Sports Update
Cards deal Plano litmus test in early-week clash
BY Matt Welch, mwelch@acnpapers.com
The time spent savoring Friday's 56-0 shutout of Garland Lakeview Centennial was short-lived for the Plano Senior football team.
The Wildcats basked in the requisite postgame joys and congratulations on their 1-0 start, and were back to the grind the following day.
Not just because the team had put the matchup against the Patriots in their rearview mirror, but because time was of the essence with an altered schedule in preparation for today's road tilt against Irving MacArthur at 7 p.m. from Irving Schools Stadium.
"It's been a bit of a different week because of the game being earlier," said Jaydon McCullough, Plano head coach. "But the kids like that, getting out of the routine for a change ... We'll show them the film on Friday and then let them go do something normal for a Friday night."
Shifting its practice schedule up a day, with the standard long practice on Monday and Tuesday featuring the usual Wednesday formula of a six-period practice, Plano will enjoy an earlier kickoff in Week 1 against a foe it has become familiar with over the years.
This evening marks the fourth encounter in as many years between the Wildcats and Cardinals, with Plano holding a 2-1 edge; most recently scoring a 24-8 victory over MacArthur last season.
"Coach (Joe) Barnett, the Irving ISD athletic director, is actually one of my mentors," McCullough said. "He coached in Allen when I coached there as a middle school coach. Him, plus (MacArthur head coach Brian) Basil and his staff are top class."
Last season, the Wildcats drew MacArthur out of its comfort zone by forcing 31 passes from the Cardinals, the team's second-highest number of attempts through the air in 2010 and far higher than any passing totals in 2009. Tonight, expect a product more akin to the MacArthur squad which Plano faced in 2009 as the Cardinals are breaking in a new quarterback in Justin Chavez, a converted running back-receiver from last year.
McCullough said the emphasis this week has been working on Plano's option responsibilities.
Those adjustments will be put to the test as Chavez balanced his 22 passes with 21 runs in the Cardinals' 40-33 loss to Mansfield Timberview in Week 0.
"Their quarterback can do both (running and passing), but I think he likes to run a bit more," McCullough said. "He's one of those guys where if he has the option to pitch it or keep it, he'll take it himself.
"He's very explosive and that's one of our objectives: to stop him."
If Chavez opts to pitch it, Jourdan McNeill will be the likely backfield benefactor. Out wide, MacArthur's still-developing air attack produced only one surefire target against Timberview with Darius Moore bagging eight of Chavez's nine completions.
Plano's linebacker corps of seniors Bobby Geibler and Cole Eckeberger will get help in taming Chavez as that responsibility is spread among the entire 11-man unit, from seniors Xavier Harbert and Dwayne Hicks up front to seniors Marcus Davis and Tyler Grant in the secondary.
"For me, it's like a picket fence," McCullough said. "Everybody has to be where they're supposed to be, everybody has to play their assignment and if you do that, you have a chance to play great defense.
"If one person breaks down, it kind of hurts it."
But at the heart of it all, the Wildcats have to contend with a big, experienced line that returns three starters from last season; a unit headlined by Hector Villegas, Cooper Lattimer and Josh Alvarado.
"They're so big up front that they can wear you down," McCullough said. "They can definitely present some problems."
That same presence up front is what MacArthur champions on the defensive side, with six starters back in the fold.
With defensive standouts in the secondary like Taion Sells and David Jaynes at linebacker, the unit that caught McCullough's eye is the Cardinals' colossal defensive line featuring potential Division I recruits Drew Xayasith and Caleb Vinson.
"[Xayasith] is a defensive tackle who's 300 pounds," McCullough said. "He's a returning starter and concerns me because when he plays with the motor he's capable of, he seems unblockable.
"Timberview had a very good lineman going up against him, so (senior) Skyler Purcell has his work cut out for him this week."
Despite the size and experience of the MacArthur defense, the unit was gashed on the ground for 300 yards opposite Timberview. With a ground group that extends four deep in seniors Kevin Merrill, Rakeem Crawford, Sam Morell and L.J. Ausama, Plano may look to follow suit while junior Richard Lagow continues to get his feet at quarterback.
The signal caller may have two new weapons at his disposal as well, with Morell and senior Anthony Antwine projected to make their 2011 debuts this evening.
And with his personnel intact, McCullough anticipates a more indicative litmus test for his squad beginning at 7 p.m. in Irving.
"We've got a long ways to go," he said, "but we should get a better glimpse of what our potential is this week."
The Wildcats basked in the requisite postgame joys and congratulations on their 1-0 start, and were back to the grind the following day.
Not just because the team had put the matchup against the Patriots in their rearview mirror, but because time was of the essence with an altered schedule in preparation for today's road tilt against Irving MacArthur at 7 p.m. from Irving Schools Stadium.
"It's been a bit of a different week because of the game being earlier," said Jaydon McCullough, Plano head coach. "But the kids like that, getting out of the routine for a change ... We'll show them the film on Friday and then let them go do something normal for a Friday night."
Shifting its practice schedule up a day, with the standard long practice on Monday and Tuesday featuring the usual Wednesday formula of a six-period practice, Plano will enjoy an earlier kickoff in Week 1 against a foe it has become familiar with over the years.
This evening marks the fourth encounter in as many years between the Wildcats and Cardinals, with Plano holding a 2-1 edge; most recently scoring a 24-8 victory over MacArthur last season.
"Coach (Joe) Barnett, the Irving ISD athletic director, is actually one of my mentors," McCullough said. "He coached in Allen when I coached there as a middle school coach. Him, plus (MacArthur head coach Brian) Basil and his staff are top class."
Last season, the Wildcats drew MacArthur out of its comfort zone by forcing 31 passes from the Cardinals, the team's second-highest number of attempts through the air in 2010 and far higher than any passing totals in 2009. Tonight, expect a product more akin to the MacArthur squad which Plano faced in 2009 as the Cardinals are breaking in a new quarterback in Justin Chavez, a converted running back-receiver from last year.
McCullough said the emphasis this week has been working on Plano's option responsibilities.
Those adjustments will be put to the test as Chavez balanced his 22 passes with 21 runs in the Cardinals' 40-33 loss to Mansfield Timberview in Week 0.
"Their quarterback can do both (running and passing), but I think he likes to run a bit more," McCullough said. "He's one of those guys where if he has the option to pitch it or keep it, he'll take it himself.
"He's very explosive and that's one of our objectives: to stop him."
If Chavez opts to pitch it, Jourdan McNeill will be the likely backfield benefactor. Out wide, MacArthur's still-developing air attack produced only one surefire target against Timberview with Darius Moore bagging eight of Chavez's nine completions.
Plano's linebacker corps of seniors Bobby Geibler and Cole Eckeberger will get help in taming Chavez as that responsibility is spread among the entire 11-man unit, from seniors Xavier Harbert and Dwayne Hicks up front to seniors Marcus Davis and Tyler Grant in the secondary.
"For me, it's like a picket fence," McCullough said. "Everybody has to be where they're supposed to be, everybody has to play their assignment and if you do that, you have a chance to play great defense.
"If one person breaks down, it kind of hurts it."
But at the heart of it all, the Wildcats have to contend with a big, experienced line that returns three starters from last season; a unit headlined by Hector Villegas, Cooper Lattimer and Josh Alvarado.
"They're so big up front that they can wear you down," McCullough said. "They can definitely present some problems."
That same presence up front is what MacArthur champions on the defensive side, with six starters back in the fold.
With defensive standouts in the secondary like Taion Sells and David Jaynes at linebacker, the unit that caught McCullough's eye is the Cardinals' colossal defensive line featuring potential Division I recruits Drew Xayasith and Caleb Vinson.
"[Xayasith] is a defensive tackle who's 300 pounds," McCullough said. "He's a returning starter and concerns me because when he plays with the motor he's capable of, he seems unblockable.
"Timberview had a very good lineman going up against him, so (senior) Skyler Purcell has his work cut out for him this week."
Despite the size and experience of the MacArthur defense, the unit was gashed on the ground for 300 yards opposite Timberview. With a ground group that extends four deep in seniors Kevin Merrill, Rakeem Crawford, Sam Morell and L.J. Ausama, Plano may look to follow suit while junior Richard Lagow continues to get his feet at quarterback.
The signal caller may have two new weapons at his disposal as well, with Morell and senior Anthony Antwine projected to make their 2011 debuts this evening.
And with his personnel intact, McCullough anticipates a more indicative litmus test for his squad beginning at 7 p.m. in Irving.
"We've got a long ways to go," he said, "but we should get a better glimpse of what our potential is this week."
Copyright © 2013 - Star Local News