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Pirates visit Heavener for opener
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Gore travels to LeFlore County Friday night for its 2009 high school football opener as the Class A Pirates take on the Class 2A Wolves in a non-league game.
Kickoff at Harvey Stadium is slated for 7:30 p.m.
Gore’s offense recorded its highest point total of the 2008 season in last year’s opener as the Pirates defeated the Wolves 61-32.
“I’m sure that game left a bad taste in their mouth,” Gore head coach Brandon Ellis said, “but later in the season they went on a 5-0 run and got into the playoffs.”
Heavener finished fourth in District 2A-6 and was 5-6 overall after falling to Chandler 50-6 in the first round of the playoffs.
Some of Heavener’s key offensive players are quarterback Dustin Smittle (6-foot, 170 pounds), center Wes Wiles (5-10, 220) and senior wide receivers Bryan Benson (5-10, 185), Andrew Munoz (6-0, 165) and Mario Hernandez (6-0, 170).
Smittle passed for 1,600 yards in 2008.
“Heavener is doing stuff differently on offense from last year,” Ellis said. “They are more out of a gun and spread with some power-I than last year, when they were in a double-wing set. They have some good wide receivers and a quarterback who can run if he needs to. We’ve got to have good play out of our defensive line and put pressure on their quarterback. On defense we’re always thinking stop the run first, and we want to put pressure on him (Smittle), make him hurry his throws and hopefully disrupt their offense.”
Projected defensive starters for the Pirates are Ethan James and Ben Smith at the defensive tackle spots, Tanner Carter and Curtis Fields at the defensive end positions, James Berry and Dylan Humphrey at the middle linebacker slots, Logan Andrews and A.J. McFarland at the outside linebacker spots, Joe Lane at safety and Colten Clay and Jaykob Taylor at the cornerback positions.
Three of the Wolves’ defensive standouts are linebackers Brice Sullivan (5-8, 160), Tyler Davis (5-10, 170) and Wes Wiles.
“They bounce in and out of some sets on defense, from a 5-man front to a 4-4,” Ellis remarked. “They run multiple defenses so you just don’t know what you’re going to get.
“First of all, controlling the line of scrimmage is a key for our offense, and we can’t have turnovers. What we do on offense is also based on how good our defense is playing, and our field position. We’ll do a little bit of everything, pound the ball a little bit and spread it out a little bit.”
Gore’s projected offensive starters are Ben Smith at center, Ethan James at left guard, Earnest Risley at right guard, Anthony Cooper at left tackle, Sam Kusler or Curtis Fields at right tackle, Dylan Humphrey at tight end, Colten Clay at H-back, Jaykob Taylor and Logan Ohl at flanker, Joe Lane at split end, James Berry and A.J. McFarland at tailback and Logan Andrews at quarterback.
Ethan James is Gore’s deep snapper and Joe Lane will take care of the kicking and punting duties for the Pirates.
Gore was third in District A-6 last season with a mark of 7-2, and the Pirates finished with an overall record of 8-3 after falling to Dewar 56-14 in the first round of the Class A playoffs.
Kickoff at Harvey Stadium is slated for 7:30 p.m.
Gore’s offense recorded its highest point total of the 2008 season in last year’s opener as the Pirates defeated the Wolves 61-32.
“I’m sure that game left a bad taste in their mouth,” Gore head coach Brandon Ellis said, “but later in the season they went on a 5-0 run and got into the playoffs.”
Heavener finished fourth in District 2A-6 and was 5-6 overall after falling to Chandler 50-6 in the first round of the playoffs.
Some of Heavener’s key offensive players are quarterback Dustin Smittle (6-foot, 170 pounds), center Wes Wiles (5-10, 220) and senior wide receivers Bryan Benson (5-10, 185), Andrew Munoz (6-0, 165) and Mario Hernandez (6-0, 170).
Smittle passed for 1,600 yards in 2008.
“Heavener is doing stuff differently on offense from last year,” Ellis said. “They are more out of a gun and spread with some power-I than last year, when they were in a double-wing set. They have some good wide receivers and a quarterback who can run if he needs to. We’ve got to have good play out of our defensive line and put pressure on their quarterback. On defense we’re always thinking stop the run first, and we want to put pressure on him (Smittle), make him hurry his throws and hopefully disrupt their offense.”
Projected defensive starters for the Pirates are Ethan James and Ben Smith at the defensive tackle spots, Tanner Carter and Curtis Fields at the defensive end positions, James Berry and Dylan Humphrey at the middle linebacker slots, Logan Andrews and A.J. McFarland at the outside linebacker spots, Joe Lane at safety and Colten Clay and Jaykob Taylor at the cornerback positions.
Three of the Wolves’ defensive standouts are linebackers Brice Sullivan (5-8, 160), Tyler Davis (5-10, 170) and Wes Wiles.
“They bounce in and out of some sets on defense, from a 5-man front to a 4-4,” Ellis remarked. “They run multiple defenses so you just don’t know what you’re going to get.
“First of all, controlling the line of scrimmage is a key for our offense, and we can’t have turnovers. What we do on offense is also based on how good our defense is playing, and our field position. We’ll do a little bit of everything, pound the ball a little bit and spread it out a little bit.”
Gore’s projected offensive starters are Ben Smith at center, Ethan James at left guard, Earnest Risley at right guard, Anthony Cooper at left tackle, Sam Kusler or Curtis Fields at right tackle, Dylan Humphrey at tight end, Colten Clay at H-back, Jaykob Taylor and Logan Ohl at flanker, Joe Lane at split end, James Berry and A.J. McFarland at tailback and Logan Andrews at quarterback.
Ethan James is Gore’s deep snapper and Joe Lane will take care of the kicking and punting duties for the Pirates.
Gore was third in District A-6 last season with a mark of 7-2, and the Pirates finished with an overall record of 8-3 after falling to Dewar 56-14 in the first round of the Class A playoffs.
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