KFDM COOP

New expectations Cardinals raise bar in 2009 Gabriel Pruett The Orange Leader BRIDGE CITY — There is a lot to be excited about this year in Bridge City. Third-year coach Cris Stump hopes the excitement and expectations translate into wins for the Cardinals in 2009. The Cardinals went 4-4 a year ago and also dealt with Hurricane Ike unlike any school in Orange County. The road to recovery is still motoring on for players and coaches and this year a strong returning cast has Cardinal Country looking for the playoffs. “We expect to be in the playoffs,†Stump said Wednesday. “I could not say that last year and certainly not the year before. It feels great to say we will be in the mix and now we have to go out as players and coaches and make it happen.†A lot changed last year for the Cardinals. A 4-4 record came only a year after Bridge City went 0-10. The Cardinals defense in 2007 gave up 500.2 yards and 53.9 points a game. Bridge City showed major improvements in both areas in 2008 with 311.3 yards and 20 points given up a game. The Cardinals on offense, which put up 292 yards and 20.5 points a game in 2008, were led by quarterback Josh Lemoine. Lemoine was 68-for-143 passing for 1,053 yards with eight touchdowns and five interceptions. Lemoine ran for 351 yards and six scores. Sophomore-to-be Matt Menard led all Cardinals running backs with 537 yards on 85 carries and four touchdowns. Menard came in just about halfway through the season for the injured Joe Robertson. “We have more expectations this year for ourselves,†Stump said. “We talked all spring about raising the bar and all the other clichés that go with that. The players have really been focused in on that and the younger guys even want it now. That is a good thing.†The Cardinals will scrimmage at Lumberton Aug. 15 starting at 6 p.m. and will also scrimmage at Shepherd Aug. 20. Bridge City opens the season at home Aug. 28 against Liberty. “Every town in the state is fired up at this point and thinking playoffs,†Stump said. “We want to still be fired up during Week 10.†The Bridge City Cardinals are pledging to raise the bar this season and capture one of the three playoff spots out of District 21-3A. Gabriel Pruett/The Orange Leader

A bunch.

VIDEO...Wildcats Ready To Return [Hidden Content]

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Having Coach Mark Foreman back is Huge!

They've done it for Years!!

Good Offense to run!!

Eagles boast tall players, high hopes By Robert Chambliss Correspondent Published August 4, 2009 Two-a-days kicked off early Monday morning for Barbers Hill’s volleyball program, and there was nothing but high hopes already in the air. For senior Kirsten Terry, this is going to be a season of excitement. “So far it looks like we have made progress from last year, “Terry said. “Our team has gotten stronger over the summer, and it looks like as a group we are playing collectively well.†The improvements also have impressed senior Alissa Johnson as her team practices hard on the first day back. “I think we will be great this year,†Johnson said. “It is obvious that our team has improved greatly since the past season. “I think that the strength and conditioning program that our team did over the summer really is showing now that we are on the court. This newfound strength in the end will help us pursue the goal of district championship.†For head coach John Leonard, this season looks to be like a season of tradition once again. “So far I have seen exactly what I have wanted to see,†Leonard said. “The team is hustling, they are showing tremendous teamwork, and they are picking up where they left off. “Over the past six years, we have won or been co-district champions. With this group of girls, I feel that we can continue that streak once again.†The Eagles may have lost some of their key players from last year, but this Eagles team includes four girls that can all block the ball by barely jumping. “This is a particularly tall group of girls we have this year,†Leonard said. “We have had height in the past, but it was only here and there. “With this group, we have never-ending height. I don’t believe that we have ever had this many girls that big on the court at the same time. “But what will be good is that we will add a strong front line to the already strong back that we have.†Senior Taylor Barnett agrees with the height and also talks of her high expectations. “I believe with the girls we have, we will win district,†Barnett said. “My goals for this team is to hopefully go undefeated in district, and to make it to the state tournament. “We are tall and powerful, and I feel that we will have a lot of blocks this year. Whatever it is that we want, I believe we can achieve. All I can do is hope that we do the best every time we step out onto the court.â€

Your are certainly welcome!

NO Smack Attack this year either.

Mustangs finding nice, early groove Van Wade The Orange Leader WEST ORANGE — WEST ORANGE - Long-time West Orange-Stark head coach Dan Hooks has pretty much always been happy about the first week of practice and how good of shape the Mustang players are in. However, this year, he’s been most impressed by the turnout. “We haven’t had this kind of turnout since our 4A days,†said Hooks. “We’ve got close to 40 freshmen out here. That’s our biggest turnout with that group since we were in 5A.†It was certainly different seeing the whole Mustang practice field littered with blue and white shirts with very little room to spare. “What else can you say, our kids love football,†said Hooks. “They take so much pride in the program that’s established.†Monday, the first day of practice, went off without a hitch with the Mustangs getting in some early conditioning including the rough “Mustang Mile†before full practice started later in the evening. “The kids really responded well,†said Hooks. “I guess about 75 percent of them were in excellent shape. You always have those few, but they’ll come around. It was hotter than nobody’s business but the kids are use to it and they adapt pretty well.†The players are adapting to some new coaches as well as Carl Broussard moved over from Port Neches-Groves while Mark Foreman came out of retirement to once again guide the WO-S secondary. Former Bridge City and Deweyville assistant Greg Bass has also returned to the area as well after being at Marlin. “Coach Broussard and Coach Bass, they’re doing a great job,†said Hooks. “They’ve stepped right in. They both are so familiar with what we do and know our area so well. Coach Foreman, what else can you say about him. He’s always been a part of our backbone and he’s back to business as usual.†Coach Hooks is also thrilled to have an outstanding senior class that will look to extend the Mustangs’ current District 21-3A winning streak of 29. One of them leading the way will be All-District defensive end Steven Cook. Cook has been a standout for two seasons and was part of a Mustang defense that allowed just 147.4 yards and 8.3 points a game in 2008. “I think we have the potential to do a lot of positive things this year,†said Cook. “We’ve all been up here all summer working out and working hard. We’ve got a good senior class that is real tight and we’ve been winning together for so long now. The best thing about us is that we don’t let anyone get the big head. We’re all about being a team and doing things the Mustang way.†The Mustangs will be busy at practice, trying to replace six defensive starters but Cook likes what lies ahead in the future. “We’ve got some young guys that are very, very good, they just need to learn their different responsibilities and where to go in certain situations,†said Cook. “Coach (Cornel) Thompson will make sure of that. It’s also great to have Coach (Mark) Foreman back. Those two know their business like no others. We’ve got the potential to be very good on defense again.†The Mustangs will scrimmage Dayton at home Aug. 15 starting with the freshmen at 5 p.m. followed by the JV (6 p.m.) and the varsity (7 p.m.). They will also go to Vidor for a scrimmage Aug. 21 to face the Pirates with the times also being 5 p.m. for the freshmen followed by the JV (6 p.m.) and varsity (7 p.m.). “Those two scrimmages, we’ll learn a lot from them,†said Hooks. “Dayton will spread our defense out, much like Silsbee and Bridge City will do in district. Then a darn good Vidor team will throw that Wing-T stuff at us, much like Hamshire and Orangefield will. It’s going to be good for us.†The Mustangs open the 2009 campaign at home Aug. 28 against the Nederland Bulldogs.

WO-S 4-7:30/8:00 Each day

Here's some of them [Hidden Content]

Yea Katy is loaded again (as usual).

Not when it ruins Football.

HF is running the flex-bone, veer option, not sure about OF.

I hope!

Hurricane forecast scaled back By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS August 4, 2009 Posted: August 4, 2009, 2:00 PM CDT Colorado State University researcher William Gray has slightly downgraded his forecast for the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season. Gray said Tuesday his team now expects 10 named storms, including four hurricanes, two of them major. In June, the team forecast 11 named storms, including five hurricanes, two of them major. Gray says the forecast was scaled back because El Nino conditions are expected to intensify. El Nino conditions suppress hurricane formation. The hurricane season runs from June 1 till Nov. 30. This is Gray's 26th year of forecasting hurricanes. His predictions are watched closely by emergency responders and others, but many say long-range forecasts have little practical value beyond focusing public attention on the dangers.

PN-G/Memorial the 21st 7 pm

They don't cover this area like they used to, at least in detail.

Video....Vidor Aims High In 09 [Hidden Content]

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