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Dodge's 5A dynasty leaves area coaches shaking their heads -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Posted: 12/20/05 - 11:54:32 pm CST -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bob West column for Wednesday, December 21, 2005 Count football coaches in Southeast Texas among those who have difficulty putting into perspective what one of their own - Todd Dodge - has accomplished at Southlake Carroll. From West Brook's Craig Stump - Dodge's sophomore backup QB on TJ's 1980 state finalists - to West Orange-Stark's Dan Hooks, to Nederland's Larry Neumann, to PN-G's Matt Burnett, there was a tone of disbelief after Saturday's 34-20 thumping of Katy gave Dodge's Dragons their third title and a 63-1 record in four years at the 5A level. “It's amazing,†said Stump, whose Bruins were overpowered by Katy in the third round of the playoffs. “I don't think we'll every see another team dominate 5A the way Southlake has. That school had a great tradition when Todd went there, but he's taken it to another level. He's a step ahead, a play ahead of everybody else. “Plus, he's built a great organization and has the kind of administrative and community support on all levels that can make a difference. I remember going in there as a recruiter for Mississippi State. The Southlake football team was such a huge deal. Kids in the fifth and sixth grade can't wait their turn to be Dragons.†“It's impossible to explain,†said Hooks, whose Mustangs won back-to-back 4A titles and played for a third from 1986-88. “They don't just win, they dominate good programs. With the parity and quality programs in 5A, it's just incredible. You say it can't go on forever, but I wouldn't be surprised if he wins the next two with his son (Riley) playing quarterback.†“He's way ahead of everybody else, it's not just talk,†Neumann declared. “I watched the Katy game just shaking my head at the things they did. To move up a classification and do what they've done is a truly amazing feat. There have been some remarkable programs in Texas, some dynasties, and Carroll is at the very top. “It just seems like that program and that town are in a different zone. They had a great tradition when Todd went there, but it's like he's taken a fire and thrown gasoline on it. What jumps out is the confidence those kids play with. Katy made a run at them and had momentum in the third quarter and they answered with a three-play, 80-yard drive. They just seem to be in a different league from the rest of 5A.†“It's mind boggling,†declared PN-G's Burnett, who as a player was part of an Indian program that went to the semifinals or finals four consecutive years in the mid 1970s. “As a coach, if you win one state championship it's an outstanding feat. Just winning a district championship is hard. You really can't relate to what he's done. “He's got a system going that's just phenomenal. What's so incredible is the way he keeps turning out great quarterbacks. They all seem to have height, strong arms and throw the ball with amazing accuracy. It would be like us having Dustin Long playing QB every year. Obviously, he's developing them and that's a key to their success.†Ronnie Thompson, who created the Frankenstein monster Dodge has become in the coaching profession, chuckled when asked for a perspective on what his star pupil has accomplished. “I don't think you can put it in perspective,†he said. “It's off the charts, in terms of dominating the highest classification. I've thought about it. Abilene in the 1950s and Midland Lee at the end of the ‘90s had great runs. So did Austin Reagan in the late 60s and Judson in the early ‘90s. “But none of those teams were in the finals four straight years. Todd's one-point away (16-15 loss to Katy in the 2003 finals) from winning four straight. The one he lost, his defensive coordinator was in the hospital dying of cancer and his all-state kicker missed a chip-shot, game-winning field goal. “He's not doing this with a bunch of kids headed to the NFL, either. Year in and year out there are numerous 5A programs with more Division 1 signees. But he's just way, way out there with what he's doing. He's taken a real good system and tweaked and tweaked and tweaked it until it's beyond good.†Thompson said that even as a high school quarterback Dodge had a remarkable grasp of what the offense was all about, and a unique ability to simplify it for players around him. “We were trying to coach a high-powered offense and a lot of kids couldn't understand it,†Thompson related. “Todd, with two or three words or a couple of gestures could straighten them out and make it so much clearer for them than we were able to do. “Now, you watch his team play and you see everybody out there really understands what's going on. A lot of people probably think what they are doing is complicated, but he's made it so simple for them it's like shooting fish in a barrel. “Todd, of course, with his play calling, gives them the ultimate advantage. He finds you defensively, locates you, then knocks you out. And, while from the outside it looks like it's all about offense, he's put a high priority on defense. Without a great defense, they probably wouldn't have beaten Katy.†Stump, who sent Dodge his Katy game tape and told his former teammate what he thought would work against the Tigers defense, remembers Todd's ability to help other TJ players grasp the offense. But he said Thompson deserves more credit for that than he's taking. “Ronnie made his quarterbacks have their head in the game, otherwise we'd have been like most other high school kids. Once a practice or a game was over, you would have other fish to fry. But not with Ronnie. He made sure you put extra time into studying the offense, so you knew what we were doing and why. “I do think, dating back to our days at TJ, that one of Todd's greatest strengths is being able to communicate. Winning coaches are almost always great communicators. You have to be able to tell somebody how to do something in different ways until it clicks.†Stump said he also believes Dodge is as good as anybody in the profession at developing and coaching quarterbacks. “His QBs have been the 5A Player of the year four straight years. I'm sure those kids would have been good no matter who coached them. But Todd coached them up to another level. People like to say great players make great coaches. Well, great coaches can make great players. Without Todd, I doubt any of those guys is the player of the year.†Sports editor Bob West can be e-mailed at [email protected]. His Sportsrap radio show airs Wednesday at 8:05 p.m. on KLVI (560-AM).

Stang4life and BigRed75, I agree the system is flawed. There are some kids that dont make it that should in every sport. But we have no control over that. If you want to talk about that without bringing up kids from a certain school i am good with that. I never got on here and complained about kids from other schools making all-district, you did! Parents are not perfect, kids are not perfect don't expect these coaches to be perfect. People thrive on negative comments. Have you ever notice that when some one starts a positive thread and nobody responds. But you write something negative and everybody jumps on board. I am guilty also. Life is not fair and that is something some of these kids need to learn so it will make them stronger in the game of life and that is what really counts. The strong survive the weak do not.

Im not sure what PNG's deal is right now, maybe to much talk and all the pressure is on them to suceed. I think so. Nederland,LCM,Vidor,AND PNG are all gonna have a duke out this year it ought to be fun to watch. I look for LCM to go big and Nederland and Vidor to fall right behind them. Season Starts Soon!

Okay guys, this marks the first official week we will be doing player of the week. Please nominate player(s) that have excelled this week...The player will be chosen Tuesday Night and will be featured on the webpage and on the Sports Talk Southeast Texas Show with Joseph Casas on KOLE Wednesday Night....... Dont just throw out names...gives us some stats/information on why the player should be chosen

Man to hear ya talk about gooch and thurman brings back a few memories, I was a youngster but I watched them play along with goober a little earlier.

Its been one week full of baseball, now its time to nominate your players of the week....If we can get this going, the player will get recognized Wednesday Night on the KOLE Sports Talk Show Ok Lets Hear It....Dont just throw out names...i need stats or whatever you have

The Lumberton Baseball team could only be in 2 tournaments this year. They decided to not play in the Nederland tournament in the fall. They have plenty of arms, although not all of them are quality. I talk to Coach Buff regularly and trust me, he wouldn't cancel any tournaments because he doesn't have any pitching. They play Hardin-Jefferson tomorrow, it is a DH. Next year hopefully they can play in 3 tournaments.

Hollywood Calls Autistic Basketball Star From Yahoo News ******************************* Hollywood Calls Autistic Basketball Star By BEN DOBBIN, Associated Press Writer Tue Feb 28, 4:34 PM ET GREECE, N.Y. - Alone in the gym after practice, Jason McElwain went through his elaborate pregame ritual. The 17-year-old senior, manager of the Greece Athena High School basketball team, drained a 3-pointer, a double-pump layup and a free throw, kissed the back of his ring finger at center court and sped off to the dressing room to exhort and amuse his teammates. "You've gotta give it everything you got!" McElwain sang in rap verse. "The winner goes home all happy/The loser goes home and says/`Mommy we lost the game, wah wah wah!'" McElwain, who is autistic, was back in his role as an all-around motivator on the eve of a sectional semifinal game Tuesday night — handing out water bottles, dispensing tips, helping run drills. Two weeks earlier, he suited up for a game and delivered a jaw-dropping performance. His play drew national attention, and a flood of calls from Hollywood. His parents have received inquiries from about 25 production companies ranging from The Walt Disney Co. and Warner Bros. to independent documentary filmmakers. "I don't know what I'm walking into," McElwain said. In his team's final home game of the season, McElwain entered with four minutes to go. It was his first and only appearance for the Athena varsity team in this Rochester suburb. The 5-foot-6 manager hit six 3-point shots and a 2-pointer and was carried off the court on his teammates' shoulders. His triumph was captured on a student video that made the rounds of the television networks. The school was besieged with calls and e-mails from parents of children who have autism, a little-understood developmental disorder. "We have an obligation as a society to find a way to include people with different abilities," said the school's athletic director, Randolph Hutto, whose 12-year-old son, Joshua, is autistic. "This, hopefully, will help open doors for some people, or open some eyes." McElwain, who didn't begin talking until he was 5, still lacks social skills but has learned to cope well in his teens, said his special-education teacher, Diane Maddock. "He might talk a little loud, laugh a little too long or not be able the read the body language or even the tone of voice of a person, but it's not a big difficulty," Maddock said. "If you call him on it, he will acknowledge it, say 'OK, you're right, I shouldn't have said that or laughed when I laughed.'" "This couldn't happen to a nicer kid," she added. Considered too small to make the junior varsity, McElwain signed on as manager, then took up the same role with the varsity to stay near the sport he loves. Amazed at his dedication, coach Jim Johnson had him suit up for the home finale. There was no guarantee he would play — Athena was battling for a division title — but he got in when the Trojans opened a large lead. "It was like a big old bucket and I was just hitting them like they were free throws," McElwain said. "I just felt relaxed." The coach couldn't believe what he was seeing. "He's been my right-hand man, he's there every day and just getting him the opportunity to suit up was emotional enough for me," he said. "For him to come in and seize the moment like he did was certainly more than I ever expected. I was an emotional wreck." Because he played in just one regular-season game, McElwain was ineligible for sectional play. But he's not bothered. "I just want to win as a team, not individually," he said. What's more, he prides himself on having a lot of friends. "I'm not really that different," he said. "I don't really care about this autistic situation, really. It's just the way I am. The advice I'd give to autistic people is just keep working, just keep dreaming, you'll get your chance and you'll do it.

Agreed, PNG always has a good following. I went to all their playoff games during their state final run and man talk about great fan support.

www.panews.com PA coach's first day eventful Ronnie Thompson's first day on the job as Memorial High's new head football coach impressed at least one assistant coach and, Thompson says, included a turnaround for at least one player. "It was a good first day," Thompson said Friday evening, about 24 hours after he'd been hired as the Port Arthur school district's athletic director and head coach. "I got a chance to meet with the coaching staff and see the team. I think we've got some good talent there." Thompson met Port Arthur's sophomore and junior football players during their fourth-period football athletic period. "I thought it was pretty good," defensive coordinator T.K. Harrison said of Thompson's talk to the youngsters. "He got the kids in the auditorium and talked to them. He told them some of the stuff we were going to do. He told him nobody was bigger than the team. That it was little "me" and big "team." He told them how we were going to do all this together. "He talked for most of the period until the announcements came on. The kids asked a couple of questions. He seems to be kind of guy who will roll his sleeves up and go to work. "I like the fact that he got hired last night and he was here today. That shows me something." About 80 players were present. Kenny Harrison, the Titan's offensive coordinator the past four seasons, said all the players were present and accounted for. Including quarterback Davon Lewis. The senior-to-be stomped out of the school board meeting Thursday night when it was announced Thompson was being hired. He threatened to be a no-show from off-season drills. Thompson said he sought the player out Friday morning. "I got with him," the coach said. "That thing was all amicable. He understands. He's going to be fine." Thompson, a 1962 Thomas Jefferson graduate who coached the team from 1978-81, plans to move back into his old office over the weekend. "I need to get set up, so I can get some materials run off for the staff," he said. "My first task will be to observe, learn some names and try to slowly get into the teaching part of (his offensive and defensive schemes)." Thompson has said he'll spend time this winter and spring evaluating the coaching staff left behind by his predecessor, Dean Colbert, before firming up his coaching staff this summer. "I want to get on the field as soon as possible," he said. "It's hard to evaluate coaches when you're not doing anything." T.K. Harrison said he and Kenny Harrison have had the players working hard on conditioning and football skills during fourth period since Colbert resigned early last month. "I think we'll be ahead of the game next year more than we were," he said. "I know we've got to come in and learn a whole new system offensively and how he wants to do things, but basically the kids are doing good. "Coach Colbert was real big into the mental part of the game during off-season, but since we had no head coach we couldn't do a lot of stuff that's challenging mentally. So we're addressing things we need in football, everything we could do just short of putting on the pads." Thompson's athletic director responsibilities promise to keep him running. "There's a bunch of things and there's just one of me," he says, "but I think we made a lot of progress in some spots. "We identified some hot spots, and now we need to see how fast we can get into fixing them."

Any talk of maybe Memorial and South Lake Carroll playing a non-district game in the future!!!

Maybe he'll talk some sense into those PTA folks.

Crockett has a good post player. Probably about 6 foot and is very athletic. She is Junior. They are young and will be good next year too. I kind of feel for Crockett, we beat them last year on a last second 3, then beat them this year in OT. We scored to go up 59-58 with 13 seconds left. Crockett drove the lane and was fouled with a little over one second left. The girl missed both free throws and we grabbed the rebound as time ran out. We were down by 15 early in the 4th and came back. Talk about a nail biter. I can't take too many close ones like that.

Wow, i was at the game, and I was amazed on how much talent WOS had, I cant see anyone else being able to hang with them. Much luck to them in the playoffs and I hope they win it all. Diboll still has a ways to go but, I can assure they will be a team to watch next season as all their starters return. Most of their starters are freshman, so they will be a joy to watch. Nikki Green is the girl you're referring to, and is 6'5, just a freshman, her sister who is a junior is 6'1. Talk about twin towers at the highschool level.

:? There is a lot of talk on this board about Silsbee getting a turf field. I'm wondering where people are getting their information. :?

Please excuse the spelling. EHLERT, HEARD, ANGELLE. Angelle is a lefty which we all know USUALLY has an advantage, based on baseball talk. We all know that Griff and Heard promote their players better than any coaches in the area. Last year All State, EHLERT, HEARD and was it Stone? or Montgomery's Soph. pitcher what ever his name. I'm sure some of you spellers can tell me the name. Point is many of these players will really shake out talent wise when they ge to college. These three we will see at A and M next year. Just don't take anything away from ANGELLE he did get his team to Austin last year as did HEARD. Looks like Grif will have that chance this year if he can get the Bears thru his region.

I love all of this smack talk. Since we know the champions why don't the rest of the teams just go ahead and concede. Newton handled Jasper pretty well this past year BTW.

BC definitetly has a chance, but speed is not where BC will win games...When you talk about Jasper your talkin about one of the top 3 or so fastest teams in the state year in and year out, so that doesnt really hold water....BC will win by playing smart, error free football, and having a good game plan

You Falcon fans Coach Mac will be on at the half to talk about our Football Situation.

True, there is a difference, but sometimes it's how it is perceived. One person can see something as the truth while another may see it as total fabrication. I just didn't want to set a precident on this board where folks bicker back and forth. Sports talk is great and a passion for alot of us on here, but because of it's passion it can cross the line rather quickly into name calling and even threats. I've seen it on the "Attack" board (which is why I don't post there anymore). It will inevitably happen here too, I just didn't want to be the one to kick-start it. :blackeye

Think whatever you want we were cheated and you know it! I'm done with this subject! Let's move on and talk about how Ozen will dominate next season. Come on now, PN-G lost a few key players and you know it. Nederland , Lord who knows with that bunch. Nederland's head Coach hand picking Refs no one has a chance at their place.

Sportslover, You want to talk about our fans being rude. Atleast when HJ beat us in Sour Lake our fans did not boo after the game like yours did in the game at LCM. See there are rude fans in HJ too.

www.panews.com Race second to quality in coaching hire Would the Port Arthur school district hire a white head football coach? It's a question plenty of white coaches have asked me in the past few weeks. Seems a valid question, too. Texas Education Agency reports say only 6.3 percent of Port Arthur's students are white, compared to 62.2 percent who are black. Should the Port Arthur school district hire a white head football coach? Odds are it will, since 60.0 percent -- three of five -- of the finalists for the job are white. But if the PAISD trustees vote to hire a black coach from among the finalists, then it appears that interim athletic director Michael "Shane" Sinegal is the man who'll get the call in a vote that has been postponed until at least next Thursday. Marvin Sedberry, the only other black coach to garner an interview, earns an annual salary of $92,000, plus a car, from the Bryan school district. That's $20,000 more than the upper reaches of the salary range ex-superintendent Willis Mackey put on the job when he posted it on the website of the Texas Association of School Administrators. It doesn't seem likely a coach with Sedberry's record (134 wins and 15 playoff berths in 20 years) would take a paycut at a time in his career when most school employees are looking to max their income and fatten their teacher retirement checks. A good argument could be made that paying Sedberry -- or any other of the applicants -- an obscene amount of money would be worth it if that coach could turn Memorial High into an all-sports powerhouse that would boost the spirits and uplift a community that was still struggling to overcome the 80's oil bust when a hurricane came and piled on. But it's easy to speculate that Sedberry is just angling for a pay raise from Bryan. Wednesday, Sedberry told a reporter for the Bryan Eagle he hadn't pulled his name out of consideration in Port Arthur. But there appeared to be an implied 'Yet.' He appeared contrite and surprised that he'd upset school board members and other backers by shopping around. "I would just say that I am not leaving Bryan High," he said, "at least I hope I'm not. I'm concerned that people think I'm unhappy. I'm not unhappy. "Maybe I made a mistake." A sampling of movers and shakers in Port Arthur reveals it would be a mistake to assume that the coaching decision will follow racial lines. Asked if he thought Port Arthur should hire a black coach, Rev. Randy Vaughn said, "I don't have an opinion on that. Not now." Vaughn is the pastor of Mount Sinai Baptist Church and one of the Port Arthur ministers who called for a student boycott to protest Mackey's departure. Lonnie Linden is one of the seven school board members who will make the final decision. "If the question is whether I have the preference of hiring a black or white coach, the preference I have is hiring the very best coach we can hire for this district," he said. "It's important to hire somebody who can bring us success." Linden used the cases of local coaching legends to make a point that race is immaterial in this instance. "Alex Durley (the black coach of West Brook's 1982 state champions) was at an integrated school, probably one primarily of Anglo descent, and they were successful," Linden said. "Dan Hooks (the white West Orange-Stark coach) was probably in the opposite situation, and he was successful. "What's important is, 'Is this person a good fit for our children?' " City councilman John Beard echoed Linden. "Color does not make a difference to me. I want us to hire the best coach that can deal with and work with our children, that can possibly, through athletics, bring the community together," he said. "It would be good in a perfect society if we didn't need to talk about color. We need to get behind him and support what he's getting done." Greg Flores, another school board member, said he didn't even know what race the coaches were when he voted to hire David Suggs for Lincoln and Dean Colbert for Thomas Jefferson in 2001. "The superintendent recommended them and we hired them," Flores recalled. "I wasn't interested in what color they were. I'm still not interested. "As long as he treats our kids good and teaches them respect, teaches them how to be good sportsmen, that's all I care about. I'd have no regrets if we hire a purple coach." Former Port Neches-Groves and Kelly High standout Lauren Parker, a freshman at Baylor, has won the starting shortstop job for the No. 11-ranked Bear softball team. Parker, an all-stater both in the UIL during her three years at PN-G and in TAAPS for her play for Kelly's state champions last spring, had been expected to begin her college career at second base. But both middle infield positions were open and she landed at shortstop, her primary position in high school. Baylor finished 51-14 last season and advanced to the NCAA Super Regionals, coming within one win of the Softball College World Series. Lauren's brother, Jace Parker, a former PN-G standout and scholarship pitcher at Lamar, has transferred to Baylor and is a manager for the softball team. Jace Parker suffered a rotator cuff injury at Lamar and never was able to recover. Speaking of PN-G alums, former Rock-A-Noo hitter Sirena LaBurn scored a big double for her new school. LaBurn, a freshman at Division I Wagner College (Staten Island, New York), led her team in hitting percentage and was second in total kills and in service aces in the fall. She also made the dean's list with a perfect 4.0 grade point average for the fall semester.

I do agree with Mr. Gostangs and 92. It's not good to talk bad about kids like that or singers. I can say though that Ozen will beat PNG and Nederland and Mid County's butts will be sitting at home come playoff time!! Vidor and LC-M will beat PN-G and maybe even Nederland this year!! Take it to the Bank!!

I agree, let's talk Football!! Good luck to both teams next season..