KFDM COOP Posted November 4, 2008 Report Posted November 4, 2008 Gizzi big deal in small package By Tom Halliburton The Port Arthur News PORT NECHES -- Tyler Gizzi has uttered quite a few remarkable statements about himself and his 2008 Port Neches-Groves football team over the past couple of months. Tyler's commentary actually can span throughout his entire high school career with the Indians. Anyone who thinks he's too small to play football should observe this 18-year-old son of Steven and Lori Gizzi. Anyone who thinks a 5-5, 135-pound football player always will get hurt -- just try to find Gizzi in the Indians' training room. He's never there. Never throughout his career. Anyone who thinks a 5-5, 135-pounder should be incapable of making an impact only needs to examine PN-G's 2008 season tackle chart. Gizzi has been this season's runaway team leader in tackles. He's as legitimately under consideration for this year's Port Arthur News Super Team as any member of this PN-G squad, maybe more than any other. Fans can poke their criticism at Matt Burnett and the Indians' coaching staff for this season's 3-5 (overall) and 1-5 (district) record. But most, if not all, of PN-G's coaches believe that the Indians would win District 20-4A with 10 other defenders who played as well as Gizzi. Going into the ninth and final 2008 game Friday on The Reservation against playoff-bound Beaumont Central, Gizzi has a team-best 54 first contacts and 20 assists. That's a comfortable distance ahead of his team's nearest challengers for the tackle lead. Linebacker Christian Kerr has 43 and 37, followed by Alex Gaspard with 41 and 33 and Jerin Spikes 41 and 32. How does a 5-5, 135-pound guy lead PN-G in tackles? It says a lot about Gizzi's speed, maybe? Nope. "A 4.8 would be gracious," said Gizzi, when asked about his 40-yard speed. Tyler modestly tried to explain his ability to lead his team in tackles. "Many teams will run the spread and a ball carrier will bounce it outside. That's fits into where I am -- on the corner." Gizzi had to take a minute to text-message his old boyhood teammate, Nederland receiver Asa Cardenas, after Tuesday's newspaper interview. Back in the sixth grade, Cardenas played quarterback and Gizzi tailback on the same Pop Warner Gators football team. The two have remained close over the years. Tyler was one of the smallest players back then. He still is, so it's nothing new for No. 15 in the purple uniform to be the smallest player on the field. "I've always been one of the smaller ones," he said. "It doesn't bother me. If anything, it motivates me.... I'll walk on the field every Friday with a chip on my shoulder. It gives me something to prove." Besides more than doubling anyone else in tackles last week against Ozen with 14, Gizzi proved his ability to jump over the moon at Beaumont's Alex Durley Stadium. The short cornerback found himself in man coverage against 6-6 Ozen skyscraper Willie Jefferson, a sure-to-be all-league receiver. Gizzi performed at an all-district level himself. Jefferson did not impact in the game when he directed any receptions toward Tyler's side of the field. Yet Gizzi would not dare to believe that Jefferson would be the best receiver he would face all season. That's distinction goes to his older boyhood mate. "Asa would love for me to give him the credit on that," Gizzi smiled. "He's my buddy. We played together. He's a great receiver." Secondary coach Jake LeFort has admired Tyler's intensity. The younger Gizzi comes by that naturally. His dad was an all-district receiver for the Indians in 1989. "First, it's got to do with the way Tyler goes about preparing himself," Indians' chief Burnett said, attempting to explain Gizzi's team lead in tackles. "It's one thing to have the desire. It's another thing to prepare. Tyler always knew his weaknesses and he wanted to overcome them. He knew he was little but he was just small in stature. He wasn't afraid of failure. "Second, his instincts are real good. He's got some skills, some natural quickness. He honed his techniques and he's made himself into a player." If his academic numbers continue around the 4.0-grade average, Gizzi likely should resume his efforts to excel in the classroom at Lamar University. He shall endeavor to give it all he has there, too. Indian Inklings: It's unusual for a defensive end to lead his team in interceptions but senior Jerin Spikes heads the team's season interception chart with three, followed by three others with one apiece.... Seven defenders are tied for the team lead with one fumble recovery.... The sack leader is linebacker Kane Benoit with two.... Senior tailback Josh Wright has moved into third place among 20-4A rushers with 738 yards on 122 carries, and fourth place among 20-4A scorers with 62 points.... Indians rank 4th in total offense and 5th in total defense but the PN-G defenders have allowed more passing yards -- 886 yards -- than any 20-4A school. The secondary is a bad place for a team to lack experience and PN-G went to war this year with all new starters in the defensive backfield....
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