Area scrimmages kickoff 2009 football season

August 18, 2009

   

PEARLAND — You know when football season is just around the corner when the teams begin to scrimmage in preparation for the season openers.

Area football teams will begin to scrimmage this weekend as the coaches validate returning starters and lettermen while also finding some hidden talent that they didn't know existed prior to the start of the season.

Local teams had strong seasons last year as the Friendswood Mustangs had their best season in 25 years. Head coach Steve Van Meter saw his team share the District 24-4A crown with Angleton and then enjoyed his first-ever Class 4A Division I Region III championship to advance to the 4A state semifinals. The Mustangs finished with an 11-2 record.

Pearland, who posted a 12-1 mark in 2008, won the District 22-5A championship and then advanced to the Class 5A Division I Region III championship game before falling to eventual state finalist Hightower.

While the Oilers have to replace several outstanding offensive and defensive standouts, including All-State running back Kasey Carrier (New Mexico) and All-State defensive free safety Jarrad Stewart (Utah) - head coach Tony Heath is confident that he will see some new faces step up to lead the Oilers to another 22-5A title and a deep run in the post-season.

Pearland Dawson competed in their first varsity season in 2008 and finished with a very respectable 4-4 mark while challenging for a first-ever trip to the playoffs. The Eagles knocked off District 24-4A co-champion Angleton (21-20) to hand the Wildcats their only league loss.

Head coach Eric Wells has all of his starters returning this season with their first senior class in school history. Despite playing in one of, if not the toughest districts in the state, Wells is confident that his players have gotten stronger, bigger, and faster over the past two years of their existence to be one of the playoff teams from 24-4A.

Dawson has two players who have already given verbal commitments to play at the next level - quarterback Darian Lazard (Utah) and running back Xavier Brown (UH). Lazard made a major statement last year with his outstanding play as a duel threat quarterback.

Just down the road from Pearland is another new school - the Manvel Mavericks - who also believe they can't be counted out in the playoff race.

The Mavericks will be led by junior quarterback Dexter Foreman who has already attracted the attention of Division I recruiters.

Despite their 3-6 overall mark and 3-4 in district play -- Manvel proved they had the talent to keep up with some of the better teams in the district. The Mavs came within a foot on the final play of the game of upsetting state-ranked Friendswood last season.

The scrimmages this coming weekend will mark the beginning of the 2009 football season.

Pearland will face their region final foe Hightower on Friday, August 21 at 7:00 p.m. at Hall Stadium

Friendswood will host former district and cross-town rival Clear Brook on Saturday, August 22 at 11:00 a.m. at Henry Winston Stadium.

Dawson will host their Eagle Fest on Saturday, August 22 from 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.  at The Rig. The Eagles will host Atascosita in a scrimmage.

Manvel will travel to face Dobie on Saturday, August 22 from 8:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

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