Through three weeks of the season the West Orange-Stark Mustangs have outscored their opponents 142 to nothing. Coach Cornel Thompson is not going to let the Mustangs get the big head from their early successes. The week of practices did not start well with a seminar involving Lamar taking up Monday. The weather on Tuesday caused the practice to move into the gym. Thompson laments, “I’d like to get outside and do something athletic.”
The Mustangs play a private school out of Houston KIPP Northeast this week. Thompson says the Gators are a good looking team with size, speed, and quickness. Thompson indicates KIPP Northeast has five or six players that go both ways.
KIPP Northeast uses an old school offense with the I-Formation and run a lot of power stuff according to Thompson. He is impressed with their quarterback Desmond Houston and the fullback Terrance Holden. Tight end Geraldo Zavada gives the Gators a potent receiver.
Coach Thompson analyzes KIPP’s defense. The Gators line up in a four-man front. The middle linebacker Johnny Sullivan is a little larger than the average high school linebacker at 260 pounds, but the coach states the Mustangs must account for him. The right defensive end Patrick Besanga is under sized, but has great quickness and will be all over Mustang quarterback Jack Dallas if the Mustangs do not block him.
The Mustangs must be ready because the Gators do have some talent. Thompson emphasizes that if the Mustangs take KIPP lightly it is a bad mistake. West Orange-Stark needs to prepare Wednesday and Thursday this week and be ready to play a football game on Friday.
West Orange-Stark comes into the game ranked number one in the state. Thompson tells what the Mustangs must do Friday night to stay at that lofty perch. WO-S needs to execute on both offense and defense, eliminating penalties and tackling better. Thompson is vehement about the need to improve the kicking game. K. J. Miller had two returns for touchdowns last week, but the Mustangs missed five point-after kicks, and Coach Thompson urges that part has got to be better.
The West Orange-Stark Mustangs host KIPP Northeast Friday night. The kickoff will be at 7:30 PM in Dan R. Hooks Stadium.
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