Now, it counts
Jasper, Kirbyville square off in district opener
By JIMMY GALVAN Managing Editor

Photo courtesy Esther Fuller Photography KIRBYVILLE SENIOR PIERCE RHODES cuts upfield during the Carthage game. Rhodes rushed for 198 yards and three touchdowns against Liberty in last Friday's final non-district contest.

Forget the pre-season, now it all counts.

Jasper will host the Kirbyville Wildcats Friday night at the Bone Yard in the District 21-3A opener as the battle for the playoffs begins.

"What a way to open it against Kirbyville," said Jasper Head Football Coach Thomas Brooks. "There are a lot of big ballgames in district because these are the ones that count now. We used the pre-season to get to know the kids and see what we can and can't do and I think we have a better hand on that now.

"We are going to a point where we will have no two-way starters," Brooks said. "I think we have enough kids that can do that. We want to still be fresh by the fourth quarter."

Kirbyville Head Football Coach Jack Alvarez knows his Wildcats will be facing a tougher opponent this week in the Bulldogs than they have seen all pre-season long.

Newsboy photo/Georgia Purdy JASPER SENIOR MALCOLM BRONSON goes up for a pass during the opening contest with Livingston. Bronson has been a constant offensive threat for the Bulldogs this season as well as a stalwart on the defensive side of the ball.

"I think the speed of the game will be a lot faster this week and I'm worried about that," Alvarez said. "Jasper has been playing a lot higher level of competition than we have been playing so I'm worried about that aspect of it."

Alvarez knows Jasper has taken on a tougher non-district schedule in preparation for the war of District 21- 3A.

"I think Jasper will be more prepared for district than we are as a result of their pre-season schedule," Alvarez said.

But the Wildcats, who were the preseason favorite in District 21-3A, feature an explosive backfield that features the talents of Broderick Jackson and Pierce Rhodes.

Rhodes tore up Liberty in preparation for district by rushing for 198 yards and three touchdowns.

"They were very explosive and they were moving up and down the field easily," Brooks said. "I don't think you can key on just stopping Pierce Rhodes. They have a number of weapons that they use on their offense."

Newsboy photo/Georgia Purdy JASPER QUARTERBACK CAMERON STUBBLEFIELD drops back to pass as Jesse Boerner provides the protection. Stubblefield has thrown the ball well for the Bulldogs this year in leading the Dawgs to a road win over Barbers Hill.

Since taking over in Kirbyville, the Wildcats have improved with every passing year and the annual matchup with Jasper has been a showcase game for an early slot to a playoff berth.

"Jasper is your typical Jasper team in that they are big, fast and strong," Alvarez said. "You have to play good to beat them."

So are the coaches ready for the start of District 21- 3A?

"I wish I had three more games to get ready," Alvarez said. "I think we will be better later in the season than we are right now. We are getting better weekly. I wish we had a couple more weeks but we don't."

"I think we are ready," Brooks said. "These are the games that count now. Sometimes you wish you had a little longer to get ready but we are ready to go. I know I'm ready to go."

Alvarez also knows the importance of opening the district season with a victory. He has the task of facing the Bulldogs in the Bone Yard to open the year and then coming home to Kirbyville next week to host West Orange-Stark.

"Nobody is looking ahead to West Orange," Alvarez said. "We have to beat Jasper. We have been pointing to this game all year long. You don't want to lose your first district game because that puts you in a chase mode and nobody wants to be there. We don't and Jasper doesn't."

Jasper leads the series with Kirbyville 18-2 but the Wildcats have captured wins in two of the last three years, including last year's 28-21 victory in Kirbyville.

"At first, this wasn't a rivalry game but then I turned around and it seems like it is," Alvarez said. "It shouldn't take much to get the team up for this game. We will get Jasper's best effort and they will get ours."

"If you can't get up for this one, then you might as well not play football," Brooks said. "This is what we have been waiting on and working for all year long. We are going to give everything we have on the field."

Alvarez said on film the Bulldogs appear to be very explosive and he recognizes the need to keep the ball away from Jasper's offensive unit.

"They are so dangerous," Alvarez said. "We need to control the ball to win the game. They can score and score easy from anywhere on the field. They can go 99 yards on you.

"I think we are evenly matched but we have not seen anyone as good as their defensive front and secondary," Alvarez said.

Brooks said having the week off was beneficial for his Bulldogs before the start of district.

"It was good to have the week off in order to get healthy," Brooks said. "If we would have had to play last week, we would have had a couple of guys out of the game. Now, everybody will be ready to play." Just the facts * Jasper leads the overall series 18-2 with the Dawgs last victory over Kirbyville coming in 2005 52-27.. * Kirbyville won the last two of three games in the series including last year's 28-21 victory in Kirbyville. * The Wildcats enter the game sporting an unbeaten 3-0 record while Jasper comes in with a 1-2 mark. * Pierce Rhodes paced the Wildcats to a victory over Liberty by rushing for 198 yards and three touchdowns. Jasper was off this week after suffering a 35-6 defeat at the hands of the Newton Eagles.