Mustangs hope for repeat performance against San Marcos
MARBLE FALLS — It’s interesting how a season opener can foreshadow the outcome of things to come.
The Marble Falls High School football team beat San Marcos 42-0 to start the 2010 season. The Mustangs used that momentum to finish fourth in District 25-4A and win a bi-district championship.
Meanwhile, the Rattlers never won a game and changed coaches.
IN PHOTO: Marble Falls senior quarterback Zed Woerner, the only returning offensive player from the 2010 team, began last season’s win against San Marcos by running 82 yards for touchdown. Photo by Galyn Woerner
So when James Chase took over the reins as head football coach and athletic director, he also brought in a change in schemes and mentality.
Chase, who last coached Medina Valley in 1992, has been known to bench press more than 300 pounds in front of his players. That set the tone for what he expected of them.
Mustangs head coach Cord Woerner said Chase will bring a prepared and eager San Marcos team to Marble Falls for the 7:30 p.m. kickoff Aug. 26.
He and several coaches made the trek to the Burger Center last week to catch the scrimmage between the Rattlers and Austin Akins.
Woerner noted the Rattlers will look to establish a strong running game first and then pass once the defense starts to think run on every play.
The Rattlers will be led by quarterback Zach Sterling, who started five games last season, and feature an offensive line with returning left tackle starter Joey Oniya and junior center Charlie Mowen. Running back Jerome Harris is expected in the backfield.
Defensively, San Marcos has gone to a 4-3 look with its front seven and a zone in the secondary and will be anchored by linebacker Rudy Garcia and free safety Jason Matlock.
As for the Mustangs, senior Taylor Cauble will make his first appearance at fullback, a new position for him. Most remember Cauble as the hard-hitting safety last season.
The senior said he has enjoyed playing fullback and hopes to help the Mustangs with a better season in 2011.
“Playing fullback for me, right now, (is something) I’m loving, and hopefully I’ll love throughout the whole season,” he said. “It’s something I feel like I’ve prepared myself for, and I feel like I’m going to play great there throughout the season.”
Woerner said he will look for the same effort that shut out Wimberley, Kyle Lehman and Fredericksburg during scrimmages in August.
“I’d like to see us get after it and get physical,” he said. “I’d like to see us execute and not make mistakes.”
Not much time was given to special teams during scrimmages, so Woerner said coaches will be closely watching those units.
“I would dearly love to not make any special teams mistakes,” he said.
If Marble Falls is able to build a sizable lead like it did last season, expect to see Woerner substitute freely.
“We need to get backups to go at any time,” he said. “Any additional game time they get is good for us.”