ACHS pans for gold despite heavy losses
from state runner-up team
TAPPS
By
Brandon McAuliffe
Special to the Reporter-News
August 24, 2003
Eric Hughes is back and ready for one
last season at the helm of the high-octane Abilene Christian High
School Panthers offense.
One year after leading the Panthers to the Texas Association
of Private and Parochial Schools Six-Man state championship game,
Hughes is set to pilot the team in his senior year. He will have
to do it without one of his favorite targets. Kurt Wasemiller,
a former first-team all-state selection, graduated this past spring.
In addition to Wasemiller, the Panthers lost nine more seniors
in the offseason.
“We expect with our strength of schedule to start on the
slow side, but our players really like to win and are used to
winning,” ACHS coach Charles Tindol said.
ACHS has plans to try freshman Jay Tindol at many positions.
He is scheduled to play running back, end, linebacker, defensive
back and be the third-string quarterback.
Besides Hughes, the only returning senior for the Panthers
is end-defensive end Chance Jones.
ACHS will return three defensive starters this year —
Hughes, Jones and linebacker Wilson Rotenberry, a sophomore.
Projected offensive starters are Hughes, Jones, junior end
Cliff LaMontagne, Rotenberry, sophomore center Tyler Munson and
sophomore end Sam McMurray.
On defense, Tindol expects Hughes, Jones, LaMontagne, Rotenberry,
Munson, McMurray, Sam Alcala, Michael Sandoval and Jay Tindol
to see significant playing time.
ACHS does get to play district rival El Paso Jesus Chapel at
home this year. The Panthers do have to travel to El Paso on two
different occasions for games, though. The first trip will be
for their district opener against Bethel Temple. The second visit
is for a non-district contest against Immanuel Baptist. The season
opener for ACHS will be at home against Santa Anna on Aug. 29.
Added coach Tindol, “If we can stay healthy and positive,
we fully expect to be a playoff team.”
SCHEDULE
August
29 Santa Anna 7:30 p.m.
September
5 Woodson 7:30 p.m.
12 at Lometa 7:30 p.m.
19 Sanderson 7:30 p.m.
26 Bryson 7:30 p.m.
October
4 at El Paso Bethel Temple* 12:00 p.m.
10 Amarillo Bible Heritage* 7:30 p.m.
18 at El Paso Immanuel Baptist 1:00 p.m.
31 El Paso Jesus Chapel* 7:30 p.m.
* District games
- School colors: royal blue and white
- District: TAPPS Six-man District 1
- Last year’s record: 9-5 (4-0, first place)
- Last playoff appearance: 2002
- Last district championship: 2002
- Head coach: Charles Tindol
- Career record: 42-18
- Years at current school: 5
- Assistant coaches: David Anders
- Returning and/or probable starters: QB-DB Eric Hughes, 5-11,
150, Sr.; DE Chance Jones, 6-3, 160, Sr.; LB Wilson Rotenberry,
5-11, 160, So.
- Position changes: None listed
- Returning all-district players: Hughes (first-team)
- Returning All-Big Country players: Hughes
- Returning all-state players: Hughes (first-team)
- Top new players: None listed
- Transfers: None listed
- Team strengths: Tradition and youthful enthusiasm
- Team weaknesses: Experience, depth, and speed
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