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Daily Newspaper and Travel Guide
for Pecos Country of West Texas
Sports
Wednesday, August 7, 2002
Carter happy with Eagles' early workouts
By JON FULBRIGHT
Staff Writer
The number of players turning out for the first two days of practice
was about the same as a year ago for the Pecos Eagles' varsity football
team. But the numbers were lower for the junior varsity and freshman squads.
"As far as the varsity goes everything's great. I couldn't ask for better
attendance or enthusiasm out of the kids," said new head coach Fred Carter.
A total of 42 varsity players were practicing on the opening two days
of workouts at Pecos High School, one more than the Eagles had out a year
ago. But only 31 JV and freshman players made it to Tuesday evening's workouts,
a number that is down from a year ago.
Assistant coach Brian Gibson called the low turnout on the sub-varsity
level "an ongoing problem," and Carter talked with the JV and ninth graders
after practice about the need to increase the number of players who show
up for two-a-days, with Pecos' first scrimmage scheduled for Aug. 17 at home
against the El Paso Riverside Rangers.
The Eagles come off their fourth straight playoff appearance, and finished
7-4 last season, their best regular season record in 15 years. However, the
Eagles have fallen in the bi-district round of the playoffs each of the past
four seasons, and will face a tougher challenge in 2002 advancing to the
playoffs, having moved from District 2-4A into District 4-3A, with Monahans,
Fort Stockton, Kermit, Midland Greenwood and Presidio.
The Eagles beat Monahans, Kermit and Presidio last year while losing to
Fort Stockton in pre-district play. This year will be the first time the
Eagles have ever faced Greenwood, which is picked by Texas Football Magazine
to win the 4-3A title.
Pecos has over half their starters back from last year's squad, and Carter
said through the first two days of workouts, "I think they look pretty good
on both sides of the ball.
"I wouldn't say which is stronger at this point, the offense of defense,
but I'm pleased right now. The varsity is right on," he added.
Pecos returns 1,000-yard rusher Matthew Levario and quarterback Freddy
Torres, who was the team's second leading rusher a year ago, along with four
starters on the front line, though two, senior Tony Trujillo and junior Max
Miranda, have not yet begun full workouts with the team.
The Eagles averaged 315 yards and nearly four touchdowns per game in 2001,
but struggled on defense at times, allowing over 400 yards in four games,
including their playoff loss to El Paso Parkland. The defense should be better
for Pecos this year, though the Eagles do have a couple of holes to fill
in the defensive secondary due to graduations.
Carter said the coaches already have a fairly good idea where everyone
will be playing this season. "Pretty much the core players are there in place.
There's still some positioning for starting spots."
"The thing I'm very fortunate to have at this point is a group of coaches
who get after it on a daily basis and take care of business," the Eagles'
coach added.
Players will be working out in just
Pecos players on select team 11th at tourney
Four Pecos players, and seven others from Fort Stockton, Monahans and
Odessa participated last month in the American Amateur Youth Baseball Alliance
13-and-under World Series in St. Louis, placing 11th in the 16-team
Gold Division.
The select team went 5-3-1 in their division, playing nine games in six
days. The Strongsville (Ohio) Stallions won first place in the Gold Division,
with the Kansas Cobras taking second, while the other Texas team entered
in the 13-and-under tournament, the West Texas Longhorns, finished seventh.
The tournament had three divisions, with the East Cobb (Ga.) Mudcats winning
the overall title.
Chris Garnto, Jonathan Levario, Isaiah Rayos and John Paul Salcido were
the four Pecos players on the team, which was coached by John Salcido, Jesse
Rayos and Vaughn Garnto.
Pecos Enterprise
York M. "Smokey" Briggs, Publisher
Division of Buckner News Alliance, Inc.
324 S. Cedar St., Pecos, TX 79772
Phone 915-445-5475, FAX 915-445-4321
e-mail news@pecos.net
Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium.
Copyright 2002 by Pecos Enterprise
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