From The Houston Chronicle
Sept. 9, 2003, 5:11PM
Clean slate at Clear Lake
How about getting into your last year or two of high school and having to do everything in a foreign language?
In some ways, that's what the Clear Lake Falcons' offensive players are having to do with the team's new spread option attack under the direction of head coach Troy Aduddell and new offensive coordinator Paul Lanier, the former Ball head coach.
"We asked our kids and challenge the defense to keep us in ballgames because we're trying to implement a new offense," Aduddell said. "We sputtered early on offense in both games, but then after we get going, the offense starts clicking and starts moving it, and we've done real well."
The Falcons (2-0) own victories against Katy Taylor 21-7 and Cypress Falls 28-6.
"We're starting two juniors and three seniors on the offensive line, and when you put in a new offense, those are the guys who really have to get it going," Aduddell said.
That front wall features seniors Matt Taylor (6-0, 220) at center and right tackle Chris Mitchell (6-1, 185), and juniors Ben Volk (5-10, 246) and Ryan Johnson (6-0, 232) at guard, and left tackle Scott Nimons (6-2, 228).
"Taylor missed last season with a back injury, but he's come back strong, and he and Mitchell have been the leaders on the offensive line," Aduddell said. "The juniors have also been great."
The Falcons avenged a 2002 loss (26-20) to Cypress Falls last week, and they seek to do the same tonight against the Baytown Lee Ganders (0-1) at 7 o'clock at District Stadium.
Lee, which slapped Clear Lake 41-14 last season, opened 2003 with a 24-13 loss to San Antonio Roosevelt on Aug. 30. The Ganders were open last week and have had two weeks to prepare for the Falcons.
"We you lose a quarterback (Drew Tate) who started for four years, that is a loss," Aduddell said. "However, Baytown Lee has some good athletes, and I see they're running the ball more with Jack Rodriguez, so that puts a little bit of a new wrinkle into the game planning for Lee than in the past few years."
The Falcons' senior-led defense will be looking to put the clamps on Baytown Lee, which has put up 69 total points against Clear Lake the last two years.
"I want to give credit to my defense staff led by defensive coordinator Dwayne Lane and my defensive players," Aduddell said. "They understand their role right now of keeping us in games and keeping the score down so we can catch up. Hopefully by district we'll hang in there with everybody. They're doing a phenomenal job and there's a lot of returning players on that defense. The leadership there has been phenomenal."
Seniors Russell Schober, Michael Plumlee, Will McMullen, Michael Nemer and Jon Kirby are leading the Clear Lake defense, and fellow 12th-grader Wesley Miller is expected back for next week's home game against Jersey Village (Sept. 19 at 7 p.m.).
"They're supplying great leadership on that defensive side of the ball," Aduddell said. "They're helping us strive for constant improvement, and we want to be on all cylinders offensively, but right now, we're pretty good on defense. We hope by district we're hitting on everything."
The Falcons are at Baytown Sterling on Sept. 26 at 7 p.m., and following an open date on Oct. 3, they kick off District 24-5A action at Alvin on Oct. 10 at 7 p.m.
By L. SCOTT HAINLINE