Top-ranked Beavers have one big question mark
SEAN SAUNDERS
ROSE — Multiple publications have the Glen Rose Beavers ranked No. 1 in Class 3A, but coach Mark Kehner isn’t buying it. Especially because he doesn’t know who his starting running back will be.
Most from last year’s 10-3 squad return, but gone is allstate tailback Jordan Johnson. Helping turning around a 2-8 2014 campaign, Johnson was the state’s second-leading rusher last year with 2,617 yards and 31 touchdowns, falling just behind Cecil Langston, whose Rivercrest team ended Glen Rose’s season in the 3A quarterfinals.
“You’ve just got more guys back,” said Kehner of his team’s top spot. “We’ve got nine guys back on both sides of the ball, but that doesn’t mean you have nine great football players. It just means that you have nine guys back. The one guy we had with 2,600 yards and 31 touchdowns walked out the door.
“That’s a glaring weakness. We have a tradition that we’re going to run the football. We’re going to run the football a lot, and right now we have three guys and I can’t starter today.”
The three candidates are seniors Jake Thompson and Garret Reed and junior Ryan Taylor. Thompson has the most career rushing yards, Reed was a standout defender last year and Taylor sports the least amount of varsity experience.
Whoever lands the job will be taking handoffs from a three-year starting quarterback in Aaron Weatherford. After struggling his sophomore season, Weatherford broke out with a solid junior campaign, keeping defenses off-balance with 1,976 yards and 19 touchdowns while rushing for 17 scores.
Kehner is hoping Weatherford can do even more as a senior.
“We really need Aaron,” Kehner said. “If the running game is not typical Glen Rose, then he has to push for 2,500 to 3,000 yards. And Aaron is capable of doing that. It’s in his arsenal to be able to sling it around a little bit. And with all the games he has under his belt, he needs to step up.”
Weatherford has all of his favorite targets back, three tell you the named to the all-Class 3A-5 team last year. Senior Seth Davis, with a team-high seven touchdown grabs, returns as an all-league H-back, lining up in the slot, tight end or fullback in various sets.
The receiving corps features three targets who each snagged more than 20 passes for more than 400 yards, totaling 12 touchdowns. Junior Jarred Rogers had a standout sophomore performance, leading the team in receptions and receiving yards. Senior Sam Dawson was also an all-conference target, and classmate Austin Hughes made five TD grabs.
Glen Rose’s offense, which averaged 41.1 points per game, starts with an offensive line that returns every member from last year’s unit. The Beavers had a pair of three-year starters at tackle when they reached the state finals in 2013 (after a 2012 final berth), and they feature the same setup this fall with seniors Jacob Lowry and Mikey Elam, both all-league last year.
Senior center Tristan Bell impressed Kehner last year, along with classmate Gregory Anderson at guard. Junior guard Hunter Church is the lone underclassman up front.
“I’d be excited to run behind those guys,” said Kehner, whose sons are former Glen Rose running backs.
The other big hole the Beavers must replace is three-year starter Britt Matlock, an allstate selection at defensive end in 2015. Junior Carson Fite is the top candidate for strongside defensive end.
The Beavers have featured speed at weakside end for most of this decade, and the trend continues with Davis as a threeyear starter.
“He’s very fast and very physical,” Kehner said. “He’s a very nasty football player.”
Senior Dylan Quantz and Elam start at tackle for the second consecutive season but have plenty of help this time. Sophomores Nicholas Prichard and Jacob Lackey join junior Drew Davis as defensive tackle relief, the Beavers hoping fresh legs can help them improve upon last year’s 21.1 points allowed per contest.
Twins Jacob and Josh Lowry start at middle linebackers for another season, using their built-in connection. Three-year starter Reed is an all-conference outside linebacker, collecting 70-plus tackles and a pair of interceptions. Junior Logan Taylor is the linebacking newcomer after transferring from Sheridan, playing for Glen Rose in junior high.
Kehner has the most defensive depth in the backfield, where he rotates seven players among the three true spots. Dawson and Hughes are “interchangeable” at free safety, Kehner said, and Thompson and senior Zane Rogers start at cornerback for the second-straight year. Spelling both corners will be Ryan Taylor, Jarred Rogers and junior Adam Day.
“We have pretty good depth on both sides of the ball,” Kehner said. “That’s good competition in practice, which brings out the best in all of us.”
Senior Alaric Chavez handles the kicking duties as a three-year starter, making the Beavers solid in department usually deficient among their 3A rivals.
Kehner knows his team’s first goal is to knock off twotime defending 3A-5 champ Prescott, picked No. 1 by league coaches again this year. If Glen Rose wants to go farther than the quarterfinals this year, getting a No. 1 seed would put it in much better shape.