Published: November 19, 2009 10:32 pm      

Speed to burn

Beaumont Central poses problems on both sides of ball for Hornets in Region III area-round clash

They’re super quick, athletic and extremely fast. That’s how the Hornets are describing the Beaumont Central Jaguars, Huntsville’s opponent in the Class 4A Division I area playoffs.

The Jaguars (8-3) are loaded with talent, but it’s their speed — on both sides of the football — that makes them doubly dangerous.

“They’re very athletic and very fast,” Huntsville coach Mitchell Coey said Thursday. “They have a lot of team speed.

“Defensively, we have to wrap up and grab cloth when we tackle. Offensively, we’ve got to contend with two outside linebackers who are pretty salty. We’ve got to get a body on those two guys.”

All week, Coey and his assistant coaches have been preparing the Hornets for a Beaumont Central team that advanced to the area round by blanking Baytown Goose Creek 7-0 last week.

The high-flying Hornets, who defeated Buda Hays 45-14, say they’re ready for the Jaguars, the second-place team from District 20-4A.

“They’ve got a speedy defense, but if we work together we’ll have a victory at the end of the fourth quarter,” Huntsville receiver Trevion Byrd said. “We’ve got to play as a team and do all our assignments on offense and defense.”

“They have a lot of speed,” Huntsville defensive end Kervin Simmons added. “If we pursue and take good angles, we’ll be OK.”

Jacobe Hale, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound senior, and William Jones (6-0, 200, senior) are the linebackers Coey is worried about this week. Hale and Jones helped Central shut out a Goose Creek offense that averaged more than 28 points per game in the regular season. The Jaguars held the Patriots to 136 total yards offense in last week’s bi-district contest.

“Their defense seems like it’s getting better and better every week,” Hornets offensive coordinator Kane Harris said. “To shut out a team in the playoffs, that’s something.”

Offensively, Central has a number of potent weapons. Tailback Keith O’Neal, a little guy at 5-feet-8 and 155 pounds, may be the most dangerous Jaguar. He has rushed for 992 yards and 12 touchdowns on 167 carries this season.

The Hornets feel like they’ve already been tested by one of the best backs in the state. Montgomery’s Leroy Dobbins rushed for 295 yards on 41 carries against Huntsville. Dobbins only found the end zone once in an 18-15 Hornet victory.

“Ain’t nobody better than Leroy,” Hornets linebacker Bridge Blount said. “We didn’t really shut Leroy down, but he didn’t get his touchdowns against us. Beaumont Central runs the ball a lot and we stop the run. We should be in pretty good shape.”

Fullback Nigel Daw (567 yards and seven touchdowns), quarterback Donte Wilkerson (68 completions, 778 yards and nine touchdowns) and receivers Brenan Jackson (17 catches, 265 yards and one TD) and Keenan Holman (17-194-3) are all on the Hornets’ radar as they prepare for Saturday’s game at Thorne Stadium.

“As far as their receivers, quarterback and running backs go, they’re as skilled as anybody we’ve played,” Coey said.

The Jaguars don’t do anything fancy, according to the Huntsville coaches. But what they do, they do very well.

“They really like the I-back stuff,” Huntsville defensive coordinator Shane Martin said. “They throw the ball well, but they really want to run it. ... They like the load option, the sweep, the lead and they’ll run a little speed option.

“We’ve got to get off the blocks and make tackles. If we can stop the run and force them to pass, we’ll be in good shape.”