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Week 10 - Webb City (9-0) at Carl Junction (6-3)
Webb City, by virtue of their district wins the past two weeks over Carthage and Nevada, has clinched the District 12 title. Carl Junction, having lost to both Nevada and Carthage, has been officially eliminated from advancing to this year's state playoffs.The Bulldogs will look for a way to stop Webb City's ground attack. Junior running back Braxton Baker leads the way for the Cardinals, who typically line up in double-tight end formation and demand you stop the run. Mack Kyle quarterbacks the Cards and is a threat to get free outside, showing an exceptional knack for running an effective option game. The Cardinals can also move the ball thru the air if needed, with sure-handed senior Austin Lepper at tight end and the speedy Boo Rodgers at wide receiver. Carl Junction can remain competitive in this game if they can find a way to move the ball against Webb City's stingy defense. The Cardinals' starting "D" has given up a single touchdown in district play, a week 8 touchdown pass by Carthage in the first quarter. Overall, Webb gives up about two touchdowns per game but some of that scoring has came against their JV defense when they have the game well in hand. The Bulldogs will bid farewell to several seniors, including two-way starters Austin Osborn, Andrew Clark, Joey Braeckel and Kyle McConnell. Seniors Jake Hale and Ryan Fullerton should also see plenty of playing time Thursday in their final varsity game. Week 9 - Carthage (6-2) at Carl Junction (6-2)
The Tigers won their first 5 games of 2008 but have lost two of their past three. Their first loss of the year was a 29-12 setback to Branson. After a 28-7 win in week 7 against Republic, Carthage fell 35-7 to an inspired Webb City Cardinals team.Carthage is averaging 38 points per game this season, led by quarterback Trey Derryberry. The senior QB is averaging nearly 6 yards per carry, rushing for 473 yards. He's thrown 14 touchdown passes and 1,800 yards (224 per game). Derryberry's favorite target is 6'2", 200 pound senior Clay Kinman, who has caught 34 passes for 723 yards and 7 scores. Three other players have each put up nearly half the totals of Kinman. Devron Moore (18 catches for 329 yards), Mason Seibert (19 for 322) and Steven Ellefsen (19 for 289) give Carthage another trio of options. The Tigers' leading rusher is sophomore Brian Poston, who has carried 119 times for 696 yards. Poston has 9 TDs rushing while Moore has rushed for 6 scores himself in addition to his 3 receiving touchdowns. Carl Junction is going to need to play their best all-around game of the season to hang with the talented Tigers. In addition to protecting the ball, the Bulldogs are going to need to be able to control the line of scrimmage and sustain drives. They'll need a combination of rushing and passing to keep the solid Carthage defense off-balance. Defensively, the Bulldogs will have to find a way to slow Derryberry. If they can make the Tigers one-dimensional and force some big turnovers, they'll give themselves a shot at evening their district record. Week 8 - Carl Junction (6-1) at Nevada (1-6)
NevadaThe Tigers have only one win in 2008, a 47-0 home victory over Parsons (KS). Nevada fell in week five to Cassville by a score of 43-6.The Bulldogs will be squarely focused on the Tigers despite Nevada's 2008 struggles. Nevada displayed some solid athleticism in 7-on-7 passing scrimmages against the Bulldogs this past summer and the Tigers will be confident they can play with Carl Junction. Their size and speed should match up well with Carl Junction. Quarterback Austin Baldwin (6'1", 170 junior) leads the offense for the Tigers. Baldwin can beat defenses with both his arm and feet, showing a propensity to gain yardage when he has to scramble. Tailback Trevor Foreman (6'2", 195 senior) will be one of the bigger backs the Bulldogs have faced this season. Close ShavesHats off to the Bulldogs for winning the close games. Four of their contests have been decided by a touchdown or less, with the Bulldogs winning all four by scores of 20-14 (over Mt. Vernon), 14-7 (over Seneca), 16-13 (over East Newton in overtime) and 23-22 (over Cassville). Road Sweet Road The Bulldogs are a perfect 4-0 on the road this season, with only one game away from Bulldog Stadium remaining. Carl Junction will travel to Nevada (1-6) this Friday. Pick TwoTwo teams advance to the state playoffs from each four-team district. In Class 4 District 12, the Bulldogs (6-1) join Nevada (1-6), Webb City (7-0) and Carthage (6-1). Both Webb City and Carthage have been in the top 10 of the state rankings all season. Webb City and Carthage have received all the press, but each will have to earn their way into the postseason by beating the Bulldogs at Carl Junction. Walking WoundedNine Bulldogs players were seen out of uniform due to injury or other reasons prior to the start of the Cassville game Friday. By game’s end, additional Bulldogs injuries were numerous. Quarterback Matt Thompson had an ankle re-wrapped during play and had a cut in his hand stitched afterwards. Receiver/safety Joey Braeckel hobbled on what appeared to be two weak ankles, in addition to suffering an apparent stinger after a direct hit to Cassville’s Joseph Gouvion. Gouvion scored on the play but briefly laid on the field himself after the hit at the goal line. Sophomore Dekota Minta finished the game on crutches. Running back/linebacker Chase Price missed a few plays to stop some bleeding and tend to other minor injuries. Defensive lineman Levi Maggard continued battling nagging injuries but was on the field for most of the game. Favorite Quarterback?East Newton’s Justin Heckman threw a pair of passes to Bulldogs safety Joey Braeckel in week six, giving Braeckel a total of 3 interceptions this year and 6 in the past two seasons. However, in week seven Braeckel turned back to his favorite Big 8 quarterback, hauling in two touchdown receptions of 37 and 10 yards from Carl Junction’s Matt Thompson. Braeckel now has 10 receptions, is tied with Coury Ferson for the most receiving yards for the Bulldogs with with 160 yards receiving and leads the team with 3 touchdown receptions. Our turn?The Bulldogs defeated Nevada 29-7 in 2004 but lost at Nevada 13-6 in 2005, the last time the two teams met. The ’04 win was the only district victory for the Bulldogs during that two-year stretch, but Carl Junction has went 3-3 in district play the past two seasons including a solid 2-1 in 2007. Week 7 - Cassville (5-1) at Carl Junction (5-1)
Cassville has won five in a row since an opening week 25-14 loss at Branson. During that streak, the Wildcats have outscored their opponents by a combined 181-19. That’s an average score of 36-4 per game. When you look at Cassville football, it usually starts with their defense. And 2008 has been no different. The defense has only allowed one touchdown in the last three weeks and a total of 3 TDs over the past five weeks.
Senior defensive back Cody Pierson has recorded four interceptions for the Wildcats this season. That total ties Carl Junction's Jansen Adams and Mt. Vernon's Corey Phillips for the conference lead. Offensively, Cassville sports several weapons. Quarterback Jake Nolan (5’10”, 175) completes about 60% of his passes and throws for 125 yards per game. He was a Big 8 Honorable Mention selection at the position in 2007. The Wildcats will usually put the ball in the air about 12 to 15 times per game. Two of Nolan’s favorite receivers are Travis Northern (6’0”) and Trevor Tanner (5’9”). Each pull in about 2 to 3 receptions per game, with Northern topping the 300-yard mark for the season and Tanner catching over 200 yards of passes thus far. But the real offensive strength is Cassville’s running game. Jon Haney (5’11”, 190) rushed for 156 yards last week against Nevada, while teammate Joseph Gouvion pitched in 143 rushing yards. Each player picked up their yardage on only 16 carries. Gouvion’s evening included 3 touchdown runs, while Haney scored 2 TDs (giving him 9 this season). Nolan can also pack the pigskin away himself, rushing for 158 yards on only 9 carries in a recent Wildcats victory. “We’re a little more balanced right now,” Coach David Large said. “Our quarterback (Nolan) has a good arm. We’ve got some good receivers. And I still feel like we have some good running backs.” Cassville’s Aaron Jamieson is one of the top kickers in the conference, averaging over 35 yards per punt while adding 20 PAT kicks and a pair of field goals so far this season. Last season, the Wildcats nipped Carl Junction 14-13 in week two. The two teams eventually tied Monett with identical 6-1 conference records to share the league title. Cassville finished an impressive 9-1, but missed the state playoffs when they lost to Monett in district play. Cassville will have their shot at revenge in week eight when they take on the Cubs, but they must first fight off the Bulldogs who will also have revenge on their minds. So this is it - the Bulldogs’ final opportunity to match last season’s conference mark. It’s been an impressive season as far as wins and losses go, but these Bulldogs have yet to put on their best performance. Will we see it this Friday? It’s quite likely it will have to be to leave Cassville unhappy for their long bus ride back home. Week 6 - Carl Junction (4-1) at East Newton (3-2)
The Bulldogs were held far below their season average of 278 total yards of offense per game, finishing with just 55 yards rushing and 44 yards passing. Monett forced 5 turnovers, including the two early fumbles during the game’s first 3 minutes. While Monett (5-0) continues their quest for an undefeated Big 8 season, the Bulldogs must re-group and travel to East Newton (3-2). The Patriots’ season has been a bit of a roller coaster so far. They opened with a pair of nice wins, thumping Mt. Vernon 41-12 and Springfield Catholic 38-14. They lost their first game of the season during week three, a 34-14 setback to Fair Grove. They returned to Big 8 action in week four, allowing a Lamar rally after building a 21-0 lead that resulted in a 29-27 loss to the Tigers. Last week, the Patriots were back to their winning ways, knocking off Pierce City 41-20. They’ll look to stretch their newest streak to 2 wins when Carl Junction visits Don Johnson Stadium this Friday. East Newton lost a talented senior class this past year, finishing 8-5 overall (3-4 Big 8) and advancing to the Missouri Class 2 State Semi-Finals. But their offense appears to be even stronger than in 2007, averaging 32 points per game so far this season. Sophomore Justin Heckman (5’8”, 160) starts at quarterback, but the offense truly centers around senior running back Justin Guinn (5’8”, 170). The Patriots’ tailback is averaging 150 yards rushing per game and has scored 10 touchdowns in East Newton’s first 5 games. He averages 7 yards per carry. Senior wide receiver Clayton Miller is one of Heckman’s favorite targets. The Patriots offensive juggernaut also features kicker Sean Yang, who has nailed 3 field goals and 18 PATs this season (his first in football). Like the Bulldogs, several Patriots will play both offense and defense. Defensively, East Newton returned a pair of interceptions for touchdowns last week against Pierce City. Guinn, from the linebacker position, is one of the team’s leading tacklers. Carl Junction still remains banged up following their loss to Monett. Senior Joey Braeckel played against the Cubs but was slowed by an ankle injury he suffered in week three against Mt. Vernon. Matt Thompson, junior quarterback/defensive back, is questionable for Friday’s game following a first-half knee injury against Monett.
If Thompson can’t go, sophomore quarterback Logan Deem will most likely get the starting job. Deem completed one pass in seven attempts against the Cubs in a relief role after Thompson's second quarter injury, throwing a pair of deep interceptions. He also carried twice for 10 yards. The Bulldogs will look to re-establish their running game, with Friday’s 55-yard performance one of their weakest in recent memory. Give credit to a strong Monett defense, one that has been stingy so far in 2008 allowing only a pair of touchdowns in their first 5 games. Defensively, it’s been a long, long time since the Bulldogs gave up 48 points in a game. In fact, the team has not given up more than 35 points in any of their last 45 games. The Carl Junction coaching staff will be looking for more energy and emotion from their troops, not just before the game but beginning with play number one. That fire could come from defensive leaders like Chase Price (averaging 10 tackles per game), Coury Ferson (9 solo tackles against Monett) or defensive end Andrew Clark (7 tackles per game, 2 sacks and 1 fumble recovery, blocked punt and safety). Wherever the leadership comes from, it needs to be vocal and it needs to start now. The next three weeks (at East Newton, home with Cassville and at Nevada) will make or break this team’s season. And it all starts Friday at the home of the Patriots, where the Bulldogs will have their only chance of moving to 5-1 this year. Week 5 - Monett (4-0) at Carl Junction (4-0)
Carl Junction, some would say, hasn’t played anybody on their way to a 4-0 start. They’re opponents are a combined 3-13 after four weeks. On the other hand, Monett’s opponents are a combined 2-14. So perhaps neither team has yet to face their toughest challengers. How dominant has Monett been thus far? Only one of their four opponents has scored, with Class 4 Marshfield earning a pair of touchdowns in Monett’s 14-12 week two victory. Otherwise, the Cubs’ opponents have failed to find the end zone and have been outscored 131-0. The Monett defense has allowed only 375 total yards (94 per game), allowing a season-high 183 to Marshfield. Offensively, the Cubs have turned to senior Michael Roberts (5’10, 160) to run the offense. He’s passed for 5 touchdowns and nearly 400 yards in his first four games. Roberts’ favorite target has been senior Scotty Wilson, who has touchdown catches of 5, 34, 9 and 57 yards. Christian Privett and D.J. Dunmire have scored 6 and 5 touchdowns, respectively. Senior Kellen Bounous gives the Cubs another offensive weapon, rushing for 533 yards in 2007 and scoring 7 touchdowns. Monett’s 2007 season may have been the catalyst for their pre-season #1 ranking. But let’s not forget the Cubs shared the ’07 Big 8 title with Carl Junction (and Cassville) and fell to the Bulldogs 22-7 in week one over a year ago. That opening-week win propelled the Bulldogs to a great season of their own as they finished 8-2 in 2007. Carl Junction has won their first four games of 2008 and 11 of their last 12. That span includes six consecutive wins at home. The Bulldogs’ 2008 success begins with the defense. They’ve allowed only 142 total yards per game and are averaging holding their opponents to 7 points per outing. They’ve forced 13 turnovers and a safety in the first four games while recording one shutout. No opponent has yet to gain 200 total yards of offense. Offensively, the Bulldogs’ running game was dominant in the decisive fourth quarter against Seneca. Junior tailback Zach Waranch gained 111 of his 169 rushing yards during the final period. Carl Junction’s ball control offense kept Seneca at bay as the Indians only ran 5 offensive plays in the last quarter. Waranch scored a 10-yard touchdown run, putting the Bulldogs up 14-0. The score was the sixth of the season for Waranch. Two keys to the game will be the line of scrimmage and turnovers. These two teams boast a pair of the larger and more experienced lines in the Big 8. They may battle to a stalemate, but if either line can handle the other it’s likely to make a big difference in the outcome. As for turnovers, a key mistake could be huge but it’s more likely that someone will wind up with a turnover differential of +2 or more. The team that takes care of the ball will put themselves in the best position to move to 5-0. The eyes of the Big 8 will be on Carl Junction Friday. Can the Bulldogs prove they are more than just underdogs? Or will Monett live up to its pre-season hype? A packed homecoming crowd will find out first-hand. Come prepared to witness a great game and be ready to cheer loudly for your Bulldogs from the outset. Week 4 - Carl Junction at Seneca
Can the Bulldogs get healthy by Friday? A trip to Seneca is the next challenge, with the Indians 1-0 in Big 8 play but 1-2 overall. Lamar was a 28-26 victim at the hands of the Indians in week two. Class 4 powerhouses Neosho and Carthage handed the two losses to Seneca by scores of 33-14 and 48-12, respectively. Last week at Seneca, Carthage led 35-0 before the Indians could break through for their first score, a 32-yard pass from Jacob Rhoades to Nick Chasten (6’3” junior). The score was 42-6 at the half. “Seneca runs the ball extremely well,” Carthage coach Jon Guidie said. “They really do. We were really concerned with what they were doing offensively.” Carthage must have figured it out though. The Tigers kept Seneca from crossing midfield until the late second quarter touchdown.
The Indians have received most of their rushing offense from junior Dillon Webb (5’8”, 150). They scored 22 points in the fourth quarter of week two after Lamar held an 18-6 lead heading into the final period, getting 92 yards rushing from Webb. In week three, he scored on a 52-yard run against Carthage’s reserves. Seneca also received 85 yards on 14 carries in week one from Michael Fyock, a senior fullback (5’10”, 210). Cody Badgwell, a 6’0, 175 senior, is a hard-nosed running back and joins Webb and Fyock in providing good depth in the Indians’ backfield. Badgwell and Fyock are the probable starters. While Rhoades, a 5’8”, 135-pound sophomore quarterback, has put up some decent numbers from the pocket, the Indians are expected to start senior Travis Cole at quarterback. In a bit of a schedule oddity, the Bulldogs actually travel to Seneca for the second consecutive year. In 2007, Carl Junction headed back home from Earl Campbell Stadium with a 29-8 victory but the game was closer than the score indicated. The Bulldogs held a slim 7-0 lead at halftime after Zach Waranch’s 92-yard kickoff return for a touchdown (actually scored on the opening kickoff). Seneca out-gained the Bulldogs in total yards (302 to 275) and had more first downs (16 to 9). But Braeckel had a 42-yard touchdown reception and Carl Junction made the plays when they needed to. The Bulldogs’ success has to start up front. Hunter will be ready Friday and joins fellow seniors Austin Osborn and Andrew Clark as two-way starters on the line. Offensively, these three, along with juniors Maggard and Brandon Ray, are expected to open up holes for the running game of Waranch as well as provide the pass protection quarterback Matt Thompson requires. Thompson has completed 23 passes for 409 yards and 4 scores in his first three games. Nine different Bulldogs have hauled in passes. “We don’t just count on one receiver,” Coach Bret Gosch stated on the KKOW Preview Show. “I don’t think I’ve ever had a team this balanced in running and passing. Our numbers between the two are almost identical.” In fact, after three games the Bulldogs have 409 passing yards and 438 rushing yards. Waranch leads the way on the ground, averaging 4.1 yards per carry (267 yards on 65 rushes). Defensively, the Bulldogs are allowing only 7 points per game, although Mt. Vernon had several sustained drives this past week. It will be a much tougher task slowing the Seneca offense if Braeckel or McConnell are unable to play. The Bulldogs defense is more aggressive when at full strength, having forced 10 turnovers in their first two outings. But they recorded only one takeaway against Mt. Vernon despite the wet second-half conditions. The schedule isn’t getting any easier for Carl Junction. Fans who traveled to Mt. Vernon last week felt relieved to leave town with a victory. Heading to Seneca this week could turn out to be an even tougher test for the Bulldogs. Week 3 - Carl Junction at Mt. Vernon
And so it is for the football team as well. It’s not just about the single win, but rather a cumulative effort over seven weeks of conference play and the final three weeks of district play, but one week at a time. Standing in the way next is Mt. Vernon (0-2) and the Bulldogs are on a roll early. With no disrespect intended, Carl Junction may have very well started their season against the two weakest teams in the Big 8. But that’s no fault of their own. The Bulldogs have simply came out and dominated their first two opponents, outscoring Lamar and Aurora by a combined 82-7. That’s, well, uh, let’s just say a whole bunch of pushups. The defense has been superb, allowing a paltry 94.5 yards per game in total offense. The Bulldogs have forced 10 turnovers while recording 4 sacks. The only score allowed was after a Bulldogs turnover deep in their own territory. Seniors Austin Osborn, Brandon Hunter and Andrew Clark anchor a veteran defensive line that has began their season living in the opposition’s backfield. Returning All-Conference performers Levi Maggard and Joey Braeckel are cranking it up another level this season. Braeckel looked like a heat-seeking missile against Aurora Friday, jarring receivers and running backs while recovering a fumble and grabbing an interception just before halftime.
Offensively, the Bulldogs offense has shown a nice mixture of run and pass. Few teams could statistically show the balance Carl Junction has achieved after two weeks, with the passing game bringing in 155 yards per game while the running game is picking up 165 per outing. Thompson leads the way at quarterback, rushing for 85 yards and a score while throwing for 317 yards on only 14 completions (an average of nearly 23 yards per catch). That's an average of 200 total yards of offense per week. He has three touchdowns passes thus far, all coming against Aurora. Six different Bulldogs receivers have made catches this season, led by Braeckel and Stevenson with four apiece. Ferson has two receptions, but both have come on long pass plays covering 83 and 46 yards. The running game is led by junior Zach Waranch, who is carrying for just over 100 yards per game on a 4.5 yards per carry average. He leads the Bulldogs in scoring with four touchdowns, showing a knack to find the end zone from close range. Abrahams has hit 8 of 9 extra points and a pair of field goals, scoring 14 points in the first two games. The Bulldogs take the road for the next two weeks, traveling to Mt. Vernon Friday and then Seneca the following week. The Mountaineers are off to an 0-2 start, including a somewhat surprising 41-12 loss in week one to East Newton. The Patriots were expected to be down this year, but perhaps aren’t down as much as Mt. Vernon. Cassville stopped the Mountaineers in week two by a score of 28-7. Mt. Vernon finished a respectable 4-3 record in Big 8 play last year before advancing to the Class 3 playoffs. Their post-season run included an opening round win over Ava before falling to eventual state champion Harrisonville in the quarterfinals. In fact, the Mountaineers have lost in the state quarterfinals four years running now. Their most lopsided loss of 2007 came at the hands of the Bulldogs, who started fast and eventually turbo-clocked the Mountaineers 43-8 at Carl Junction. Departed now to the college ranks are former Mountaineers Eric Botts and Kellen Cox, an athletic pair of contributors who formerly led Mt. Vernon on both sides of the ball. Four starters return in 2008 for the offense, while the defense has six returning starters. The offensive line returns only one veteran. Their history gave coaches a reason to figure Mt. Vernon will be competitive in the Big 8 once again, as they were picked to finish fifth only one point below #4 Seneca. Junior quarterback Corey Phillips will attempt to provide Mt. Vernon with the spark they’ll need to hang with the Bulldogs. He moved to the position this year after starting as a wide receiver in 2007. He also plays defensive back. Phillips has been most of the offense for Mt. Vernon thus far. The Mountaineers only put 19 points on the board in their first two games, with two-thirds of the scoring coming on touchdown passes from Phillips. In week one, he hit 11 of 30 passes for 168 yards, finding Roger Pendergraft for a 60-yard scoring strike and Jackson Pettenhorst for another touchdown of 46 yards. However, the East Newton defense returned two of his passes for touchdowns themselves. In week 2, Phillips was hot again, throwing for 183 yards on 18 of 35 passing. Cassville kept him from completing a touchdown pass and for the second consecutive week, one of his passes was returned for a touchdown. Senior Steve Swillum scored the lone touchdown on the ground for the Mountaineers, finding the end zone on a 6-yard run. Can the Mountaineers establish a running game, or will they attempt to beat the Bulldogs by throwing the ball 30+ times again? If Phillips keeps dropping back that often, he had better hope for some great protection against an aggressive defense. And exercise a little caution against Carl Junction’s interception-hungry, hard-hitting secondary. Or perhaps the Carl Junction cheerleaders should be ready for another long evening of performing pushups. Week 2 - Aurora at Carl Junction
Aurora scored four touchdowns during their jamboree against Kickapoo, Branson and McDonald County, while allowing only one. However, one week later they started their season with a 34-6 loss against the Rogersville Wildcats. The Bulldogs opened their season at Lamar. The Tigers were winless in 2007 and seemed to be an ideal opponent for the Bulldogs, who lost a deep senior class from last year. Lamar hadn’t won a football game for more than a year, so it’s easy to see why Carl Junction coaches were disappointed with their Bulldogs football team at halftime Friday. The Bulldogs held a 14-0 lead, but had only found the end zone once despite being handed several golden opportunities. Only two minutes into the game, the Bulldogs’ Austin Osborn recovered a Lamar fumble and Zach Waranch’s 6-yard run put Carl Junction up 6-0. But the offense could only manage a pair of field goals by Nii Abrahams during the next 22 minutes despite a great defensive effort by the Bulldogs. The average starting field position for the Bulldogs during their first seven possessions was the Lamar 34-yard line. Nearly the entire first half was played in the Tigers’ territory. The Carl Junction offense looked better in the second half. Brandon McCoy returned the second half kickoff 54 yards, putting the Bulldogs in good field position at the Lamar 38. Only two minutes later, Zach Waranch found the end zone again for the first of three Carl Junction second-half touchdowns. Eventually, the Bulldogs finished with a 35-0 shutout of Lamar. The win was the eighth in the last nine games for Carl Junction. Lamar scored nine touchdowns the previous week at the jamboree, but could manage only 113 total yards against the Bulldogs. Carl Junction recovered four Lamar fumbles and tackled the Tigers in the end zone for a safety in the second quarter. Carl Junction’s defense now looks to stop Aurora in week two. The ‘Houn Dawgs (0-1) lost to Rogersville in week one, struggling to find the end zone themselves. The Wildcats were up 34-0 before Aurora finally scored in the third quarter on a 7-yard run by senior Chris Crowley. Crowley (5’10”, 185) finished with 131 yards on 18
carries The key to success again may very well rest upon the shoulders of the Carl Junction defense, but it is obvious the coaches expect more from their offense. Start with the running game. The Bulldogs had a pair
of runs over 20 yards including a 63-yard run by Waranch, but otherwise
struggled to average two yards per carry.
The Bulldogs offensive line will be facing
a larger defensive line this week. Carl Junction will also look to improve their passing game. There were times Friday at Lamar when the quarterback and receivers may not have been on the same page, despite a fine 166-yard passing performance by Matt Thompson. Several passes fell harmlessly to the ground where Thompson expected a receiver to be. The big play of the night was an 83-yard completion to Coury Ferson. Coaches and fans alike were
pleased with special teams play.
Abrahams looked impressive on kickoffs as
well as nailing the two field goals and all three extra points.
Thompson was good on a couple of punts,
including pinning Lamar inside their own 5-yard line prior to the
safety. On Friday night, it will be time to christen the new artificial turf at Bulldogs Stadium. Aurora will show up ready to battle in this rivalry game, but if the Bulldogs can get off to a good start they’ll have a great shot at moving to 2-0 this season. Week 1 - Carl Junction at Lamar
Last year, Carl Junction topped the Tigers 35-0 in a homecoming victory. But 2008 is a new year, and with it brings new hope for Lamar football. The KOAM-TV Pigskin Preview likes Lamar, and predicted a turnaround in the form of a 4-6 finish. The Tigers didn’t disappoint in their jamboree last week, racking up a total of 9 touchdowns against Stockton, Kansas City Van Horn and McAuley Catholic. The Tigers return 9 starters on offense, led by senior quarterback Blake Howarth (6’2”, 180). As a junior, Howarth was effective throwing the ball against the Bulldogs but his primary target was the now-departed Brett Rawlings. A new target for Howarth is Andrew Fowler, who scored against Stockton in the jamboree on a 40-yard reception. The big play wasn’t the only of the night for Lamar last week. Their offensive explosion in the jamboree included a 39-yard run by Howarth, a 35-yard run by senior Parker Garfield (5’8”, 165) and a 39-yard reverse by Dalton Parks. Tigers coach Scott Bailey, in his third year as Lamar’s leader, liked what he saw. “It’s completely different than the way we felt coming off the field after last year’s jamboree,” said Bailey (8-14 during his first two years at Lamar). “A year ago Stockton and McAuley handled us, and our goal this year was to make sure that we felt like we were the best team on the field when we left the field.” Carl Junction must be ready for the mis-direction and trickery that Lamar teams show, some of which were on display again last Friday night. The Bulldogs’ effectiveness on defense starts up front, where they’ll turn to veteran defensive linemen Austin Osborn, Brandon Hunter and Andrew Clark for help. The trio will be expected to penetrate Lamar’s o-line, keeping pressure on Howarth and causing timing problems with Lamar’s backfield magic. On offense, the Bulldogs hope to be at full strength in the backfield after holding junior running back Zach Waranch on the sidelines during their jamboree with Carthage and Monett. Waranch is nursing a hip-flexor injury. Sophomore Dakota Sailor had several nice runs against Monett in Waranch’s absence.
Junior Matt Thompson, taking over varsity quarterbacking duties as a starter for the first time, got his feet wet at the jamboree during a somewhat-conservative offensive plan. The Bulldogs ran a limited number of plays, concentrating on the basics and holding back the majority of the playbook for another night. Thompson completed a pair of passes on the evening. Back to the Pigskin Preview. The magazine picked Carl Junction to finish 6-4 this season. If the Bulldogs can stay healthy, they can make a run at an even better record than predicted. They should take that first step Friday at Lamar. 2008 Season Preview - Bulldogs looking forward to new season 8/15/2008 |
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