Stamford hopes to bounce back, return to playoffs

SUBHEAD

By Brandon McAuliffe
Reporter-News Staff Writer
August 24, 2003

Stamford fourth-year head football coach Eddie Richardson knows his team has its work cut out this year.

The Bulldogs are hoping to bounce back from last year’s 3-7 record and return to the playoffs. The last trip they made to the postseason was in 2001.
Stamford, which plays in District 8-2A with last year’s state finalist Cisco, went 2-3 in district and finished in fourth place. The Bulldogs lost 12 players to graduation, including four-year letterman Eric Richardson, but will return six lettermen.

“We are going to have a young, inexperienced team this year,” said Richardson, who is 14-16 overall in three years at the school. “We have a bunch of good guys willing to work hard this year (to make the playoffs).”

Evan Richardson is going to lead the passing attack this year. Angel Alvarado, Robert Wilson, and Adrian Cantu are returning to lead the defensive effort.

Evan Richardson is coming off of a season that he spent as the backup quarterback.

A major weakness for the team is that only six seniors will suit up for the varsity squad.

There will be 10 juniors and seven sophomores.

Returning seniors include quarterback-defensive back Richardson, running back-defensive back Gary Bell, offensive lineman-defensive lineman Darold Moon, offensive lineman-defensive lineman Gary Burnett, running back-linebacker Adrian Cantu, and wide receiver-defensive back Wilson.

The good news is that there will be quite a bit of speed coming from Stamford’s secondary.

The bad news is that a bunch of the starters this year are coming from the 2002 junior varsity team. This might translate into a long year for the Bulldogs as the JV only won one game last year.

The next several years could be hard ones for the Bulldogs.

SCHEDULE

September
5 at Breckenridge 7:30 p.m.
12 Clyde 7:30 p.m.
19 at Hamlin 7:30 p.m.
26 Colorado City 7:30 p.m.
October
3 at Jim Ned 7:30 p.m.
10 at Haskell* 7:30 p.m.
17 at Hawley* 7:30 p.m.
24 Cisco* 7:30 p.m.
31 at Anson* 7:30 p.m.
November
7 Eastland* 7:30 p.m.

* District games

Stamford Bulldogs

• School colors: Blue and White
• District: 8-2A
• Last year’s record: 3-7 (2-3, fourth place)
• Last playoff appearance: 2001
• Last district championship: 1997
• Head coach: Eddie Richardson
• Career record: 14-16
• Years at current school: fourth
• Assistant coaches: Scott Mathis, Paul Wright Lannie Templeton, Steven Bull, Harvey Davis, Cale Melton
• Returning and/or probable starters: Rec.-DB Kolby Templeton, 5-6, 103, Jr.; RB-DB Wesley Woodard, 5-8, 145, Jr.; QB-DB Rode Owen, 5-10, 147, Jr.; Rec.-DB Angel Alvarado, 5-8, 120, Jr.; QB-DB Evan Richardson, 6-0, 180, Sr.; RB-DB Gary Bell, 5-8, 130, Sr.; RB-LB Adrian Cantu, 5-10, 172, Sr.; RB-LB Stevan Vega, 5-3, 130, So.; RB-LB Joe Craig Gomez, 5-6, 157, Jr.; OL-DL Patrick Herman, 5-7, 214, Jr.; OL-DL Chad Baize, 6-1, 262, Jr.; OL-DL Ross Teichelman, 5-6, 137, So.; OL-DL Brian Hill, 5-9, 181, Jr.; TE-DE Jacob Riley, 5-11, 157, So.; OL-DL Darold Moon, 5-11, 180, Sr.; OL-DL Gary Burnett, 5-7, 181, Sr.; OL-DL Cruz Hernandez, 5-8, 162, So.; OL-DL Tyler Nauert, 5-5, 138, So.; OL-DL Wade Ivy, 5-9, 138, So.; OL-DL Andrew Dippel, 5-9, 165, Jr.; OL-DL Yancey Burnett, 5-4, 139, So.; Rec.-DB Robert Wilson, 5-10, 134, Sr.
• Position changes: none listed
• Returning all-district players: none
• Returning All-Big Country players: none
• Returning all-state players: none
• Top new players: none
• Transfers: none
• Team strengths: work and try hard
• Team weaknesses: very young, inexperienced