Week 1 of the season after a state championship will be a test for the West Orange-Stark Mustangs. Coach Cornel Thompson believes the Mustangs are ready to defend their state title. He thought the players entered the workouts in pretty good condition, and the team is a little further ahead of itself because of the experience coming back from last year. Thompson implemented the game plan for the first game on Wednesday.
The first opponent for West Orange-Stark is Nederland. Coach Thompson looks at the Bulldogs’ offense. They run the Spread on offense. Nederland returns two running backs Devon Simmons and Ryan Leleux. Junior Marshall Lange this week apparently won the battle to be the starting quarterback.
Thompson’s biggest concern is the large offensive line for the Bulldogs anchored by right tackle Corbin Smith at over 300 pounds. The coach knows there are some weaknesses in the Mustangs’ defense and admits Nederland will confirm them for the WO-S coaches.
Nederland has an appropriate mascot as the Bulldogs with the tenacious defense they play according to Thompson. The Bulldogs use a 50 Defense and also run some 3-3 Stack as well. Tiren Forney is one of the leaders of the Bulldogs who pursue the ball, play hard, and give out but don’t give up. Thompson admits he is very impressed with the defensive unit over there.
The Mustangs use the non-district games to be prepared for the district schedule and aim towards the postseason. Coach Thompson breaks down the keys to an opening game victory. West Orange-Stark needs to be the best football team for 48 minutes between two evenly matched teams and win two-thirds of the phases of the game. The Mustangs need to execute their offense, play hard defensively gang tackling the football, and Thompson emphasizes they have to have a better kicking game than they had last year.
The West Orange-Stark Mustangs play the Nederland Bulldogs Friday night in Dan R. Hooks Stadium. The kickoff will be at 7:30, and the game will be broadcast live on KOGT Friday night with a rebroadcast of the game Saturday morning.
-Dan Perrine, KOGT-
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