Brownwood aiming to end state championship drought

DISTRICT 8-4A

By Troy Shockley
Reporter-News Staff Writer
August 24, 2003

After completing a semifinal run in the 2002 season, the Brownwood Lions look to be built for yet another attempt at the state championship.

Entering their seventh year under the reins of coach Steve Freeman, the Lions will be stocked with the return of six offensive starters and nine defensive starters, led by first team all-district quarterback Kirby Freeman.

Freeman, who was also named as an all-state punter last season, guided the Lion offense to an average of 28 points and 384.2 yards per game. The senior also led the team in rushing, posting 1,135 yards on 173 carries. He averaged 6.56 yards per carry, and reached the end zone 18 times.

Senior Adam Gafken, Brownwood’s leading receiver in the 2002 campaign, will also be returning to the lineup. Gafken tallied 537 yards on just 30 catches, for an average of 17.9 yards per completion.

Other top varsity holdovers from last season are senior offensive lineman Joey Ellis and senior linebacker Leslie Adams, both of whom were named to the 2002 all-state team.

Three other returning seniors will be Blake Shaffer in the secondary, wide receiver and cornerback Keith Howey and outside linebacker Derrick Rogers; all three players were named to last season’s all-district team

Brownwood will again open its season against Fort Worth Brewer in the first of two games at Texas Stadium. The second game in the opening week doubleheader will feature the Lions’ next two opponents, San Angelo Central and Odessa Permian.
Coach Freeman expects that zero week matchup to be the start of an attempt to claim an eighth state championship for the Lions, the first since 1981.

“(We) will use last year’s semifinal run as a booster,” he said.

“We have waited to get over the hump and if the offseason and summer work habits are an indication, our kids will be prepared for another long season.”

ALL-BIG COUNTRY PLAYERS

Derick Rogers
Jared Gist
Peter Medlock
Timmy Scalley
Jamall Organ
Britton Maxwell
Jason Behler
Adam Gafken

SCHEDULE

August
30 x-Fort Worth Dunbar 6 p.m.
September
5 at San Angelo Central 7:30 p.m.
12 Odessa Permian 7:30 p.m.
26 at Fort Worth Brewer* 7:30 p.m.
October
3 North Crowley* 7:30 p.m.
10 at Crowley* 7:30 p.m.
17 at Stephenville* 7:30 p.m.
24 Aledo* 7:30 p.m.
31 at Granbury* 7:30 p.m.
November
7 Joshua* 7:30 p.m.

* District Games
x-Game played at Texas Stadium

Brownwood Lions

• School colors: maroon and white
• District: 8-4A
• Last year’s record: 9-5 (7-3, third place)
• Last playoff appearance: 2002
• Last district championship: 1998
• Head coach: Steve Freeman
• Career record: 77-31
• Years at current school: seventh
• Assistant coaches: John Walsh, Mitch Stovall, Keith Woolf, Mitch Moore, David Jones, John Ward, Zane Guy, Andy Howard, Brad Raven, Jeremiah Butchee, Charles Copeland, Tim Thomas, Cory Prew, Scotty Nichols, Richard Davis
• Returning and/or probable starters: QB Kirby Freeman, 6-3, 200, Sr.; OL Joey Ellis, 6-3, 240, Sr.; FB-OLB Leslie Adams, 5-10, 210, Sr.; WR-DB Adam Gafken, 6-2, 185, Sr.; DB Blake Shaffer, 6-0, 210, Sr.; WR-DB Keith Howey, 6-2, 170, Sr.; OLB Derick Rogers, 6-4, 200, Sr.; OL Lee Grimes, 6-6, 315, Jr.; DL Jared Gist, 6-1, 210, Sr.; TE-OLB Peter Medlock, 6-0, 210, Sr.; FB-ILB Chris Evans, 5-10, 200, Jr.; OL Taylor Graves, 6-1, 275, Sr.; S Timmy Scalley, 5-10, 175, Sr.; ILB Diego Fuller, 6-0, 200, Sr.; OL Seth Rainey, Jr.; RB Jamall Organ, So.; RB-LB Britton Maxwell, So.; OL-DL Eric Cortez, So.; OL-OLB Tanner Sikes, Jr.; TE-DL Justin Jacobson, Jr.; TE-OLB Joel Potts, Sr.; OL-DL Leif Scott, Sr.; RB-DB Jason Behler, Jr.; RB-DB Daniel Denton, Sr.; RB-Sec. J.D. Johnson, Sr.
• Position changes: none
• Returning all-district players: QB-P Freeman (first team), OLB Adams (first team), WR Gafken (first team), OT Ellis (first team), S Shaffer (first team), WR-CB Howley (second team), OLB Rogers (second team), TE Medlock (second team), DL Gist (second team), IL Fuller (second team), L Evans (honorable mention), S Scalley (honorable mention)
• Returning All-Big Country players: P Freeman, S Shaffer
• Returning all-state players: P Freeman, OL Ellis, L Adams
• Top new players: OL Rainey, Jr.; RB Organ, So.; RB-LB Maxwell, So.; OL-DL Cortez, So.; OL-OLB Sikes, Jr.; TE-DL Jacobson, Jr.; TE-OLB Potts, Sr.; OL-DL Scott, Sr.; RB-DB Behler, Jr.; RB-DB Denton, Sr.; RB-DB Johnson, Sr.
• Transfers: none listed
• Team strengths: strength, quickness, aggressive work habits, confidence, winning attitude
• Team weaknesses: none listed