Bucks, Lobos sparkle

The Sul Ross intrasquad football scrimmage Saturday night was fun. My gosh, it was fun.

The music was loud; the setting sun was awesome; T.J. Barber entertained off the field with a celebrity appearance at the dunking booth at halftime, and then some nice dance moves as the scrimmage wound down.

And several hundred students, parents and local fans showed up to give the team an audience.

Head coach Steve Wright was having a blast Saturday night, a big ole grin spread across his face. On the sidelines, he was part Mack Brown and part P.T. Barnum - there was serious work to be done, but the selling of his emerging program was a big part of his M.O. that night.

Then, unfortunately, came film study on Sunday and Monday.

While he still expects this team to compete, and compete hard, against anyone it faces, he was beside himself about several areas.

"It was a hobo cluster," he said. "I was very disappointed in our conditioning and aggressiveness. I figure the only ones in good shape were the training staff. Those guys were running all over the place taping up minor hurts."

"It looks like we might be able to run the ball," he said, "but I don't know if we can complete a pass against any kind of decent competition. About the only passes we seem able to complete are to people in the stands or to defensive backs."

All that said, though, Wright is still pleased with the overall atmosphere. "It was great having those people out there. And it shows you what Division III football is all about.

"You want to win and you want to work hard, but if you're not having fun at this level, then it's not worth it."

"And even though I'm fussin' at them," Wright said, "I want to congratulate our kids on our team chemistry. ... Although at times it did look like a pillow fight out there."

Then he added, again, how much he appreciated the crowd. "When they're playing in front of someone, it's natural for college kids to step it up a notch. That gave us a chance to evaluate them going full speed. It's a chance to see how they hit, how much they've learned, how they multi-task."

Saturday's action was only the second day in which the team has practiced in full pads.

Does anyone have any idea what a hobo cluster is?

Defense, Salmon

Alpine football players were allowed to hit someone other than teammates Saturday evening in Fort Stockton, and the results were encouraging.

The Bucks and the Fort Stockton Panthers hit each other hard and often, with each team scoring a touchdown in the one hour-plus scrimmage. However, to the Buck defense's credit, only one of those scores came by the Fort Stockton offense.

Head coach Shad Hanna came back to Alpine cautiously optimistic, particularly about the defense.

"Our defense did quite well," he said. "We're much farther along than we were last year."

A good defense, he said, is essential if the Bucks are to take it to the proverbial next level, which in Alpine's case would be a district championship and lengthy stay in the playoffs. The Bucks managed to make the playoffs last year; now they want better.

After some initial success, the Fort Stockton offense was essentially shut down by the Bucks. In fact, the first five or 10 minutes of the scrimmage was nothing to write home - or call home - about.

On offense, it took a couple of possessions before the Bucks began to: (a) consistently make good on snaps from center and (b) run the ball.

Hanna said that the team's backup quarterback, Adrian Salmon, a 5-9, 160-pound senior, stepped up and gave notice that the Bucks will be just fine should all-state candidate Moises Estrada miss any time at the starting position.

In early action, Salmon scrambled merely to find the ball that seemed to go everywhere but to the right place. He scrambled well under pressure, delivering harder hits than he absorbed. And he showed the estimated 1,000 fans that he has the touch and knowledge to find and hit the open receiver.

The receivers, though, need some work, Hanna said. "They were sloppy in their route running and blocking, but that will come along. It's a good bunch."

Hanna is probably most nervous about his offensive line, which has three new starters and at least one returning starter playing in a new position. He said the action against Fort Stockton gave the new guys a chance to feel the pressure. "It was a learning experience and they proved that they can do well," he said.

Fort Stockton is a Class 3A school, with more than twice as many students as Alpine High. "They're good," Hanna said. "They'll do quite well in their district, maybe win it."

The Panthers, obviously, have greater numbers, he said. "They can go three deep at just about every position," he said. "We can go two deep, in most cases; not that in some."

Summing up, Hanna acknowledges that the team still has much to work on, but the early returns are encouraging.

Seagraves next

The Alpine Bucks second scrimmage - the one today (Thursday) - will be at Wink, starting at 5:30 p.m. for the junior varsity and 7 p.m. for the varsity.

Meet the Lobos

Sul Ross State University and the Alpine community will have a chance to meet the Lobos on Wednesday, August 29 at 7 p.m. at Jackson Field. In the event of rain, activities will be moved to the Pete P. Gallego Center.

Sul Ross football, volleyball, cross country players, cheer squad and coaching staff will be introduced. Watermelon will be served after introductions with the Lobo Band on hand to entertain the crowd.

There is no admission fee and the public is invited to attend. For more information, contact the Sul Ross Department of Physical Education and Athletics at 432-837-8226.

Sully volleyball

The 2007 Lady Lobo volleyball team reported for preseason training camp on Sunday, Aug. 19, at the Pete P. Gallego Center.

The team will hold an intra squad scrimmage from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 25, at the Gallego Center.

They open regular season play on Friday, Aug. 31, at the Coca-Cola Classic in Plainview.

The Lady Lobos will open conference play at home on Friday, Sept. 7 against McMurry University in a 5 p.m. match.

The Lady Lobos ended their 2006 season on a 14-18 note including a 10-8 conference record. Last year's conference tournament appearance marked the second time in the last 3 seasons that Sul Ross has reached post season competition.

Meet the Bucks

The annual Meet the Bucks Night and Pep Rally will be held Aug. 29, which is a Wednesday, at Bucks Stadium, beginning at 6 p.m.

All levels of Alpine football and volleyball teams will be introduced along with the varsity cross country team.

Varsity and junior varsity cheerleaders will also be introduced.

Before the pep rally and introductions begin, the Bucks Boosters will be selling meals - hamburger, chips, a drink - for five bucks each, beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Bucks, Lobos sparkle

The Sul Ross intrasquad football scrimmage Saturday night was fun. My gosh, it was fun.