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Somerville
Yeguasrespondingwelltonewheadcoach’sphilosophystartinginweightroom
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By RICHARD CROOME richard.croome@theeagle. com
The players at Somerville have grown accustomed to adjusting to new head coaches, having seen seven come and go in less than a decade. For Cal Neatherlin, though, being called upon to direct a program after five years as an assistant at San Antonio Southwest and 13 years at Midland is something new.
Getting a late start — he was hired in mid-June — couldn’t have helped the process, but Neatherlin insists almost everything has gone smootherthanhe expected.
“It’s been a whirlwind, and we’ve had to hire a whole new coaching staff and all that kind of stuff,” Neatherlin said. “I didn’t have a staf f, and I was trying to get everybody roundedup. It’s been good, though.”
Neatherlin’s first order of business while looking for a staff was getting the players into astrengthand conditioning program. The response has given the first-year coach optimism.
“They haven’t had that in I don’t even know how long,” Neatherlin said. “We’ve had a really good turnout, been averaging 20 to 23 the last couple of weeks [going into official practices].”
Somerville was 1-9 last season and has made the playoffs just once, two seasons ago, since 2007. Neatherlin is also workingwith
FACTS
Head coach — Cal Neatherlin (0-0 overall; 0-0 at Somerville)
District — 14-2A Division II 2018 record — 1-9 (0-4 in 14-2A-2) 2018 playoffs — did not qualify Playoffappearances (9) — 1939, 1960, 1965, 1976, 1982-83, 1990, 2006, 2017 Returning lettermen — 15 (5 offensive starters) Key returners — QB Philip Haba, RB Jeremiah Teague, WR/ QB Johnny Legg, OL/DL Hunter Milburn, OL/DL Cedric Hudgen Key newcomers — WR Dominic Tucker, OL/DL Cadan Espinoza, RB/LB Deven Green, OL/DL Andrew Espinoza All-time record — 315-522-24 Playoffrecord — 4-9-0
SCHEDULE
Date Opponent Time Aug. 30 Iola 7 p.m.
Lastyear: L34-6 Sept. 6 at Waco Texas Wind 7 p.m.
Lastyear: W27-0 Sept. 13 Campbell* 7 p.m.
Lastyear: didnotplay Sept. 20 Woodsboro 7 p.m.
Lastyear: L 52-6 Sept. 27 open Oct. 4 at Brazos Christian 7 p.m.
Lastyear: L 27-6
District 14-2A Division II
Oct. 11 at Snook 7:30 p.m.
Lastyear: L 49-0 Oct. 18 Flatonia 7 p.m.
Lastyear: L 49-0 Oct. 25 at Louise 7 p.m.
Lastyear: L 51-6 Nov. 1 Burton^ 7 p.m.
Lastyear: L 49-0 Nov. 8 Peaster (nondistrict) 7 p.m.
Lastyear: didnotplay *at Teague ^Homecoming
the secondsmallestenrollment in the five-team District 14-2A Division II and inhis firstseasonwillhave no seniors.
He does have a returning quarterback, though, in junior Philip Haba, who has shown he can ru n and pass, which gives Neatherlin options.
ROSTER
1 QB/DB Philip Haba; 2 RB/DB Jeremiah Teague; 3 WR/LB Austin Horsley; 4WR/DB Johnny Legg; 5 Verkobe Woodbury; 6 WR/DB Richard Rivera; 7 WR/DB Jesus Gomez; 8 RB/LB Deven Green; 10 WR/DB Isaac Sanchez; 11 TE/LB Fabian Gutierrez; 12 TE/DE Jacob Moline; 13 WR/ DB Hunter David; 14 WR/DB Braylon Price; 21 WR/DB Dominic Tucker; 25 WR/LB Payton Sprouse; 50 OL/ DL Ross Dubois; 53 OL/DL Jayden Villanova; 55 OL/DL Riley Eldridge; 56 OL/DL Caden Espinosa; 60 OL/ LB Evan Garay; 65 OL/DL Jesus Espinosa; 70 OL/DL MJ Rubio; 72 OL/DL Hunter Milburn; 76 OL/DL Cedric Hudgen; 79 OL/DL Nick Ray
Coaches: head coach Cal Neatherlin, Charlie Gomez, Trey Marik, Ethan Watson
“I’m excited to get everything started and rolling,” Haba said. “It’s been tough with new head coaches coming in and out, but I feel very confident about [Neatherlin]. No matter, I’m goingto do my job, pick myteammatesupalittlebit and just play the game of football.”
Haba broke his hand as a freshman but says he feels stronger for getting through it and the tough run last season.
“I’ve learned a lot from the past year, and I feel like going through what I did go through is going to help,” Haba said. “Lot of challenges, losing and overcoming a lot.”
Building confidence in a young corps that hasn’t had much success in the win-loss column is one of Neatherlin’s biggest challenges. He believes repetition is the most important thing when dealing with a new team, and having an 11-year-old son who likes to play video games helped him make a connection with the Yeguas through Fortnite.
“I think when you start executingand you get confidencewithrepetitionand repetition, thatbrings confidence in itself because you know you’ve done it a 100 times,” Neatherlin said. “It’s like when you play the Fortnite game, they are building confidence. They are sitting there practicing all the time, and they get good at it, and they know they are goodatit, so we are justgoing to rep, rep, rep.”
Joining Haba in the backfield are junior Jeremiah Teague and freshman Deven Green.
Neatherlin likes his receiving crew, and because of the depth, four could be on the field at one time. Verkobe Woodbury, Dominic Tucker, Johnny Legg and Jesus Gomez should all be targets for Haba. When the Yeguas go with a tight end, it will be Jacob Moline.
T he o ffensive line, which averages about 265
pounds, includes Jesus Espinozaatcenter, CadenEspinosa and Cedric Hudgen at guard and Hunter Milburn and Riley Eldridge at tackle. Two of the five, Espinosa and Espinoza, are freshmen, which makes four freshmen starting on offense.
Most of the offensive starters will double up on defense, accordingto Neatherlin.
“We don’t have any seniors, and I feel like this is a building block that we can start now,” Haba said. “Hopefullymysenioryear, we will keep progressing and it will carry on.”
LEXINGTON:Eaglesneedoffensivelinetocarryloadin2019
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staying in the system,” Muhl said. “Whether they’re athletic or not, if they’ll play as a team and buy in, then they’ll be successful. It boils down to them buying into the system and being coachable.”
And Muhl says they’ve been that. The Eagles have moved around a few players, plugged in some newcomers and had a solid effortintheirfirstscrimmage against Class4ADivisionII Madisonville.
Lexington’s strengths include the o ffensiv e line. There’s size in the middle with center Jessie F lowers flanked by guards Juan Lara (242pounds) LARA and Ian White (281). Kaden Schimank (210) started as a freshman and played so well he’s been moved to to lefttackle protect SCHIMANK the quarterback’s blind side.
“Itryevenatourlevelnot tohavethoseoffensivelinemen play defense, because it’ssoimportantforthemto be a unit,” Muhl said, adding that the group is good at making adjustments on thesidelinewhiletheEagle defense is on the field.
Lexingtonhasusedaplatoon system over the last five years to avoid keeping players on the field the entire game.
“This year, I think we’re down to three kids who are startingon both sides right now,” Muhl said. “And I’m tryingtogetawayfromthat, but Schimank right now is starting on both sides. He’s just a player’s player.”
That also describes senior Aaron Allert, who had 170 tackles last season and was named the Associated Press Sports Editors’ 3A Defensive Player of the Year. ALLERT The Eagles are moving the 6-foot, 198-pounder from middle linebacker to free safety. Linebacker Jeremiah Dillon, a DILLON secondteam, all-district pick last season, is now in Allert’s old spot.
“We lost a lot of people, but we’ve got new people comingup,” Allert said. “If we just stick to our roots, we’ll be all right.”
Muhl is confident Lexington will play good defense, though it returns only one more starter, defensive end Rowdy Pearson, who ear secondned PEARSON team, alldistrict honors last year.
“To me, it’s about tackling,” Muhl said. “We’re undersized at some spots, especiallyinthesecondary, but they all tackle well. It’s a matter of getting people on the ground.”
Triggering Lexington’s fast-paced offense is Sheldon Springer, who threw for 1,142 yards on 55-of-121
ROSTER
1 Coby Robertson, sr.; 2 Jeremiah Jackson, jr.; 4 Kaden Noe, sr.; 5 Amarion Cooper, jr.; 6 Caden Huckabay, soph.; 8 Hayden Ramsey, sr.; 9 Dakota Smith, jr.; 12 Sheldon Springer, soph.; 13 Rowdy PEarson, sr.; 15 Colby King, sr.; 17 Kason Bayer, soph.; 20 Devin Jackson, soph.; 21 Jeremiah Dillon, jr.; 22 Cole Huddleston, soph.; 24 Evan Patschke, soph.; 44 Aaron Allert, sr.; 45 Stephen D’Amora, sr.; 48 Ty Hawley, jr.; 50 Kaden Schimank, soph.; 51 Lane Kellar, jr.; 54 Juan Lara, jr.; 55 Zach White, soph.; 60 Jacob Poston, jr.; 62 BRaden Exner, jr.; 63 Jeremy Chastain, sr.; 65 Jessie Flowers, sr.; 77 Ian White, jr. Coaches: head coach Kirk Muhl, B.L. Miller, Chris Koester, Wade Gillis, Garrett Sherrill, Chance Sherrill, Kogan Garrett, Courtney Ward
passingwith12touchdowns and four interceptions as a backup last year to Jordan Kerr, the all-district quarterback in 8-3A Division II.
“[Springer] came in and got some experience last year, and he’s really got a live arm,” Muhl said. “He’s got a really good arm. I’m really looking for that maturity that hopefully this year will kick in some with him.”
Allertalsowillplaysome running back along with Dillon. “I think they’re going t o b e major players for us,” Muhl said. Lexington’s only experienced receiver is JACKSON J e J a r emiah c k son, a secondteam all-district pick. The Eaglesusedfiveorsixmore receivers who played well in the scrimmage against Madisonville, Muhl said.
“We throw and catch enough throughout the year with 7-on-7,” Muhl said. “We took a bunch of kids who when they started out it wasn’t real pretty, then all of a sudden they started catching balls, and they’ve gotten to where they need to be.”
Lexington’s retooled offense might not be able to match the 41.7 points per game scored by last year’s team, but Muhl says he is confidentitwillbe successful if the line leads the way.
“If I don’t have those five play well this year, then we’re not going to be very good,” Muhlsaid. “Italways boils downto thatoffensive line.”
•
NOTES — Texas Football ranks the Eagles 14th in 3A Division II. ... Lexington is picked to finish third in district behind Clifton and Rogers. “I’d saywe’re in the underdog area this year,” Allert said. “That’s what I like, having a chip on your shoulder.” ... Lexington has only nine seniors. ... Lexington had several defensive reserves earn extended playing time last year, and Muhl said he expects them to carry
FACTS
Head coach — Kirk Muhl (42-28 overall; 42-28 at Lexington) District — 8-3A Division II 2018 record — 8-3 (3-1 in 8-3A D2) 2018 playoffs — bi-district: def. Palmer 57-12; area: lost to Gunter 30-27 Playoffappearances (19) — 1964, 1968, 1978, 1997, 1999, 2002-07, 2009-12, 2015-18 Returning lettermen — 11 (2 offensive, 3 defensive starters) Key returners — LB/RB Aaron Allert (8-3A D2 Def. POY), RB/LB Jeremiah Dillon (2nd A-D), WR/DE Rowdy Pearson (2nd A-D), OL Juan Lara (2nd A-D), OL Kaden Schimank, QB Sheldon Springer Key newcomers — Evan Patschke, Ty Hawley, Ian White, Hayden Ramsey Key losses — OL/DL Cade Hawley (lineman of the year), FS Caleb Meyer (A-D). FS Hunter Hurtig (A-D), QB/WR Jordan Kerr (A-D), WR Jermarie White (A-D), DL Clayton Faske (A-D), WR Garrett Stamport (A-D), SS Zach Thornton (2nd A-D), DE Kyle Spencer (2nd A-D), WR Clay Boettcher (2nd A-D), CB Dylan Atkins (2nd A-D), RB Ja’Kobe Cooper All-time record — 424-429-26 Playoffrecord — 34-18
more of the load this season. ... Lexington’s newcomers will break in against a stout nondistrict schedule that features five tough opponents. Burton (14-2A-II) and Shiner (15-2AI) are picked to win their districts. Troy is picked second and Rockdale third in 10-3A-1, and Hearne is picked third in 13-2A-I. Caldwell is the Eagles’ only nondistrict opponent not
picked to reach the playoffs, but the Hornets (12-4A-II) are in a higher classification than the Eagles. “We could be 5-1 coming out of preseason, or we could be 1-5 or anywhere in-between,” Muhl said. “I told them one of the biggest things is keeping their heads up and staying together even if we come up short on some things.”
