Josh Aubrey
Statesboro Blues
By: Josh Aubrey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
For the third straight week the Statesboro Blue Devils had three or more turnovers and once again it proved costly. Despite trailing by only seven in the fourth quarter the Blue Devils were unable to convert when they had to and dropped a 22-6 decision at West Laurens.
“For whatever reason in some areas we are not being very coachable,” said Statesboro coach Jeff Kaiser. “We work on ball security daily. We get into the heat of the battle and panic. We need to get mentally tougher.”
The Blue Devils had the lead cut to seven and were driving early in the fourth quarter.
The offense was able to get inside the Raiders eight-yard line, but a sack on third and eight pushed them back to the 12. Kaiser elected to go for a 29-yard field goal but Cody Parker’s attempt sailed wide left and the Raiders took over.
The Blue Devil defense forced a punt but the Raiders pinned the Blue Devils at their own 10-yard line. A holding penalty moved the ball back to the five-yard line and then Statesboro quarterback Drake Horton was called for intentional grounding in the end zone, resulting in a safety and a 15-6 West Laurens lead.
The Raiders then took the free kick and marched 60 yards for their final points of the game. Dorian Edmond capped off the drive with a three-yard touchdown for a final score of 22-6.
“I thought once again our defense played well,” Kaiser said. “We just kept putting them on the field a lot and in bad situations.”
After Statesboro went three and out the Raiders took their opening drive and got down to the Statesboro five-yard line. Consecutive holding calls moved them back and they had to settle for a 46-yard Cam Coup field goal for a 3-0 lead.
West Laurens converted on a fake punt on their next offensive series. That was followed by a 35-yard pass from R.J. Mathis to Brent Carr. Capping the scoring Mathis rolled left and found E.J. Holmes for a five-yard score and a 10-0 Raider lead.
Late in the first Statesboro’s offense looked like it was finally getting on track. Jaylen Roberson (174 yards rushing) busted free on a 55-yard run to the West Laurens 19. Two plays later the Blue Devils fumbled and the Raiders took over.
In the second the Statesboro defense came through with a big play. Corey McCullough stripped the ball right out of the hands of Dorian Edmonds and Statesboro took over at the West Laurens 12-yard line. Two plays later McCullough got rewarded as he busted free up the middle for an 8-yard touchdown. The extra point failed, leaving the score 10-6.
Statesboro outgained West Laurens in total offense 243 to 228, marking the second straight game the Blue Devils have outgained their opponent in a loss.
The three turnover brings the Blue Devil total to 10 turnovers in their last three losses.
“I’m proud of our kids, they are playing hard,” Kaiser said. “Our goal is to get to game 11. Our goal is still attainable. We still have some good teams left on our schedule, but I feel we are a pretty good team ourselves. The trick now is to keep our kids spirits up and not let them get dragged down by some of the poison that can come from some people in this community.”
Statesboro Killed By Turnovers Against Effingham
By: Josh Aubrey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Last year it was a wild shootout between Statesboro and Effingham that saw the Rebels come from 20 points down to win in Springfield 38-34.
This time around instead of a shootout, the Blue Devils shot themselves in the foot, with three first half turnovers that proved too much to come back from, as Statesboro fell 20-15 to drop to 2-2 on the season.
“The last thing we told our kids was to protect the football,” said Statesboro coach Jeff Kaiser. “Three turnovers, with one going for a touchdown really killed us. We beat ourselves, they didn’t beat us.”
Statesboro actually outgained Effingham County with 312 yards of total offense to only 120 for the Rebels but it would be the three Statesboro turnovers that would prove to be the difference in this one.
The Blue Devil offense was in excellent field position on their first drive of the game. Jaylen Roberson broke a tackle and went 45 yards before being brought down at the Effingham seven-yard line. The offense stalled and then on third down a bobbled exchange resulted in the ball being loose. After both teams scrambled around the Rebels finally fell on it at their own 35-yard line.
With no score through one quarter of play Statesboro’s defense got them the ball back, as Flip Dixon picked off a Jerid Stokes pass, giving the Blue Devils the ball at the 35.
A few plays later Statesboro quarterback Drake Horton was intercepted himself and the Rebels took over at midfield.
It wouldn’t take the Rebels long to score as Stokes hooked up with tight end Necos Gadson on a crossing pattern and he would go the rest of the way untouched for a 37-yard touchdown and the Rebels had a 7-0 lead.
Coach Kaiser then put Sage Reese in at quarterback for the first time this year and things didn’t go well.
On the first play from scrimmage Reese was stood up and while fighting ahead the ball was stripped away and scooped up by the Rebels Joseph Solomon, who would go 35 yards for the touchdown. The two-point conversion failed and Effingham was on top 13-0.
On the ensuing kickoff the Blue Devils Will Yawn gave Statesboro a bit of a spark with a 38-yard kickoff return into Rebel territory.
The offense then proceeded to march downfield, with linebacker turned running back Corey McCullough doing a lot of the damage. McCullough would cap the drive with a 11-yard touchdown run.
McCullough would then punch in the two-point conversion, cutting the lead to 13-8, with 2:35 left in the half. That score would hold into halftime.
The Rebels came out of the third quarter and promptly went on a five-minute drive, capped off by a seven-yard Desmond House touchdown which extended the lead to 20-8.
The Blue Devil offense was unable to get going until late in the game as they went 70 yards on their final drive of the game, aided by a couple Effingham penalties.
The drive culminated in a seven-yard touchdown pass from Horton to Yawn to cut the lead to 20-15 with less than a minute to go.
The Blue Devil onside kick attempt was recovered by the Rebels, who were able to take a couple knees and run out the clock, as they improved to 4-1 on the season.
“Our kids played hard but I didn’t think we played too smart tonight,” Kaiser said. “We will tell our kids they can listen to the poison out there if they want to, or you can come back to work, and put your nose down and try to get better. It doesn’t get any easier.”
Up next Statesboro travels to West Laurens next Friday night for a non-region matchup.
Not So Fast
By: Josh Aubrey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Statesboro Blue Devils have made great strides over the past two weeks, starting the season 2-0.
Friday night the Warhawks showed the Blue Devils they still have a ways to go, holding Statesboro to only 34 yards rushing and shutting them out 21-0.
“Everybody in our community – which we love and appreciate their support – was telling our kids and each other that Statesboro is back,” Statesboro coach Jeff Kaiser said. “Statesboro is not back, this is a journey and a process of getting to where we want to be. We are a lot further along than we have been in a while, but we aren’t where we want to be.”
The Warhawks defense stacked the line and shut Statesboro’s rushing attack down. Davardrion Lipsey managed only 30 yards on 14 carries, while Jaylen Roberson was held to just one yard on 14 carries.
“They are by far the most physical defensive line we have seen,” Kaiser said. “What really disappoints me is that instead of biting down on the bit and getting after it physically up front, we did not execute and were not physical.”
With the rushing game ineffective the Blue Devils were forced to do something they had only done once in the first two games, throw the ball. Quarterback Drake Horton completed 5 of 17 passes for 70 yards and had 3 interceptions.
“They forced us into doing what we don’t do and that’s throwing the ball,” Kaiser said. “We had a few good spots there but we threw too many interceptions and we have to do a better job keeping the ball.”
Statesboro managed two first downs on their opening drive but were forced to punt. The Warhawks then marched downfield on an 11 play 75-yard drive that culminated in a 12-yard Sebastian Verger touchdown for a 7-0 lead.
The Blue Devil defense held strong through the rest of the half. Veterans tried a fake punt that the Blue Devils stopped and Statesboro also recorded a fumble recovery at midfield by Flip Dixon.
The Blue Devil offense was unable to take advantage of field position on a couple occasions in the first half, having one drive end on an interception and another on an unsuccessful fourth down attempt.
In the third quarter the Warhawks busted free for a big play, as Verger kept it on an option right and streaked down the sidelines for a 47-yard touchdown and a 14-0 Veterans lead.
Horton was picked off twice in the third quarter, the first interception was returned 33 yards inside the Statesboro 20-yard line.
That would set up the final score of the night as Cyrus Zuell busted up the middle for an 8-yard touchdown, and a 21-0 lead.
“We need to get things ironed out, and get our heads straight and understand what we need to do to get better,’ Kaiser said. “I have one hundred percent faith that our kids will come in Sunday afternoon and watch film, and come Monday ready to get better.”
The win improves Veterans record to 4-0 on the season, while the Blue Devils drop to 2-1. Up next Statesboro travels to Effingham County Friday for a 7:30 start.
Statesboro Bedevils Liberty
By: Josh Aubrey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
It may be only two games into the season but it looks like the Statesboro Blue Devil football team may be back. On the heels of a 7-3 victory at Greenbrier, the Blue Devils welcomed in a highly touted Liberty County team and whipped them pretty soundly 23-6.
“These kids have really bought into what mental toughness is all about,” said Statesboro coach Jeff Kaiser. “We finished, we finished it the way we are supposed to. This is the way things are supposed to go at Statesboro High School,”
Once again it was the Blue Devil defense leading the charge. Liberty came in featuring one of the state’s top running backs in Kris Coleman, who was coming off a 350-yard, five touchdown performance. The Blue Devils held him to only 93 yards and held the Panther offense to just 124 yards of total offense.
“Our defense came ready to play once again, and never hung their head,” Kaiser said. “Liberty made an adjustment in the third quarter but we came right back and countered that move and I’m so proud of them and our entire coaching staff.”
The Blue Devil offense, who struggled mightily last Friday, rebounded nicely as they finished with 209 yards of total offense which included their first passing play of the season – which resulted in a touchdown – and their first big yardage play. That was a 74-yard Davardrion Lipsey touchdown run.
“Our offense line, who played pretty bad last week, really responded well tonight,” Kaiser said. “I know people want us to throw the ball but I think we are running it pretty well.”
The Blue Devil defense actually came up with the first points of the game, which was set up by the special teams.
A Hunter Saussy 48-yard punt pinned the Panthers on their own five-yard line. Two plays later Dake Williams wrapped up Coleman in the end zone for a safety.
“Hunter Saussy is just a tenth grader, but he has ice water in his veins,” Kaiser said. “He punted great and he typifies what we want out of all of our players.”
“Sometimes even kids who are just 16 or 17 years old say enough is enough,” Kaiser said. “Tonight, we saw the kind of fight I’ve been wanting to see out of this team. I couldn’t be prouder of this team, this coaching staff, this school, and these fans for turning out.”
The emotional game was capped off by an emotional moment after the game as coach Kaiser handed out his first ever game ball to O.J. Watson, who was recently diagnosed with leukemia.
“He’s a tenth grader and is a part of our team whether he’s out there or not,” Kaiser said. “He’s got a hard battle ahead of him, and I feel like our kids were as excited to see O.J. out here tonight as they were to win this game.”
The win improves the Blue Devils record to 2-0 for the first time since 2013. Up next, Statesboro travels to Veterans Friday for a 7:30 game.
Blue Devils Survive
By: Josh Aubrey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Anyone that had been to a Statesboro game over the past four years was probably thinking the same thing late in Friday’s season opener against Greenbrier, here we go again.
But unlike the past four years, The Blue Devils were able to make a big play at the end of the game, winning by a score of 7-3.
The Statesboro offense was unable to pick up a first down with just over two minutes left in the game, leading 7-3. Greenbrier ran a sweep on the first play from scrimmage and it went for 20 yards to the Wolfpack 40-yard line.
With 1:27 left in the game Xavier Lee picked off a Jackson Fulmer pass at the Statesboro 45 and returned it 8 yards. Greenbrier was out of timeouts and Statesboro was able to run out the clock for their first season opening victory since 2013.
“I can’t lie, it crossed my mind they ‘here we go again’,” said Statesboro head coach Jeff Kaiser. “But I’m very proud of our kids for showing some resilience, and making a big play when they had to. We had Xavier in a good spot and he made the interception to seal the deal.”
The story of the game was the Statesboro defense who allowed the Wolfpack only 104 total yards and 7 first downs, while coming up with a crucial 4 turnovers.
“Two players who really made a difference tonight for us were Ames Rackleff and Michael Dixon.” Kaiser said. “Ames is just a tenth grader, but he plays hard at everything he does, baseball, football or life. He is going to give you all he has. Michael is the same way, and they both stepped up tonight.”
In the second quarter the offense was finally able to take advantage of a Blue Devil turnover. Ames Rackleff picked off a Fulmer pass at the 37-yard line with 2:21 seconds left in the second quarter.
The offense was able to march downfield but had to convert on a fourth and six in order to keep the drive alive. Jaylen Robinson took the ball off the left side and pounded ahead for 8 of his 101 yards rushing to the Greenbrier nine-yard line.
On the very next play from scrimmage with 1:15 left quarterback Drake Horton walked into the end zone untouched, the extra point by Cody Parker was good and Statesboro took a 7-0 halftime lead.
“That touchdown before the half was huge,” Kaiser said. “When you win the battle of the turnovers by two like we did you should win the game and that touchdown came as a direct result of a forced turnover.”
Statesboro took a 7-0 lead into the fourth quarter.
Early in the fourth, Statesboro coughed the ball up again and Greenbrier recovered on the Statesboro 35-yard line. Fulmer then hit Jaden Smith for an 18 pick up to the Statesboro 18-yard line.
The Blue Devil defense was able to hold from there and Greenbrier had to settle for a 29-yard Ben Thorpe field goal to cut the lead to 7-3 with 6:08 left in the game.
Lee was able to secure with the win with the Blue Devils third interception of the game and the celebration began with the players mobbing Lee on the sidelines.
“I’m proud of these kids for learning from the past and being able to make plays when they had to,” Kaiser said. We are going to celebrate this tonight, but tomorrow it’s time to get ready for a good Liberty County team.”
Next up for Statesboro, they will host Liberty County Friday at Womack Field.
The New Buzz
By: Josh Aubrey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
The Southeast Bulloch Yellow Jackets enter the 2018 football season with their third coach in three years.
Barrett Davis takes over after Steve Pennington filled in on an interim basis in 2017 and inherits a Yellow Jacket team that lost a few key contributors but return 19 seniors for the 2018 campaign.
“We are extremely excited about this year’s Southeast Bulloch football team,” Davis said. “We have a great senior class and a lot of versatility, so we are ready to pull up our sleeves and get to work.”
The Yellow Jackets will have a new look on offense this season and for the first time in four years it will not revolve around fullback Chase Walker, who left Southeast Bulloch with over 6,000 yards rushing and 91 career touchdowns.
“Replacing someone like Chase Walker will be tough to do but we feel like we are going to be able to take advantage of what we do have talent wise,” Davis said. “We will be running our offense out of the wishbone but we will be throwing the ball a little more and not be quite as reliant on the fullback position.”
This year’s offense may not have Walker – or much of his talented offensive line – but they do return a talented trio of skill position threats in quarterback Blaize Minick, running back Jontrell Wells and receiver Tyler Bailey.
“We’ve got a quarterback in Blaize, who is pretty versatile,” Davis said. “Tyler has done a great job at receiver, but it also solid in the secondary, and Jontrell is a great athlete who can not only help us running the ball, but also at outside linebacker. Our offensive line will be doing different little things scheme wise, and we are stressing technique with them.”
Defensively the Jackets return eight starters from a year ago anchored by linebacker Logan Gomez, and quite a few players playing on both sides of the ball.
“Defensively we will work out of a 3-5 stack, allowing us to send pressure from different directions,” Davis said. “Logan has been doing a great job as well as Jabari Daniels, Rashode Hobbs, as well as a few other guys that will be counted on to go both ways.”
The previous two coaches each led the Jackets to the state playoffs but were unable to do something that still hasn’t been accomplished since 1974, and that is win a state playoff game.
“With us having 19 seniors that were around last year we are hoping they understand what it takes to win a state playoff game,” Davis said. “I think last year was a wakeup call for them to really see what it takes and I feel they have been putting in the work.”
While this may be the third head coach in three years for the players, there are a few familiar faces on the coaching staff as Brandon Peterson returns on offense, along with Chris Pye, while Jeremy Gantt returns to SEB after a year at Lincoln County.
“Jeremy Gant is back and will be joining coach Chris Pye and Brandon Peterson in running our offense, while I will be heading up the defense,” Davis said. “I feel like, along with our other coaches, we have really started to come together and are on the same page.”
Not only will coach Davis have to deal with the growing pains of being a first-year head coach at a new school but he will also have to deal with the new kid on the block in Region 3 AAA, the former AA state champion Cadets of Benedictine.
“The guys started off a little slow last year with a tough schedule and then built up some confidence and finished strong,” Davis said. “We know the kind of talent and tradition a team like Benedictine brings to our region and it will be a challenge but I feel our team is hungry and ready for a challenge.”
The Yellow Jackets open the 2018 season at home Friday August 24th as they host the Screven County Gamecocks.
The Blue Devils Looking For Red
By: Josh Aubrey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
With the 2018 high school football season fast approaching, the Statesboro Blue Devils have been getting in some summer work in an attempt to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2013.
Despite a 2-7 record in 2017 and missing the postseason for the fourth straight season, the Blue Devils did show some improvement last year.
Statesboro actually had fourth quarter leads against three playoff teams last season and despite losing some key seniors, coach Jeff Kaiser is excited about 60 freshmen coming out for football this year.
“We’ve managed to have about 40 of those 60 ninth grader make it regularly out to summer programs,” Kaiser said. “Our kids have seemed enthusiastic about being here this summer and are excited about the upcoming season.”
One of the keys for success this year for Statesboro will be filling the holes left by graduation, particularly in the offensive backfield, where the Blue Devils lost four seniors, including leading rusher Tupac Lanier and three year starting quarterback Davis Wiggins.
“We don’t have many seniors playing those positions, so we will be young,” Kaiser said. “We’ve had nine running backs get reps this summer and four different quarterbacks. Everybody’s competing and that’s a good thing.”
Defensively Statesboro will be anchored by leading tackler senior Chris Hill and a host of Blue Devils who saw playing time last season but Kaiser says he will also be using many players on both sides of the ball.
“You’d think on a 5-A team you wouldn’t need to play people both ways,” Kaiser said. “Unfortunately, that is where we are but I’m hoping we are in good enough shape where that won’t be a huge issue.”
The Blue Devils will also have a bit of an old school look offensively this season, as Kaiser plans to implement more of a power game.
“Our brand of football this year will be a little different from today’s trend of ‘basketball on turf’ with everyone spread out all over the field,” Kaiser said. “We don’t have the personnel to do that successfully in my opinion, so we are going to slow it down a bit and will be more of a traditional wishbone attack, with some spread elements to it as well.”
The Blue Devils also have to remember how to win. The 2006 State Championship seems like a lot more than just 12 years ago. Statesboro hasn’t even advance to the state playoffs since 2013 and coach Kaiser feels some of the losses from last year can be attributed to the team’s lack of confidence.
“I hate to use the cliché, but it is about trusting the process,” Kaiser said. “The kids have put in an incredible amount of work and have made huge gains in the weight room. You try and develop a team that is mentally tough – not that we weren’t tough last year – but there in the fourth quarter we have to be tougher physically and mentally.”
“You hear that winning ways are habitual but for us losing ways have been habitual,” Kaiser said. “Finding a way of win, instead of trying not to lose. That needs to be more of our mindset this season.”
The Blue Devils open the 2018 season August 24th at Greenbrier.
I’m Coming Home
By: Josh Aubrey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Football season hasn’t even begun but there’s already talk of a homecoming at Bulloch Academy, as after nearly 25 years there will once again be a Shaver coaching on the sidelines in Bulloch County.
Bill Shaver, son of legendary Southeast Bulloch head coach Fred Shaver, left Statesboro High in 1993 to take over as offensive coordinator at Thomas County Central.
As OC, under Yellow Jacket head coach Ed Pilcher, Shaver helped Thomas County Central to five state championship appearances and three state titles.
Shaver took over the head coaching reigns from Pilcher in 2008 and over the past 10 years helped TCCHS to 3 region titles and a record of 74-40.
Despite that success, at the end of last season school officials felt it was time for a change and Shaver was relieved of his coaching duties.
“The folks down there felt it was time for a change,” Shaver said. “I guess it was a time for a major change in my life. Luckily the good lord opened a door for me back here in Bulloch County.”
Shaver and Bulloch Academy head coach and athletic director Pat Collins were both on head coach Charles Webb’s staff for two years at Statesboro High in the early 90’s. The two remained friends and their paths have crossed many times over the past 25 years.
“We have remained good friends throughout the past 25 years,” Collins said. “I approached him in the spring and asked him to be a part of our staff and he flat out said no.
I asked him again a month later and got the same response. We ran into each other recently at a quarterback and receiver camp and I asked him again and he said I’ll think about it. A little later I got the call I was hoping for and he said yes.”
“I decided to retire from public school and looked around southwest Georgia for a job,” Shaver said. “Nothing came up, but I kept getting calls from coach Collins. I prayed about it, and then just felt the lord working on me to come back home to Bulloch County.”
While Collins persistence was important in keeping Bulloch County on Shaver’s mind, the quarterbacks at Bulloch Academy were also instrumental in getting Shaver to Bulloch Academy.
“I saw Don Aaron, Fisher Oglesby and Tyler Willoughby at a quarterback and receiver camp a few weeks ago,” Shaver said. “When I got home I told my wife how much I enjoyed working with those Bulloch Academy kids and how talented they were as well. Soon after that I made up my mind to come.”
Shaver will not be teaching at Bulloch Academy, giving him time to spend with father and his sister Linda, whose family lives in town.
“I got to go with dad to a Kiwanis Club meeting the other day, and out to eat,” Shaver said. “I also get to see Linda and will spend time with her. I will still be commuting a lot back to Thomasville to see my son and his family, and my grandchild as well. My wife is retired too, so she has the opportunity to come here as well from time to time.”
As for the football side of things, the change will actually be greater for coach Collins who has been running a power offense for years, as he will be turning over the offensive reigns to coach Shaver and his veer option attack.
“When you have the chance to bring on Bill Shaver I feel you have to trust him and give him latitude with our offense,” Collins said. “I think he will make us more diverse and dynamic than any team I have had in the past.”
Shaver feels optimistic about what he has to work with and doesn’t think the learning curve will be too difficult for the players.
“We have three talented quarterbacks who all have plenty of ability to do the things we will need,” Shaver said. “If we can blend the option attack I have used the past 24 years with the power game coach Collins has used and throw in a little play action passing, I think we can be successful.”
The Gators open the season August 18 at 9:00 am as they kick off the annual Erk Russell Classic in Paulson Stadium against Pinewood.
Giving Back
By: Josh Aubrey
TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services
Once again, one of the top football players in the NFL was in Bulloch County, giving back to the community where he grew up, as Kansas City All-Pro linebacker Justin Houston held his annual Faith Before Fame weekend.
Over the past four years Houston’s event has grown, from a free youth football camp, to adding a celebrity basketball game, and now this year the addition of a cheerleading and dance clinic, a three on three basketball tournament, and a kickball tournament.
“This is about trying to reach as many people as we can,” Houston said. “Trying to get everyone to come together as one community. We continue to expand what we are doing in order to reach more kids.”
“As a kid I dreamed one day of being able to play in the NFL,” Houston said. “Now that I have reached that goal, anything I can do to help another kid reach their goal, or just put a smile on a kid’s face, I’m happy to do it.”
The football camp saw a few hundred kids turn out and once again there were many current and former NFL players on hand to give them instruction.
“A lot of these guys played at Georgia or have ties to the state of Georgia,” Houston said. “I try and help a lot of these guys when they have their camps and they are happy to help me out. The NFL players are good about giving back and helping one another.”
Among the former University of Georgia NFL players that have helped Justin the past four years is Akeem Dent, who played for the Falcons and the Houston Texans.
“It’s so important to try and give back to the communities where we grew up,” Dent said. “You can tell when we talk to these kids they really listen to what we are saying. Just getting them to come out of their houses – in this kind of heat – where a lot of them are playing video games, shows they at least want to try, and there’s a great turn out here.”
Some of the kids at the camp will also want to follow in Houston’s steps and play at Statesboro High. Many of the younger current Blue Devil players participated in the camp, while many of the older ones helped work.
“It’s such a fantastic opportunity for our kids,” said Statesboro High football coach Jeff Kaiser. “Our kids love being around Justin and the other NFL players he brings here. He emphasizes the importance of hard work and pushing through the tough times. He also brings his message of faith before fame, and that is the same type of message we try and bring to our players as well.”
Houston’s volunteer staff is full of former University of Georgia players and with the Bulldogs nearly winning the national championship last year Houston and his former teammates have high hopes for this year’s team.
“It was amazing to watch how close they got to winning it all this year,” Houston said. “They have a lot of talent coming back. I went down and watched a practice session and I’m really impressed by the coaching staff. They really pay attention to detail during practice and I’d be surprised if they don’t make another run this year.”
