Tigers to take on Stafford for homecoming
Wharton in hunt for a playoff spot if they take down Spartans
By MIKE KONVICKA mkonvicka@journal-spectator.com

Photo by Terrell Jessen/Jessen Photography Wharton quarterback Robert Herrera hands the ball off to Louis Byars in a recent District 24- 3A football game against Sealy. The Tigers host Stafford for homecoming Friday night.

Despite owning a 1-2 District 24-3A record, Wharton is still in the hunt for one of the three playoff spots at stake.

But it will be a must-win situation against 0-3 Stafford Friday night at Tiger Stadium.

It's been an early season of upsets with district favorite Needville falling twice.

"We're still in the middle of the district race because everybody is all piled up," said Wharton coach Gary Van Sant.

"Right now we're in the middle of the hunt but I don't think they truly believe they have that opportunity to turn things around.

"That's part of our job do get them excited and encouraged. "

The Bluejays are 1-2 after being upset by Sealy last week. Sealy is a surprising 2-1 in district so far this year.

Needville hosts Brookshire Royal who is 2-1 after upsetting Columbus last week.

"We have a win over those teams who are in the driver's seat," said Van Sant, referring to the Falcons.

"We still have Needville and Columbus left to go. We need to take one week at a time."

"We have to play with the fire that we had against Royal in order to have a chance."

The Cardinals have the same record and host the 3-0 Roughnecks. Sweeny who is 1-2 hosts Sweeny.

"This district has always been real competitive with each other and everybody is right there together."

"It's going to boil down to who on what Friday night wants to win." We don't have anybody that's really totally dominant. Nobody has the upper hand on anybody."

The Tigers must step up and play to their capability.

"That's 100 percent up to them," said Van Sant. "If they want to there's not anything that we can't accomplish

You can't make people do something that they don't want to."

Second year Stafford coach Henry Coleman feels the same way.

"It's refreshing to see a race like this because there were some teams that were heavy favorites at the beginning," said Coleman.

"On any given night you can beat anybody."

He expects a tough test from the Tigers.

"They lost a few games they should of won," said Coleman.

"I watched them on film and they are a carbon copy of us," said Coleman. "Those guys play hard and the fly around to the football."

"I feel it will be a close ball game like the rest of them." "It will come down to which team makes the fewest amount of mistakes."

Wharton has played flat the past couple of games and has been bitten by the injury bug.

We played with no intensity," said Van Sant. "It's just a day by day weekly thing, they just have to get excited about it."

t's also homecoming for Wharton which could be an added incintive.

"I've never been here for a homecoming game," said Van Sant. "I don't know if we are distracted or focused."

Wharton continues to have offensive problems. The Tigers had only scored 49 points in their six games and is averaging a paltry 170 yards per game.

"The bottom line is that we have to start generating some offense," said Van Sant.

"We have to execute and we have to start blocking. You can't make mistakes and that's unacceptable."

Injuries of plagued the Tigers and Van Sant has used a lot of underclassmen.

"The big question mark for us is still going to be our offensive line for now," said Van Sant. "We ended up with starting three sophomore last week.

"They missed at least twothree weeks already with injuries so we were playing with a lot of people with limited experience anyway."

"We have to make sure our guys are ready to play and can play," said Van Sant.

You can't predict injuries and they take their toll at any level."

Stafford has only scored 37 points and is averaging 172 yards per game.

The Spartans are led by junior quarterback Jerry Green who has completed 67 of 156 passes for 675 yards. He has four TD passes and 14 interceptions.

"He's really a good football player," said Van Sant.

"He's a big tall strong football player and he makes plays happen for them."

"We have to limit him to be able to do things with the ball."

Keithley Francis has caught 18 passes for 177 yards. Phillip Pete has caught 15 passes for 148 yards and Anthony Wilson has caught 11 passes for 164 yards.

They are what make things happen," said Van Sant.

"We have to work on swarming to the ball on defense."

Tiger quarterback Robert Herrera has completed 16 passes for 57 yards and Jonavan Jones has caught 10 passes for 134 yards.

Coleman believes it will take two things to win the game.

"We have to put the ball in the endzone and not shoot ourselves in foot," said Coleman.