Football Mag

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Mineral Wells Millsap Perrin Santo Gordon Strawn
Plus:
Comprehensive previews
of each area team
Dandy Dozen area players
to watch
Clint Fosters preseason
Area Super Team
Predicted district
standings
From the Editor .........................................................................4
Rams on the Wing ......................................................................6
Team Previews:
Mineral Wells Rams ........................................ 12
Millsap Bulldogs ....................................... 18
Perrin Pirates ...................................... 24
Santo Wildcats ................................ 28
Gordon Longhorns ........................ 33
Strawn Greyhounds ................... 36
Super Team Ofense ............... 38
Super Team Defense ............. 40
New district predictions ...... 42
Table of Contents
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300 S.E. 1st Street
Mineral Wells
(940) 325-4465
Publisher
Jef Smith
Editor
Clint Foster
Writers/Photographers
Clint Foster
David May
Donna Parker
Layout and Design
Lindsay Bryant
Advertising Sales
Mary Gray
Cindy Maldonado
The PT-17 Stearman used in the cover photograph is part of the collec-
tion of airplanes and memorabilia at the Eagle Flying Museum, located
at Mineral Wells Municipal Airport. The plane was a Bronze Lindy Winner
at the 2003 EAA AirVetnure in Oshkosh, Wis. This particular Stearman, a
Model 75 Kaydet, still fies, traveling in May to an airshow at Curtis Field
in Brady. Eagle Flying Museum owner Scott Perdue said the plane was
based at Curtis Field for the last two years of World War II and trained a
lot of pilots even had a wreck there. Stearman's Model 75 Kaydet was
a primary training plane for WWII pilots. The Index thanks Perdue and
Eagle Flying Museum for graciously allowing us to use
his plane and facility for the cover photo shoot.
Let the trumpets resound, football season is
nigh!
Those hallowed months of fall we've eagerly
awaited all year have arrived, and for teams at
every level all across the nation, hope springs
eternal.
Growing up, like so many football fans in the
great Lone Star State, I could hardly wait each
summer for the release dates of Dave Camb-
pell's Texas Football magazine and other similar
football previews. Id spend countless hours of
the ensuing months pouring over each page in
anticipation for kickoff.
Some things never change.
But I can honestly say I never thought I
would one day fnd myself at the helm of the
production of a football preview magazine of my
very own.
Enter the inaugural edition of the Mineral
Wells Index's Palo Pinto County area Pigskin
Preview 2014!
As you will learn throughout the pages of
our magazine, it's an exciting time of change
and improvement for area football teams, with
many fnding themselves in positions to reach
new heights not experienced at their respective
schools in a good while.
In our cover story, you'll read how new head
coach and Athletics Director Gerald Perry is
bringing his high-fying spread offense and a
winning attitude to Mineral Wells. It's a new era
for the Rams flled with a bumper crop of new
ideas and new resources that could soon spell
the recipe for a new age of prosperity on the
gridiron in the near future.
Our Pigskin Preview features comprehensive
frst looks at not only the hometown Rams, but
each of the six area football schools ranging
from the UIL Class 1A to 4A. I can promise you
that you won't fnd previews this detailed and
informative on your area teams in any other
publication.
I've also added some additional features I
hope you'll enjoy in this, our frst football preview
magazine. You'll see my Area Super Team, com-
prised of who I deem to be the very best players
at each position among area schools. You'll also
fnd my new Dandy Dozen a list throughout
the magazine profling the two best impact play-
ers from each area school as chosen by their
coaches.
I would be amiss if I didn't thank the many
people who had a hand in the success of this
giant step in a new direction for the Index's foot-
ball coverage.
I frst have to thank the Index's new General
Manager David May for not only believing in my
ability to take on this project, but pushing the
idea that we make it
a full magazine and
rallying the troops
to make it work.
I also have to
thank our publisher,
Jeff Smith, who
gave us the vote of
confdence to pro-
ceed with upgrading
our preview to a magazine in the frst place.
Our graphics manager, Lindsay Bryant,
deserves all the credit in the world. Her fnger-
prints are all over this magazine, having totally
designed the layout aspect of just about every
page. Her uncanny design ability and ability to
work fast has wowed me on many occasions
and it's solely because of her that our preview
looks as professional as it does. It's people like
her who make writers like me look good.
The Index's sales department also deserves
some major thanks for doing what they do best
and selling the heck out of this new magazine to
make sure it was a success.
I also want to thank my friend Tony Eier-
dam, who contributed in a big way to the photo
archives used throughout this magazine and
taught me a great deal about covering local
sports in my frst year in Mineral Wells.
Thanks also to God for putting me in this po-
sition and to my family for their love and support,
especially my wife and dog, who continually put
up with my crazy schedule, greet me at the door
with a smile and always encourage me to be the
best I can be.
Special thanks also to area coaches and
players for being so cooperative and to their
families and fans for picking up this magazine!
I'd also like to dedicate this magazine to my
late friend and mentor Richard Durrett. It's be-
cause of you that I am a sports writer at all. I will
forever be indebted to you for the many lessons
you taught me, hours of guidance and lasting
impact of how to succeed in this business while
still being true to yourself and giving glory to
God.
It's my sincerest hope that anyone who picks
up this magazine fnds within not only knowl-
edge, but a memory they can cherish for years
to come. Here's wishing you have half as much
fun pouring over the pages as I did putting them
together!
Thanks for reading,
Clint Foster
From the Editor
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Wellness Center
&
320 S.W. 25
th
Ave. 940-328-6580
Mineral Wells www.ppgh.com
REHABILITATION
We are here for all your sport injuries & therapeutic needs.
Thank you, Auxiliary
6 | Mineral Wells Index
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A new era has begun for Mineral
Wells football.
Not long after the lights shut down
in Kennedale the site of the last
game of a disappointing 1-9 campaign
for the Mineral Wells Rams in 2013
rumblings grew that after fve years at
Mineral Wells, including the school's
frst district championship season
since 1985 in 2010, head coach
Chuck Lawrence had coached his last
game for the red and white.
The announcement of Lawrence's
reassignment in late January only
fueled the fres of speculation as to
who would take the reins of a Rams
program desperately in need of a new
direction. It would take just over a
month for the Rams faithful to receive
an answer.
Enter Gerald Perry.
A complete departure from Law-
rence, Perry swooped into Mineral
Wells from Waco Midway on what
might as well have been a white
horse, bringing with him his high-fying
spread offense, a bevy of fresh ideas
and a clear message: "I'm here to win
now."
After only a handful of months on
the job, Perry set into motion a multi-
platform plan to build a competitor
something he has done countless
times in 21 years of coaching, includ-
ing fve years at Bastrop, where he
quickly transformed a doormat into a
district champion. For the frst time,
Mineral Wells student athletes were
involved in an intense, summer-long
strength and conditioning program,
putting in the work necessary to
change perceptions and results on the
feld for Mineral Wells football.
Perry orchestrated a much-needed
update to the Mineral Wells High
School weight room, ordered fashy
new red and black Adidas uniforms
and along with some additions to the
coaching staff brought a new win-
ning swagger and attitude that hasn't
been seen in Mineral Wells football in
some time.
But the most important things Perry
brought with him when he parachuted
into the consciousness of the Mineral
Wells community was a completely
new strategic philosophy on both of-
fense and defense.
After lagging behind the rest of
the pass-happy Lone Star State with
run-frst offenses for years, Perry is
molding the Rams into a team with an
airborne, spread offense.
It's a fast, no-huddle system Perry
An attacking, airborne offense is just one of
many changes coach Gerald Perry brings to
Mineral Wells in his frst year
By CLINT FOSTER
Pigskin Preview | 7
said he originally modeled after Rich
Rodriguez while he was head coach for
the West Virginia Mountaineers. It also
borrows from the Oregon Ducks' spread
scheme that incorporates the zone read
in an offense that is always attacking.
"It's a four-wide offense," Perry said.
"The biggest difference you're going to
see is the tempo aspect of it. It's going
to be very, very fast. There will be times
we stop and turn back to the [offensive
coordinator] to change our plays and
check out things, but it's all no huddle.
We'll try to get as many touches as we
can on offense."
Perry's offense is one that allows for
increased versatility and multiple forma-
tions. Receivers and running backs will
have the freedom to lineup out wide, in
the slot or even in the backfeld depend-
ing on the situation and front presented
by the defense.
The goal of the offense is primarily
to spread the de-
fense out with
long passes
to open
up short
passing
lanes and the zone running game. It
may seem complex, but at its heart the
offense is predicated on a fairly simple
read system that, when executed well,
can be extremely diffcult to defend. It's
almost exclusively built on option routes
and different outlets for the quarterback
depending on what the defense does.
"There's fve or six different concepts
in our passing game that the quarter-
back has to know," Perry said. "You can
do a lot of things out of it, but for the
quarterback, it's really simple who he
reads. We've had this offense for many
years and some great quarterbacks in
this system. It's complex, but once you
learn it, it's really simple."
Reads can also change based on
a defensive front to make plays even
more diffcult to defend. For example,
on a typical zone read running play,
the quarterback can choose to give
the ball to the running back or keep it
for himself by reading virtually any of
the defensive linemen or linebackers,
depending on the front and protections.
On many zone reads, the quarterback
will also have the option to dump the
ball into the fat on a bubble route if
all running lanes are closed.
"Offensively, what we do is dic-
tated by the defense," Perry said.
"You can't defend everything.
Our goal is to space the
defense out, see how
their going to play it and
our quarterbacks go
to where there's fewer
people."
No matter what forma-
tion the Rams lineup in,
Perry guaranteed there will
be plenty of substitutions to
keep players fresh and the
tempo will not slow down,
whether there are three
backs in the backfeld or just
the signal caller.
Key to the success
of this system and virtually every of-
fensive system for that matter is who
lines up at quarterback. It's a question
for Mineral Wells this offseason without
an easy answer as Perry said three
players are in tight competition for the
starting job.
Two-year starter Caleb Acosta
returns for his senior season, but after
struggling last year and coming into a
new system, his job is anything but se-
cure. Sophomores Trent Guinn, who led
the freshman team to a district champi-
onship last year, and Perry's son Tristan
Perry each have legitimate chances of
seizing the head role for themselves at
a young age.
Perry declined to name a leader in
the quarterback competition, but said
that throughout summer 7-on-7 tourna-
ments all three quarterbacks rotated
every half to get equal work and audi-
tion time.
"All of them have done good
things," Perry said of his quarterback
candidates. "Right now, that's one of
those positions that probably won't be
decided until the week of the frst game
[Aug. 29].
"All three of those guys are capable.
Acosta's made some strong gains over
the spring, just maturity-wise. But also,
the good thing about our offense is
they're into a quarterback system now.
The read system is not just a hodge-
podge of things that you call. The plays
that are put in have to ft into that read
system and if they don't, they don't get
put into the game plan. It may look like
a lot of offense, but for a quarterback,
he just has to read two people and
that's it."
The Rams' new high-fying offense
isn't the only change in the playbook.
On defense, Mineral Wells will also
switch from the traditional 4-3 to a blitz-
heavy 3-4 that fgures to make a world
of difference by putting more speed on
the feld.
Much like his offense, Perry said his
3-4 defense is both simple and effective.
"You'll see a lot more blitzing," he
said. "You'll see multiple coverages. Go-
A returning two-year starter, senior Caleb Acosta, left, is expected to compete for the
Rams' starting quarterback job with sophomores Trent Guinn and Tristan Perry. Guinn led
the Rams' freshman team to a district title last year, while Perry - the head coach's son -
is most familiar with the new offense. Photo by Clint Foster.
ing to that odd front puts Dale [Turner]
out on the edge to blitz and means we
can man up with our safeties on the
slots. The goal is more speed, quick-
ness and toughness out there."
Turner's move from 4-3 defensive
end to 3-4 outside linebacker is the
key facet to the change in scheme.
At 6-foot-3, 215 pounds, the athletic
Turner, while a great defender, was
a bit out of his element with his
hand in the dirt, but still
managed fve sacks in
2013.
Now, es-
sentially as
the Rams'
version of
DeMarcus Ware, Turner
can better use his athleticism,
putting better pressure on oppos-
ing quarterbacks in blitz packages
and helping out in coverage when
needed. Perry said he is already adapt-
ing well to playing in space, snagging
fve interceptions in one day at a 7-on-7
tournament this summer.
The 3-4 also means the Rams
only need six defensive linemen to be
two-deep at the position. The ability to
maximize their talent and keep players
fresh in a position group that is hard to
fnd depth for at the high school level
should prove invaluable.
To facilitate the shifts in offensive
and defensive philosophy, Perry hired
a trio of new coordinators to add to an
already accomplished coaching staff
that could quickly build a reputation as
one of the best in the region.
Chris Olson, who coached with
Perry at Bastrop, was brought aboard
to run the offense, while Seth Hobbs,
who followed Perry from Midway, will
call the defensive plays.
As a quarterback for Todd Dodge
at the University of North Texas, Olson
gained a deep understanding of the
inner-workings of an effective spread
and has proven an uncanny ability to
develop young quarterbacks. Mean-
while, Hobbs has spent time as a head
coach and athletics director in addition
to many years as a defensive coordina-
tor, even winning a state championship
with that title.
Daniel Johnson, who succeeds 18-
year veteran David Tarver as Mineral
Wells' softball coach, will also step into
the role of special teams coordinator.
Like Hobbs, Johnson was also pre-
viously a head coach and athletics
director.
Perry also brought aboard Mark
Piakowski to coach cornerbacks and
Jason Briles nephew of Baylor head
coach Art Briles from Graham to
coach receivers in what has the mak-
ings of a hiring coup.
"We've hired an
outstanding staff,"
Perry said. "We've
retained some
good coaches that
they had here and
we brought in a
wealth of knowl-
edge. We've got
three very sound co-
ordinators with a lot of
experience and a lot of
wins. And we've added
some other pieces to the
puzzle that bring a lot to
the table as well.
"The kids see coaches coming
in with a pedigree and people they can
trust and that's the biggest thing with
a new coaching staff is they've got to
trust you. They've got to trust every
little detail we're teaching. "
Perry has multiple goals for his frst
season in Mineral Wells, but one of his
chief aspirations in winning the district
championship in the absolute gauntlet
that is the Rams' new home in District
4-4A-DI. Perry said while the core of
his team is young, he believes he has
the athletes to make his system work
and work well.
"That was one of the concerns we
had when we frst got here," he admit-
ted. "But the good thing is if we need
to run the ball 80 percent of the time
in a game, we feel like we have the
personnel to do that. If we need to
throw the ball that many times
and they're going to crowd
the box, we feel like we
can do that as well.
We've got some
young, talented
receivers, so
it's impor-
tant for
us to
have
some success early in the season and
get things clicking right away before we
get into district and things get tough."
Of all of Perry's goals, one stands
out above the rest and is prominently
displayed in the Mineral Wells locker
room: win a state championship. Perry
acknowledged the Rams have a ways
to go before they are competing at the
highest level, but he said he has every
confdence that his highest goal is by
no means out of reach for his Mineral
Wells program in the near future.
Having won a state championship
as a player at Lorena in 1987, Perry
said he knows what it takes to succeed
on high school football's biggest stage.
"I won with a team in high school
that people said we couldn't do it," he
said. "We didn't have a lot of guys that
went to play college ball. We just had
a group of guys that cared about each
other, played hard and played for each
other and that's what you have to do.
"I don't want anyone to tell me we
can't win," he continued. "We've got a
long ways to go, but every year we're
going to go in with that as one of our
goals: to win a state championship.
I want that to be the expectation for
our players and fans. That's why it's
important for our fans to come out and
support these kids, because our kids
are doing a lot right now, a lot more
than they ever have. The expectations
are high and we have to have high
expectations for our community. Win or
lose, our kids are going to battle and
we're going to get better and better."
RB Johnny MoRales, MineRal Wells
5-7, 195, Sophomore
40 time: 4.5
Bench: 315
Notable stat: rushed for 1,100 yards and 15 touchdowns in
seven games on the Rams freshman team.
Favorite college team: Baylor Bears
Favorite NFL team: Seattle Seahawks
Favorite athlete: Adrian Peterson
Nickname: J-Mo
Favorite video game: NCAA 14
Favorite band/artist: Drake
Favorite movie: Remember the Titans
Favorite super hero: Batman
Favorite sport besides football: basketball
Favorite fast food restaurant: Whataburger
Favorite TV show: Friday Night Lights
Celebrity crush: Iggy Azalea
One genie wish: to play in the NFL
olB Dale tuRneR, MineRal Wells
6-3, 215, Senior
40 time: 4.7
Bench: 255
Notable stat: totaled five sacks last year as a
DE in 4-3. Moves to OLB in new
3-4 scheme.
Favorite college team: LSU Tigers
Favorite NFL team: New England Patriots
Favorite athlete: Ray Lewis
Nickname: Twitch
Favorite video game: Forza Horizon
Favorite band/artist: Lecrae
Favorite movie: The Fast and the Furious (all of them)
Favorite super hero: The Incredible Hulk
Favorite fast food restaurant: McDonalds
Favorite TV show: Pinks: All Out
Celebrity crush: Nicki Minaj
One genie wish: to play in the NFL
Area players to watch
Pigskin Preview | 9
In memory of
Our Biggest Fans
In memory of
Our Biggest F
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Patrick
Folkner
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BBBBBBBBBBaiiiiiiiilllllllllllllley PPPPPPPPPPatttriiiiiiiickkkkkkkkkkkkkk
Seniors
20 15
Optimism is running high in Mineral Wells.
The historic Baker Hotel is on pace for
renovation, new businesses could be heading
to town soon and the arrival of new head coach
and Athletics Director Gerald Perry has given
a much needed shot of enthusiasm into the
arm of the Mineral Wells High School football
program.
It feels as if the slate has been wiped clean
and everything with regards to the Rams on the
gridiron is new. New uniforms, a new offense,
a new defense, a new weight room, a new
offseason program, a revamped coaching staff.
Perry is pulling out every trick in the book to
bring a championship culture to Mineral Wells
and build an expectation within the community
for winning. It's an essential shift in perception
for a football program and its fans that have ex-
perienced just two six-win seasons since 1995.
Perry is talking big in his frst summer on
campus with a long list of goals in ascend-
ing order: win the frst game, win the
frst district game, win a
district championship, have
a winning season, practice
on Thanksgiving, have a
100-percent passing rate
and win a state champion-
ship.
And like never before,
Perry is ensuring that the
last of those goals is taken
very seriously, going so far
as to prominently post it in
the Rams' locker room.
"How do you achieve
it?" Perry asked rhetorical-
ly. "We're already working
on those things. We had
a great spring. Kids have
bought in. We retained a
lot of kids and added some
new faces to the program.
Our strength and condition-
ing program in the summer
is a big part of that. We've
got over 280 kids work-
ing out with our coaches
in a fve-and-a-half-week
program and that's critical
to our success."
Perry and Rams Nation may still be in the
honeymoon phase with an exceptionally young
team, but it's a team that's shown an eager-
ness to learn and work hard and there's no
reason to believe Perry can't be the man to
lead them to the promised land in the com-
ing years.
For that matter, there's no reason the
Rams can't qualify for the playoffs this year
for the frst time since 2011. But it certainly
won't be easy.
In 2014, the Rams enter not only their
frst year with Perry at the helm, but
also their frst year in
an exceptionally tough
District 4-4A-DI, featuring
Graham, Decatur, Wichita
Falls Hirschi, Burkburnett
and Gainesville. All fve
of Mineral Wells' district
opponents qualifed for
the playoffs last season
and the three teams that
played the Rams in 2013
Graham, Hirschi and
Burkburnett beat them
single-handedly.
Graham has won the last
four meetings with Mineral
Wells, with the most recent
scores being 53-7 and 51-
7. The Rams have posted
wins in recent years
against Decatur, Burkbur-
nett and Hirschi, but lost
their most recent meeting
with each. And although
the Rams have not faced
Gainesville in decades,
back-to-back double-digit
win seasons for the Leopards would seem
to indicate they won't be a cakewalk either.
However, Perry said his outlook for suc-
cess in this gauntlet is simple.
"We'll take everything day to day," he
said. "We can only worry about ourselves
and get better. We're going to surprise
some people. We've got some ability, a
good plan in place and a great staff we've
hired and we're going to be very young.
The lack of experience hurts us a little
bit, but our kids are hungry to win, they're
coachable and we've seen progress every
day. We asked our kids to be sponges and
that's what they're doing. We want to win
as quickly as possible and that's going to
be our goal from the frst game."
Perry said he admired the resiliency and
no-quit attitude the Rams showed in last
year's 1-9 campaign and hopes to use that
as a foundation for what he plans to build.
Perry brings with him a high-scoring,
pass-heavy spread offense and an equally
aggressive, blitzing 3-4 defense.
He has three potential options at quar-
terback to run the new system: senior and
returning starter Caleb Acosta and two
sophomores in Perry's son Tristan Perry and
Trent Guinn, who led the Rams' freshman
team to a district championship last year.
While each has shown promise, Perry
has not acknowledged a frontrunner in
the race. All three have split equal time in
practice and seven-on-seven tournaments
and Perry said he likely won't announce a
starter until the week of the season-open-
ing game against Bridgeport, Aug. 29.
But while there are questions behind
center, answers at other positions seem to
have risen out of nowhere.
The 3-4 defense has allowed senior
Dale Turner to shift from a 4-3 defensive
end to a blitzing outside linebacker. It's a
move that Perry believes not only bet-
ter suits Turner's 6-foot-3, 215-pound
frame and athleticism which has already
resulted in increased attention for Turner
on the recruiting trail but will also allow
him to truly wreck havoc on opposing of-
Mineral Wells Rams
Young Rams have high hopes
in Perrys frst year
By CLINT FOSTER
Mineral Wells High School
Football Schedule
Date Opponent Site Time
Aug. 29 Bridgeport A 7:30
Sept. 5 Joshua A 7:30
Sept. 12 Glen Rose H 7:30
Sept. 19 Iowa Park H 7:30
Sept. 26 Godley** H 7:30
Oct. 2 OPEN
Oct. 9 WF Hirschi* A 7:30
Oct. 17 Decatur* H 7:30
Oct. 24 Graham* A 7:30
Oct. 31 Burkburnett* H 7:30
Nov. 7 Gainesville* A 7:30
* District Game ** Homecoming
Photo by Clint Foster
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fenses and force them to be one-dimensional. It's
just one way Perry said his defense emphasizes
putting more speed on the feld to make it more
effective.
"Once Dale [moved positions], you started
seeing his speed," Perry said. "He's very long.
In seven-on-seven, he had fve picks in just one
day. We expect him to anchor our defense and
force teams to run the opposite direction. He's still
learning to play in space, but he's shown a lot of
progress and we expect good things from him."
With Turner, sophomore newcomer Stefan
Sandoval and returning leading tackler Ty Tarver
joining forces to highlight the linebacking corps
and a three-man defensive line featuring former
linebacker Josh Hardee, who returns from injury
to play end that will allow six rotating starters
the ability to stay more fresh throughout each
game, the Rams could have the makings of an
intimidating front seven in 2014.
Meanwhile on offense, while most of the at-
tention has been on the quarterback competition
and a massive stable of athletic, young receiv-
ers, a new option has arisen at running back that
could prove invaluable in the Rams' zone-read
heavy scheme.
Just a sophomore, Johnny Morales has all the
makings of a premier back in a zone read before
playing a varsity game. With 4.5 speed and a
bench max already in the neighborhood of 315
pounds, he presents a fantastic combination of
speed and power. Playing in just seven games as
a freshman due to a nagging injury, he racked up
1,100 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Morales could prove devastating, especially
against a defense spread out to defend the long
pass.
"We're seen as a passing offense, but we do
run the ball quite a bit with our inside zone and
that's kind of his fort with his size," Perry said
of Morales. "He's a 4.5 kid and a big strong load
we'll have for three years."
Morales emergence, coupled with the addi-
tions of talented slot receivers like Braxton Allen
and Jordan Duckett, has allowed former starting
running back Tristan Seargeant to move to safe-
ty, where his hard-hitting style will be more than
welcome. He joins a talented defensive backfeld
with both promising youth, such as Kaine Car-
raway, and established stars like speedy corner
Rascellis Williams.
Perry expects to suit up between 50 and 60
varsity players by the time fall rolls around a
signifcant improvement over last year's roster of
30. Perry said this will allow the Rams to be two-
deep at every position with no two-way starters.
But even with this improved depth, the Rams
will need to steer clear of the injury bug to be
successful, especially considering how the pes-
tering insect decimated the Rams already small
roster in 2013.
In an attempt to stave off injury and keep play-
ers fresh to run his fast-paced offense, Perry said
substitutions will be virtually constant throughout
each game. In his words, "If you're a varsity
player, you're going to see the feld."
It's just one of many small differences Rams
fans will notice right away between his program
and past regimes.
"You'll see a little bit better fundamentally
sound team," he said. "Our kids are competing.
They haven't had a lot of depth here in the past
Linebackers Dale Turner (2) and Ty Tarver (1) will
key the Rams new 3-4 defense in 2014.
2013 Returning Stat Leaders
PASSING
Comp. Att. Yards. TD
Caleb
Acosta 96 545 1,117 6
RUSHING
Yards. TD
Tristan
Seargeant 432 3
RECEIVING
Yards. TD
Grant
Peters 163 0
TACKLES
Ty
Tarver 129
SACKS
Dale
Turner 5
INTERCEPTIONS
Ty
Tarver 1
and now you're having to fght for your
job every day. I think you'll also see a little
bit more of a brotherhood on this team.
They've really bonded during 7-on-7 and
the summer workouts. They have to trust
us as coaches, but they also have to trust
each other to get the job done. It's going
to take time, but once you have success,
they'll buy in for sure."
Perhaps far more diffcult than getting
the players invested, however, is getting
the community fully invested in the pro-
gram. It's what Perry said he sees as his
biggest challenge this year and one that
absolutely must change.
"We want those stands packed," he said.
"These kids deserve it, they're
working extremely hard."
And why wouldn't you want to
be in the stands? Perry's track
record indicates he can poten-
tially take the Rams football
program to heights it has not
come close to in years. It could
be a long road, but it begins
this year with Perry's demand
that the Rams strive for excel-
lence like never before.
"We've got to get the kids to
buy in to the point that every
little detail is correct," he said.
"We've got good athletes, we
don't have a ton of great ath-
letes, but we do have kids that
work extremely hard. We've got
to be fundamentally sound and
do exactly what we're coached
to do. What you see across the
state is the best athletic teams aren't
always the ones that win state cham-
pionships. It's those teams that have
good athletes, but are well coached
and do exactly what you tell them to
do. That's what we're trying to get to."
It certainly won't happen overnight,
but the end destination is prominently
displayed for each Rams football
player to see each day as they dress.
"Win a state championship."
And why not?
The end goal is clear and the frst
step is believing it can eventually happen.
The road starts in 2014, and as the Perry
era begins, it has become abundantly clear
that the Mineral Wells Rams of the immedi-
ate future will be unlike any other.
Game of the Year:
Burkburnett
Perry has the Rams talking playoffs in his
frst year, but that could be easier said than
done in the tough district that is 4-4A-DI.
To achieve their goal, Mineral Wells will
likely have to steal at least one win from
the likes of Hirschi or Decatur which they
are capable of. But the one game that they
absolutely must win is their home contest
against Burkburnett on senior night. A win
against the Bulldogs would not only keep
the Rams in the playoff hunt, but also prove
theyve made tangible progress since last
years disappointing 24-8 loss on the road in
non-district play.
Were going to surprise some people... We asked our kids to be sponges and thats what theyre
doing. We want to win as quickly as possible and thats going to be our goal from the rst game.
Head Coach Gerald Perry
The Rams returning leading rusher, Tristan

Seargeant (32), was originally expected to split
carries with sophomore Johnny Morales in Min-
eral Wells new spread backeld, but will likely
play safety instead.
2014 Mineral Wells Rams

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.
2014 Varsity Ram Cheerleaders
Jessica Isenberg - Mascot
Makayla Cantu
Taylor Otwell
Kaitlyn Norton
Kristian Hart
Alex Pearcy Mascot
Fantasy Cervantez
Veronyka Chavira
Macci Jackson
Kara Salisbury
Makayla Nance
Adrian Ramirez
Not pictured Becca Smith
2014 JV Ram Cheerleaders
Destiny Bell
Sammi Salinas
Gina Perez
Brooke Lopez
Shaylee Pesqueda
Taylor Levan
Gavin Jones
Mia Ragland
Carolina Zambrano
Not pictured Faith Moses
2014 Ram Athletic Trainers
Rosa Andrade
Angel Beavers
Jordyn Boyd
Mirella Castor
Jessica Garcia
Nohely Garcia
Airaca Graham
Shandie Hamilton
Megan Hardee
Jessica Hobbs
Kelsey Mandelke
Gabby Mercer
Darian Moya
Alisha Wells
Balea Wells
Beatriz Zapata
Photo courtesy Donna Parker/MWISD
Head Trainer Cliff Doc Payne
olB/RB JoRDan RichaRDson,
Millsap
6-2, 200, Junior
40 time: 4.7
Bench: 265
Notable stat: Millsaps leading tackler
last year with 43 stops.
Favorite college team: Auburn Tigers
Favorite NFL team: New England Patriots
Favorite athlete: Clay Matthews
Nickname: JD
Favorite video game: doesnt play video games
Favorite band/artist: The Damn Quails
Favorite movie: Top Gun
Favorite super hero: Superman
Favorite TV show: The Big Bang Theory
Celebrity crush: Blake Lively
One genie wish: world peace
RB/cB MoRgen DepRiest, Millsap
5-9, 155, Senior
40 time: 4.64
Bench: 225
Notable stat: led the Bulldogs in rushing last year with 487
yards and five touchdowns.
Favorite college team: Texas A&M Aggies
Favorite NFL team: Houston Texans
Favorite athlete: Wes Welker
Nickname: DePriest
Favorite video game: doesnt play video games
Favorite band/artist: Casey Donahew Band
Favorite movie: Friday Night Lights
Favorite super hero: The Flash
Favorite TV show: Ridiculousness
Celebrity crush: Blake Lively
One genie wish: to be a billionaire
Live long.
Live happy.
Live healthy.
Diamond Pharmacy
940-325-2541 100 S.E. 17
th
Ave. Mineral Wells
Still building, Bulldogs eye
more improvement in second
year of running slot T ofense
By CLINT FOSTER
Millsap Bulldogs
MILLSAP The Millsap Bulldogs enter
the 2014 football season with a few positive
building blocks and a myriad of challenges.
On one hand, the Bulldogs return a
handful of quality starters who will now be in
the second year of a slot T offensive system
that was a dramatic departure from the
spread previously run in Millsap.
But on the other hand, Millsap searches
to replace 11 seniors lost to graduation
not including starting safety Bradley Bot-
toms, who moved away this summer as
they begin their foray into the murderer's
row that is District 2-3A-DII.
The eight-team district, which Dave
Campbell's Texas Football magazine named
the toughest in the state for Class 3A Divi-
sion II, includes the likes of defending
state champion Cisco, perennial
power Eastland, Henrietta,
Wichita Falls City View,
Jacksboro and Nocona
each fresh off of playoff
appearances and the
rebounding Holliday Eagles.
It's a tough row to hoe
for eighth-year head coach
Kyle Coker, to say the least.
But despite facing an uphill
climb in recent years, the
coach who took the Bull-
dogs to the playoffs for the
frst time in a decade in
2009 said his goals for his
team have not changed.
"The goal has always got
to be to make the playoffs,"
he said. "We're in a tough
district, but you've got to
take it one game at a time.
This is a district that any-
thing can happen on any
Friday.
"We made big strides
last year as far as being
competitive in games. We're
going to have to get better every day and do
things right."
Because their district is so large, Millsap
will have to escape its district slate with
three or four wins to have a shot at the post
season. It's a tall order, but any success
the Bulldogs have in 2014 starts with their
offense.

Coker's newly implemented slot T func-
tions similarly to the old wing T offense
a classic in the Texas Hill Country
that prizes ball control, power and
misdirection through
running plays. It's a stark
difference to the rest of
the teams in the district
and many teams in the
state that run spreads,
but the system matches
Millsap's personnel well
and increased familiarity
in the second year with
the scheme will certainly
be helpful as well.
"Just switching
from a spread to a slot T
was a huge transition,"
Coker said. "It'll be better
for our kids, just having
a year under our belt.
Going into this season
where we don't have to
teach the basics of the
offense and can progress
further is going to be a
big advantage."
Running backs
Morgen DePriest and
Jordan Richardson will
drive the running game with a thunder and
lightning style with help from quarterback
Nick Lucia, who enters his third year start-
ing under center for the Bulldogs.
But key to the offense's performance
is the development of a green offensive
line that only returns one starter in Jacob
Ramirez. With so many young blockers,
Millsap will likely rely heavily on 6-foot-4
tight end Michael Rogers to become more
involved in the running game.
"We've got some big shoes to fll," Coker
said of the holes on offense. "Our line's go-
ing to be young, but they have a lot of good
potential. Offensive line's going to be a key
for us and those guys have to come on."
Arguably of equal importance to Millsap's
offensive success is the outcome of the
position battle at fullback currently between
two sophomores: Danny Kettler and Kody
Wages. Coker said Kettler was the prohibi-
tive favorite coming out of spring football,
but anything can happen during two-a-days
when Millsap will have to determine which
of the two is ready to carry a heavy load in
the slot T.
Although the Bulldogs can feel more
comfortable in the second year of a new
offensive system, this year they will also
break in a new defense. Coker said he
plans to implement a 3-3 stack to better uti-
lize Millsap's speed and quickness and help
defend against so many up tempo spread
teams.
Millsap's goal throughout the season will
be to keep the ball out of opponents' hands
with a methodical rushing attack, but when
forced to defend, Coker believes the 3-3
will allow his players to be more aggressive.
DePriest and Richardson who led the
Bulldogs in tackles last year with 43 stops
will be relied on as heavily on defense as
they will be on offense.
Coker said it is imperative that the Bull-
dogs use their brief non-district schedule to
get further acclimated to the new defense
and offense and build momentum heading
Millsap High School
Football Schedule
Aug. 29 Gorman A 7:30
Sept. 5 OPEN
Sept. 12 Itasca H 7:30
Sept. 19 Perrin A 7:30
Sept. 26 Eastland* H 7:30
Oct. 3 Jacksboro* H 7:30
Oct. 10 WF City View* A 7:30
Oct. 17 Cisco* A 7:30
Oct. 24 Nocona** H 7:30
Oct. 31 Henrietta* A 7:30
Nov. 7 Holliday* H 7:30
Quarterback Nick Lucia (7) returns for his third year under center with Millsap.
File Photo
PASSING
Nick
Lucia 19 51 262 1
RUSHING
Yards. TD
Morgen
DePriest 487 5
TACKLES
Jordan
Richardson 43
SACKS
Jordan
Richardson 1
into the district slate.
"We've got to learn to win early in the sea-
son," he said. "We've got to get some wins un-
der our belt going into the [district] season. We
need that for confdence and just to get some
momentum going into the [district] season.
"If we work hard from day one and we get
some things under our belt that we want to get
in before the season starts, we'll have success
going into district."
There's little doubt that 2014 will be tough,
but Coker believes that giving a bevy of young
players experience against some of the best
teams in the state will prove invaluable as the
Bulldogs continue to improve in the near future.
Senior Morgen DePriest (20) will lead the Bulldogs
rushing attack in the second year of coach Kyle
Cokers slot T offense.
Game of the Year:
Perrin
The Bulldogs revisit an area rivalry with
the Class 2A Pirates for the frst time since
Millsap won consecutive meetings in 2008
and 2009. In addition to the rivalry, the road
trip to Perrin can serve as a good measuring
stick game for the state of both programs in
many ways while also giving the Bulldogs a
quality warmup against a spread offense be-
fore beginning a fearsome district schedule
full of pass-heavy squads.
"We have potential for this team to come on
and be strong," he said. "It's still going to be a
youthful team there may only be three or four
seniors starting both ways. We have a lot of
juniors starting this year and some sophomores,
which means it's going to keep on getting better.
"But I think, if things go our way [this year],
we can surprise people," he continued. "And who
knows where that might take us? Hopefully we go
into that last game against Holliday with a shot to
get into the playoffs."
File Photo
2014 Millsap Bulldogs
Assisted Living
Family Owned & Operated
401 N.W. 4
th
St.
Mineral Wells, TX 76067
PHONE: 940-325-3744
Fax: 940-325-3093
myserenityestates.com

Serenity Estates
YOUR home is where our heart is License #137474
Serenity Estates is an limited liability corporation
Assisted Living
Family Owned & Operated
401 N.W. 4
th
St.
Mineral Wells, TX 76067
PHONE: 940-325-3744
Fax: 940-325-3093
myserenityestates.com

Serenity Estates
YOUR home is where our heart is License #137474
Serenity Estates is an limited liability corporation
lB eRik MaRtinez, peRRin
5-9, 185, Junior
40 time: 4.9
Bench: 200
Notable stat: named first-team all-district as a soph-
omore after leading Perrin with 50 tackles.
Favorite college team: Texas A&M Aggies
Favorite NFL team: Atlanta Falcons
Favorite athlete: Dwayne Wade
Nickname: none
Favorite video game: Grand Theft Auto 5
Favorite band/artist: Drake
Favorite movie: Fast and Furious 6
Favorite super hero: Iron Man
Favorite TV show: Fast N Loud
Celebrity crush: Jennifer Lawrence
One genie wish: world peace
ol cReeDe lee, peRRin
6-2, 215, Senior
40 time: 5.0
Bench: 255
Notable stat: started every game of his junior
season after an injury as an underclassman.
Favorite college team: TCU Horned Frogs
Favorite NFL team: Houston Texans
Favorite athlete: Adrian Beltre
Nickname: none
Favorite video game: Battlefeld 4
Favorite band/artist: Whiskey Myers
Favorite movie: Lone Survivor
Favorite super hero: The Incredible Hulk
Favorite sport besides football: baseball
Favorite TV show: Hell on Wheels
Celebrity crush: none
One genie wish: to be super strong
FUNERAL HOME
Serving families since 1892
Providing traditional and contemporary services
302 West Hubbard Street, Mineral Wells, Texas
940-325-4422
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SServiinngg ffaamilies ssiinnccee 11889922
Providing traditional and contemporary services Providing traditional and contemporary services
302 West Hubbard Street, Mineral Wells, Texas
940-325-4422
FFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUNNNNNNNEEEEEEERRRRRRRRAAAAAAAALLLLLLLL HHHHHOOMMMEEE
PERRIN It's been four years since
Perrin High School was a serious player in
a district championship race on the grid-
iron. But with an upcoming wildly-talented
junior class, the sun could be rising on an
extremely bright future for the Pirates of
southern Jack County.
After back-to-back four-win seasons,
the Pirates have every reason to expect to
qualify for the playoffs out of their new home
in District 8-2A-DII and they won't settle for
anything less.
Head coach Brad Hutton didn't mince
words when stating his team's singular goal
for 2014.
"Get into the playoffs," he said plainly
and quickly. "We've got to beat Cross
Plains, we've got to beat Baird, we've got to
beat Ranger and we've got to beat Gor-
man."
Hutton's goal of a 4-2 mark in district
would guarantee the Pirates a third-
place district fnish and their frst playoff
berth since 2009. With most experts
tabbing Perrin as the pre-
season fourth-place team
a ranking, in itself, good
enough for playoff qualifca-
tion it is a very attainable
goal, indeed.
If Perrin reaches the play-
offs, it will be on the shoul-
ders of its young and talented
spread offense.
Juniors Chase Akin and
Chace Talley form a dynamic
quarterback/wide receiver
tandem that will pose a con-
stant threat to score. When
Akin isn't dumping the ball
to his all-district classmate,
he'll have senior receivers
Brandon Bloodworth and JP
Monroe to rely on, as well
as backfeld mates Mason
Bowland and Gage Aguilar.
But Perrin's passing attack
will only be able to go as far
as a young offensive line
allows. The Pirates will rely
heavily on seniors Creede
Lee and Eric Hall to pick up the slack up
front and bring the rest of the line along in
time for the district schedule.

"We've got all of our skill kids back, but up
front it's going to be a work in progress,"
Hutton said. "How well [the offensive line]
does is going to be the ticket. We've got
some sophomores and juniors that
haven't had a lot of experience at
the varsity level and a couple of
sophomores [Lucas
and Logan Ramsey]
that will push our older
guys on both sides of
the ball. We'll just need
to get there by the time
that district race kicks
into gear.
"Creede is just
one of those kids that
goes unnoticed all the
time. You can put him
anywhere and he'll do
anything for his team.
He's just a great team
player and just leads
by example. [Hall] is
another senior that's
a lot like Creede. Both
of those kids just do
things right."
While the Pi-
rates have a wealth
of young weapons
on offense, the true
star of this team is
junior linebacker Erik
Martinez, who led the team in tackles last
year as a sophomore. Martinez will anchor
the Pirates' defense, whether in their base
split 4-4 or their 3-4 specifcally designed to
defend against other spread teams.
Hutton said he holds Martinez in higher
regard than any other linebacker he's
coached in his 11-year tenure at Perrin.
"Erik Martinez has got a chance to be
the best linebacker we've ever had, at least
since I've been here," Hutton said. "He's all
over the place."
The 2014 Pirates have the makings of
a team that will be both bigger and faster
than last year's squad, primarily thanks
to this stellar junior class. Their speed, in
particular, is a luxury Hutton said the Pirates
haven't had in a while.
Because of their great talent, Hutton said
many of these juniors will be relied on for
leadership, despite their youth.
"We don't have a lot of seniors," he said.
"Most of our juniors are going to be the
ones that have to lead, because they have
the talent to do so. That's going to be kind
of a tricky place. Sometimes you get a little
bit of animosity when that happens, so fgur-
ing that out is going to be key.
"I hate to say this, but keeping people
eligible is also going to be key. That frst six
weeks, you're going to be right in the middle
of that district race and it's going to depend
on how hard those guys have decided to
work in the classroom."
In order to achieve the Pirates' goal of
reaching the playoffs, they will frst have
to go through tough district opponents like
Cross Plains and Baird. But there is little
doubt that there is one game the Perrin
football team and its fans want to win more
Perrin poised for playof berth
after last years disappointment
By CLINT FOSTER
Perrin Pirates
Among the best in the area, wide receiver Chace Talley keys Perrins spread attack.
Perrin High School
Football Schedule
Aug. 29 De Leon H 7:30
Sept. 4 Roby Cisco 7:30
Sept. 12 Lake Country A 7:30
Sept. 19 Millsap H 7:30
Sept. 26 Baird* H 7:30
Oct. 3 Albany* A 7:30
Oct. 10 OPEN
Oct. 17 Gorman** H 7:30
Oct. 24 Ranger* A 7:30
Oct. 31 Santo* H 7:30
Nov. 7 Cross Plains* A 7:30
Photo by David May
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PASSING
Chase
Akin 33 92 385 1
RUSHING
Yards. TD
Chase
Akin 186 3
RECEIVING
Yards. TD
Chace
Talley 115 0
TACKLES
Erik
Martinez 50
SACKS
Erik
Martinez 2.5
INTERCEPTIONS
Chace
Talley 2
than any other: a home game on Halloween night
against the Santo Wildcats.
Perrin's hated rivals fnd themselves in the
enviable position of being in the hunt for a district
championship in 2014. Add last year's 41-0 loss
to Santo to the mix and you've got a recipe for a
deep desire for some revenge.
"Cross Plains is a must win," Hutton said. "Our
kids will tell you that Santo is more important.
"With Santo, anything can happen because
we're a rivalry," he continued. "It's a clash most of
the time. It's been like that since I've was in school
[at Perrin]. I've carried that rivalry over when I got
back and now these kids have the same mentality.
Santo goes to Mineral Wells to hang out and our
kids go to Mineral Wells to hang out.
"[Santo is] going to be pretty good next year
and they beat us last year pretty handedly. But
when us two get on the feld, there's no telling
what's going to happen. Rivalries are good. If we
can beat them, then that puts us in even better
position."
With so much talk about the Wildcats, who
have clawed their way into district championship
contention after many years, Hutton believes his
Pirates aren't far off from being back in the same
position.
"We're a year away," he said. "Our goal this
year is to get in [the playoffs]. Our goal next year
will be to win it."
With the junior class Perrin is grooming today,
there no reason to believe they can't.
Game of the Year:
Santo
This ones a no-brainer. Its easily the ferc-
est 11-man football rivalry in the area and
this year it has playoff implications, as the
Wildcats and Pirates reunite as district foes
for the frst time since 2009. Perrin leads
the series 17-10 and, after a dreadful 41-0
defeat last year, would love nothing more
than to throw a wrench into Santos district
championship hopes while improving their
own playoff standing at home on Halloween
night. As Terrell Owens once said: Get your
popcorn ready.
Quarterback Chase Akin headlines a junior class
that could give Perrin a bright future.
Photo by David May
lB Dylan sWinney, santo
5-10, 180, Senior
40 time: 4.7
Bench: 215
Notable stat: track regional qualifier in the 200
meters with a 23.50 time.
Favorite college team: Texas Longhorns
Favorite athlete: Adrian Beltre
Nickname: Sweener
Favorite video game: MLB the Show
Favorite band/artist: Mike Ryan
Favorite movie: 22 Jump Street
Favorite sport besides football: baseball
Favorite TV show: Arrow
Celebrity crush: Carrie Underwood
One genie wish: to be bigger and stronger
QB kyle MooRe, santo
5-10, 165, Senior
40 time: 4.5
Bench: 215
Notable stat: rushed for 1,005 yards last
year for a 7.5 yards per carry average and
scored 11 touchdowns.
Favorite college team: Texas Longhorns
Favorite NFL team: New Orleans Saints
Favorite athlete: Andrew Luck
Nickname: QB 1
Favorite video game: NCAA 14
Favorite band/artist: Grant Gilbert
Music
Favorite movie: the Bourne trilogy
Favorite sport besides football: golf
Favorite fast food restaurant:
Chicken Express
Favorite TV show: The Offce
Celebrity crush: Jennifer Aniston
One genie wish: for my church youth
group to be bigger
8
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Santo Wildcats
Long-awaited district title within
grasp for bruising Wildcats
By CLINT FOSTER
SANTO For the past seven years, head
coach Randy Thornton has had the arduous
task of building something in Santo not seen
since the Wildcats' 14-1 quarterfnalist campaign
in 1994: a true contender.
After that magical '94 season, Santo strug-
gled to just two fve-win seasons in 12 years
before Thornton came along, bringing hope for a
brighter future in 2007. Three rebuilding sea-
sons passed and the 'Cats found themselves at
the cusp of greatness under Thornton's leader-
ship.
Since 2010, Santo's football program has
stared a championship season in the face each
year even qualifying for the playoffs in 2011
and dipping below .500 only once in that four-
year span. But each season, the 'Cats fell just
short, their ultimate goals just out of reach as
they stumbled down the stretch of an otherwise
promising season.
But after so many years of "almosts" and
"what ifs," true change appears to be on the
horizon for Santo in 2014.
With a bumper crop of talented returning se-
niors and a move down to District 8-2A-Division
II where Santo will for once be one of the big-
gest schools in its district, rather than one of the
smallest the Wildcats seem poised
not only for a run at the playoffs, but
possibly a district title.
"We've been knock-
ing on the door for a
couple years," Thorn-
ton said. "We've been
really close. The ball's
bounced funny a couple
times and we just
haven't gotten the job
done. But, how close
are we [to a district
championship]? I think
we're close.
"There's a lot of
other people that are
probably saying the
same thing. We're go-
ing to have to take care
of business or we're
not going to get there.
Close, at this point, re-
ally isn't good enough.
But we like where we're
at as a team, we like
our players. We just
need to take care of
business and get the job done."
Like many good coaches, Thornton was tact-
ful when explicitly stating his team's goals for the
season, saying, provided they can stay healthy,
they hope to be in the playoff hunt and
have an opportunity to "play beyond
the 10th game." But it seems the stars
are aligning for 2014 to be far more
special for the Wildcats.
Santo returns its top three leading
rushers from last year in its smash-
mouth, triple-option offense. In senior
quarterback Kyle Moore, the 'Cats
not only have a superb feld general,
but also an ideal option quarterback
with 4.5 speed and a team-high 1,005
yards on the ground last year to go
along with 11 touchdowns.
Senior Keith Chalker is a bruising
fullback and a perfect complement to
Moore when he decides not to keep
the ball. Chalker rumbled for 632
yards and nine touchdowns last year.
Don't sleep on fellow senior Grant
Gilbert either. As a running back last
year, Gilbert posted an astounding 9.8
yards per carry clip to total 912 yards
and a team-high 13 scores.
"This is a group that has grown
up in the system, grown up in the pro-
In Kyle Moore, the Wildcats have one of the areas
best quarterbacks running their option offense.
File Photo
Santo High School
Football Schedule
Aug. 29 Valley Mills A 7:30
Sept. 5 Rio Vista H 7:30
Sept. 12 Olney A 7:30
Sept. 19 Jacksboro H 7:30
Sept. 26 Ranger* A 7:30
Oct. 3 OPEN
Oct. 10 Cross Plains** H 7:30
Oct. 17 Baird* A 7:30
Oct. 24 Albany* H 7:30
Oct. 31 Perrin* A 7:30
Nov. 7 Gorman* H 7:30
M
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Santo Wildcats
gram," Thornton said of his senior class. "They're
ferce competitors. That whole class has been a
good class. They don't handle losing very well.
And on top of that, they're very coachable. Each
of those guys have worked hard and earned the
right to lead our program. We're going to count
on them to do a lot of great things for us and get
us to where we want to go."
But as effective as the Santo offense should
be, the Wildcat defense has the potential to be
even better. Led by senior linebacker Dylan
Swinney who had a team-leading 79 tackles
last year Santo's D fgures to be just as effec-
tive stuffng the run as their offense will be at
establishing it.
Gilbert will also be equally dangerous as a
roving defensive back against passing teams a
position from which he snagged four picks a year
ago.
It's Santo's ability to "out-physical" opponents
on the defensive side of the ball that Thornton
said will dictate how successful they are in 2014.
"I'm kind of an old-school guy in that I believe
we've got to play great defense," he said. "Our
success is going to begin and end on the defen-
sive side of the football. We're not a program that
wants to get into a bunch of shootouts. We need
to be able to control the clock on offense and get
some stops on defense and set up great feld
position."
Equally signifcant to the 'Cats district chances
in 2014 is a favorable schedule. With a mix of
manageable games against 2 and 3A opponents
in non-district play, the Wildcats could easily be
undefeated heading into their district slate.
Once district begins, Santo's most diffcult
games are equally spaced out, allowing them
time to catch their breath rather than running
through the gauntlet many area teams face.
2014 Santo Wildcats
PASSING
Kyle
Moore 19 52 252 4
RUSHING
Yards. TD
Kyle
Moore 1,005 11
RECEIVING
Yards. TD
Grant
Gilbert 42 0
TACKLES
Dylan
Swinney 79
SACKS
Dylan
Swinney 2
INTERCEPTIONS
Grant
Gilbert 4
Senior Grant Gilbert is a valuable two-way player
for Santo, snagging four interceptions last year.
File Photo
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A home matchup with the
district-favorite Albany Lions, Oct.
24, is key and will likely determine
whether the 'Cats will enter the
playoffs as the second-place team
in the district or eventually hoist
the district championship trophy at
season's end.
While many in Wildcats Nation
might see the new schedule as
a breath of fresh air, Thornton
thought back to Santo's tough
schedules of the recent past and
how much those experiences will
ultimately help the 'Cats in 2014.
"If you go back over the course
of the last two to four seasons,
we've played in two really tough
Division I districts against some
really good teams," he said. "You
can't help but get better playing
those guys.
"I think we learned some things
about ourselves a year ago. We've
talked about how we were half
a football away from making the
playoffs last year. We went into
the DeLeon game up 14-7 and
ended up getting beat 24-14. The
lessons that you hope are learned
from that are we have to be able
to fnish ballgames and win in the
third and fourth quarter. I hope
with another year under the pro-
gram and another year of maturity,
we can realize that goal."
Heading into his eighth year in
Santo, even as far as his program
has come, Thornton said the
Wildcats are nowhere near their
ultimate destination. After all, they
don't crown district champions in
August magazines; they crown
them on the feld in November.
"I feel like I've been here a
One of many seniors on the team, Dylan Swinney is a leader on
Santos defense, gathering a team-high 79 tackles last year. Head
coach Randy Thornton said his defense will have to be at its best for
Santo to win a district title in 2014.
while, but I still feel like we're kind of young in terms of truly
establishing our program as one of the elite," Thornton said. "We
need to control the things we can control. We've got to take care
of the Wildcats each and every week and the rest of that stuff will
take care of itself.
"The key for us is to stay healthy and continue to get better
each week. We're going to have to play great defense and take
care of the ball on offense just like a lot of other teams in the
state are going to try to do.
"I'd be lying if I told you we wouldn't love
to put a district championship trophy up in the
case, but we need to take care of ourselves
frst, play good football and let that stuff fall
where it may."
Game of the Year:
Albany
If all goes according to plan, this one will be
for all the marbles. The Albany game, which
begins the second half of Santos district
schedule, will feature two heavyweights with
smashmouth running offenses and de-
fenses to match. Although the Wildcats have
called the Lions district foes in other sports
recently, this will mark the frst time both
teams have met on the gridiron since back-
to-back drubbings by Albany in 2002 and
2003. While its doubtful revenge will be on
Santos minds, a shot at a district champion-
ship against a defending state semifnalist
certainly will.
Weve been knocking on the door for a couple years.
Weve been really close. The balls bounced funny a
couple times and we just havent gotten the job done.
But, how close are we [to a district championship]? I
think were close.
Head Coach Randy Thornton
File Photo
Brown Ford
Attorneys at Law
940-325-5552 809 S.E. 1
st
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Providing professional legal services to
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lB/RB chase coffMan,
goRDon
6-0, 200, Senior
40 time: 4.74
Bench press: 275
Notable stat: 79 tackles, 17 for loss, and 3
forced fumbles last year.
Favorite college team: Air Force Falcons
Favorite NFL team: Minnesota Vikings
Favorite athlete: Arnold Schwarzenegger
Nickname: Arms
Favorite video game: Call of Duty
Favorite band/artist: Rammstein
Favorite movie: Resident Evil
Favorite super hero: Thor
Favorite sport besides football:
soccer
Favorite fast food restaurant:
doesnt eat fast food
Favorite TV show: The Walking
Dead
Celebrity crush: Milla Jovovich
One genie wish: to be successful
s/RB XavieR castaneDa,
goRDon
5-7, 145, Senior
40 time: 4.71
Bench press: 200
Notable stat: 48 tackles, 5 PBU and 2 INT (one for
TD) in half a season last year. Went to state for
three events in track last year.
Favorite college team: Oregon Ducks
Favorite athlete: Jon Bones Jones
Nickname: X-man or Professor X
Favorite video game: Injustice
Favorite band/artist: Coldplay
Favorite movie: Guardian
Favorite super hero: The Flash
Favorite sport besides football: track
Favorite fast food restaurant: Taco Bell
Favorite TV show: Heroes
Celebrity crush: Rachel McAdams
One genie wish: for trillions of dollars
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Gordon Longhorns
Gordon hopes defense still wins
championships in tough new district
By CLINT FOSTER
GORDON It would have been easy to chalk
up 2013 for the Gordon Longhorns football team
as a rebuilding year and be done with it.
An extremely young Gordon roster had the
odds stacked against them before frst-year head
coach and former state champion Longhorn Joe
Kostiha took the reins.
Even so, behind Kostihas 4-2 defense that
improved each week, the Horns put together a
7-5 season and earned yet another district cham-
pionship.
As the Horns watched their season come to a
close under the lights of Springtowns Porcupine
Stadium where Gordon suffered a devastating
22-6 loss to Savoy in the second round of the
playoffs during a driving, freezing rainstorm it
was clear the young, underdog Horns felt they
should have accomplished even more.
Now that the calendar has turned to 2014,
new challenges have arisen, but the Longhorns
arent setting their goals or expectations low.
Our goal this year, like every year, is to win
the state championship, Kostiha said, who was
a member of Gordons second state champion-
ship team in 1999. To achieve this, we have
to put in the time and work in the weightroom,
which we did this spring and are continuing to
do this summer.
The University Interscholastic
League did the Horns no favors
as far as achieving their goals
for 2014, placing them in argu-
ably the toughest district in all of
Class 1A. Four of the fve new
members of District 10-1A-DI
reached the playoffs last season
with three putting together deep
postseason runs.
Consider that only the top
two teams in the fve-team dis-
trict even qualify for the playoffs,
and the equation gets even
tougher for a Longhorns squad
that is no slouch.
However, if Gordon is to
achieve its goals, it will be on
the back of its defense.
Senior all-state selections
Chase Coffman and Xavier
Castaneda return to a Gordon
defense that made the Horns a
force in the high-scoring world
of six-man football.
Kostiha said physical condi-
tioning and mental toughness
will be key to his defense staying in top form for
2014.
Our defense was a strength by the end
of the year [last year], he said. We have
two all-state defensive players back
that we think will be leaders on
a group that takes great pride in
what they do.
While the Gordon defense ap-
pears to be rock solid, nothing
but question marks cover the
Longhorn offense.
With the graduation of all-state
receiver Seth Wheeler and the
unexpected move of quarterback
Seth Allen, the Longhorns will be
forced to fnd new weapons, and
fast. The search will be further
complicated, though, by an inex-
perienced offensive line with two
new starters.
Kostiha said junior offensive
lineman Twister Brown and
sophomore quarterback Nathan
Briley will compete for the job as
Gordons starting signal caller.
Despite his youth, Kostiha said
he sees Briley as the early front-
runner for the position.
Breaking in more than half of
Xavier Castaneda helps lead a Gordon defense
that could be the best in the area in 2014.
Gordon High School
Football Schedule
Aug. 29 Newcastle H 7:30
Sept. 5 Highland H 7:30
Sept. 12 Blanket A 7:30
Sept. 19 Rising Star** H 7:30
Sept. 26 Walnut Springs A 7:30
Oct. 2 Woodson A 7:30
Oct. 10 Lingleville* H 7:30
Oct. 17 Gustine* A 7:30
Oct. 24 Strawn* H 7:30
Oct. 31 May* A 7:30
Nov. 7 OPEN
Pigskin Preview | 33
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PPOOSS
undoubtedly want much more. If Gordon can solve
just a couple of their offensive questions and the
defense proves as reliable, if not better, than it was
last season, theres no telling what the Horns can
accomplish in Kostihas second year at the helm.
their new offense, the Longhorns were hop-
ing to rely heavily on running back Humberto
Estrada early, who rushed for 268 yards and
six touchdowns last year as a freshman.
However, a nagging injury sidelined the
talented young player before fall camp even
started.
This news further indicated that Gordon
will likely have to be carried by its defense.
Luckily, Gordon got an additional shot in the
arm with the transfer of defensive lineman
Chase Mackey from rival Strawn just before
August practice started. If the Longhorns de-
fense can keep them in games, theyll have
a chance to win every time they hit the feld.
The Longhorns appear to be shoo-ins
for at least third place in the district, but they
RUSHING
Yards. TD
Humberto
Estrada 268 6
RECEIVING
Yards. TD
Humberto
Estrada 135 1
TACKLES
Chase
Cofman 79
SACKS
Chase
Cofman 6
INTERCEPTIONS
Xavier
Castaneda 2
2014 Gordon Longhorns
Game of the Year:
Strawn
Its the pinnacle of Texas six man football
rivalries. Greyhounds and Longhorns. A
back-and-forth series between two storied
programs that rarely disappoints. This year,
its even more important. After a brief hiatus,
the Hounds and Horns are district foes
once again. The Horns will need a win here
not only to avenge last years loss against
the 2014 District 10-1A-DI favorites, but also
to help ensure themselves a playoff berth at
seasons end.

Our defense was a strength by the end of the year [last year]. We have two all-
state defensive players back that we think will be leaders on a group that takes
great pride in what they do. Head Coach Joe Kostiha
Chase Coffman (5) is a workout warrior who led
the Horns with 79 tackles and 6 sacks in 2013.
QB/lB haRRison noWak,
stRaWn
5-11, 180, Senior
40 time: 4.9
Bench: 225
Notable stat: passed for nearly 5,000 yards over the
last two seasons.
Favorite college team: Ohio State Buckeyes
Favorite NFL team: Arizona Cardinals
Favorite athlete: Dirk Nowitzki
Nickname: Dirty Harry
Favorite video game: NBA 2K14
Favorite band/artist: Andy Mineo
Favorite movie: 300
Favorite fast food restaurant: Jack in the Box
Favorite TV show: Modern Family
Celebrity crush: Jennifer Lopez
One genie wish: to share the Gospel with everyone
B
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RB/lB Ross alison,
stRaWn
6-0, 180, Junior
40 time: 4.7
Bench: 250
Notable stat: represented Strawn at UIL State
Track and Field Meet in discus.
Favorite college team: Kansas State Wildcats
Favorite NFL team: Denver Broncos
Favorite athlete: Tim Tebow
Nickname: Ross the Boss
Favorite video game: Pacman
Favorite band/artist: Anberlin
Favorite movie: Friday Night Lights
Favorite fast food restaurant: Chick-fl-A
Favorite TV show: Sportscenter
Celebrity crush: Shakira
One genie wish: to win a State Championship
1
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STRAWN Winning state championships has
become more of an expectation than a hope in
Strawn, Texas.
Over the course of head coach Dwayne Lee's
11-year career with the Greyhounds, the Palo
Pinto County town of about 643 has produced
two teams that won it all in 2003 and 2008 en
route to emerging as one of the Lone Star State's
preeminent six-man powerhouses.
In 2013, Lee's 'Hounds found themselves just
three wins away from hoisting the championship
trophy when they lost a 64-62 heartbreaker in a
rematch with Newcastle in the state quarterfnals
in Mineral Wells.
Now, this year, Lee said the goal remains the
same.
"Our goal, most defnitely, is to win the state
championship," he said. "That's our goal every
year. Our mentality here in Strawn has been that
way for a long time. The years we don't win it are
disappointing, because we feel like we should
win every year."
Chances are, in 2014, the people of Strawn
won't be disappointed at season's end. With nine
starters returning from their regional champion-
ship squad, Dave Campbell's Texas Football
magazine tabbed the Greyhounds as the No. 4
team in the state and the favorites to win a tough
District 10-1A-DI.
The stars are aligning and it
seems Lee and Strawn High
School are more ft than
ever to make the push for
state title No. 3 in 2014.
The 2014 'Hounds are
tremendously talented and if
they can make a run to the
championship, their stellar
senior class will be a big
reason why.
"Leadership is a big
strength for us," Lee said.
"We have three kids who've
been playing on varsity
since their freshman year."
For the past three years,
Strawn fans have grown ac-
customed to hearing names
such as Abram Jarmillo,
Tyler Bays and Grayson
Brandenburg throughout
many a Greyhound victory.
But the posterboy for this
senior class and the whole
Strawn team is its quarter-
back: Harrison Nowak.
A team captain since his freshman year,
Nowak has close to 40 starts under his belt and
has thrown for close to 5,000 yards over the past
two seasons combined. He's also deceptive-
ly fast and is more than capable
of making plays with his feet in a
crunch.
But Lee said his experience,
maturity and work ethic are what
make him most valuable.
"He's extremely talented and
athletic," Lee said. "He's really
had a great summer."
The mark of any great football
program is depth, and as solid as
Strawn's seniors are, the juniors
aren't far behind.
It's a group headlined by run-
ning back and linebacker Ross
Alison, who played a vital role
in Strawn's deep playoff run last
year. Since last year's fnale,
Alison has put on 20 pounds of
muscle and is ready to carry an
increased load on both sides of
the ball.
"Ross brings a different level to
the table," Lee said. "He can do
so many things. There's not much
he can't do."
Strawn Greyhounds
Third state championship attainable
for Strawn in 2014
By CLINT FOSTER
Running back Ross Alison is part of an explosive
Strawn offense that could make the push for state.
File Photo
Strawn High School
Football Schedule
Aug. 30 Lueders Avoca A 4:00
Sept. 5 Rochelle H 7:30
Sept. 12 Abilene Christ. A 7:30
Sept. 19 TBD
Sept. 26 Dallas Cov. H 7:30
Oct. 3 Knox City H 7:30
Oct. 10 OPEN
Oct. 17 May* H 7:30
Oct. 24 Gordon* A 7:30
Oct. 31 Lingleville** H 7:30
Nov. 7 Gustine* A 7:30
36 | Mineral Wells Index Pigskin Preview | 37
Alison will likely be be charged with the bulk
of the task of replacing talented runner Coletyn
King, who recently left Strawn to move to Throck-
morton with his family. Lee assuaged the worries
of anyone in Greyhound Nation when he said
that Alison would be more than capable of flling
King's role.
"I'm not making excuses, but people didn't
realize Ross was hurt in the playoffs," he said.
"When Ross is at full strength, he's probably as
good as anybody I've ever coached. [He and
King are] different types of players, but Ross can
match Coletyn's production."
Making the jump up to Division I, Strawn's
new home in District 10-1A means a reunion
with the dreaded Gordon Longhorns and added
importance to what is already the fercest rivalry
in all of Texas six-man football.
Also in District 10 are the 2013 state runners-
up, the May Tigers, who will be strong again in
2014. Filling out the fve-team group are Ling-
leville and Gustine. It's not a cakewalk, but it's a
district slate that a seasoned Strawn team should
be able to handle.
Lee said his coaching staff's primary focus
in the offseason has been on improving their
defense. It's a group that dominated the last half
of the season, allowing more than six points just
twice in the fnal six games before the quarter-
fnal match against Newcastle. However, there
were a few instances throughout the year that
the Greyhounds defense struggled against high-
quality offenses.
Granted, it's splitting hairs to an extent, but
if one thing is true of football teams it's that the
best never stop improving. And with an offense
that averaged 62.2 points per gam in 2013, why
not focus on the other side of the ball?
If Strawn can stay healthy in 2014, there's
really no limit to what they can achieve. Lee said
his players, especially his seniors, know what it
takes to achieve their only goal.
"These guys have been in the semifnals,
they've been in the quarterfnals and they got
beat in the frst round as freshmen," Lee said of
the class of 2015. "They know exactly what they
need to do to get there. They've been real close.
We've just got to do a much better job in a lot of
different areas. They know what's at stake. This
is it for that bunch. You're going to see a more
aggressive team, a veteran team and a hungry
team.
"We're going to make a big push, and to be
honest with you I'm really excited about it."
2014 Strawn Greyhounds
P
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Game of the Year:
May
The Greyhounds begin their district sched-
ule with a date with the 2013 runners-up for
the state championship in a game that will
likely decide who will eventually be crowned
District 10-1A-DI champions at the end of
the 2014 regular season. This years May
Tigers will feature some fresh faces, but
likely be as tough as ever. A win not only
puts Strawn in the drivers seat for a third-
straight district championship, but also can
serve as a springboard for a deep playoff
run.
With nearly 5,000 passing yards over the past two
years, quarterback Harrison Nowak (3) is arguably
the areas best at his position.
File Photo
2
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14 20
Best
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Brazos
C
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A
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a
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QB
Harrison Nowak, Strawn
5-11, 180, Senior
Nearly 5,000 yards passing over the last two seasons and a
leadership role on a state championship-caliber team make
Nowak the areas best QB in six- or 11-man football for 2014.
RB
Ross Alison, Strawn
6-0, 180, Junior
Equally dangerous on defense, the shifty Alison gives Strawn
one of the best runners in the area and in all of six-man
football.
RB
Keith Chalker, Santo
6-0, 210, Senior
A bruiser in Santos option offense, Chalker is the areas best
power rusher.
WR
Abram Jaramillo, Strawn
6-0, 146, Senior
A lanky receiver who looks taller than he is, Jaramillo gives
the Hounds good speed outside and a quality deep threat.
WR
Chace Talley, Perrin
5-11, 165, Junior
Talley is part of a junior class at Perrin bursting with potential.
His numbers should catch up to his skill level in 2014.
TE
Michael Rogers, Millsap
6-4, 205, Senior
When hes not blocking for Millsaps slot T running game,
Rogers gives the Bulldogs a big target to throw to over the
middle.
OL
Jacob Boyd, Mineral Wells
6-0, 225, Junior
One of two junior anchors on the Rams line, Boyd provides
size and leadership inside.
OL
Aaron Hite, Mineral Wells
5-11, 240, Junior
Projected to start at center, Hite can help elevate a young
Rams o-line that will key the new spread offense.
OL
Nic Miller, Strawn
5-9, 165, Senior
Undersized by 11-man standards, Miller is a erce competitor
and one of the best blockers for Strawns explosive offense.
UT
Kyle Moore, Santo
5-10, 165, Senior
Not far behind Nowak for the areas best QB. Moore gives
Santo a great eld general who can hurt opponents with his
legs, rushing for 1,005 yards and 11 touchdowns last year.
OL
Twister Brown, Gordon
6-1, 225, Junior
In addition to his role as an invaluable lead blocker, Gordons
beeest Longhorn may also see time at QB.
OL
Creede Lee, Perrin
6-2, 215, Senior
One of the areas biggest linemen, Lee will anchor a largely
unproven Pirates front in 2014.
14 20
Best
by the
Brazos
C
l
i
n
t
s
A
rea Supe
r
T
e
a
m

DL
Grayson Brandenburg, Strawn
5-10, 156, Senior
A physical specimen, despite his weight, Brandenburg head-
lines a Hounds defense that looks to be even better in 2014.
D
E
/
O
L
B
Jordan Richardson, Millsap
6-2, 200, Junior
Arguably Millsaps best player, Richardson is the face of the
Bulldogs defense with a team-high 43 tackles last year.
DL
Chase Mackey, Gordon
5-10, 180, Junior
A late transfer from Strawn to rival Gordon, Mackey gives the
Horns a erce presence up front and makes an already stout
Gordon defense even tougher.
Dale Turner, Mineral Wells
6-3, 215, Senior
A dangerous combination of strength and speed, Turner
should ourish after moving from a 4-3 DE to a 3-4 OLB. Col-
lege scouts are already taking notice.
LB
Ty Tarver, Mineral Wells
5-8, 175, Junior
The heart of the Rams defense, Tarver tallied 129 stops in
2013 and will continue to be a leader in just his junior season.
LB
Erik Martinez, Perrin
5-9, 185, Junior
After an all-district soph. season, Martinez cemented himself
as one of Perrins best players. Head coach Brad Hutton said
he has a chance to be the best linebacker weve ever had.
D
E
/
O
L
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DB
Morgen Depriest, Millsap
5-9, 155, Senior
Also the Bulldogs leading rusher, DePriest is an agile, erce
competitor in the defensive backeld.
UT
Chase Coffman, Gordon
6-0, 200, Senior
A leader on arguably the areas best defensive unit, Coffman
brings strength and speed to go along with a team-high 79
tackles and three forced fumbles from last year.
DB
Xavier Castaneda, Gordon
5-7, 145, Senior
One of Gordons best track stars, Castaneda might be the
areas best safety, with 48 tackles and two interceptions (one
returned for a touchdown) to his credit in 2013.
DB
Rascellis Williams, Mineral Wells
5-11, 155, Senior
A world-class high-jumper with great speed, Williams can chal-
lenge any pass thrown his way.
LB
Dylan Swinney, Santo
5-10, 180, Senior
Another smashmouth player for the Wildcats, Swinney is a
ballhawk, with 79 tackles last year, and is the face of Santos
defense.
DB
Grant Gilbert, Santo
5-10, 170, Senior
Santos speediest back on offense, Gilbert is also a constant
threat on defense, with a team-high four interceptions in
2013.
District 4-4A-Division I
1. Graham Steers ...................... Kenny Davidson (707.5)
2. Gainesville Leopards ...........................Keith Hall (708)
3. Decatur Eagles ................................. Mike Fuller (876)
4. Mineral Wells Rams ........Gerald Perry (950.5)
5. WF Hirschi Huskies ...................... Danny Youngs (730)
6. Burkburnett Bulldogs ....................... Scott Boswell (943)
New district predictions
District 2-3A-Division II
1. Cisco Loboes .................................... Brent West (268)
2. Eastland Mavericks ..................... Cliff Watkins (288.5)
3. Henrietta Bearcats ............................ Byron West (262)
4. WF City View Mustangs ............... Rudy Hawkins (255)
5. Holliday Eagles ........................... Frank Johnson (275)
6. Jacksboro Tigers ........................Brian Hodnett (265.5)
7. Millsap Bulldogs....................Kyle Coker (246)
8. Nocona Indians .................................Brad Keck (251)
District 10-1A-Division I
1. Strawn Greyhounds ........... Dewaine Lee (-58)
2. May Tigers ...................................... Craig Steele (88)
3. Gordon Longhorns ................ Joe Kostiha (68)
4. Lingleville Cardinals .................... Darrell Wallace (62)
5. Gustine Tigers ........................... Danny Copeland (58)
District 8-2A-Division II
1. Albany Lions .................................. Denny Faith (125)
2. Santo Wildcats ............. Randy Thornton (153)
3. Cross Plains Buffaloes ......................Daniel Purvis (91)
4. Perrin Pirates ..................... Brad Hutton (100)
5. Baird Bears ....................................Chad Barron (95)
6. Ranger Bulldogs ...........................Brian Ramsey (118)
7. Gorman Panthers ........................... Nick Guthery (78)
9
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!
306 N
. O
ak Ave., M
ineral W
ells
940-325-8226
W
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Call us for your next catering event.
215 N.E. 27 Ave. Mineral Wells 940.325.1515 221155 NN.E. 27 221155 NN.E. 27 Av Av
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The Rams returning leading rusher, Tristan

14 | Mineral Wells Index

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