Gabe Posted May 31, 2008 Report Posted May 31, 2008 Van Wade The Orange Leader ORANGEFIELD — Jeremy Granger was literally “the man†for the Orangefield Bobcats during his senior campaign. Granger never did gloat about it. He always went about his business the right way, always being a “team†player in any situation he was put in. He captured many accolades but will be the last person to brag about it. Granger was a stalwart for all four years in the Bobcat athletic program but turned into a true “giant†his senior year as he has earned Orange Leader Male Athlete of the Year. He captured all-district honors in football and basketball, barely missed out on a state trip in the discus during track season and was a pretty darn good tennis player to boot when he played doubles. When a team took on the Bobcats on the gridiron they had to prepare a way to stop Granger first at both his defensive end and running back slots. Granger tore through opposing defenses throughout the campaign, racking up 713 yards on 120 carries and finished with a team-high 18 touchdowns. He also caught 13 passes for 210 yards. “Football was always an awesome rush,†said Granger. “We always got after people. We may not have won every game but everyone knew when they played the Bobcats, they were going to be in a tough game and I always took a lot of pride in that. Our district was loaded the last two years and we kept battling and playing hard. That’s always been the thing about Orangefield, the effort is always there. All of the coaches and players are constantly encouraging each other.†Finding the end zone 18 times is a great feat for anyone. “You know, I never realized I scored that much,†said Granger. “It was all about helping us out as a team. Whatever I could do to help, I just tried my best.†Bobcat Athletics Director and head football coach Blake Morrison enjoyed Granger’s stint on campus. “Jeremy is just one of those kids that excelled in everything he tried to do,†said Morrison. “He was a tremendous asset to our football team. He’s a big, strong physical kid that has a lot of ability. He’s a kid that came to work each day and busted his tail to get better.†Morrison really liked the qualities Granger brought to the table as a leader his senior year. “Jeremy was never the rah-rah type of kid,†said Morrison. “He led by example just by his work ethic each day. He was a very quiet kid until his senior year and then he really came out of his shell. He was someone all the younger kids looked up too. Everyone got along so well with Jeremy in every sport from basketball, to track to tennis. The best thing I liked about him was that not only did he work hard and set excellent examples, he had fun. Jeremy always seemed to have fun and that’s what makes coaching kids so enjoyable as a coach.†It’s hard to say that Granger turned things up an even higher notch during basketball season, but the big postman did just that. Granger missed his freshman basketball season due to a football injury. He got called up to varsity one game as a sophomore. He blossomed as a junior and this year he was so tough to handle for opponents in the paint. Granger bruised his way inside for nearly 15 points a game and also averaged over nine rebounds a contest, almost giving himself a double-double season. “Jeremy was a monster inside for us all season long,†said Bobcat head coach Rea Wrinkle. “He is such a physical player. He used his bulk inside and went right after people. He scored for us well but his rebounds and his defensive nature inside were even bigger for us.†Wrinkle was glad to have Granger’s senior leadership to help pave the Bobcats to a 23-10 record and a trip to the Class 3A Region III area round of the playoffs along with fellow seniors Jared Helton, Devin Green and Ryan Granger. “Just like football, our district was so strong in basketball too, just look at Hardin-Jefferson and Silsbee, who have been to state the last two years,†said Granger. “The thing about us was that we were so unselfish. We moved the ball around, constantly looking for whoever was open. I knew my job was crashing the boards and playing good defense. We had some younger guys that could really shoot from the outside. Everyone knew their roles well. The playoff games were exciting and we just barely missed getting to the third round.†The Bobcats started the season hot and then closed it out by defeating Jasper for the third-place spot and then downed Coldspring in the bidistrict round before falling to Navasota in the area round. “We always had confidence but what really helped us was when we played Silsbee so close in our tournament,†said Granger. “The toughest thing is that we had Silsbee on the ropes twice and almost had H-J here at home but we couldn’t quite do it. Those games did help us down the road when we beat Jasper and got into the playoffs.†“I was fortunate enough to have an excellent group of seniors leading the way for us last season and they set a nice foundation,†said Wrinkle. “Jeremy is so unselfish and always had his teammates’ backs first. He never worried about numbers or who got the most shots. Jeremy never seemed to get rattled either. He never showed on the court whether he was having a great game or tough game, he just went at it at a 100 percent the whole time. I’m very proud to have coached him.†Granger’s work ethic plowed through again when track season rolled around when he tossed the discus all over the yard. In district, Granger had a throw of 136 feet, 5 inches to place third and advanced to regionals. In regionals, he exploded to a mark of 151-3 to place a solid fourth and barely missed state by a couple feet. He was also just a little under four feet away from surpassing the school record. “That improvement just showed how Jeremy wanted to work to get better in everything he did while he was a Bobcat,†said Bobcat coach Josh Smalley. “He always knew he could get over that 150-mark, he did it in practice a bunch so he knew he could do it at a meet.†“The discus was always a challenge for me,†Granger said. “Coach Smalley never gave up on me. I’d get a big one in practice and then struggle at a meet. He’d never shake his head, he’d just keep pushing me on and always had confidence in me.†Of course, Smalley was a pleasant observer of all of Granger’s feats. “Jeremy Granger is the type of kid that just goes about his business the right way,†said Smalley. “Whatever he could do to for a team, he would. In football, he lined up at tailback, wide receiver, tight end and offensive line as well and then he jumped on the defensive side of the ball. He never worried about numbers, it was always ‘Wherever you put me, I’ll do anything I can to help.’ Then he moved to basketball, where he was such a force and I know Coach Wrinkle loved him. He’s just one of those special kids that the whole community has a lot of respect for.†Granger also received another tremendous honor of late, getting a $5,000 scholarship from the Ed Peveto Scholarship fund. A male and female athlete are chosen each year based on academics, character, attitude, integrity, hard work and effort. Granger also comes from a solid family background led by mother Shelly Granger and “big Pop†Calvin Granger. Jeremy is the “baby†of the family. Older brothers Calvin and Justin were both outstanding athletes in Bobcat Country in recent years. Shelly and Calvin Sr. have both been prominent fixtures for Bobcat athletics over the years and they’ve “ran the show†at the scoring tables during basketball games. “My family has been such a strength for me,†Granger said. “Anything my brothers and I did, our parents were right there supporting us all the way. A lot of kids aren’t that lucky, so I’ve always felt really blessed. Whenever we’ve ever needed something, they’ve been their to help out.†As far as his older brothers are concerned? “Being the youngest and all, my brothers really had a lot to do with what I was able to accomplish,†Granger said. “We would have some pretty tough fights, especially when we were little but we always know we have each other’s backs too. It’s just been a great experience growing up in Orangefield. My family is Orangefield all the way and that will never change.â€
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