North Shore not backing off tough schedule

[KFDM COOP]

North Shore not backing off tough schedule

By Dave Rogers

Published August 29, 2008 - Updated 23 minutes ago

HOUSTON — Apparently, the gentleman’s attention was elsewhere Thursday afternoon when North Shore football coach David Aymond spent a minute or two talking about his team’s move to District 21-5A.

So the man caused quite a few laughs at the North Shore Rotary Club luncheon when, a few minutes later, he asked Channelview coach Averion Hurts which team would be the Falcons’ toughest 21-5A foe.

North Shore is ranked No. 5 in the state by the Associated Press and went 14-1 a year ago, falling in the 5A Division I semifinal.

“Like Dennis Green said,†Hurts said, recalling the former Arizona coach’s famous rant about the Giants a couple of years ago, “they are who we think they are. There’s no question to it.â€

Aymond, Hurts, Galena Park coach Ray Zepeda and C.E. King athletic director Vince Sebo were special guests at Thursday’s football preview put on by the North Shore Rotary.

Baytown Lee and Sterling high schools compete in 21-5A with North Shore and Channelview. Goose Creek Memorial, Barbers Hill and Crosby compete in 19-4A against C.E. King and Galena Park.

Interest Thursday zeroed in on North Shore putting its 70-game regular-season win streak on the line against a murderers’ row of a five-game non-district lineup — especially the Mustangs’ season opening game against Katy at 7 tonight. Katy, ranked No. 3 in the state, was 16-0 state 5A Division II champion last year.

“Everywhere I go, people are asking me if we’re ready for Katy,†Aymond said. “We’ve been practicing. We know Katy’s got game and we tell them to bring it on.â€

The Mustangs return three offensive and four defensive starters from last year’s team. They have a new quarterback in Alex Tillman.

“He’s a different kind of quarterback (than Jeremiah McGinty, North Shore’s 2007 signal-caller). He’s a real good student, and he’s the first quarterback I’ve had since I’ve been in high school who can power clean (lift) 300 pounds.

“The drawback is that he’s not 6-1 of 6 foot. He’s barely 5-9, but the kids think a lot of him. He can go.â€

Leading the way for North Shore’s returning players are three who have already made their college choices: tight end Barrett Matthews (Texas), defensive tackle Thad Randle (Nebraska) and cornerback Andrae May (Oklahoma State).

Hurts said Channelview returns four offensive starters and three on defenses. But the Falcons, who host Pasadena Dobie tonight, don’t have the numbers that North Shore does.

“Our numbers are small in the upper level,†the former Baytown Lee defensive coordinator said. “We’ve come a long way, but we’ve got a long way to go.â€

Linemen Jerel Watkins, Tyrone Campbell and Cedric Stewart are Channelview’s top seniors with quarterback junior Dominique Jefferson getting rave reviews from Hurts.

Zepeda, whose Yellow Jackets open at Montgomery tonight, face a rebuilding season after going 8-3 in 2007, he said.

C.E. King played its opener Thursday night on the road at Manvel. The game was supposed to be a home game for the Panthers, but it had to be moved because a new grass playing surface at C.E. King is not ready.

Sebo, who was pinch-hitting for coach Mike Malkowski, who was getting his team ready for the road trip, said if the Panthers didn’t have bad luck they might not have any.

He said in the Panthers’ last two seasons (both of which ended 3-7), they lost seven games in the final minute of the games.

Hurts is just glad his team has five non-district games before it has to line up against Aymond’s North Shore bunch.

“At the realignment meeting last winter when they said we were going to be in a six-team district, everybody was scrambling to line up five non-district games,†Hurts recalled.

“Over at the North Shore table, the other schools left coach Aymond and Ed Warken (the athletic director) by themselves, like they were quarantined for something.

“Me, they were jumping up on my table, saying ‘Play me.’

“But if you want to be the best, you’ve got to play the best.â€

[Mr. Buddy Garrity]

i dont like NS, respect them, but dont like them. they will be beat. welcome to 21-5A football.  8)

[KFDM COOP]

;D

[goodsport]

i dont like NS, respect them, but dont like them. they will be beat. welcome to 21-5A football.  8)

I feel the same way. I also don't like LM.

[82 5A State Champs]

It's funny how they didn't mention WB in that article. Maybe we can fly under their radar for a while!