Rockdale

ROCKDALE TIGERS

Farfromsatisfied Rockdalereachedplayoffslastseason,butTigershavegreaterexpectationsfor2019

By JEFF PERKINS jeffrey.perkins@theeagle.com

Rockdale learned last season that it’s harder to stay on top than to get there.

The Tigers lost the bulk of their key contributors from the 2017 Class 3A Division I state championship team, including Kansas quarterback Torry Locklin and Oklahoma receiver Jaquayln Crawford, and suffered through what head coach JeffMiller described as a state title hangover last season to go 7-4 with a first-round exit against eventual state champ Grandview.

“The offseason of 2018 was probably the worst offseason we’ve had since I’ve been coaching,” Miller said, “and the offseason of 2019 was probably the best I’ve ever had. A lot of that is the fact that we fell short of our expectations.”

For most teams, a playoffyear isn’t a bad one, but Rockdale’s success from 2013 to 2018 raised the bar for the program. The Tigers fielded a young team that showed flashes of promise last season, such as a nondistrict win over a ranked Lexington squad, but also experienced growing pains in back-to-back losses to District 10-3A Division I foes Troy and Cameron. Miller believes those growing pains will pay dividends this year for a team that, while still fairly young, now has plenty of experience.

Junior Cam’ron Valdez rushed for 1,164 yards Eagle photo by Laura McKenzie Rockdale quarterbackJace Robinson, left, and runningbackCam’ronValdez return afterall-district seasons. with 17 touchdowns last season and likely will be the Tigers’ top offensive threat again in 2019. The 5-foot-8, 165-pound running back, who already is fielding college offers fr om the likes of Michigan and Texas Tech, has great vision and the top-end speed to score from anywhere on the field, Miller said. Valdez is joined in the backfield by fellow junior running back Kesean Raven, who has a similar build and running style to Valdez, allowing them to spell each other or create matchup problems for defenses by lining up together.

Junior quarterback Jace Robinson will do his fair share of handing off to that tandem, but he proved last year he can make plays in the passing game, throwing for 1,650 yards and 20 touchdowns. Robinson was only the third sophomore to start at quarterback for Miller in his 27 years as a head coach and offensive coordinator, the other two being University of Tulsa quarterbacks coach Beau Trahan at Bay City in the late 1990s and Ethan Brinkley, now an assistant coach under Miller, in 2010 at Rockdale.

“Jace had a really good year,” Miller said. “He’s had a tremendous offseason, and he’s one of our hardest workers. He wants to know the game and learn the game, and we really feel like he’s done the stuffneeded to close out games. We have all the confidence in the world in his abilities.”

Robinson will have a pair of 6-foot-3 targets to throw to in senior Ross Loth, who scored 11 touchdowns last season, and junior Anthony Dansby, a first-time starter. The offensive line, which Miller described as inexperienced but with potential, is anchored by 6-1, 270-pound senior Cole Rickman.

The Tigers return less experience on defense, but the secondary should be a strong unit. Senior safety Levi Baggerly had five interceptions last season and is the veteran of the group. Sophomore Kobe Mitchell, cousin of Texas A&M men’s basketball guard Wendell Mitchell, shined at cornerback as a freshman, and Raven also will play corner some.

Junior Ty Mayberry, who started on the offensive line as a freshman during Rockdale’s title

ROSTER

1 QB/DB Jace Robinson, 6-0, 170, jr.; 2 WR/DB Landon Towns, 6-0, 145, sr.; 3 RB/LB Cam’ron Valdez, 5-9, 175, jr.; 4 WR/DB Ross Loth, 6-2, 190, sr.; 5 WR/DB Malakai McKenzie, 6-0, 160, sr.; 6 WR/DB Ethan Hughes, 5-9, 145, sr.; 7 WR/DB Kesean Raven, 5-9, 150, jr.; 9 WR/DB Kobe Mitchell, 5-9, 165, soph.; 10 WR/DB Anthony Dansby, 6-2, 165, jr.; 11 WR/DB Quashawn Crawford, 5-11, 160, sr.; 12 WR/DB Jose Young, 5-8, 170, sr.; 13 TE/LB Christian Briggs, 6-0, 165, jr.; 14 WR/DB Levi Baggerly, 5-9, 150, sr.; 15 WR/DB Enrique Rivera, 6-2, 175, jr.; 16 WR/DB Nathan Thomas, 5-10, 170, jr.; 19 WR/DB Hagen Land, 5-9, 145, jr.; 20 WR/LB Chase Mayfield, 5-9, 160, jr.; 23 TE/LB Drayton Castaneda, 5-10, 190, jr.; 25 WR/ LB Aldon Bangert, 6-0, 170, sr.; 30 TE/DL Keylan Hairston, 6-0, 210, sr.; 32 RB/LB Brandon Hernandez, 5-10, 225, sr.; 33 WR/LB Bruce Mayfield, 5-4, 175, jr.; 44 TE/LB Chris Vargas, 5-9, 220, soph.; 48 LS Jake Hasselbach, 5-10, 175, soph.; 50 OL/DL Cole Rickman, 6-2, 290, sr.; 51 OL/DL Chris Reyes, 5-8, 215, sr.; 52 OL/DL Jose Rivera, 6-0, 225, jr.; 55 OL/DL Aaron Avila, 5-5, 235, jr.; 60 OL/DL Alex Ellison, 5-8, 220, jr.; 62 OL/DL Joe Vargas, 5-9, 250, sr.; 68 OL/DL Keymani Hamilton, 5-8, 250, jr.; 70 OL/DL Ty Mayberry, 6-1, 240, jr.; 77 OL/DL Ethan Taylor, 6-4, 310, jr.; 79 OL/DL Kaden Kruse, 6-1, 275, sr.; 80 TE/DL Colby Monroe, 6-1, 210, sr.; 88 RB/DB Jabez Dunn, 5-9, 175, sr.

Coaches: head coach Jeff Miller, Jacob Campsey, Ethan Noel, Bart Gibbs, John Hooser, Mitch Flores, Charlie Hall, Ethan Brinkley, Brandon Gibbs, David Monroe

SCHEDULE

Date Opponent Time Aug. 30 Giddings 7:30 p.m.

Lastyear: L 17-16 Sept. 6 Caldwell 7:30 p.m.

Lastyear: W35-17 Sept. 13 at Lexington 7:30 p.m.

Lastyear: W29-27 Sept. 20 Hyde Park 7:30 p.m.

Lastyear: W41-36

District 10-3A Division I

Oct. 4 at Manor New Tech 7:30 p.m.

Lastyear: W70-6 Oct. 11 Lago Vista* 7:30 p.m.

Lastyear: W49-28 Oct. 18 at Troy 7:30 p.m.

Lastyear: L 21-17 Oct. 25 Cameron 7:30 p.m.

Lastyear: L 33-14 Nov. 1 at Jarrell 7:30 p.m.

Lastyear: W56-17 Nov. 8 Little River-Academy 7:30 p.m.

Lastyear: W44-22 *Homecoming

run, is now on the defensive line, where Miller envisions him being a laneclogging force at defensive tackle. Senior Brandon Hernandez also shifted down from linebacker to help fortify the defensive line.

With a talented roster on both sides of the ball, Miller is hoping that last season’s experience can help push the Tigers over the top in their toughest games.

“In all four of [our losses last year] we were within a score in the

FACTS

Head coach — Jeff Miller (133-79 overall; 98-58 at Rockdale) District — 10-3A Division I (4-2 in 10-3A Division II) 2018 record — 7-4 (4-2 in 10-3A Division I) 2018 playoffs — bi-district: lost to Grandview 45-21 Playoffappearances (27) — 1958, 1962-63, 1975-77, 1979, 1992-93, 1995, 1997-99, 2002-04, 2007-10, 2012-18 Returning lettermen — 18 (8 offensive, 5 defensive starters) Key returners — RB Cam’ron Valdez (10-3A D1 off. NOY), WR/P Ross Loth (A-D), WR/CB Kesean Raven (A-D), QB Jace Robinson (A-D), S Levi Baggerly (A-D), OL/DL Ty Mayberry (2nd A-D)

Key losses — K Luis Iruegas (A-D), OL Carson Offield (A-D), DL Josh Davenport (A-D), DL Caden McBride (A-D), LB Jackson Perry (A-D), DB Will Storey (A-D), DB Nathan Newlin (2nd A-D), LB Preston Debault (2nd A-D), OL Robert Barrera (2nd A-D), WR Quentin Hughes (2nd A-D) All-time record — 539-459-25 Playoffrecord — 32-25

fourth quarter,” Miller said. “We just didn’t finish or figure out a way to win those games that in the past we’ve often figured out ways to win. Right now, we feel like we’re better than we were at this time last year ... and we feel like there’s certainly the potential to have a pretty good year.”