Dragons hunting for elusive Class 2A
state championship
DISTRICT 9-2A
By
Troy Shockley
Reporter-News Staff Writer
August 24, 2003
Coming off a 13-2 season (5-0 in district),
which ranked as the best record in school history, Bangs should
be a threat to not only retain the district crown, but to make
another run at the state championship.
Fifth-year coach Bo Robinson has 13 starting positions filled
with familiar names when the Dragons take the field in 2003, seven
on offense and six on defense.
Three of those returnees, Bobby Evers, Jacoby Jones and Lee
Jaye Newton, will be in their fourth season on the varsity squad.
Jones, a 6-foot senior running back, added 20 pounds to his
2002 starting weight to come in at 220 pounds this season.
He led the team with 2,456 yards last season and 29 touchdowns
— an average of nearly 164 yards and two touchdowns per game.
Senior Chris Tilton will be taking over the QB position after
Bo Ratto graduated last May. Cade Ratto, a 5-10, 180-pound senior,
is in his third year on the varsity roster, and will again be
a likely starter as a linebacker for the Dragons.
Two other returnees who have logged two years of varsity experience
are Landon Brush and Corey Apple. Brush, a 5-11, 190-pound junior,
will start at tight end/linebacker. Apple, 5-11, 230 pounds, is
also a junior two-way starter. He will play as an offensive and
defensive lineman.
Rye Hawkins is the final returning senior on the Bangs preseason
roster. Hawkins, 6-4, 230 pounds, is a probable starter at both
offensive and defensive tackle.
Citing experience as the team’s biggest strength coming
into the season, the Dragons’ roster is filled with upperclassmen.
After the seven seniors, there are six juniors and only two sophomores.
Robinson acknowledges that his roster is not very deep, and
depth is likely going to be the biggest weakness for it to overcome.
SCHEDULE
August
29 at Comanche 7:30 p.m.
September
5 Ballinger 7:30 p.m.
12 Hico 7:30 p.m.
19 Eastland 7:30 p.m.
26 at Hamilton 7:30 p.m.
October
10 Winters* 7:30 p.m.
17 at San Saba* 7:30 p.m.
24 Jim Ned* 7:30 p.m.
31 at Coleman* 7:30 p.m.
November
7 Goldthwaite* 7:30 p.m.
* District games
Bangs Dragons
- School colors: green and white
- District: 9-2A
- Last year’s record: 13-2 (5-0, first place)
- Last playoff appearance: 2002
- Last district championship: 2002
- Head coach: Bo Robinson
- Career record: 37-12
- Years at current school: fifth
- Assistant coaches: OC Wendell Robinson, Joe Johnson, Bobby
Anderson, Mike Cofresi, Eddie Pattit, Gary Garvin
- Returning and/or probable starters: OT-DT Rye Hawkins, 6-4,
230, Sr.; WR-DB Bobby Evers, 5-10, 124, Sr.; WR-DB Jacob Balleza,
5-9, 164, Sr.; OT-DT Lee Jaye Newton, 6-1, 230, Sr.; RB-LB Jacoby
Jones, 6-0, 220, Sr.; LB Cade Ratto, 5-10, 180, Sr.; QB Chris
Tilton, 6-3, 200, Sr.; WR Josh Jones, 5-7, 125, Jr.; TE-LB Landon
Brush, 5-11, 190, Jr.; OL-DL Hunter Cox, 6-2, 248, Jr.; TE-FS
Jeremy Furniss, 6-2, 190, Jr.; OL-DL Cory Apple, 5-11, 230, Jr.;
OL-DE Morgan Haines, 6-0, 190, Jr.; Cooper Debusk, 5-7, 150,
So.; Travis Snyder, 5-10, 155, So.
- Position changes: none listed
- Returning all-district players: none listed
- Returning All-Big Country players: none listed
- Returning all-state players: none listed
- Top new players: none listed
- Transfers: none listed
- Team strengths: experience
- Team weaknesses: depth
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