WO-S' Zetar steps up on defense

[KFDM COOP]

WO-S' Zetar steps up on defense

Van Wade

The Orange Leader

WEST ORANGE — He may have gotten is first quality playing time as a senior, but noseguard Carltives Zetar has turned himself into a “man†at that tough position despite his 5-6, 175-pound frame.

Going into the season, long-time Mustang defensive coordinator Cornel Thompson was looking for a “few good men†to help replace eight starters off last year’s 11-1 unit and Zetar was certainly one of them that fit the bill.

Zetar has notched 55 tackles, nine tackles for losses and leads the Mustangs with six sacks. Zetar is just one key compoenent that has helped the Mustangs allow just 188 yards a game through 11 weeks.

“It feels great, playing defense like we’ve been able to all year,†Zetar said. “We had a lot of inexperience when the season started but we just continued to improve every week and we always believed we could do it. We don’t have any superstars, we play defense as a team with everyone flying to the football.â€

Zetar played football his freshman season but didn’t play as a sophomore. He wanted to get back in the game that he loves so much his junior year and then turned it up an even higher notch going into his senior year.

“Coach Thompson helped me change my attitude and I’m really grateful for that,†said Zetar. “He deserves so much credit for helping me in the right direction. His offseason program is the best. I may not be the biggest noseguard but my strength has helped me. I was benching over 300 pounds before the summer was over.â€

Thompson has enjoyed watching Zetar prosper in his senior campaign.

“Carltives is what our program is all about,†Thompson said. “The kid has so much desire and his work habits improved tremendously. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been on him and pushing his tail in trying to change his work habits and he’s done tremendously.â€

Thompson said Zetar was one of the ring-tail leaders last offseason.

“Carltives was up here darn near every day all summer long,†said Thompson. “He got himself as strong as a bull and was always pushing the other kids as well. He’s a great example of what hard work can do if you stick with it.â€

Zetar made several major statements with his play in the Mustangs’ 51-14 win against Coldspring in the bidistrict round last Saturday. Several times he tossed the blocker on him away and may key stop after key stop.

“There’s no dobt, Zetar was our MVP on Saturday,†said Mustang head coach Dan Hooks. “He plays so darn hard all the time. That kid has really made tremendous strides. Coach Thompson has had a lot to do with that. We had a lot of inexperience on defense to start the year and Carltives is one that has stepped up for us in a big way.â€

Thompson was proud of Zetar’s playoff effort as well.

“He’s really had a good season but that Coldspring game, that is a heckuva highlight tape for him,†Thompson said. “He caused a lot of disruption and we’re really going to need more of that on Friday against Giddings.â€

Zetar praised his teammates for his Coldspring effort.

“My line mates deserve the credit,†Zetar said. “They were handling their guys pretty well so that basically just put one guy on me. I felt like I was the stronger man and that helped me get on a bunch of plays. That’s the thing about our defense, there is no selfishness about us on things like who makes the most tackles it’s just all about flying to the football.â€

Zetar and the seventh-ranked Mustangs are focusing hard this week for the top-ranked Giddings Buffaloes in the area round of the Class 3A Region III Division II playoffs. The two teams will hook up Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Pearland’s Oiler Stadium.

WO-S defeated Giddings 42-21 in the Region III Finals in 2005 and the Buffaloes returned the favor by downing the Mustangs 20-13 in the area round last season.

Giddings has a ferocious running game, led by quarterback Brock Fitzhenry, who has rushed for more than 7,200 yards in four years including almost 1,800 this season.

“This is a game we’ve been waiting for and now we’ve got it,†said Zetar. “We know that they (Giddings) or bigger than us. That means we’re going to have to find that inner strength and use our quickness to our advantage. We really think we can slow them down but it’s going to take a team effort and that’s one thing we’ve been able to do all year.â€

Zetar knows Thompson will have the defense prepared.

“Coach Thompson, he’s so darn tough,†Zetar said. “He can yell at us, and we deserve it sometimes. The best thing about him is that he cares for all of us. He may screaming at us one second but he’s right there to pat us on the back when we do something good. I guess you can call it tough love and I respect that a lot.â€

Thompson has enjoyed Zetar’s attitude this season.

“He’s a super kid to be around,†Thompson said. “He’s the one that’s usually hanging right off my shoulder and is constantly in the game. It doesn’t seem that long ago when I was tearing his butt up trying to change his habits and now he’s a tremendous assett to our team. He’ll be a kid I’ll certainly miss next year, just for what he does around the fieldhouse and with his teammates.â€

[KFDM COOP]

WO-S' Zetar steps up on defense

Van Wade

The Orange Leader

WEST ORANGE — He may have gotten is first quality playing time as a senior, but noseguard Carltives Zetar has turned himself into a “man†at that tough position despite his 5-6, 175-pound frame.

Going into the season, long-time Mustang defensive coordinator Cornel Thompson was looking for a “few good men†to help replace eight starters off last year’s 11-1 unit and Zetar was certainly one of them that fit the bill.

Zetar has notched 55 tackles, nine tackles for losses and leads the Mustangs with six sacks. Zetar is just one key compoenent that has helped the Mustangs allow just 188 yards a game through 11 weeks.

“It feels great, playing defense like we’ve been able to all year,†Zetar said. “We had a lot of inexperience when the season started but we just continued to improve every week and we always believed we could do it. We don’t have any superstars, we play defense as a team with everyone flying to the football.â€

Zetar played football his freshman season but didn’t play as a sophomore. He wanted to get back in the game that he loves so much his junior year and then turned it up an even higher notch going into his senior year.

“Coach Thompson helped me change my attitude and I’m really grateful for that,†said Zetar. “He deserves so much credit for helping me in the right direction. His offseason program is the best. I may not be the biggest noseguard but my strength has helped me. I was benching over 300 pounds before the summer was over.â€

Thompson has enjoyed watching Zetar prosper in his senior campaign.

“Carltives is what our program is all about,†Thompson said. “The kid has so much desire and his work habits improved tremendously. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been on him and pushing his tail in trying to change his work habits and he’s done tremendously.â€

Thompson said Zetar was one of the ring-tail leaders last offseason.

“Carltives was up here darn near every day all summer long,†said Thompson. “He got himself as strong as a bull and was always pushing the other kids as well. He’s a great example of what hard work can do if you stick with it.â€

Zetar made several major statements with his play in the Mustangs’ 51-14 win against Coldspring in the bidistrict round last Saturday. Several times he tossed the blocker on him away and may key stop after key stop.

“There’s no dobt, Zetar was our MVP on Saturday,†said Mustang head coach Dan Hooks. “He plays so darn hard all the time. That kid has really made tremendous strides. Coach Thompson has had a lot to do with that. We had a lot of inexperience on defense to start the year and Carltives is one that has stepped up for us in a big way.â€

Thompson was proud of Zetar’s playoff effort as well.

“He’s really had a good season but that Coldspring game, that is a heckuva highlight tape for him,†Thompson said. “He caused a lot of disruption and we’re really going to need more of that on Friday against Giddings.â€

Zetar praised his teammates for his Coldspring effort.

“My line mates deserve the credit,†Zetar said. “They were handling their guys pretty well so that basically just put one guy on me. I felt like I was the stronger man and that helped me get on a bunch of plays. That’s the thing about our defense, there is no selfishness about us on things like who makes the most tackles it’s just all about flying to the football.â€

Zetar and the seventh-ranked Mustangs are focusing hard this week for the top-ranked Giddings Buffaloes in the area round of the Class 3A Region III Division II playoffs. The two teams will hook up Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Pearland’s Oiler Stadium.

WO-S defeated Giddings 42-21 in the Region III Finals in 2005 and the Buffaloes returned the favor by downing the Mustangs 20-13 in the area round last season.

Giddings has a ferocious running game, led by quarterback Brock Fitzhenry, who has rushed for more than 7,200 yards in four years including almost 1,800 this season.

“This is a game we’ve been waiting for and now we’ve got it,†said Zetar. “We know that they (Giddings) or bigger than us. That means we’re going to have to find that inner strength and use our quickness to our advantage. We really think we can slow them down but it’s going to take a team effort and that’s one thing we’ve been able to do all year.â€

Zetar knows Thompson will have the defense prepared.

“Coach Thompson, he’s so darn tough,†Zetar said. “He can yell at us, and we deserve it sometimes. The best thing about him is that he cares for all of us. He may screaming at us one second but he’s right there to pat us on the back when we do something good. I guess you can call it tough love and I respect that a lot.â€

Thompson has enjoyed Zetar’s attitude this season.

“He’s a super kid to be around,†Thompson said. “He’s the one that’s usually hanging right off my shoulder and is constantly in the game. It doesn’t seem that long ago when I was tearing his butt up trying to change his habits and now he’s a tremendous assett to our team. He’ll be a kid I’ll certainly miss next year, just for what he does around the fieldhouse and with his teammates.â€

His offseason program is the best. YES IT IS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[stangchain]

What a great article!  Zetar gives credit to others on the team.  That IS what this team is about...just like the 2000 team.  They all cared for each other.  TEAMMATES!

[setxguru]

This will be the second time this year that the mustangs will go into to a game against another 3AAA team as an underdog, and I think we can asks kirbyville fans how well that turned out for their opponent.  This is a great article on a great team.