Cleburne junior quarterback Quade Coward is ready to lead the Yellow Jackets to big things in 2011.

Special Supplement to the Times-Review

Football 2011

Cleburne

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2011 Cleburne Football

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Cleburne Football 2011 is a publication of the Cleburne Times-Review, a part of The Lone Star News Group
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Sunday, August 28, 2011

2011 Cleburne Football

Page 3

Jackets want to erase taste of last years 1-9 campaign

preview

Cleburne has a deep roster for 2011

By Zack cunningham sports@trcle.com

After Cleburnes 6-4 run in 2009, the Yellow Jackets had high hopes entering 2010 . Those high hopes were dashed as Cleburne struggled to a 1-9 record in its first season of play in District 7-4A . The secondary was suspect and routinely exploited for big plays by more athletic teams such as Dallas Madison, Everman and Mansfield Summit . Cleburnes lone victory in 2010 came over Joshua, 56-28 . The Owls ended up 0-10 . A silver lining was the emergence of Quade Coward as the quarterback of Cleburnes future . As a sophomore, he split playing time with junior Chaston Cuffee in the backfield . His accuracy and decision-making along with his mobility have made him the starter for Cleburne in 2011 as it tries to move forward from last years disappointment . Head Coach Phil Young said his team is further along this year after two scrimmages instead of one and an extra week of practice . Were definitely further along just because weve had that extra week with pads, Young said . Were also a little more dinged up because of it . Cleburne returns eight starters, four on each side of the ball . Senior receiver Cooper Walls, who led 7-4A last year in receptions, returns along with tight end Pete Black, a three-year letterman . In the backfield, Coward has several options including senior Patrick Morgan, Zach Haler and junior Khalil Hall . Hall is the speediest of the three .On defense, Cuffee is the safety and Andy Anderson returns

The Cleburne offense will feature different looks at the running back position with players like Tucker Nolan (11) and Patrick Morgan along with Zach Haler and Khalil Hall. Andy Anderson will also see time at running back.

David Beans/Special to the Times-Review

for his senior season as an outside linebacker . Connor Martyniuk, a senior, will play inside linebacker along with Brock Sanders . Both are undersized at around 170 pounds . On the defensive line is where Cleburnes strength may lie . Chaz Armistead, Clayton McLaurin (a Rio Vista move-in), German Hernandez, Eduardo Cassio and Aaron Perez are all available for duty in the trenches . James Thornburg returns at the linebacker slot and Tanner Marchel is back on the line after missing last season with a leg injury . Cleburne will operate out of a multiple-front look on both offense

and defense . The Jackets usually go with a 4-3 defensive front, but they were exploited in the secondary last year . With Cuffee playing predominantly in the safety position this season, Young said the hope is he can prevent big plays from happening . On offense, Cleburne has been a more run-centered team lately, but with the departure of speedy running back L .J . Holmes, a first-team all-district selection last year, the Jackets may be forced to rely more on the passing game until the running backs develop . Young said he feels good about the extra practice Cleburne has got-

ten this year . Were good when we stick to our assignments, he said . When we start to peak and look around on the offensive line, were not as good . Andy [Anderson] has turned into a fantastic football player . Hes improved the most of anyone and hes going to be fantastic this year . Young mentioned Black and Walls will be key again for Cleburne . Those guys caught the majority of our balls last year, he said . They can catch the ball in a lot of different situations . Theyve both

got a lot of speed and are very fast in their positions . They might be the fastest at their positions in the district . Walls might be the most dangerous offensive weapon Cleburne possesses, Young said . I think his expectations are to catch every ball that comes his way, he said . Theyll put their best guy on him every game . Getting off the line, hell have to show up every game and understand hes going to get the best kid and probably be double-teamed . Hes a very unselfish kid and thats his best attribute along with being very athletic .

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2011 Cleburne Football

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Jackets relying on youth, speed, intuition on offense

Underclassmen are highlight for Cleburne
B y Z ack c unningham sports @ trcle . com

offensive preview

Cleburnes Quade Coward (15) and Patrick Morgan (21) are two returning letterman on the Yellow Jackets offensive unit for the 2011 season.

David Beans/Special to the Times-Review

Cleburne Offensive Coordinator Tommy Webb said theres plenty to be excited about concerning the 2011 edition of the Yellow Jacket offense . This is as good a group of skill kids weve had since weve been here, Webb said . This years senior class is a different group and they incorporate everything . Were way ahead of where we were this time last year . Cleburne had an extra scrimmage in the preseason because of spring football drills . The Jackets scrimmaged Grapevine at home on Aug . 13 and Arlington Heights at home on Aug . 19 . Returning on offense are senior receiver Cooper Walls, who led District 7-4A in receptions last year, along with both Cleburne quarterbacks in junior Quade Coward and senior Chaston Cuffee . Coward will start this year with Cuffee as the backup . Webb said Cuffee, a University of Missouri commit, will play more on the defensive end, but added hes the kind of dynamic athlete who can be used anywhere on the field and on both sides of the ball . Also returning are senior running back Patrick Morgan and senior tight end Pete Black . Ive got some guys on the offensive line whove gotten some experience last year, Webb said . Cooper and Pete are the only true returning starters from last year, but when you finally have a system the kids have gone through, I feel comfortable with this team . Webb said the Jackets will

sport a lot of new faces, including the shifty junior Khalil Hall at running back along with Andy Anderson, who impressed in the Grapevine scrimmage . Hes going to make an impact, Webb said of Anderson . Hes a starter on defense and we know hes going to be a big impact player on offense . Other new faces include Zack Haler at running back and senior Connor Martyniuk . Clayton McLauren is a senior move-in from Rio Vista and Webb said he will fill in nicely . Patrick has trimmed down and come in in really good shape, Webb added . Hes got a senior moxi about him and he hasnt been going down easy . Kameron Pickett is a sophomore, and hell see some snaps at running back . Webb said Coward has progressed a lot during the summer after visiting a lot of throwing camps . He said quarterback coach Ky Kelm has also helped with his progression . Were going to have to spread it out a lot more, he said . Quade took a lot of reps last year and during the last five games of the season we were switching him in and out . On day five of practice this year, he was still humming balls in there . Hes a big, fast kid with a lot of passion for the game and he wants to do well . We want him to be more of a leader in the huddle, but that will come with time . Overall, he has the whole package and a very strong arm . His accuracy is starting to come on . On the line, Cleburne will play senior Clayton Harris at left tackle . Harris has played the position two of the last three years . Senior guards Alec Swisher and Philip Vasquez will also return for the Jackets and junior Tori Endricht and sophomore Hunter Hicks will battle for the starting center spot .

DATE

2011: The Journey

OPPONENT

Sunday, August 28, 2011

2011 Cleburne Football

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Creating Better Places to Live!

TIME RESULT

Aug . 26 Sept . 2 Sept . 9 Sept . 16 Sept . 23 Sept . 30 Oct . 7 Oct . 14 Oct . 21 Oct . 28 Nov . 4

@ Dallas Madison 7:30 p .m . Frisco Centennial 7:30 p .m . OPEN @ Waco Univ . Granbury* @ Burleson* Mans . Summit* Crowley* @ Joshua* Everman* @ Arl . Seguin* 7:30 p .m . 7:30 p .m . 7:30 p .m . 7:30 p .m . 7:30 p .m . 7:30 p .m . 7:30 p .m . 7:30 p .m .

______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______ ______

*7-4A contest

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The Cleburne Yellow Jackets gather around Head Coach Phil Young after completing a scrimmage against Grapevine at the indoor multipurpose practice facility. The scrimmage was moved indoors because of rain.

David Beans/Special to the Times-Review

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2011 Cleburne Football

Sunday, August 28, 2011

By Zack cunningham sports@trcle.com

Two seniors hope to lead Cleburne offense to new heights in 2011 campaign

Leading by example
cooper walls - pete Black

Two seniors, Cooper Walls and Pete Black, are going to be two of junior quarterback Quade Cowards biggest weapons on the field . The two players are different in terms of demeanor . Pete talks . A lot . But the talking he does on the football field, whether hes injured or running across the middle, is a benefit to his team . Cooper is more withdrawn . Not shy, but he possesses a confidence in his talent and athletic abilities that speaks for itself . Walls was a stud quarterback in middle school, but didnt play varsity football until last year . His goal, he said, was pretty simple . I was just trying not to get killed, he said . I was pretty clueless . Walls played wide receiver for the Yellow Jackets and was a target of both Coward and Chaston Cuffee . Under the tutelage of former Jacket Logan Nunn, Walls said he was able to learn the basics of being a wideout . I was just trying to make myself a part of the team, he said . I expected to be good but I didnt think Id have the season I had . Logan Nunn was always there showing me the basics . Coach [Brent] Burton helped to teach me routes because I was pretty clueless . It all worked out pretty well for Walls as he established himself as a legitimate deep threat with his speed

Pete Black was a force for Cleburne at the tight end position during his junior campaign

Zack Cunningham/Times-Review

Cooper Walls led the district in receiving last year in his first-ever varsity football season.

David Beans/Special to the Times-Review

and hands . He finished as District 7-4As leading receiver . Towards the end of the season, I felt great, he said . This year, my confidence is a lot higher . My goals are to make myself a better receiver

and to make those around me better . Hell have to deal with the bullseye thats been placed on his back . That happens when you have a breakout year . Ive talked about that a

lot with my coaches, he said . Im going to need to learn how to get off blocks . Im going to be jammed and facing double-teams . Everyone is going to know who I am . I need to find a way to get open and make plays .

Walls said he feels he can run with the best 7-4A has to offer . I feel like I can run with the Evermans out there, he said . But Ive also got to be able to outsmart them . Black said he played

backup quarterback behind Walls in middle school, but was moved to the tight end spot his sophomore year . His talkative demeanor and fearlessness serve him well, he said . I hope Im one of the more vocal seniors, he said, laughing . I guess I call myself a leader . I do talk a lot . A lot of the talking is done in the form of encouragement and advice to the younger Jackets, Black said . He pays it forward after being mentored by former Jacket Bubba Oakes during his sophomore season . He was really good about showing me how to make sure I did everything right as a tight end, he said . I was his backup but last year was really the signature year when I had my starting position . I never really came off the field . Bubba would come back and tell me I was doing things the right way . I catch myself all the time telling that to the sophomores and being more like a coach . Black, who also plays basketball, said football is more of his feature spot . Along with Walls, he said he considers the two a great one-two punch for any quarterback . Im one of those kids who is never going to be scared of anything, and if I am then Im not going to tell you, he said . I think Im a pretty good threat across the middle and with Cooper playing the deep ball, thats a pretty good threat . Head coach Phil Young said the two will catch the majority of our balls .

Sunday, August 28, 2011

2011 Cleburne Football

Page 7

Jackets will be strong up front

By Zack cunningham sports@trcle.com Last year, Cleburnes defense was a big reason the Yellow Jackets struggled to a 1-9 record . The unit surrendered more than 450 points and allowed 50 or more points three different occasions (to Everman, Dallas Madison and Crowley) . With returning talent on the line and in the secondary, along with new co-defensive coordinators Ross Taylor and Curtis James, Cleburne has reason to hope the holes from last year are patched . Or they soon will be . Were a multiple-front defense, James said . We like to give ourselves some options from week to week . We want to give the people were going to play a couple of different looks . The main weakness right now is guys seeing the terminology for the first time and trying to get it down . The most notable returner on the defensive unit is senior Chaston Cuffee, a University of Missouri commit and one of the fastest players on the team . Hes our center fielder, Taylor said . His job is to make sure hes always the deepest man on the field and that were not going to give up the big play . Cuffee has been hurt off and on through the preseason and saw limited action in Cleburnes two scrimmages . He played six plays during the Jackets scrimmage against Arlington Heights . James said Cleburnes strength will be up front . Theyre all juniors and seniors up there, he said .

Defensive preview

The Cleburne defensive line might be the strong point for the Yellow Jackets said codefensive coordinator Curtis James.

David Beans/Special to the Times-Review

Thats probably the strength of our defense . That front is composed of Chaz Armistead, Jarvis Thompson, Aaron Perez and Rio Vista move-in Clayton McLaurin . All are multi-year lettermen . Senior Connor Martyniuk will help out as an inside linebacker and sophomore

Kameron Pickett will also play in the secondary, James said . Andy Anderson and Brock Sanders are two more linebackers for Cleburne . Anderson played linebacker last year and will also see time at running back this season . Andy has a really tough role, he said . Those guys

have to know when to be on the edge and when their time is to bounce and to cover the pass . They need to read the key and get to where they belong . One bounce or a moment of hesitation is the difference sometimes between a
See DEFENSE, Page 9

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2011 Cleburne Football

Sunday, August 28, 2011

By Zack cunningham sports@trcle.com

Junior to lead Swarm into battle in 2011

QuaDe cowarD

For Cleburne junior quarterback Quade Coward, the 2011 season is all about opportunity . The tall, lanky gunslinger saw shared action with Chaston Cuffee during last seasons 1-9 campaign and played more minutes as the season progressed . By the end of the season, Cuffee and Coward were switching out every series . This year, the starting job belongs to Coward . Cuffee is the backup and will focus on being a defensive specialist . Coward showed promise in his appearances last year and possesses both the mobility and arm strength that could be the key to getting Cleburne on the right track offensively . Coward said he has to remain even-keel about the situation . Its pretty exciting, he said . Youve got to come out there and be a leader . Youve got the rest of the team looking up to you because youre the big guy . Coward plays three sports at Cleburne High School but admits football is his favorite . Over the summer, he attended several throwing camps and has worked hard with quarterback coach Ky Kelm from the beginning of this summers practices . He also put in a lot of time in the spring . He manages the game very well, said Head Coach Phil Young . Hes very strong with a lot of athletic ability . Hes a smart, tough football player . Coward will have plenty of weapons to work with this season, and a lot of them will be familiar faces from last year . The districts leading receiver in Cooper Walls returns as a senior, along with running backs Patrick Morgan and Zach Haler . Scott Baca is also an option . You have to stay even-keel, Coward said . You have to keep

Cleburnes Quade Coward, left, hands the ball off to Khalil Hall during the Yellow Jackets scrimmage against Grapevine at the multipurpose indoor practice facility at Cleburne High School. Coward, a junior, is the starting quarterback for Cleburne.

David Beans/Special to the Times-Review

your head on straight and keep things moving no matter what . Two years ago, Coward was dominant on Cleburnes freshman black team . It was a common sight to see Coward running for long gains against an outmatched defensive unit . He said hes improved vastly since those days . I feel like my mechanics have completely changed since I was a freshman, he said . The skill level

of the varsity competition, thats what you have to make your changes based on . I feel like Ive advanced . Coward did experience a few learning hiccups while facing that varsity speed for the first time in 2010 . He recalls one instance against eventual 7-4A champion Everman . There was one play where all of my receivers were covered, he said . One of their guys was flying

at me so I just chunked the ball and got hit . It was their left defensive end, but they all looked huge . It happened a few times, actually . What will the junior do this year with an Owl, an Elk or a Bulldog bearing down fast? Simple . Ill basically roll out of it and stay focused in the pocket, Coward said . Because of his height and

awareness, Coward is able to scan the defense for blitzes better than his predecessors . My vision is my biggest strength, he said . Im good at seeing what the defense is doing . Coward said he had a feeling after his freshman year that he could compete for a varsity position as a sophomore . I knew Id be able to fight for
See COWARD, Page 9

Sunday, August 28, 2011

2011 Cleburne Football

Page 9

Defense
completed pass and six, seven or eight yards . Taylor praised his linebacker corps and said even though they are small they will be effective . Theyre both quick guys, Taylor said . Weve got to cover them up front as well as we can . We cant let the offensive linemen mash on our linebackers . Theyre only 170 pounds each . Brock Sanders and Zach Haler will see time at the linebacker position . James said Haler may be closer to 180 pounds . Taylor added Cleburne has a heavier and a lighter set of defensive linemen it can rotate in and out . Weve got a mixture of both with McLaurin and Perez, he

cont. from pg. 7

said . They can start on both sides of the ball . McLaurin runs well for a big kid . Hes probably the second-biggest lineman weve got at 245 pounds . Weve also got Eduardo Cassio for size and Trenton Homes and Tory Endtricht . Those guys are our light defensive linemen . Both coordinators expressed mixed feelings on Cleburnes defensive performance in the Arlington Heights scrimmage, but both had high praise for the Jackets performance in the first scrimmage against Grapevine . [Against Grapevine], we saw people flying around the ball, Taylor said . But then on Friday, on one series they kind of mashed on us and we didnt handle it well . But we needed to see that . We adjusted to the next series and understood what we needed to play well .

Cleburne junior quarterback Quade Coward looks downfield for an open receiver.

David Beans/Special to the Times-Review

cowarD
it, he said . I just tried to be a leader and keep the momentum going . I think Ive accepted my role better than I did last year . Last year, I didnt start out as the quarterback, but knowing that Im the No . 1 guy, I know Ive got to be the leader and I have guys looking up to me . Being the starting quarterback will mean Coward has a bigger bullseye on his back than ever before . That means rivals like Joshua and Burleson will be targeting him, specifically . I cant wait, Coward said . I dont really like either of them .

cont. from pg. 8

Cleburnes Tanner Marchel (20) makes a tackle during the Yellow Jackets scrimmage against Arlington Heights at Yellow Jacket Stadium. Marchel missed last season with a leg injury but returns for his senior season in 2011.

David Beans/Special to the Times-Review

PROUD TO SUPPORT JACKET FOOTBALL.

T H E W AY B A N K I N G S H O U L D B E
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2011 Cleburne Football

Sunday, August 28, 2011

2011 CLeBurNe HiGH SCHooL YeLLoW JACKeTS

David Beans/Special to the Times-Review

Kameron Pickett

Chaston Cuffee

Khalil Hall

Pete Black

Connor Martyniuk

Cooper Walls

Matt Mahan

Scott Baca

Tucker Nolan

Matt Mead

Quade Coward

Hayden Schmitt

Vincent Maes

Andy Anderson

Tanner Marchel

Patrick Morgan

German Hernandez

Colin Finnell

Chad White

Trenton Holmes

Brock Sanders

Sunday, August 28, 2011

2011 Cleburne Football

Page 11

2011 CLeBurNe HiGH SCHooL YeLLoW JACKeTS

Zach Haler

Jordan ebbens

James Thornburg

Josh Hodges

Alex Swisher

Tyler Todd

Dustyn Ward

Tyler rogers

Aaron Perez

Clayton McLaurin

Phillip Vasquez

Hunter Hicks

Murry Pritchard

Chance Harris

eduardo Cassio

Tory endtricht

Chaz Armistead

Tyler Newton

Jarvis Thompson

Tanner Galvin

Anderson brings pride back into equation

Senior is proud to be playing for Cleburne
By Zack cunningham sports@trcle.com Phil Young is entering his fifth year at the helm of the Yellow Jackets . Its safe to assume that he, as a former Cleburne High School graduate, knows which player represents Yellow Jacket pride . When asked what senior linebacker and running back Andy Anderson represents, Young didnt hesitate with his answer . He loves the Jackets, Young said . He has a desire inside him to see us do well and succeed . Hes developed into a quiet leader but he loves his teammates and his team . Anderson played outside linebacker for the Jackets last year in his first year on the varsity . In 2009, Anderson was the quarterback of the JV team and was no stranger to making big plays . When asked to move to the defensive side his junior year, Anderson said he didnt hesitate with his response . I think I like playing defense better because I love to be able to defend well and to be tackling guys, he said . I love chasing people down . The Jackets found themselves in chase mode a lot last year . With Anderson returning to the secondary along with several other speedy defensive backs, the hope for Cleburne is he wont have to try to catch players from behind . I feel like Ive progressed a lot, he said . When youre younger, the game feels fast . But when youre a senior, something clicks and things start slowing down a lot . You start seeing things better and you get a feel for whats going on . Young agrees with Andersons assertion that hes progressed . Hes probably improved more

Page 12

2011 Cleburne Football

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Andy Anderson (18) runs during a scrimmage earlier this season against Grapevine High School. Anderson is a senior and will play outside linebacker and see time in the backfield as a running back in 2011.

David Beans/Special to the Times-Review

than anyone on our team, he said . Hes going to be a fantastic player for us this year . Hes going to play running back for us . Playing both sides of the field was something Anderson said he was willing to do . I thought it was awesome when they told me I could be the running back, he said . Its exciting and like a dream to be able to play on the

varsity and start . Anderson said there are several keys for his success this season . Im the main guy when it comes to the outside containment, he said . I need to remember to stay disciplined and do what Im supposed to do in practice . If you do that every game and every play and remember to know your keys and get to the ball, then

youre doing what youre supposed to be doing . Despite the praises of his head coach, Anderson said he isnt completely satisfied with the effort hes given the last two years . He may be the only one . Ive done all right, he said . But not the best that I can, but maybe thats a good thing . Id like to see more sacrifice

from myself in any way I can for us to get the wins as a team that we want . Ill do whatever I can . That, Young said, is what exemplifies being a model Cleburne Yellow Jacket . I do love the team and I love the atmosphere and I love Cleburne, Anderson said . I love being a Yellow Jacket and thats all the motivation I need .

Sunday, August 28, 2011

By Zack cunningham sports@trcle.com

Cleburne struggled during 2010 season

2011 Cleburne Football

Page 13

The Cleburne Yellow Jackets struggled to a 1-9 season one year after going 6-4 in their final stint in District 164A . A suspect secondary did the Jackets in during the rigors of District 7-4A play . Cleburnes lone win came over Joshua, 56-28 . Heres a look back at last year . Game 1 Dallas Madison 62 Cleburne 9 Fresh off a 6-4 season which nearly resulted in the schools first playoff berth in a decade, Cleburnes hopes for a similar success story in 2010 hit a major road bump in the home opener against Dallas Madison . The speedy Trojans used big play after big play to bury the Yellow Jackets, 62-9 . Madison had four scoring plays of 85 yards or more in the rout, and three of those came through the air . Trojan quarterback Bryce Pearson broke free on an 85-yard yard touchdown run with 4:25 left in the first quarter to give Madison a 6-0 lead after a failed two-point conversion attempt . Cleburne had three chances inside the Trojan 10 in the first half to keep pace with Madison, but netted only three points on a 38-yard field goal by Jacob Vasquez . On the Jackets first trip downfield, Cleburne advanced all the way to the 6, but penalties and stiff Madison defense drove the Jackets back to the 41 where a fake field goal at-

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Cleburnes Chaston Cuffee (2) runs for a gain during a game last season for the Yellow Jackets. Cuffee saw time at quarterback during the 2010 season.

David Beans/Special to the Times-Review

GOOD LUCK YELLOW JACKETS!

Page 14

2011 Cleburne Football

Sunday, August 28, 2011

tempt failed to net Cleburne any points . Later in the half, the Jackets drove down to the 3, only to turn the ball over on a fumble . Big plays ruled the day for Madison as the Trojans had five scoring plays of 70 yards or more . After Pearsons big run in the middle of the first quarter, he found Ronald Wilcot two minutes later for an 18-yard touchdown strike . Vasquezs field goal made it 12-3 with 9:37 left in the second, but Pearson tossed another touchdown pass, this one from 13 yards out, to Wilcot to make it 20-3 . Three minutes later, pinned deep in their own territory, the Trojans showcased their speed . Backup quarterback Terry Ross lofted a high pass to Marquise Smith who hauled it in and raced downfield for a 97-yard touchdown . Madison led 28-3 at the half . L .J . Holmes, who finished with 107 rushing yards on 20 carries, finally got Cleburne its first touchdown later in the third quarter with a 24-yard run . Game 2 Frisco Centennial 24 Cleburne 10 The Cleburne Yellow Jackets may have fallen, 24-10, to Frisco Centennial on Friday night at Pizza Hut Park, but head coach Phil Young said his team improved leaps and bounds following last weeks 62-9 home loss to Dallas Madison, another spreadbased team . Centennial featured quarterback Nick Foster, a player who Young termed one of the better quarterbacks in the Metroplex before Fridays contest . Foster dazzled with a 21-of-27 performance for 280 yards and two touchdowns, but Young said the Jackets adapted to Centennials quick

Cleburne running back L.J. Holmes (1) looks for room against the Joshua defense during the Yellow Jackets 56-28 victory over the owls at home. it was Cleburnes only victory of the 2010 season.

David Beans/Special to the Times-Review

offense after some early jitters . I think in the first half, we were real big-eyed, Young said . We were scared of what they were doing because they were so quick and aggressive . [Foster] is good . Hes very composed in that pocket . We gave them a short field and they scored . After Cleburnes opening drive stalled, the Titans marched down the field and Foster found Zach McCown for a 12-yard scoring strike to give Centennial a quick 7-0 lead . Cleburne entered the Titans red zone once more in the first half, but managed to come away with just three points on Coy Womacks 32yard field goal . Young said his defense solidified after the first quarter . We stayed in the game plan, Young said . We played a very strong three quarters, but we didnt tackle well at times . At other times,

we tackled real well . They didnt get many first downs in three quarters . Centennial finished with 16 first downs to Cleburnes 14, and the Jackets held the Titans to negative yardage on the ground while racking up 160 yards on 31 carries . Cleburnes defense continued to hold in the third quarter as Centennial managed just three points on a Clay Williaford 44-yard field goal with 2:08 left in the period . The Jackets had chances to narrow the gap in the fourth quarter, but Fosters 31-yard touchdown pass to a leaping Mark Stewart with 2:09 left in the game all but did Cleburne in . Cuffee helped the Jackets respond on the next play from scrimmage by hitting Cooper Walls for a 60-yard scoring strike up the sideline, but it wasnt enough . Game 3 Waco University 49

Cleburne 32 A close game got away from the Cleburne Yellow Jackets in the fourth quarter as they fell to former District 16-4A foe Waco University, 49-32, at home on Friday night . The game was delayed for more than an hour because of lightning, but both teams increased the length of the contest by combining for 29 penalties throughout the contest . Cleburne (0-3) was proficient on offense to the tune of 420 total yards, but committed 17 penalties in the process totaling 100 penalty yards . Head coach Phil Young said the repeated miscues threw his team out of sync . We were really hitting hard and making plays, Young said . But we just had so many little penalties and kept shooting ourselves in the foot . Its a lot harder to convert first-and-15 than it is first-and-10 .

We kept lining up offsides and flinching . Our defense played well at times, but were just not tackling well right now . Well correct that . University piled up 517 yards of total offense, but most of those came on big plays . The Trojans had six plays of 30 yards or more in the contest including touchdown runs of 65 and 51 yards by Terrance Majors and Demarcus Halliburton, respectively . Cleburne looked like it was going to set the pace early when L .J . Holmes, who finished with 230 yards rushing on 33 carries and three scores, bolted in from six yards out just 1:52 into the game . University answered back with 9:14 to go when Majors scored his first of three touchdowns, this one also from six yards away . With 5:35 left in the second quarter, Holmes struck again from eight yards out to

give Cleburne a 14-7 lead . University answered on the next play from scrimmage when quarterback Gerrell Griffin found Anthony Tisdale for a 63-yard scoring strike . Majors added a 35-yard touchdown run with 2:21 left in the second to give University a 21-14 halftime lead . Holmes added a 2-yard scoring run with 6:25 left in the third, but a two-point conversion attempt failed, leaving Cleburne behind, 21-20 . Majors added another run with 10:12 remaining in the fourth to extend the Trojans lead to 28-20, but Cleburne had a chance to tie it on its next drive . Chaston Cuffee capped off an 8-play, 48-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run to put the Jackets within 28-26, but the two-point conversion attempt was again unsuccessful . The points kept coming for University, which put up 28 in the final frame to pull away from Cleburne . Game 4 Granbury 33 Cleburne 7 The Cleburne Yellow Jackets (0-4, 0-1) fell, 33-7, to upstart Granbury (3-1, 1-0) in the District 7-4A opener for both teams on Friday night at Pirate Stadium . The Pirates, who have tripled their win total from last seasons 1-9 campaign, blitzed to a 33-0 first-half lead behind big plays from running back Brandon Davis and receiver Travis Wright . Wright hauled in four passes for 149 yards, including a 47-yard touchdown from quarterback Tyler Dixson, who finished 10-of-15 for 197 yards and an interception . The score was part of a 27-point second quarter where Granbury took con-

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trol of the game . Davis started the contest off with an 8-yard scoring scamper, and a failed extra-point attempt put Granbury up, 6-0 . He added runs of 6 and 51 yards in the second quarter to help the Pirates build the big lead . Dixson added a scoring plunge from a yard out to cap off the scoring explosion . Cleburne head coach Phil Young said the Yellow Jackets need to continue focusing on tackling and rebuilding their defense . The kids are playing hard and they want to win, Young said . The effort is there . Were just going to have to find the right mixture . Were going to be hiring and firing people . We need to get this right . A week after amassing 420 yards of offense against Waco University, the Jackets were limited to 220 total yards, with most of that coming in the second half . Granbury churned out 306 yards of total offense, with most of that coming in the first two quarters . L .J . Holmes, who rushed for 230 yards on 33 carries and three touchdowns last week, was limited to less than 100 yards for the first time all season . He finished with 53 yards on 15 carries and no scores . Chaston Cuffee, who accounted for Cleburnes only touchdown of the game with a 3-yard plunge in the fourth quarter, finished 9-of-27 for 92 yards and an interception .

Game 5 Burleson 36 Cleburne 14 The Silver Spike trophy went to Burleson for the next year after the Elks posted a 36-14 win over Cleburne on Friday night at Yellow Jacket Stadium . Burleson quarterback Corey Bailey scored on runs of 58 and 80 yards in the win, and teammate Corey Bailey added touchdown runs of 2 and 19 yards as the Elks (3-2, 1-1) moved back into the District 7-4A playoff race . Cleburne (0-5, 0-2) is left still searching for its first win of the season . The Elks opened up a close game with back-to-back scoring drives spanning the end of the second quarter and the beginning of the third period . Burlesons Amery Duncan punched in a 2-yard touchdown run with four seconds left in the first half to give the Elks a 17-7 lead . Burleson then capitalized on its opening drive of the second half with a 4-yard touchdown pass from Bailey to Collin Seago . Cleburne head coach Phil Young said that hurt the Jackets momentum . That score with four seconds left in the half really hurt us, Young said . Our kids came in at halftime and they were ready, but then they scored to open up the second half . That was tough to recover from . Cleburnes L .J . Holmes, who finished with 143 yards on 29 carries and two touchdowns,

Cleburnes defense makes a tackle during a game against everman last season on the road. The Bulldogs cruised to a 62-28 victory.

David Beans/Special to the Times-Review

Get Ready For Football Season!

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brought the Jackets to within 10-7 in the second quarter on a spectacular twisting 15-yard run that brought the crowd to its feet . In the third quarter, Bailey broke off his 58-yard scoring run, and Duncan followed with his second touchdown of the evening in the fourth Bailey added his longest run in the final quarter before Holmes added another 5-yard touchdown run for Cleburne as the game wound down . Game 6 Summit 38 Cleburne 14 In a game similar to last weeks War on 174, the Cleburne Yellow Jackets fell, 38-14, to first-place Mansfield Summit on Friday night at R .L . Anderson stadium . Cleburne (0-6, 0-3 in District 7-4A play) had a chance to take the lead in the second quarter, but an interception by sophomore quarterback Quade Coward helped lead to a touchdown drive by Summit (5-1, 3-0), which opened up the 13-7 advantage . The Jaguars Donovan Ellis, who finished with five catches for 89 yards and two touchdowns caught his first score with 7:41 left in the first quarter to give Summit a 7-0 lead . With 38 seconds remaining in the period, the Jaguars extended that lead as running back Lewis Washington barrelled in from a yard out to make it 13-0 . With 11:10 left in the second quarter, Cleburne quarterback Chaston Cuffee hit a streaking Cooper Walls in stride down the middle of the field for a 65-yard touchdown pass that brought Cleburne to within 13-7 . The Jackets forced a punt on Summits next drive and advanced to their own 38 before Cowards was picked off at the line of scrimmage by Jacolby Robinson, who tipped the ball to himself and hauled in the interception . Summit went on to score on the drive with 1:38 left before halftime when quarterback Xavier Williams found Washington in the end zone

Cleburne defenders record a sack against Frisco Centennial at Pizza Put Park last season. The Titans pulled off the win, 24-10, but the Yellow Jackets showed improvement a week removed from a 62-9 defeat at the hands of Dallas Madison.

David Beans/Special to the Times-Review

from 16 yards out . The Jaguars began to pull away in the third period when they scored on their opening drive when Ellis hauled in an 18-yard strike from Williams to make it 25-7 . In the fourth quarter, Cleburne pulled to within 11 at 25-14 when Coward found tight end Pete Black from 10 yards out on fourth-andgoal . But that was as close as the Jackets would get the rest of the night . Game 7 Crowley 56 Cleburne 35 They say speed kills . That was certainly the case on Friday night at Eagle Stadium when Crowley dispatched Cleburne, 56-35, in a District 7-4A battle that gave the Eagles (3-4, 2-2 in 7-4A) new playoff life, and left the winless Yellow Jackets (0-7, 0-4 in 7-4A) still looking for answers . After taking an initial 7-0 lead on a Chaston Cuffee 4-yard run with 6:10 left in the opening quarter . Cle-

burne gave up 13 points in the next two minutes as LaBradford Harold caught a 68-yard touchdown pass from Sean Flynn, and Larry Cheeks hauled in a 31-yard strike from Flynn 28 seconds later as Crowley took its first advantage . The fireworks were just beginning . In the second quarter, the teams combined for 43 points with Crowley scoring 29 of those . Flynn fired four touchdown passes in the opening half and was 11-of-18 for 244 yards in the first two periods . After James Harper caught a 23yard touchdown from Flynn, the Eagles led, 20-7, but Cleburne wasnt finished yet . Quade Coward rushed in from 10 yards out with 10:09 remaining in the second quarter, and L .J . Holmes added a 2-yard run with 5:49 left to give the Jackets a 21-20 advantage . Crowley scored three more times before halftime as Cheeks scored on a 21-yard scamper and Harper hauled in scoring passes of 24 and 36 yards, respectively as the Eagles took control .

Cleburne head coach Phil Young said the problems were the same as they have been all season on the defense end as the Jackets surrendered 545 yards of total offense while managing 301 . Its hard to come back from being down three scores at halftime, Young said . I shouldve run the ball with less than two minutes to go before halftime . Ive said it before and Im not making excuses, but there is a reason behind everything . On defense, we blew coverages, but were not very fast and were not tackling guys . Theyre running free and they ran by us in the secondary . Its the same old thing . Game 8 Cleburne 56 Joshua 28 The Cleburne Yellow Jackets took out seven games of frustration on the rival Joshua Owls on Friday night in a 56-28 win that left Joshua winless at 0-8 and 0-5 in District 7-4A, and gave Cleburne (1-7, 1-4 in 7-4A) its first win of the season .

On its second possession of the game, the Jackets 78 yards and capped off the scoring drive with a 25-yard touchdown run by L .J . Holmes, one of five on the night for the speedy back . That was all the scoring that happened in the opening period, but Cleburne opened the floodgates in the second quarter . Holmes capped off another scoring drive with a 24-yard touchdown run, and the Jackets recovered the ensuing kickoff after the Owls muffed the recovery . Cleburne responded with a 7-play, 63-yard drive which ended with Holmes third touchdown of the half, this time from five yards out . Joshua again failed to get on top of the ensuing kickoff, and this time Cleburne followed with a touchdown on the next play with Holmes scored from 31 yards out to make it 28-0 . The Owls couldnt respond and were forced to punt on their next drive, and three plays later, Cleburne quarterback Quade Coward found a streaking Cooper Walls down the middle of the field for a 47-yard touchdown to make it 35-0 . That remained the score at halftime, and the Jackets continued to pile on points after intermission . With 10:23 left in the third, Holmes scored his final touchdown of the night, this one from 50 yards out . He finished with 196 yards on 17 carries and caught four passes for 63 yards . Three minutes later, Coward made Joshua pay with his feet on a 23-yard touchdown run . He finished 9-of-10 for 148 yards and a score, and rushed nine times for 46 yards . Joshua finally got on the board with 4:27 remaining when quarterback Riley Davis found Garrett Rhoades for a 6-yard touchdown reception . The Owls scored again with 1:18 left when Davis broke several tackles on a 50-yard scoring run to make it 49-14 . With 10:01 left in the final period, Joshuas Clayton Smith blocked a 30-yard field goal attempt and returned it for the score to make it 49-21 . Cleburne added one more score when Mark Jones took it in from 3

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yards out with 6:25 left, and Joshua rounded out the scoring when Dylan Byrd twisted and churned his way into the end zone from 17 yards out with 4:57 left . The Jackets tallied 363 rushing yards and 518 total offensive yards in the win, both season highs . Joshua finished with 234 rushing yards . Davis led the Owls with 147 yards on 14 carries and a touchdown . Rhoades caught six passes for 31 yards . Game 9 Everman 63 Cleburne 29 The Cleburne Yellow Jackets (1-8, 1-5) hung with the champions of District 7-4A for a half on Friday at J .E . Marr Stadium before the powerful Everman Bulldogs (7-2, 6-0) pulled away in the final two periods for a 63-29 win . Everman rushed for 524 yards on 48 carries, and Texas Christian University commit James Bailey accounted for 257 of those on 19 carries and four rushing touchdowns . He also caught a 24-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Devynn Birdow, who finished 3-of-6 for 86 yards and an interception . Each of Birdows completions went for touchdowns with Robert Davis hauling in the other two after Baileys scoring catch . The Jackets started the game fast when Andy Anderson took the opening kickoff 65 yards up the sideline for a touchdown to give Cleburne a 7-0 lead . Less than eight minutes later, the Bulldogs tied the game up when Bailey ran in his first score, this one from 15 yards away . Everman didnt take the lead for good until the 9:24 mark of the second quarter when Bailey scored from two yards out . He added a 60-yard run 34 seconds laster to give the Bulldogs a 22-7 lead . Cleburne didnt back down, and L .J . Holmes brought the Jackets to within nine at 22-13 when he scored from six yards out . Everman responded when Davis caught his first touchdown pass, this one from 15 yards out, with 47 seconds left before halftime . Not to be outdone, Cleburne responded with one more scoring drive which was fueled by a 57-yard gain from Holmes .

Pete Black capped off the scoring drive on a 2-yard touchdown reception from Quade Coward with 11 seconds left to bring the Jackets to within 29-20 at halftime . Everman went on to outscore Cleburne, 34-9, in the second half despite another solid performance from Coward at quarterback . His two interceptions proved costly, but he finished 13of-19 for 147 yards and a score . He also rushed seven times for 18 yards . Game 10 Seguin 51 Cleburne 24 The Cleburne Yellow Jackets 2010 season came to a close on Friday against Arlington Seguin at Yellow Jacket Stadium . The speedy Cougars (5-5, 3-4 in 7-4A play) emerged victorious, 51-24, behind six touchdowns from Will Martin who added five rushing touchdowns after returning a first-half kickoff 84 yards for the score . Cleburne (1-9, 1-6) drew first blood after a muffed punt bounced into the end zone, and Collin Finnell fell on it for the Jackets to give them a 7-0 lead . On the ensuing kickoff, Martin ran it back to bring Seguin to within 7-6, but a failed extra-point attempt kept Cleburne atop by a slim margin . The Cougars Darius Stewart put Seguin atop, 12-7, in the second quarter with a 2-yard touchdown run, but the Jackets cut the lead to two when Coy Womacks 23-yard field goal split the uprights to make it 12-10 . Seguin began to assert itself later in the second period with its speed, something that was showcased as Martin broke off long run after long run .The Cougars finished with 272 yards rushing on 35 carries, and Martin had 151 of those on nine carries .Martin accounted for Seguins next five touchdowns with runs of 25, 5, 50, 8 and 37 yards to give the Cougars a 45-10 lead in the fourth quarter .

The Jackets managed to put in a few offensive touchdowns of their own in the final period when sophomore quarterback Quade Coward scored on a 5-yard run, and senior running back L .J . Holmes added a 5-yard score of his own to round out the scoring . Austen Parker accounted for Seguins final touchdown with a 27-yard scoring run . Cleburne head coach Phil Young said the defensive problems for the Jackets on Friday night were the same ones theyve faced all season . That old saying about how speed kills is true, Young said . I give Seguin a lot of credit . Theyre a very athletic team and that was one of the reasons we thought going into the season that they might be the district leader . Our men did the things we wanted them to all year long and they never quit . We never quit coaching and we gave a great effort .

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Cleburne varsity

2011 Cleburne Football

Sunday, August 28, 2011

David Beans/Special to the Times-Review

B y Z ack c unningham sports @ trcle . com

Burleson, Joshua, Cleburne aiming for playoffs in 2011

Everman remains favorite in 7-4A

The Elks went 5-5 last year with a 3-4 mark in District 7-4A . Cleburne returns eight starters with four coming back on each side of the ball . The Yellow Jackets took a sharp turn downward after 2009s 6-4 season and ended up 1-9 with a 1-6 record in District 7-4A last year . The Jackets return the districts leading receiver in senior Cooper Walls along with junior quarterback Quade Coward . Crowley qualified for the playoffs in the first year under head coach Chris James, but lost a lot of talent heading into this season . The Eagles were 5-5 last year and they return nine starters this season . Larry Cheeks is a junior and was the districts leading running back last year with 1,121 yards and 11 touchdowns . Defensive end Xavier Jones and tackle Tramon Gladman will be big or Crowley along with safety Jaquon Gee and wide receiver Connor Green . Kyron Minter had 133 tackles for Crowley last year and he returns for the Eagles .

District 7-4a overview

District 7-4a
Burleson - Went 5-5 last year and 3-4 in District 7-4A play. Missed the playoffs by one game. Returns four starters, three on offense and one on defense. Cleburne - Went 1-9 last year and 1-6 in 7-4A play. The Jackets return nine starters for 2011. Joshua - The Owls didnt win a game last year, but return 12 starters for 2011. Joshuas losing streak is at 18 games. Granbury - The Pirates went 6-4 and made the playoffs for the first time in 33 years last season. Granbury returns 11 starters including seven on offense. everman - The Bulldogs won the district title last year and return 15 starters including 8 on defense. Seguin - The Cougars went 5-5 but finished 3-4 in 7-4A play. Seguin will return six starters. Summit - The Jaguars finished in second place in 7-4A last year and return 10 starters. Summit advanced to the second round of the playoffs and finished with a 9-4 record. Crowley - The Eagles made the playoffs last year with a 5-5 record and a 4-3 mark in 7-4A play. Crowley returns nine starters.

Johnson County has three teams in District 7-4A with Cleburne, Burleson and Joshua . Nearby Crowley and Granbury are also in the league along with Everman, Mansfield Summit and Arlington Seguin . Burleson returns four starters with three on offense and one on defense . Big Derek Baldeschwiler is the focal point on both lines and he was an all-district selection last year in his first year on varsity . Barrett Cain will lead the Elks multiplelook offense at quarterback . Chris Aylesworth returns at running back and Luke Jakobbson is back for his senior season in the trenches . Colin Seago will also see time at running back .

Everman won the district last year with a 7-0 record and fended off a stiff challenge from upstart Mansfield Summit . The Bulldogs look to defend their 7-4A title with 15 returning starters but will have to do so without James Bailey, the sensational Bulldog who is now at Texas Christian University . Granbury broke through and made the playoffs for the first time since 1977 last year with a 6-4 record before falling in the bidistrict round . The drought had been one of the longest droughts in the state . Arlington seguin had a fast start in 2010, but faded with a 5-5 record and missed the playoffs . The Cougars return six starters from last years team . Free safety Steven Aikens and running back Will Martin will be key on defense and offense, respectively . Summit finished in second place in 7-4A last year and returns 10 starters for 2011 . Jaylon Singleton figures to be the top target for quarterback Ryan Cuevas and Bryan Ohene, Cortez Harris and Devante Robin-

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Above: Cleburne Yellow Jacket JV football team Left: Cleburne Yellow Jacket Freshman football team
David Beans/Special to the Times-Review

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2011 Cleburne Football

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