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photo by Marcus Frazier
Centreville Academy head coach Bill Hurst shouts instructions to his players during a blocking drill at a recent practice. The Tigers are the defending MPSA Class AA state champion, but assistant coach Brian Stutzman said the team has to put that behind them and focus on this season.
Tigers want to forget about state title as they prepare for opener
Published Thursday, August 21, 2008
CENTREVILLE — The Centreville Academy Tigers might have won the Class AA state championship last season, but the Tiger coaches know that won’t help them one bit Friday night when they travel to face Brookhaven Academy in the 2008 season opener.
“(The state championship) is something they’ve got to put behind them,” Centreville assistant coach Brian Stutzman said. “Last year is over with, we’ve got to put that behind us and move on.”
However, it’s one thing to tell the players that, but it’s quite another to get them to believe it.
“We’ve been preaching that, but sometimes I know they don’t understand it,” Stutzman said. “Our biggest issue seems to be convincing them to move on. It goes back to leadership and we’re looking for the seniors to step up and be leaders.”
Stutzman knows that the Tigers must come out of the gate quickly as they are facing a largly unknown opponent in the Brookhaven Academy Cougars.
The Cougars finished the 2007 season with an 8-4 record and lost in the first round of the playoffs to Oak Forest.
“The challenge is, we don’t really know much about Brookhaven,” Stutzman said. “Bervert davis came in and took over as their head coach. He’s been at Brookhaven before and won a state championship. We don’t really know what he’s going to do.”
Stutzman said that the key to stopping Brookhaven will be containing their running back Kolby Byrd.
“We know they’re going to pound it in some fashion,” Stutzman said. “They’ll give it to Byrd and let him run.”
Pounding the ball is what Centreville does best. The Tigers have bruising junior running back Zack Sinclair, who rushed for 1,240 yards and 16 touchdowns last season, and plan to use him a lot this year as well.
Stutzman said the play of Centreville’s offensive line will be key to victory not just in Friday’s game, but throughout the season.
“It all starts with the offensive line,” Stutzman said. “For us to tick, our offensive line has to work, take charge, come in low and hard and dominate. Hopefully they’ll open up holes for Sinclair and (quarterback) Kyle Brown. Those two are our wheels that make us go, but it all starts with the offensive line.”
Stutzman said this week of practice hasn’t been very good because he feels the players are anxious for the season to start on Friday.
“I think a lot of the problem is we’re ready to play a real game and not just a scrimmage,” Stutzman said. “We’re ready to go four quarters, play and get back into a groove.”
Comments
Posted by centrevilleresident (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 7:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Sinclair is not a bruising running back, he is shake and bake type of back. CA will definately contend for the championship again, as along as no major injuries occur
Posted by number29 (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 9:18 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The sled they are pushing is a "7 man sled" that is now 40 years old. I feel that the sled has always been part of Centreville's success.
Posted by coacht (T.BOB KIRK) on August 21, 2008 at 9:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Well how many new players in high school did Hurst pick up this year. I know Vines supplies a few scholarships for him. This man may be a good coach, but how good would he be with out his recruited players. Example is the senior lineman who showed up last year and lived with his grandmother in La. and had to drive thru Woodville to get to Centreville everyday. He's allowed to get away with it because he is one of the good old boys. Les Triplet and the whole bunch in Clinton need to go. They must not take their morals and values with them when they leave church on Sunday's.
Posted by centrevilleresident (anonymous) on August 21, 2008 at 3:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)
coacht - How good would LSU be without their 5 star recruits? Thats basically what you are saying. He has a reputatation and people want their kids playing for him. He knows how to coach, from fundamentals, he knows how to motivate. I bet you would be happy if the kid went to your school. Don't be so sour b/c your coaching skills aren't as good as his. Vines paying for scholarships? Not denying that some get paid, but not from Vines I can assure you. You have bad info from someone and it is not accurate.
Posted by adamscounty64 (anonymous) on August 22, 2008 at 10:23 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I attended Centreville Academy for three years as a child. Bill Hurst coached me in the Academy All Star game almost 20 years ago, and anyone who has ever played football for him- be it for a week or a year- knows the type of coach he is... great.
Other schools can only hope for a coach and teacher that takes as much personal time with the students as Coach Hurst does.
Best of luck to the Tigers this year.
Posted by coacht (T.BOB KIRK) on August 27, 2008 at 10:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
AT LEAST SOMEONE FROM CENTERVILLE ADMITS THAT HE'S PAYING THERE WAY. MY QUESTION IS IS THAT FAIR?
LSU IS ALLOWED TO RECRUIT! NOT AN EQUAL COMPARISON.
READ THE MPSA HANDBOOK AND YOU WILL SEE THAT HE IS WAY OUT OF LINE. HE'S ON THE COMMITTEE SO NONE OF HIS BUDDIES ARE GOING TO CHECK ON HIM.
Posted by coacht (T.BOB KIRK) on August 27, 2008 at 11:05 a.m. (Suggest removal)
THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH BEING A GOOD FUNDAMENTAL COACH.
WE'RE TALKING MORALS AND VALUES.
DON'T WAIT UNTIL 11PM AND LOOK FOR THE LORD FOR FORGIVENESS
YOU MIGHT DIE AT 10:30PM
Posted by coacht (T.BOB KIRK) on August 29, 2008 at 12:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
TO PROVE THE GOOD OLE BOYS ARE STILL AT IT. A FB COACH IS NOT ALLOWED TO MAKE THEIR ON SCHEDULE. THE FB COMMITTE WHICH HAS COACHES ON IT MAKE UP THE SCHEDULE.
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