sgusers5的部落格

Source: The Telegraph, Alton, Ill.新蒲崗迷你倉Aug. 28--CARROLLTON -- Following a 5-4 season in 2011, Carrollton Hawks coach Nick Flowers moved forward with a clear goal for his program."We wanted to go from good to great," Flowers said.That target was certainly achieved in a 2012 championship run through the Western Illinois Valley Conference's South Division, where the Hawks destroyed five foes by a combined score of 215-8.But a 48-14 spanking from Maroa-Forsyth in a Class 1A playoff quarterfinal game reminded that true greatness may still be a Hawks' goal unattained."That's one thing we keep stressing to the kids," said Nick Flowers, who begins his 10th season at his alma mater with a 54-36 career record. "What's the difference between bad and great? It's good. And a lot of times, people can get pretty complacent with things. We don't want this group to get complacent with being good."We feel like we have an opportunity to do some things we have yet to do as a program. We're still in that process. ... But I really feel like we're playing at a different level right now."The 10-win season was the second in school history, matching the 10 first set in 1999. The postseason march to Round 3 was the first for the Hawks, who shook a 0-for-7 effort in second-round games by beating Sidell Jamaica 26-20 to earn a quarterfinal shot at Maroa."It was definitely a season to build on," Flowers said.A postseason push back to the quarters and beyond is among the Hawks' targets in 2013. But that comes after stated goals of winning their first game and defending their WIVC South title.Carrollton has not claimed back-to-back conference titles since 1994-95, but is a prohibitive favorite to again run the table in the South. Most of the key pieces return, though the Hawks must replace their most gifted and versatile player in graduated Jordan Harr."We have kids who have put their time in and I truly believe they can step in and shine in their own ways," Flowers said.The Hawks are cast as a Class 1A power, but they remain a team light on senior impact players. Four seniors are slated to start on offense and three on defense, with Clay Duba (6-0, 185) and Ethan Frye (6-4, 160) starting both ways.Carrollton averaged 32.9 points per game last season with sophomores in lead roles at quarterback and running back. Jacob Smith (5-9, 170, jr.) returns at QB after completing 77 of 134 passes for 1,040 yards, 12 touchdowns and five interceptions."Jacob's the brains of our offense," Flowers said. "He's probably one of the more coachable kids we've had. .mini storage. That's big-time quarterback play when a kid wants to read progressions and be able to see what a defense is doing."Junior Luke Palan is also back as a big-play threat out of the backfield. The 5-11, 170 pounder rushed for 1,025 yards and 19 TDs as a sophomore, including 154 yards on 14 carries with an 88-yard TD run in the loss to Maroa."Luke has really matured the last couple years," Flowers said. "He's gotten patient, he reads blocks better, he knows when to cut, when to spin. He really is a playmaker and he can catch the ball out of the backfield for us, too."He's a special, special player and they don't come around every year, that's for sure."Duba and Frye will line up with junior Cody Leonard and sophomore Cole Brannan in a four-receiver spread set.And providing protection for Carrollton's ballhandlers will be an offensive line featuring seniors Dylan Barnett (6-0, 280) and Travis Smith (6-0, 300) and juniors Marcus Lippert (6-0, 210), Derek McGowen (5-10, 215) and Nick Schmidt (5-10, 205).The Hawks appear well stocked on both sides of the ball, but Flowers stays vigilant against getting too comfortable."As many team strengths as we have right now, we also know we have some weaknesses and things we need to figure out real quick," Flowers said. "We're going to play in a competitive WIVC this year."The defense features two All-Area performers in linebackers Leonard (6-0, 180) and Lippert. "Those are two inside linebackers that are really going to stand out for us," Flowers said.But the Hawks face early adversity with both those standouts suspended for six quarters because of disciplinary issues. Leonard and Lippert will sit out the opener at Jacksonville ISD and the first half of the home opener against Concord Triopia in Week 2.Long-term goals, however, remain unaltered."We're preparing for a season," Flowers said, "not a game or two."The defense is stacked with 20 linemen vying for playing time in a 3-4 scheme. Schmidt and juniors Dalton Barnes (5-9, 175) and Jesse Meza (5-8, 185) will open as starters up front, but the numbers mean competition continues for line time."That's a good thing," Flowers said. "Before the year's up, I'm hoping maybe we can be two platoon or as close as we can get in 1A."Senior Dylan Funk (5-10, 165) and junior Trenton Harrelson (6-5, 200) are the outside linebackers, with Brannan, Duba, Frye and Palan manning the secondary.Copyright: ___ (c)2013 The Telegraph (Alton, Ill.) Visit The Telegraph (Alton, Ill.) at .thetelegraph.com Distributed by MCT Information Servicesself storage