BH89 Posted October 16, 2006 Report Posted October 16, 2006 Malkowski's crew facing must-win contest Friday By TODD HVEEM Chronicle Correspondent C.E. King head football coach Mike Malkowski kind of winced when he first noticed his multi-talented Panthers (1-2, 2-4 District 21-4A) were picked to win the league championship. Malkowski was plenty happy with the positive publicity, no doubt, but knew that expectations are not only tough to live up to, but often paint a big red bullseye on the back of his players' jerseys. "I can't defend the prognostications. They are just what they are," said Malkowski, whose team opened district play with a tough 41-35 loss to Galena Park, then lost to Crosby 30-28 last week. "But I always liked it when we were picked down low, then overexceeded expectations. We have done that for a long time now. "This year, I don't even like to prognosticate what we are going to do next week. Too much can happen. As much as you think you know 16-18-year-olds when you are around them all the time, strange things still seem to happen that throw a wrench into everything. Prognostications are always kind of fun, but you can't play the game on paper." If so, quarterback Charvis Nash and running back Jameon Owens might double-handedly deliver the Panthers a district title. "Jameon Owens and Charvis Nash have been doing a great job for us," Malkowski said. "Charvis plays quarterback and linebacker for us. Those are two high-contact positions, that is for sure. "They both have a chance to play college football. Charvis has an outside chance to play Division I (college ball). Jameon has an opportunity to play, too. It just depends. It is hard to predict. Different programs are looking for different people." Malkowski said Nash is "as good at reading the option as we have ever had here. He is really good at it. He really understands the game." Nash and Owens both had huge games in the loss to Galena Park, but a 95-yard fumble return for a touchdown turned the tide in the Yellowjackets' favor. "Galena Park has four very good athletes," Malkowski said. "They put those guys in position to make big plays and they are doing it. "They returned a 95-yard fumble against us. It was kind of the turning point of the game. We had taken it and rammed it down their throat. We still came back fighting, but it turned the tide a little bit. It happens. Now, we have to play with our backs against the wall. That is not a bad thing." After the loss to Galena Park, C.E. King rebounded to knock off Forest Brook 36-6. "I think we are getting better," Malkowski said. "We have done more work on team-building than we have the football part of it. Last week (against Forest Brook), I felt like we really came together. We definitely played our best defensive game of the year. "I don't think it was our best offensive game," he added. "But we were able to piece-meal and put things together. It wasn't bad. We are usually smoother and move the ball better than that." C.E. King visits New Caney in a key district contest at 7 p.m. Friday. New Caney (2-4, 2-1), after losing its three non-district games, opened league play with wins over Huffman and Smiley, then lost 42-14 to Barbers Hill last week. "It appears that Barbers Hill, Crosby, Galena Park, us and New Caney are all very legitimate," Malkowski said. "Any of those teams, on any given night, can beat anybody in our league." C.E. King's chore will be trying to stop New Caney quarterback Phillip Welch and running back C.J. Dunlap. "Defensively, we are rotating about three people at almost every position," Malkowski said. "We have three ends, three tackles and three linebackers, and we rotate in the secondary. "We have five guys going both ways. Mike Sanders, Tyrell Robbins, Larry Monroe and Owens all switch in and out. Shawn Black also plays both ways for us (at receiver and cornerback). Our skill guys play a lot of football for us. We try and rest them as much as we can on offense." After New Caney, C.E. King will end the season against Smiley, Barbers Hill and Huffman. The Panthers will be huge favorites against Smiley and Huffman, but Malkowski said Barbers Hill (6-0, 3-0) is the team to beat in the District 21-4A race. "Barbers Hill is very solid," Malkowski said. "They are taking care of business. They shut out Crosby (10-0). That was very impressive. "They are going to be challenged. I think Galena Park can play with them and beat them, and I think we can play with them and beat them. But I would say they are the favorites." But first, C.E. King must get past New Caney. "This game is pretty big for us," Malkowski said of Friday's game. "It could get us to the Barbers Hill game. But we still have to take one week at a time. "We regained some of our positioning back after losing to Galena Park, but we have been Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde a lot this year."
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