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Quick strikes, rugged D par for Plano spring
BY Matt Welch, mwelch@acnpapers.com
Fans who reminisced on the hard-nosed breed of defense and offense that made up the late-season push of the Plano Senior football team last season got a mix of both on Thursday.
From Clark Stadium, the Wildcats hosted their annual Maroon-White Game, dealing the 2010 ensemble it’s most true-to-life taste of football since the conclusion of the 2009 season. The culmination of a spring that already included three prior scrimmages, the Wildcats were split down the middle Thursday with the roster drafted to don either maroon or white for the final scrimmage.
The end result: a mixed batch of pressure-laden defense and the occasional offensive quick strike in a 24-10 Maroon victory.
Defense was the story early on, as eking inside the redzone proved a daunting task for the starting units on both squads; a feat accomplished just once by each team in the first half.
Quarterbacking White was Richard Lagow, who in mixing the pass with the running of Murat Kuzu, marched into Maroon territory before a third-down pressure by Bobby Geibler forced a 36-yard field goal by Cameron Klein as the outcome.
Working opposite at the helm for Maroon was Conner Michelsen, whose first drive came to a halt thanks to defensive lineman Arthur Skinner. Bursting through the line for a sack on the series’ opening play, Skinner tackled running back Kevin Merrill for a 5-yard loss one play later.
With pressure up front and any semblance of a deep passing game clamped down, the defense took the stage for the first 24 minutes of play.
“This has been one of the hardest off-seasons we’ve had in a while,” said Collin Brence, defensive back. “It really stands out to me the past two teams that went deep in the playoffs in 2005 and 2007, I really noticed in being up at the fieldhouse a lot that they may have captains assigned but when you walk down that first row of lockers, there are about 20 guys who can step out and be captains at any time.
“I really think we have the leaders who can do that this season.”
While the end zone was left unscathed through one half of play, it took just 30 seconds into the third quarter for Maroon to hit pay dirt, as a short Michelsen screen to receiver Clayton Parlin was taken up the sideline and 52 yards downfield for a touchdown.
“[Parlin] is just a stud,” Michelsen said. “He’s a multi-sport athlete and he’s just a phenomenal player. He makes the plays and is a go-to guy. He’s clutch.”
Now operating as the Wildcats’ chief signal caller, Michelsen settled into a rhythm on Maroon’s second drive, establishing a timely connection with the likes of receivers Kobie Douglas and Sam Morell throughout the scrimmage.
“I definitely feel more comfortable,” Michelsen said. “I’ve been talking with coach McCullough and he trusts me and I trust him. Coaches love each other, players love each other, coaches love players and players love coaches. That’s the thing he told me and I feel more comfortable this year.”
Big plays proved contagious during the second half, extending their way to the junior varsity units as well. With the JV accounting for Maroon’s final two touchdowns on the scrimmage, Andre Morman darted up the middle for a 69-yard score to open the fourth quarter. One minute later, Maroon’s next series ended in similar fashion, with Grant Sanders’ 55-yard touchdown scamper opening a 21-point cushion.
Lagow aided White in its only touchdown of the contest midway through the final frame, connecting on a pair of completions to Steele Hoetger; the latter a 24-yard strike with Douglas blanketing the wide out for a touchdown.
“They make the grind their friend,” McCullough said. “We’re real fortunate this year; we’ve got a lot of good leadership on the team and I really think we’re headed in the right direction.
“We’re not there yet and you could see tonight we’ve got a lot of stuff we need to clean up, but I like where we’re going.”
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