind an offensive line that will match up well with Webb City’s defensive line, based on size and talent.

Cade Gosch has been an efficient manager of the team’s offense from his quarterback position.  He’s thrown only 4 interceptions in his 116 passing attempts.  He’s hit 11 different targets in spreading the ball around to his receivers.  He’s learned when to throw the ball away and has been effective in scrambling for yardage when the pass coverage is too good.

“You know I haven’t talked about Cade all season, with him being my son,” Coach Bret Gosch stated after the Bulldogs’ victory over McDonald County.  “But tonight is ‘Senior Night’ and I couldn’t be more proud of him.  He’s 5’10” and only 145 pounds, but he hasn’t backed down to anybody this season.  He’s just done a super job of running our offense.”

The Bulldogs have been racking up an average of 314 yards of total offense per game.  Their defense allows only 199 and has given up an average of only 8.7 points per game.  They’ve recorded 3 shutouts.

The Bulldogs defense is a talented unit.  Three players have led the team in tackles all year long, including sophomore linebacker Levi Maggard (98 tackles), senior linebacker Aaron Cervin (95) and hard-hitting junior safety Joey Braeckel (87).

Seniors Martin DeCarlo, Seth Hackney and Hank DePriest have come on strong.  They’ve combined for 162 tackles and 10 sacks.

Porath and DePriest have combined for three blocked punts, two of which have been returned for touchdowns.

Senior kicker Jordan Carden gives the Bulldogs a solid leg, connecting on 23 of 31 PATs and four field goals.  He gives the Bulldogs a chance to score anytime they reach their opponent’s red zone.

Webb City will counter with a stiff defense and the ability to score from anywhere, anytime.

Offensively, the Cardinals are led by junior quarterback Mack Kyle.  He’s not as experienced as Webb City quarterbacks of the past, but he has put up impressive numbers both on the ground and thru the air for the Cardinals this season.  Kyle has rushed 102 times for 711 yards to lead Webb City.  He’s also completed an impressive 65 of 98 passes thru 9 games, totaling 1,198 yards and 17 touchdowns (against 7 interceptions).

Kyle’s favorite target is 6’3” senior wide receiver Landon Zerkel, who has 28 receptions for 530 yards and 9 touchdowns.

Another top receiver for Webb City is senior Alan Pink, although he is expected to miss Thursday’s game with an injury suffered last week against Neosho.

As for scoring in bunches, there’s no better example than what the Cardinals did Friday against Neosho, their Southwest Conference rivals.

Clinging to a 14-7 lead, Kyle scored on a 44-yard run with 2:33 left in the first half.  The Cardinals then recovered an onside kick and scored with 40 seconds to play on a Kyle 15-yard pass to Zerkel. 

But it wasn’t over yet.

Boo Rodgers picked off a Neosho pass and returned it 59 yards to the Wildcats’ 9-yard line, where Kyle ran it in for a 34-7 halftime lead. 

Twenty points in a little over 2 minutes.

And what did the Cardinals do with the opening kick of the second half?  Zerkel returned it 93 yards for a touchdown and a 41-7 lead.

Another opponent gone by the wayside, just that quick.

But for 2007, Carl Junction has proved themselves superior to district competitors McDonald County and Neosho.  They’ve held 22-0 (Neosho) and 27-0 (McDonald County) leads in the previous two games – an indication the Bulldogs can get off to a quick start and do what it requires to close a game.

And that may be exactly what it takes Thursday to challenge the Cardinals on their home turf.

If you put the Bulldogs and Cardinals together on one team, it’s likely you would find an even mix of starters from each of the two schools - Carl Junction and Webb City.  That may be one observation most Cardinals fans may not realize, possibly giving them a false sense of overwhelming confidence. 

Rumor has it Webb City students have printed up t-shirts indicating “Week 10 is our bye week.”  If the Bulldogs show up and play to their potential, these t-shirts might be more relevant than the students intended – it could indeed be “bye” to their 2007 season.

No need for the Bulldogs to look ahead.  There’s one order of business for this group to take care of.  For one night in their careers, can this group of players give it their best shot?  That’s what Carl Junction fans are hoping for.  It’s what coaches will be asking.  And it’s what the players believe they can do.

But whether the team finishes 8-2 or walks off the field district champions, they will all hold their heads high with Bulldog pride and for all they have accomplished this year.

McDonald County (3-5) at Carl Junction (7-1)

10/26/2007

The Class 4 District 12 games continue this week, with McDonald County (0-1 in district play) traveling to Carl Junction (1-0) while Neosho (0-1) visits Webb City (1-0).

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The Bulldogs will once again call upon their defense, perhaps the toughest in the Big 8 conference, to put themselves in position to move to 2-0 in district play.

Carl Junction allowed a mere 20 first-half yards to Neosho last week.  The defense has given up more than one touchdown in a game only twice this season.  They are allowing just under 10 points per game.

Aaron Cervin, Levi Maggard and Joey Braeckel continue to put up big numbers for the defense, each with over 80 tackles in 8 games.  Hank DePriest has added 44 tackles and 6 sacks from his defensive end position.

On offense, McDonald County will most likely turn to #41, Kord Stancell, a junior running back who has totaled 942 yards rushing in the Mustangs' first 8 games.  He averages just over 6 yards per carry and has 7 rushing touchdowns.  Stancell was held to only 46 yards by Webb City last week.

The Mustangs average only 13.5 points per game and haven't shown much of a passing attack so far this season.  Quarterback Taylor Keene has thrown for just more than 200 yards in the Mustangs' 8 games.

While Carl Junction's defense allows 196 total yards per game, their offense has rolled up the numbers this year.  Behind the running of senior Zak Porath and the passing of senior Cade Gosch, the Bulldogs are averaging right at 319 yards per game.  Porath himself has rushed for over 1,400 yards and has scored 18 touchdowns.

Braeckel (12 catches for 127 yards) and Dakota Allen (9 for 165) are Gosch's favorite receivers.

Porath's numbers not only would have him leading either the Big 8 or Southwest Conference in both rushing and scoring, but both actually put him among the best in the state.

Bulldogs kicker Jordan Carden has had an all-conference type of season, hitting four field goals and 23 of 29 extra points.

McDonald County is allowing 26.5 points per game, but that includes giving up 49 to Carthage and 47 to Webb City.  Take those two games away, and the Mustangs have only given up a more respectable 19.3 per game.

This Friday, the Mustangs will seek revenge against the Bulldogs after last season's one point loss in Anderson.  The Bulldogs, however, should be more fired up than ever and ready to prove once again that they are more than ready to stand up to the next Friday night challenge.

Carl Junction (6-1) at Neosho (4-3)

10/19/2007

Here we go.   The 2007 edition of the Carl Junction Bulldogs are off to the program's best start in years.  Yet there is still so much to accomplish.

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So far this season, the Bulldogs have battled smaller Class 2 and Class 3 teams in all seven contests, proving superior in all but one (a week two 14-13 loss at Class 3 state-ranked Big 8 leader Cassville).  

However, when the state classifications for 2006 and beyond were released, the growing community of Carl Junction found their team placed in Class 4.  They were placed in District 12, consisting of Neosho, McDonald County and perennial powerhouse Webb City.

The Cardinals of Webb City are currently 7-0 and ranked #1 in the latest state poll.  They travel to McDonald County this Friday for their district opener as they attempt to successfully defend their undefeated state championship of 2006.

Neosho will entertain Carl Junction.  The Wildcats played an impressive game last week, falling in overtime 33-27 to Carthage, the Class 4 #8-ranked team.

The Wildcats handled the Bulldogs last season 28-7 in district play to move to 6-2 at the time.  They then finished with a pair of district losses to Webb City and McDonald County to finish 6-4.

Sophomore Shurley had another fine game, accumulating 202 total yards.  Quarterback Kyle Dickens added a pair of touchdown runs.  Ethan Adams scored on a 56-yard touchdown run.  Neosho's other score came on a 27-yard run by Nick Morrison (6'0, 180, Senior).

Neosho has proven they have multiple offensive threats, but Carl Junction's defense seems ready to step up to the challenge.

The Bulldogs don't expect another shutout this week, but they have gone 9 consecutive quarters without allowing a point to their opponents.  With a combination of power and speed at the defensive line and linebacker positions, the result has been an average of less than 9 points allowed per game.

Seth Hackney (8 tackles and 1 sack versus Lamar) and Hank DePriest (6 sacks this season) lead the line, while senior Aaron Cervin and sophomore Levi Maggard have recorded 74 tackles each.

The defensive backfield was challenged by Lamar's passing game, allowing 163 passing yards to the Tigers.  Expect improvements with the unit, led by Zak Porath (4 interceptions) and Joey Braeckel (with a team-leading 76 tackles to go with 2 interceptions and 1 fumble recovery).

On the offensive side of the ball, expect much of the same from Porath.  He is one of the leading rushers and scorers in the state, with 1,232 rushing yards on 154 carries (8.0 per carry) and 104 points.

Quarterback Cade Gosch has thrown for 580 yards in 7 games, spreading the ball to 11 different receivers.  The Bulldogs will need more from their passing game in the final three weeks against the larger, quicker defenses they'll face.

Carl Junction must set their sights directly on Neosho Friday night.  With the Wildcats' capability of big plays on offense, a low-scoring affair should favor the Bulldogs.  If the "D" can put this team on their shoulders and the Bulldogs can take care of the football, Carl Junction fans could be heading home with smiles on their faces.

Lamar (0-6) at Carl Junction (5-1)

10/12/2007

Most coaches just hate the week heading up to a game like this.  Lamar is 0-6 and has been outscored by their opponents 248 to 21 in their first six games.      Conversely, Carl Junction is 6-1 and has outscored their opponents 174 to 57.

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It's a sure bet that Coach Bret Gosch and his assistants have spent the week reminding their players to continue taking care of business one week at a time.  In fact, the Bulldogs are only one season removed from a loss to Lamar, falling 27-21 in 2006.

Lamar continued on last season, winning their district and a first-round state playoff game before losing in the state quarterfinals.

Carl Junction stayed home when district play ended last year, but thru the first six weeks of 2007 they have given themselves and their fans a more fulfilling and satisfying season.  Although they've yet to crack the Top 10 state ranking for Class 4 schools, the Bulldogs did earn votes in the most recent poll released 10/10.

With Lamar's young offense struggling, it has been just the opposite for Carl Junction's defense.  The Bulldogs are yielding only 9.5 points per game and held last week's opponent (Aurora) to only 84 total yards of offense.

Senior defensive end Hank DePriest has been a major thorn in the side of offensive linemen this season, particularly the past two weeks when he recorded 4 of this team-leading 6 sacks.

The trio of senior Aaron Cervin, junior Joey Braeckel and sophomore Levi Maggard are consistently around the ball, recording 68, 72 and 70 tackles, respectively.

It doesn't look to get any better for the Lamar offense this week.

On the Bulldogs' offensive side of the ball, Offensive Coordinator Jesse Wall continues to expand his number of weapons.  While senior Zak Porath has now topped the 1,000-yard rushing mark after only six weeks, the Bulldogs continue to only require his services on about 23 rushes per game.

Quarterback Cade Gosch has hit 11 different receivers with passes, connecting on 46 of 84 attempts (55%).

Backup tailback Zach Waranch continues to impress, rushing 7 times for 115 yards and a score last week.  His long run of 71 yards last week followed up his "big play" kickoff return of 92 yards the previous week against Seneca.

Fullbacks Kyle McConnell and Cervin, along with Gosch, have carried the ball more than 40 times for over 100 yards.

Carl Junction will focus on taking care of their own business on the field this week, striving for a 5th win in a row, a 6-1 Big 8 finish and a homecoming victory.

Should they achieve the win Friday, they can then turn an eye to scoreboard watching to find out how their rival Big 8 schools are finishing their seasons during the final weeks of the season.  Only then can they know for sure whether their goal of a Big 8 Conference title in 2007 will be realized.  But either way, fans will remember how they rebounded from a heart-breaking one-point loss in week two to finish strong thru the remainder of their conference schedule.

Aurora (2-3) at Carl Junction (4-1)

10/05/2007

Coach Bret Gosch has surely spent more time this week reminding his players that you win the game on the field.     The Bulldogs, steadily building self-confidence each week following three straight victories, tackle Aurora Friday.  The Houn' Dawgs were blasted this past Friday by Cassville, 39-0, and now stand at 2-3.

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The Bulldogs failed to score a first-half offensive touchdown, but still held a 7-0 lead due to sophomore Zach Waranch's 92-yard opening kickoff return for a touchdown.

However, Carl Junction scored three second-half touchdowns, including a 42-yard TD pass from Cade Gosch to Joey Braeckel and a 68-yard scoring dash by Zak Porath on the Bulldogs' final offensive play.

Porath, averaging about 8 yards per carry for the season, finished with 196 yards rushing on 20 carries.  He's scored 74 points in 5 games on 900 yards rushing and has added 4 interceptions and a blocked punt on defense and special teams.

Can Aurora stop the Bulldogs' offense and in particular, the running game of Porath and the powerful Carl Junction offensive line?

The Houn' Dawgs run a 3-5 defensive scheme and struggled to stop two of their tougher opponents in 2007.  Monett rushed for 276 yards in Aurora's 14-7 week two loss.  Cassville's Laith Hayward gained 102 yards on 19 carries last week against Aurora.  The Wildcats finished with six offensive touchdowns for the night.

Aurora's offense is triggered by quarterback Kyle Roy, a 5'9" 160-pound junior.  Roy passed for 256 yards and two scores in the Houn' Dawgs first four games before going up against the stiff Cassville defense.

Joining Roy in the backfield is 2006 Honorable Mention All-Big 8 running back Tyler Hilton, a 5'6" 160 pound senior.  Hilton, although small in stature, is blessed with good speed and good moves in the open field.  He rushed for 7 yards per carry in Aurora's first four games, picking up 360 yards on 52 carries.

Roy, Hilton and their fellow Houn' Dawg offensive teammates will have to deal with a much improved Carl Junction defensive unit which has allowed more than one offensive touchdown in a game just one time this season (in a 32-20 victory over East Newton).

Senior Aaron Cervin (58 tackles), junior Joey Braeckel (61 tackles) and sophomore Levi Maggard (61 tackles) lead the Bulldogs.  Hank DePriest, a senior defensive end, has recorded 4 sacks including a pair last week against Seneca.

The Bulldogs have outscored their opponents by an average of 28 to 11.

Quarterback Cade Gosch has taken nearly every snap for the Bulldogs.  Gosch has passed for 437 yards and 4 touchdowns and enters the game with an 82.8 passer rating.  The senior is proving to be valuable in the way he manages the offense and he continues to make good decisions with the football.

The Bulldogs have two more steps to take to wrap up their pre-district, Big 8 conference portion of their schedule.  If they keep their sights set on Aurora and play to their capabilities, they should be looking at a 5-1 record as the stadium lights are turned off Friday night.

Carl Junction (3-1) at Seneca (1-3)

9/28/2007

The Seneca Indians are sitting at home this week, awaiting the arrival of the Carl Junction Bulldogs this Friday, and wondering if they’ve fallen as low as they can this season following losses in three of their first four games.

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But so far this year, the Indians haven’t attained the same high standards their fans are accustomed to cheering for.

Start with a season-opening thumping at the hands of their rival, the Neosho Wildcats.  Seneca fell 34-6.  Neosho has only one other win so far, a narrow 18-16 come-from-behind win last week against Branson.

Seneca thrashed Lamar 33-0 in week two, but then again everyone is handling the young Tigers with ease so far this year.  Running back Zach Thompson picked up three touchdowns and 290 rushing yards on only 15 carries, turning many heads and providing a glimmer of hope to anxious Seneca fans.

Quarterback Josh Day has also found ways to strike thru the air during the first four weeks, finding favorite receivers Maverick Sonis and Travis Cole.  Cole plays both ways and recorded three interceptions in the Lamar game. 

But it was back to the drawing board for Seneca in week, where the Indians fell 14-13 to McDonald County.  Thompson was a workhorse at running back for Seneca in the close loss to the Mustangs, carrying the ball 36 times for 161 yards.

Week four brought a 41-6 loss to Mt.Vernon.  The Mountaineers obviously had recovered from the 43-8 beating they had taken the week before at Carl Junction.

Smart fans of the high school ranks know you can’t begin comparing scores.  Past weeks mean nothing when seventeen- and eighteen-year-old young men take to an even playing field and start afresh at 0-0.

It’s 11-on-11 when Carl Junction and Seneca meet this Friday at Earl Campbell Stadium in Seneca, and of course it’s a rivalry and should be a battle.

Carl Junction should have learned that in their week three come-from-behind win at East Newton.

After shellacking Mt. Vernon in the previous week, the Bulldogs found themselves trailing East Newton 13-6 in the third quarter this past week.  With quarterback Cade Gosch and running back Zak Porath nursing ankle injuries from the first half, the Bulldogs were on the ropes and close to going down.

But Gosch, with limited mobility, limped side to side and found his receivers at key moments during the Bulldogs’ comeback.  He finished 11 of 14 for 140 yards. 

Four of his passes found Bulldogs sophomore wide receiver Jake Stevenson, who may have had his breakout game with two of his four catches going for long yardage (and finishing with 82 receiving yards total).

Then there was Porath.

The senior gutted it out after halftime, finishing with three touchdown runs in the second half and a game-high 175 rushing yards on 25 carries (7.0 average per rush).  His final run, a 63-yard burst, gave the Bulldogs their final 32-20 lead and put the final nail in the Patriots’ coffin.

He now has 704 rushing yards and 60 points scored in Carl Junction’s first four games.

Porath also nailed a 55-yard punt that significantly altered the field position during a key stretch of the fourth quarter.

Jordan Carden continued to provide solid contribution with a pair of field goals, boosting his total to four this season.  Many high school teams fail to convert a field goal all season.

This Friday marks the halfway point for high school teams in Missouri, sort of a “semester break” if you will.  Carl Junction has won three of four, narrowly missing a perfect start after their one-point loss at Cassville in week two.  Give the team a B+, but look for that to jump into the A- range if they can close the first half with a victory at Seneca and a 4-1 record.

But give this team an A for the effort they’ve already put forth in taking the initial steps to turn this program around and the respect they’ve steadily earned from southwest Missouri football fans during the first four weeks of the 2007 season.

Carl Junction (2-1) at East Newton (2-1)

9/21/2007

If there's a David vs. Goliath match-up in the Big 8 based on size alone, it happens right here in week four of the 2007 season.  Carl Junction, a Class 4 school and easily the largest in the conference, travels to East Newton to take on the Patriots,

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Fans familiar with the Big 8 have noticed things are significantly different for each team since that September 22nd Friday night of one year ago.

For starters, East Newton won their final three games of the 2006 season, resulting in a 3-0 district record and state playoff appearance.  

The Patriots have defeated Lamar 34-0 and Aurora 13-12, sandwiched around a tough 40-24 loss to Mt. Vernon in week two.  That gives them five wins in their previous six games.

Thus far in 2007, the East Newton highlight reel has primarily featured senior twins Denny and Danny Farmer.  Although each is only 5'9" in height and 160 pounds in weight, the two are blessed with speed and athletic ability.

Denny is leading the Patriots at quarterback again this season after accounting for 1,100 total yards in 2006.  Brother Danny rejoined the football ranks this season and has been seeing playing time at both running back and receiver.

Danny has five touchdown receptions and one rushing touchdown, while Denny has passed for five touchdowns.  The two hooked up for the longest play of the East Newton season, scoring on a 64-yard strike against Mt. Vernon.

Denny was injured during the Aurora game, although he'll be set to play Friday according to his brother.

"He hurt his knee a little against Aurora, but he'll be ready for tomorrow night," Danny Farmer said.

Danny added that tomorrow night's contest "should be a great game.  We are ready to play and I think it will be close.  Our main problem is that we don't have as much depth as Carl Junction.  We have a lot of freshmen and some sophomores, but not that much experience."

Team totals for East Newton in their narrow 13-12 victory over Aurora last week included 233 rushing yards but zero passing yards.  Statistics from the Springfield News Leader show a "0 for 8" passing night for the Patriots.  They had 52 rushes among their 60 total plays.  Denny Farmer scored both touchdowns for East Newton on short runs.

Carl Junction, meanwhile, received 203 rushing yards from Zak Porath and another 107 passing yards from Cade Gosch.  Add in three interceptions and a blocked punt resulting in a touchdown by the defense, and the end result of the balanced attack was a 43-8 Bulldogs victory over Mt. Vernon.

Can the Bulldogs fence in the Farmers?  Will Carl Junction's size and depth be too much for the smaller Patriots?  Fans who make the short trek to the Granby area can see for themselves this Friday night.

And if the Bulldogs put on another performance similar to last week's thumping of Mt. Vernon, it should be a long night for Patriots fans. 

Mt. Vernon (2-0) at Carl Junction (1-1)

9/14/2007

Mt. Vernon rolls into Carl Junction Friday night, bringing a high-powered offense that is already averaging 37.5 points per game.  They literally blasted East Newton in the second half of their week 2 battle after trailing 24-15 at the half.

The 25 unanswered points left little doubt that the Mountaineers are already among the teams favored to win the Big 8 title this year.

Mt. Vernon, fresh off of a successful 2006 campaign which saw them reach the second round of the playoffs, features senior Kellen Cox at quarterback.  Cox threw five touchdown passes in last week's victory over the Patriots and rushed for 101 yards and another score.

The Mountaineers return 7 starters from the 2006 edition.  Gone is All-State QB Tomas Brock, but Cox is quickly proving the Big Green can forge ahead without him.  Eric Botts (6'2, 180, SR) is an early favorite receiver for Cox.  Botts caught a trio of touchdown passes against the Patriots and added a two-point conversion catch.

The Bulldogs will counter with an offensive weapon of their own, namely senior tailback Zak Porath.  Porath is averaging over 160 yards per game rushing, nearly amassing 200 last week against a solid Cassville Wildcats team.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Carl Junction has only allowed two touchdowns so far this season.  Monett scored on a short run in week one and Cassville struck once on a 63-yard touchdown pass.  The Wildcats also scored 7 points on an interception return.

The season is moving along with Fridays coming quicker now.  Can the Bulldogs bounce back after a heart-breaking loss in week 2?  Will Mt. Vernon continue to ring up the points quicker than the CJ student section can ring the bell?  We'll find out this Friday at Carl Junction.

Carl Junction at Cassville

9/7/2007

For several years, Big 8 coaches have tried to figure out how to stop Brian Elkins, the All-State running back who rushed for 1,542 yards and 23 TDs last season.  But that challenge now faces college coaches, as the Wildcats' former standout has graduated.

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The longest touchdown run of the night was 17 yards, with the other three scores coming from inside the 5-yard line.  The good news for opposing teams is that Cassville didn't get a long breakaway touchdown.  The bad news is that they managed several long sustained drives and eventually converted them for scores.

The Wildcats' special teams play was stellar as well.  Placekicker Aaron Jamieson booted a 31-yard field goal.  Cassville also forced a missed extra point, blocked a field goal and returned several kickoffs and punts for big yardage. 

Carl Junction's special teams may have been equally impressive in their opening week 22-7 victory over Monett.

Jordan Carden's 32-yard field goal put the Bulldogs ahead by 9 points, putting significant pressure on the Monett offense.  The Bulldogs were able to pin their ears back and fly after Monett the remainder of the game, recording several sacks and quarterback hurries.

Zak Porath booted three punts for a 41.3 yard average.  His first punt pinned the Cubs at their own 2-yard line and he later nailed a 58-yarder to the 10-yard line.

Monett had one bad snap as they lined up in punt formation, resulting in a huge loss and field position for the Bulldogs inside the 5-yard line.

Cassville's defense returns 7 starters from 2006, including all 4 defensive backs, a pair of linebackers and 1 defensive lineman.  They recorded three interceptions in their opener against the Pirates and also recovered one fumble.

Carl Junction will look to attack the veteran defense with a combination of a ground and air attack.  Zak Porath averaged more than 5 yards a carry in the Bulldogs' opener while Cade Gosch completed 9 of 15 passes for 89 yards.  Receiver Dakota Allen was the benefactor of two Gosch touchdown passes.  

The Bulldogs are likely to add a little more mix to the offense this week, getting the ball into the hands of their fullback more often.  Aaron Cervin and Kyle McConnell combined for only 8 yards on 4 carries last week, but played a significant role in paving the way for Porath.

Cassville knows they will face a bigger and more experienced defense this week than they faced at Branson.

The Bulldogs boast one of the bigger defensive lines in the Big 8.  Senior Hank DePriest recorded two sacks and three quarterback hurries last week from his defensive end position.  The Dogs forced three turnovers and added two other sacks (Austin Osborn and Levi Maggard).  Maggard finished with a team-high 13 tackles, while Joey Braeckel added 12.  Aaron Cervin and Seth Hackney added 8 tackles each.

Despite having handled the Bulldogs the past three seasons, Cassville won't overlook them and will be ready to defend their turf for the first time this season.  

However, previous seasons usually don't come into play.  

In fact, the Bulldogs and Wildcats appear to match-up well based on their respective showings last week.

But last week doesn't really matter much either.

What does matter most who steps up when the two go toe-to-toe Friday night in Cassville.

Bulldogs set for opener

8/31/2007

The 2007 edition of the Carl Junction Bulldogs football team is ready for their season opener Friday, August 31 at Bulldog Stadium.  The Big 8 rival Monett Cubs come calling, after opening last season with a 20-14 overtime victory over the Bulldogs at Monett.

The Cubs went on the win four of their first five, but then faltered down the stretch.  They eventually finished 5-5 after their promising start.

The Bulldogs, meanwhile, never really got on track and finished 2-8, including a lone conference win over East Newton.  After a 3-7 finish in 2005, the Bulldogs have their sites set on winning more games in 2007 than the previous two seasons combined.

Monett returns senior Brendan Cox at quarterback, a veteran athlete who has seen extensive varsity playing time in not only football but basketball and baseball as well.

Junior running back Kellen Bounous is the Cubs’ biggest offensive threat.  As a sophomore, he had several nice runs against the Bulldogs defense in 2006.  In this year’s jamboree, Bounous was effective against the Webb City defense including scoring one touchdown on a nice pass reception down the sideline.

Monett is coached by Alan Spencer, who is 30-33 as the Cubs’ head coach.

The Bulldogs showed offensive prowess in last week’s jamboree, moving the ball throughout the evening against Webb City’s #1 defense.

Senior Zak Porath, moved to tailback, scored on two touchdown runs including a 35-yard scamper on the Bulldogs’ first possession.

Cade Gosch will open at quarterback for Carl Junction.  He saw significant playing time last season as the Dogs’ signal caller after Porath suffered an early injury.

The Bulldogs will also open with a veteran offensive line, boasting size and good speed to go with their experience.

Heading into the season opener, the biggest question mark may be on the defensive side of the ball.  This unit has less experience and yielded two quick touchdowns to the Cardinals’ first-team offense at Friday’s jamboree.  The team must tackle well and force more turnovers than in 2006.  Head Coach Bret Gosch will coordinate the defensive unit.

Seniors Hank DePriest (defensive end), Aaron Cervin (linebacker) and Porath (defensive back) should be keys to forcing more turnovers.  DePriest is aggressive in rushing the quarterback, earning All-Conference Honorable Mention at the position as a sophomore.  Injuries slowed him some during his junior campaign.  Cervin has been logging tackles for the Bulldogs since his freshman year and is a hard-hitter.  Porath is a ball-hawking d-back who can use his athletic ability to not only record interceptions but possibly convert them to scores.

As with many high school football games, expect this opener to come down to which team makes more big plays.  Come early for a good seat at Bulldog Stadium and expect the 2007 Bulldogs to get their season off to a winning start.

cjbulldogs.com Season Preview

After a pair of back-to-back seasons where the Carl Junction Bulldogs managed a total of five wins, fans might be a bit hesitant to get their hopes up heading into the 2007 campaign.  But those familiar with this year’s group of upperclassmen are anxiously awaiting the team’s season opener August 31, when Big 8 foe Monett comes to Carl Junction.

That offensive change clears the way for Cade Gosch to take over the full-time duties at QB.  With the new offensive scheme and a running back behind him who is a threat to go the distance any time he touches the ball, Gosch will have a great opportunity to put up some nice numbers thru the air.

The Bulldogs return Reilly Hughes (6’1” SR) and Joey Braeckel (6’2” JR), a pair of gifted receivers who each saw action in all 10 games last year.

The offensive line will be one of the best fielded by Carl Junction during the past several years.  Four starters return:  Seth Hackney (6’3”, 270, SR), Brandon Haralson (6’1”, 240, SR), Austin Osborn (6’3”, 240, JR) and Brandon Hunter (5’11”, 250, JR).  Daniel Turcotte, a 6”4, 340-pound senior, will compete for time on the line.

Senior Hank DePriest is the Bulldogs ninth returning starter on offense, returning to the tight end position.

Defensively, the Bulldogs must figure out a way to hold their opponents to fewer points in 2007.  Forcing turnovers could be a key and with 8 returning starters on defense, Carl Junction should have the experience it takes to make things happen.

Aaron Cervin, a senior linebacker, has seen significant varsity playing time since his freshman season.

“The team has been working hard in the off-season,” Cervin said.  “We are expecting a lot out of ourselves and won’t settle for anything less than a winning season.”

For that to happen, the Bulldogs need to get off to a good start.  Memories of an opening season overtime loss at Monett are on the minds of returning players and fans.

In the 2006 opener, the Bulldogs used a pair of long touchdowns on offense to build a lead, only to see it slip away before the eventual overtime heartbreaker.  The team struggled from there, winning only one Big 8 Conference game against East Newton before earning a surprising late season win in districts over McDonald County.

A win on August 31 would bring a 1-0 record and more importantly, possibly jump-start the Bulldogs to a winning season in 2007.