Rotan hopes speed, youth leads to playoff
contention
DISTRICT 9-A
By
Troy Shockley
Reporter-News Staff Writer
August 24, 2003
There will be many familiar faces in
both the offensive and defensive huddles this season in Rotan,
which should lead to a competitive season for the Yellowhammers.
Despite losing five seniors to graduation last May, 12 lettermen
will be returning for Rotan’s 2003 campaign, all of whom
were starters on last year’s squad. The group will be split
evenly with six players returning to each side of the ball.
Leading the charge, quarterback Dave Mullins, a 6-0, 160-pound
senior who was also a first-team all-district selection as a defensive
back, is entering his fourth year on the varsity squad.
Mullins will again get the ball from 6-1, 195-pound junior
center Cody Etheredge, another first-team all-district player.
Tight end Rocky Saucedo, a 5-9, 225-pound senior with three
years of varsity experience, should see Mullins tossing many balls
his way while sharing leadership duties on this team.
Third-year coach Dave Oldham will see Presley Gaspar return
to the offense. The running back, who ran for 500 yards last season,
also starts at defensive back.
Other seniors joining Gaspar on defense will be Saucedo at
linebacker, Lee Jay Greenway at defensive end and Aaron Greene
and Jordan Cox, both at defensive back.
Even with so many returning starters, the team has just five
seniors on its roster and is mainly comprised of juniors. Oldham
doesn’t see this as a disadvantage, however, and lists the
youth of his team as one of its strengths, along with overall
team speed.
He is concerned about one frequent result of having a fast
team; the Yellowhammers are not a particularly big team. The only
Yellowhammers who weigh more than 200 pounds are Saucedo and Mark
Bosquez (220), and the average weight of the team is just a fraction
over 167 pounds.
With youth, though, comes enthusiasm and along with better
team speed than in 2002, Oldham thinks that the combination should
provide quality results.
SCHEDULE
August
29 at Rising Star 7:30 p.m.
September
5 Throckmorton 7:30 p.m.
12 at Bronte 7:30 p.m.
19 at Cross Plains 7:30 p.m.
26 Miles 7:30 p.m.
October
10 Paducah* 7:30 p.m.
17 Munday* 7:30 p.m.
24 at Hamlin* 7:30 p.m.
31 Knox City* 7:30 p.m.
November
7 at Crowell* 7:30 p.m.
* District games
Rotan Yellowhammers
- School colors: orange and white
- District: 9-A
- Last year’s record: 3-7 (1-4, fourth place)
- Last playoff appearance: 2000
- Last district championship: 1999
- Head coach: Dave Oldham
- Career record: 5-15
- Years at current school: third
- Assistant coaches: Bert Otto, Derick Price, Calley Conner,
Mike McCoy
- Returning and/or probable starters: QB-DB Dave Mullins, 6-0,
160, Sr.; G-DE Lee Jay Greenway, 5-10, 180, Sr.; TE-LB Rocky
Saucedo, 5-9, 225, Sr.; HB-DB Jordan Cox, 5-7, 150, Sr.; DB Aaron
Greene, 5-8, 150, Sr.; C-LB Cody Etheredge, 6-1, 195, Jr.; RB-DB
Presley Gaspar, 5-5, 145, Jr.; RB-DB Jose Ortiz, 5-5, 140, Jr.;
QB-DB Matt Quintilla, 5-7, 140, Jr.; FB-DE Randy Morgan, 6-0,
170, Jr.; OT-DT Mark Bosquez, 5-9, 220, Jr.; FB-LB Brian Saucedo,
5-8, 150, Jr.; DB Jacob Cox, 5-10, 165, So.
- Position changes: none listed
- Returning all-district players: DB Mullins (first team),
C Etheredge (first team)
- Returning All-Big Country players: none
- Returning all-state players: none
- Top new players: FB Morgan, 5-10, 170, Jr.
- Transfers: none listed
- Team strengths: quickness
- Team weaknesses: size, depth
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