TREASURE COAST TITANS
FRIDAY NIGHT MEMORIES
2008
7-3
Why it was special: After losing 17 of 20 games in its first two seasons, Treasure Coast posted its first winning season and narrowly missed going to the playoffs in coach Bill Kelley’s second season. By the numbers: The Titans started 5-1, posted their first two
shutouts and scored 30 points or more four times. Playmakers: Running back Travis Jones finished with 1,404 yards and 22 touchdowns. Quarterback Dylan Parker completed 51 percent of his passes for 1,168 yards and 11 TDs. Patrick Harris caught 36 passes for 606 yards and five TDs. On defense,
Jeff Luc had 125 tackles, 22 for loss, and eight sacks. Ed Foley added 107 tackles, 24 for loss, and eight sacks. Etc.: Only a 21-15 loss to South Fork, in which two long runs deep into South Fork territory were erased by penalties, kept the Titans from reaching the playoffs for the first time.
SCHEDULE
STRENGTHS
August 31 at Village Academy 7:30 September 7 at Fort Pierce Westwood 7 13 at Mainland 7 21 University 7 28 Barrington Christian 7 October 5 St. Lucie West Centennial 7 12 Monsignor Pace 7 November 2 at Vero Beach 7 8 Palm Bay 7
SPEED/ATHLETICISM
Treasure Coast is very athletic and believes it has the speed to create mismatches on both sides of the ball. Linebacker Calvin Bowens will lead an attacking defense that will have multiple fronts. Cornerback Justin Williams and safety Carl Chisolm provide a physical presence in the backfield. The team lost its top three rushers from 2011, but feels this year’s backs have a lot of potential, especially Digwon Harris (130 yards, 5.9 yards per carry last season).
DEPTH CHART OFFENSE Pos Name QB Willie Micco RB Diqwoun Harris WR Devin Ferguson WR Chris McAllister WR Anthony Choppa TE Austin Whitehead LT Lloyd Lero LG Kavis Moxam C John Williams RG Demitrius Buford RT Fredric Francois
No 4 20 2 5 11 80 75 55 50 56 53
Cl Ht Wt Jr. 6-0 185 Jr. 5-9 190 Sr. 6-1 190 Sr. 5-10 175 So. 6-2 180 So. 6-1 210 Jr. 6-5 280 Sr. 5-11 225 Sr. 5-10 210 Sr. 6-0 240 Jr. 6-0 245
WEAKNESSES QUARTERBACK
DEFENSE Pos Name DE Derrick Ng NT Dominic Jackson DE Kavis Moxam LB Chris Aponte LB Calvin Bowens LB Chad Rebrovic LB Devin Ferguson LB Ascarra Morris LB Chris McAllister CB Justin Williams FS Carl Chisholm
No 6 71 55 8 32 45 2 12 5 21 1
Cl Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr.
Ht 6-4 6-1 5-11 6-2 6-2 5-11 6-1 5-8 5-10 6-2 5-10
Wt 195 275 225 180 215 190 190 170 175 180 185
SPECIAL TEAMS Pos Name K/P Justin Walker
No Cl Ht Wt 41 Sr. 5-11 175
RESERVES Yohan Elliot (7, Jr., DB/WR), Joseph Kneip (9, So., QB), Isaac Providence (17, Sr., DL), Jason Hsu (25, Fr., RB), Juan Penaran (29, K, Sr.), Romelo Alvarado (42, Jr., DL), Jhevante Campbell (44, Jr., DL), Dylan Mullikin (46, So., DB/WR), Daniel Jones (48, Jr., LB/TE), Drew Hoppas (49, Sr., DL), Dennis Nortelus (54, Jr., OL), Derek Hadley (59, Jr., OL), Christian Rivas (60, Jr., DL), Herbert Dalusma (62, Sr., OL), Thiago Leite (70, Sr., OL), Joel Carson (74, Sr., OL), Justice Carim (77, Sr., DL), Angel Garcia (83, Jr., WR), Hayden Murphy (89, Jr., WR), Sean Sullins (97, Sr., DL), Darrell Johnson (99, Sr., DL)
COACHING STAFF
Coach: Irvin Jones (third year) Record: 9-10 2011: 4-5, 0-2 District 8-8A Assistants: Aaron Sheppard (defensive coordinator, inside linebackers and recruiting coordinator), Antwuan Wyatt (offensive coordinator), Julius Franklin (offensive line), Jordan Marshall (wide receivers), Anthony Prince (running backs), Jabari Williams (quarterbacks), Levar Sims (defensive line), John Williams (outside linebackers), Johnny Frost (defensive line)
STADIUM SOUTH COUNTY REGIONAL STADIUM (5,000) Playing Surface: Grass Address: Northwest Stadium Drive, Port St. Lucie Directions: From Interstate 95, take Exit 121 and go east on St. Lucie West Boulevard. Turn left on N.W. Peacock Boulevard and go approximately ¼ mile and turn right on Northwest Stadium Drive. Stadium is on the right. Main Office: 772-785-6660 On the web: www.stlucie.k.12. fl.us/tch
RIVALS
■■ Fort Pierce Central ■■ St. Lucie West Centennial ■■ Vero Beach
THREE PLAYERS TO WATCH
HOBIE HILER/SPECIAL TO TREASURE COAST NEWSPAPERS
Treasure Coast’s quarterback Willie Micco (4) throws the ball in the first half of their kickoff classic game against Fort Pierce Cetral at Lawnwood Stadium in Fort Pierce last Friday. Fort Pierce Central won 35-0.
KEY GAME
We had so much talent on that field last year, and we couldn’t win but four games. I just think we were not as close as a team as we should have been. I think we had a little individualism on the team.”
NOV. 2: AT VERO BEACH
Irvin Jones, Treasure Coast head coach
‘Titan Creed’
Treasure Coast adopts mantra to put team first By Jon Santucci Special to Treasure Coast Newspapers
PORT ST. LUCIE — Treasure Coast High School football coach Irvin Jones is determined not to see a repeat of the 2011 season. It’s not just that Treasure Coast had a two-year playoff streak snapped or that it suffered its first losing season since 2007. It is even more than the disappointment of having double-digit leads in both district games and failing to finish off St. Lucie West Centennial or Vero Beach. It’s that Treasure Coast lost sight of what made it successful in the first place. “We had so much talent on that field last year, and we couldn’t win but four games,” Jones said. “I just think we were not as close as a team as we should have been. I think we had a little individualism on the team. “I think it was a little bit on both the coaches and the players. When you start having success, you forget what got you there. That (2009) season (when Treasure Coast reached the Region 2-6A championship game), those guys loved each
JUSTIN WILLIAMS
other. You go in the cafeteria and they all sat together, no matter what. They opened doors for the teachers and for the female students and we want to get back to that — to being that positive role model.” Seeing that his team no longer had the foundation he wanted, Jones sat down before the spring and came up with an attitude he wanted his team to have. From it, the “Titan Creed” was born. One copy hangs on the wall in Jones’ office, another in the locker room. Treasure Coast players have been asked to memorize — and internalize — what it says. For Jones, the first line says it all: “I will sacrifice individual glory for the overall success of the team.” “This season will be a success if we continue to play together,” Jones said. “That’s it. We want to play for each other. We want to win for us. No individualism.” The Treasure Coast coaching staff went to drastic measures in the spring, kicking players off the team who had the wrong attitude. Treasure Coast does not have any captains this season to ensure no player loses focus on team objec-
Senior CB/RB 2011 stats: 41 tackles Coach Jones: “He is very, very fast, of course. He is a very coachable kid. You tell him to do something once and he picks it up. He never talks back.”
tives. When the team schedule came back from the printer, the word “we” was scripted in light gray and served as the backdrop. The team’s T-shirts have the same message. “All you used to hear is, ‘We this’ and, ‘We that,’ ” Jones said. “We got away from it for a while, but we’re going to get back to that this year.” Later in the creed is the reminder that a strong bond is crucial to success: “I will not leave a fallen teammate.” One of the policies Jones implemented was no negative comments in practice. If a player makes a mistake, the coaches are the only ones who can “get on” that player. If someone starts tearing down a teammate, they have been forced to run. “We told them from the first day, ‘Coaches will get on you. You need to pick each other up,’ ” Jones said. The team has gotten the message and coaches have commented throughout camp about how much fun players are having. The only remaining question is if it will translate to wins.
JOHN WILLIAMS
Senior center 2011 stats: N/A Coach Jones: “He knows where everybody on the whole entire line is supposed to be and what their assignment is. He can call anything up front.”
Treasure Coast lost allarea quarterback Travares Copeland to graduation and will look to unproven junior Willie Micco to take over. Micco doesn’t have the athleticism Copeland had, but the Titans coaches are excited about his arm and his intelligence. If Micco can manage the game effectively and avoid turnovers, Treasure Coast could exceed expectations. The offensive line will be counted on to do more run blocking than it did last year and must prove reliable in opening holes.
In a three-team district with St. Lucie West Centennial and Vero Beach, the Titans likely only need one win to qualify for the postseason. While Treasure Coast plays Centennial — the defending district champion — first, the entire season could come down to the game against Vero Beach. Treasure Coast led Vero Beach heading into the fourth quarter last year, but lost 35-24. This year’s game will be at Vero Beach, always a tough environment for visiting teams.
PREDICTION 5-4, 0-2 DISTRICT 8-8A
Based on the way Treasure Coast’s schedule is set up, the team should have a pretty impressive record heading into October, but it will get a strong test early against Daytona Beach-Mainland in the third week of the season. Nothing will come easy the final two months of the season, especially with district games against Centennial and Vero Beach. Palm Bay always is a tough matchup and Monsignor Pace has a handful of players committed to Division I programs.
DERRICK NG
Senior defensive end 2011 stats: N/A Coach Jones: “He’s not going to make a lot of noise or get too excited after making a play, but he is very strong and is very sound (technique-wise) in all he does.”