Sports irror Wednesday, September 30, 2009 WAXAHACHIE — Midlothian coach Robby Clark has seen what kind of speed Waxhachie High School posses on its offense. Not necessar- ily on the gridiron, but the rubber track surround- ing it. “We knew that they were fast. We go to the dis- trict track meet last year and we finish second in the track meet and we were competing for second and third. Waxahachie ran away with the district track meet. And all that speed that won that track meet is out here on this football field,” Clark said. Clark and the Panthers got reacquainted with that speed on Friday night as the Indians’ first string did the bulk of rushing, including a 115- yard, three-touchdown day by Venique Benton in the 49-26 loss. Combined with some of the work by the second-stringers late in the game, the Indians’ cleared the 400-yard mark. The breakdowns are what Midlothian players attributed to simple “mental mistakes.” “Coming into the game we knew they were going to be good. They were 3-0 coming into this game. We knew they had talent coming into the backfield and we knew we could stop them. It’s just mental errors and we were hurting ourselves tonight,” linebacker Colton Clanton said. After Waxahachie slowly chipped away with rushing yards on the game’s opening drive, the Panthers were hit with what can only be described as a momentum changing play. A pass from Benton glanced off the hands of a Midlothian defender and lofted up in the air. It was snared by tight end Chip Lorfing for a 21- yard gain that set up the first of Benton’s touch- down runs for a 7-0 lead. From there, the Panther defense got a stop on fourth down during the Waxahachie’s next pos- session before giving up three straight touch- downs to dig a hole. Following Midlothian’s first score, the defense looked to use the momentum to get the team back in the game. The unit gave the offense a chance late in the first half as senior Wes Hill recovered a fumbled handoff to halt a drive. Clanton got the other turnover of the night with a fumble recov- ery late in the fourth quarter. The defense also had two stops on fourth down. The problem for the Panther defense came in determining what aspect of the Indian offense it wanted to focus more on. While the running game produced big numbers, Benton and the air attack also got a solid night with over 150 yards receiving and two scores. That balance made Photo by Neal White/The Mirror Midlothian junior linebacker Clanton Colton tries to wrap-up Waxahachie quarterback Venique Benton during Friday’s contest. Speed game translates into tough day By ALEX RILEY Mirror sports writer See DEFENSE, Page 2C Chasing their dreams McEachern gets chance in late game win, shines during first collegiate opportunity Russell’s work ethic earns him 12th Man honor, sets goal as more time on the field Photos by Gary Puckett (left) and Glenn Johnson (right)/Special to the Mirror Former Midlothian teammates Caleb McEachern (left) and Caleb Russell (right) both saw their first collegiate action during victories on Saturday night. WACO — Saturday night, Caleb McEachern walked into the Baylor media room with a grin covering his face. He was happy. But he was in no way content. The former Midlothian football player was given the opportunity some only dream of, as he took the field for the first time in his early collegiate career getting carries late in lopsided 68-13 win over Northwestern State. For the walk-on, the work had finally paid off. “It gets tiring. It’s a drag having to go through pretty much 365 days of work. You get a week, two weeks for Christmas, maybe depending what bowl you play in and that’s it. I was here all summer,” McEachern said. “It’s a lot of work. So far, I’ve worked a year and half for tonight. It’s definitely a lot of work but once you get out there it’s worth it.” On a night when the Baylor offense rolled, McEachern earned the chance to show the coaching staff what he can do. In the fourth quarter, the 5-foot-9 running back entered the game with 13:21 left for his first career offensive play. With a handoff from quarterback Nick Florence, McEachern bolted for 14 yards. He jokingly says he had the end zone in his sights but a tackle by Xaiver Lee just stopped him from breaking loose. Over the course of six plays, the red-shirt freshman had five carries for 33 yards to bring the Bears inside the red zone. However sportsmanship got best of McEachern’s By ALEX RILEY Mirror sports writer See MCEACHERN, Page 3C What Caleb Russell describes as his last few days some might call a whirlwind expe- rience. Then again, some might call Russell’s whole college experience a whirl- wind. So when Texas A&M coach Mike Sherman and his staff dubbed the former Midlothian standout as the week’s selection to play the role of 12th Man during the Aggies game with Alabama-Birmingham, it came as a surprise. But one he has been preparing for. “It was Monday meetings, and coach Sherman stood up there and said ‘Well, we had some guys on service team that are real- ly busting their butt and one of those guys was Caleb Russell so we’re going to give him a shot, give him a look and see how he does.’ That was the start of it,” Russell said. “Later on that day after practice, our spe- cials teams coach came up to me and was like ‘Oh, by the way, you’re going to be wearing the 12th Man jersey.’ That alone was a great honor. Not everyone gets to do that. Not everyone gets to contribute.” After finishing out his time with the Panthers, Russell turned down scholarship offers from smaller Division-I schools to try and walk on at A&M. He took a red-shirt last season, working with the scout team and managed to stay on the practice field this season. But it was Saturday night’s experience that served as the culmination of all his hard work. With everyone, from family back in By ALEX RILEY Mirror sports writer See RUSSELL, Page 3C 1C-9-30 sport 2/8/10 12:04 PM Page 1
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Sports irrorWednesday, September 30, 2009
WAXAHACHIE — Midlothian coach RobbyClark has seen what kind of speed WaxhachieHigh School posses on its offense. Not necessar-ily on the gridiron, but the rubber track surround-ing it.
“We knew that they were fast. We go to the dis-trict track meet last year and we finish second inthe track meet and we were competing for secondand third. Waxahachie ran away with the districttrack meet. And all that speed that won that trackmeet is out here on this football field,” Clark said.
Clark and the Panthers got reacquainted withthat speed on Friday night as the Indians’ firststring did the bulk of rushing, including a 115-yard, three-touchdown day by Venique Benton inthe 49-26 loss. Combined with some of the workby the second-stringers late in the game, theIndians’ cleared the 400-yard mark.
The breakdowns are what Midlothian playersattributed to simple “mental mistakes.”
“Coming into the game we knew they weregoing to be good. They were 3-0 coming into thisgame. We knew they had talent coming into thebackfield and we knew we could stop them. It’sjust mental errors and we were hurting ourselvestonight,” linebacker Colton Clanton said.
After Waxahachie slowly chipped away with
rushing yards on the game’s opening drive, thePanthers were hit with what can only bedescribed as a momentum changing play. A passfrom Benton glanced off the hands of aMidlothian defender and lofted up in the air. Itwas snared by tight end Chip Lorfing for a 21-yard gain that set up the first of Benton’s touch-down runs for a 7-0 lead.
From there, the Panther defense got a stop onfourth down during the Waxahachie’s next pos-session before giving up three straight touch-downs to dig a hole.
Following Midlothian’s first score, the defenselooked to use the momentum to get the team backin the game. The unit gave the offense a chancelate in the first half as senior Wes Hill recovereda fumbled handoff to halt a drive. Clanton got theother turnover of the night with a fumble recov-ery late in the fourth quarter. The defense alsohad two stops on fourth down.
The problem for the Panther defense came indetermining what aspect of the Indian offense itwanted to focus more on. While the runninggame produced big numbers, Benton and the airattack also got a solid night with over 150 yardsreceiving and two scores. That balance made
Photo by Neal White/The Mirror
Midlothian junior linebacker Clanton Colton tries to wrap-up Waxahachiequarterback Venique Benton during Friday’s contest.
Speed game translates into tough dayBy ALEX RILEY
Mirror sports writer
See DEFENSE, Page 2C
Chasing their dreamsMcEachern gets chance in late game win, shines during first collegiate opportunity
Russell’s work ethic earns him 12th Manhonor, sets goal as more time on the field
Photos by Gary Puckett (left) and Glenn Johnson (right)/Special to the Mirror
Former Midlothian teammates Caleb McEachern (left) and Caleb Russell (right) both saw their first collegiate action during victories on Saturday night.
WACO — Saturday night, CalebMcEachern walked into the Baylor mediaroom with a grin covering his face. He washappy. But he was in no way content.
The former Midlothian football playerwas given the opportunity some only dreamof, as he took the field for the first time in hisearly collegiate career getting carries late inlopsided 68-13 win over Northwestern State.
For the walk-on, the work had finally paidoff.
“It gets tiring. It’s a drag having to gothrough pretty much 365 days of work. Youget a week, two weeks for Christmas, maybedepending what bowl you play in and that’sit. I was here all summer,” McEachern said.“It’s a lot of work. So far, I’ve worked a yearand half for tonight. It’s definitely a lot of
work but once you get out there it’s worthit.”
On a night when the Baylor offenserolled, McEachern earned the chance toshow the coaching staff what he can do. Inthe fourth quarter, the 5-foot-9 running backentered the game with 13:21 left for his firstcareer offensive play.
With a handoff from quarterback NickFlorence, McEachern bolted for 14 yards.He jokingly says he had the end zone in hissights but a tackle by Xaiver Lee juststopped him from breaking loose.
Over the course of six plays, the red-shirtfreshman had five carries for 33 yards tobring the Bears inside the red zone. Howeversportsmanship got best of McEachern’s
By ALEX RILEY
Mirror sports writer
See MCEACHERN, Page 3C
What Caleb Russell describes as his lastfew days some might call a whirlwind expe-rience. Then again, some might callRussell’s whole college experience a whirl-wind.
So when Texas A&M coach MikeSherman and his staff dubbed the formerMidlothian standout as the week’s selectionto play the role of 12th Man during theAggies game with Alabama-Birmingham, itcame as a surprise. But one he has beenpreparing for.
“It was Monday meetings, and coachSherman stood up there and said ‘Well, wehad some guys on service team that are real-ly busting their butt and one of those guyswas Caleb Russell so we’re going to givehim a shot, give him a look and see how he
does.’ That was the start of it,” Russell said.“Later on that day after practice, our spe-cials teams coach came up to me and waslike ‘Oh, by the way, you’re going to bewearing the 12th Man jersey.’ That alonewas a great honor. Not everyone gets to dothat. Not everyone gets to contribute.”
After finishing out his time with thePanthers, Russell turned down scholarshipoffers from smaller Division-I schools to tryand walk on at A&M. He took a red-shirtlast season, working with the scout team andmanaged to stay on the practice field thisseason.
But it was Saturday night’s experiencethat served as the culmination of all his hardwork.
With everyone, from family back in
By ALEX RILEY
Mirror sports writer
See RUSSELL, Page 3C
1C-9-30 sport 2/8/10 12:04 PM Page 1
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