Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - Moody, Kingsville to face off in rematch of Trojan's 1998 overtime heartbreaker

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Friday, September 3, 1999

Moody, Kingsville to face off in rematch of Trojan's 1998 overtime heartbreaker

By Stu Duncan and George Vondracek
Caller-Times

The Moody Trojans remember it all too well.
   Overtime, followed by a Moody fumble and then a game-winning touchdown by Kingsville. Last year's non-district football game between Kingsville and Moody had plenty of excitement. Too much for Moody coach Jim Elam, considering the Trojans lost the game.
   The Trojans hope to erase last season's 22-16 overtime setback to Kingsville today when the teams meet in Kingsville at Javelina Stadium at 7:30 p.m.
   Kingsville will look for back-to-back victories in the series after Moody overcame an 18-12 fourth quarter deficit to sneak past the Brahmas, 25-18 two years ago in Kingsville.
   "I'm sure it will be one of those deals where it goes down to the wire," Elam said. "Every year we've played them, except for once, it has come down to that."
   Moody knows a thing or two about last minute anxiety. The Trojans rallied from a 14-point fourth-quarter deficit last Friday to surprise San Antonio Jay, 15-14 at Cabaniss Field.
   With the Trojans players sky-high after the game, one might think Elam would want his players to feed off of the victory.
   Think again.
   "It's always nice to win an opening game, particularly in that manner, but we have to forget about that," Elam said.
   Elam can't seem to block Kingsville quarterback David Esquivel out of his mind.
   "He's given us fits over the years," Elam said of Esquivel. "He seems like he's been there eight years. He's a great high school football player. He's very quick and he throws the ball extremely well."
   Kingsville has another quarterback for Elam and company to be concerned with in Yale Vannoy, who also plays free safety on defense.
   Elam said Vannoy is more of an option quarterback and Brahmas coach Richard Whitaker said Vannoy will see playing time against the Trojans.
   Whitaker said Kingsville will be without starting backfield tonight in fullback Balde Escamilla (sprained ankle) and tailback Chris Campbell, who had a death in the family. He said fullback Robert Alegria and tailbacks Ted Jones and Pete Canales will fill in those vacancies.
   Whitaker said the Brahmas must execute their option offense to have success against the Trojans.
   "It's a high-risk offense and one that you can put the ball on the ground," Whitaker said. "So we have to take care of the football. And we need to play sound defense and not give up the big play."
   Elam said the Trojans defense must be more consistent and cut down the big yardage plays by Kingsville. He said the Brahmas option running game concerns him and "if we don't play very intelligent assignment football, we'll get smoked in a hurry."
   Moody has its own strong-armed quarterback directing the Trojans offense. Gene Flores made his first varsity start at quarterback for the Trojans last Friday and though he struggled early, he completed five of his last seven passes to spark Moody's comeback.
   "I think winning a game always helps your confidence," Elam said. "Gene has confidence, but after winning a game like that, he has to feel even better about himself."
   Whitaker said Moody has an advantage because they've played a game and the Brahmas haven't. He said two scrimmages wasn't the same as playing an actual game and wasn't sure how much an advantage his team would gain by playing at home.
   "The kids are excited and the town of Kingsville is very excited," Whitaker said. "We have a new coaching staff and it's something new in town. The opening game is always an exciting time.
   "I'm not going to say I hadn't been nervous," the first-year Brahmas coach added. "I want the kids to be successful. And if we're not successful I'll feel bad and take the blame for it."
   VICTORIA AT ALICE: Two preseason scrimmages haven't done much to ease the demeanor of Alice coach Van Tom Whatley, whose Coyotes are attempting to duplicate last year's jaunt to the Class 4A Division I semifinals.
   "We're playing with a bunch of young kids that don't understand what we're trying to do yet," Whatley said. "We're just not very football smart yet."
   Alice had but eight starters returning from last season's 11-3 team that finished as the 31-4A runner-up to Calallen. Five are on offense and only three on defense, increasing the work of Whatley and his staff.
   "What we're trying to do is simplify things a little bit," Whatley said. "Maybe we're trying to do too much too early."
   The latest test in the series dating to 1960 comes tonight at Memorial Stadium in Alice. Victoria, which hasn't lost to the Coyotes since 1992, tuned up with a 34-6 win over Austin Anderson last Friday. Three players, led by running back Bo Mallette (178 yards, four touchdowns), topped the 100-yard rushing mark as the Stingarees rolled to a 538-yard offensive night under first-year coach Wayne Condra.
   So much for the hardships of adjusting to a new coach.
   "They've got some really talented people. I don't think they've switched much at all," Whatley said of Victoria. "With those kinds of players, I don't know why they would."
   Alice does have experience at quarterback in senior J.P. Pruneda, who began last season sharing time with Joe Escobar. He does have split end Mark Garza and tight end Jason Benavides as targets.
   "J.P. has looked pretty good," Whatley said. "He's turned into a leader. We expect him to be a good player."
   CUERO AT CALALLEN: Calallen has its work cut out for it in the team's season home opener tonight at 7:30 p.m. No one understands that more than Wildcats football coach Phil Danaher.
   The Wildcats, who had just three returning starters from last year's team, suffered another setback when junior center Reagan Rich broke his arm during the brawl at last Friday's scrimmage against Carroll.
   Coupled with that, the Cuero Gobblers are more than just your typical opening game opponent.
   "We've got a tough game against a great team - they're the No. 2 team in the state," Calallen coach Phil Danaher said of Cuero, state-ranked No. 2 in Class 3A in the Associated Press football poll. "They've got a lot of speed on offense and our defense has to contain that speed. They have a couple of real threats back there (in the backfield) and their tailback has real good speed. He's a tough runner and he makes things happen."
   Danaher said youth in the Wildcats' offensive line is a concern and the unit will be tested when the Gobblers show the players several different defensive fronts.
   Danaher said the Wildcats' offense worked primarily on the passing game during the shortened scrimmage against Carroll. He said the team needs to improve in that area as well in order for the Wildcats to start the season on a winning note.

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