The Hornets know that tonight’s regular-season finale has no bearing on their postseason plans. Huntsville, which clinched a playoff spot with a victory over Magnolia two weeks ago, is headed to the Division I, or big-school, bracket to meet Buda Hays in a bi-district game next week.
The Hornets’ playoff road stays the same whether they win or lose tonight’s home game against Willis. Huntsville (5-1 in District 18-4A, 6-3 overall) plays the Rebels of Hays Consolidated at 2 p.m. on Nov. 14 at Georgetown High School.
Huntsville coach Mitchell Coey and his assistants have not said a word to the Hornets about Buda Hays, the Rebels’ winning tradition or anything else pertaining to the playoffs.
Coey wants his players focused on tonight’s game, and tonight’s game only.
“We want to try and play a perfect game. No penalties and no turnovers, that’s what we’re after,” Coey said after practice Thursday. “We need to continue to improve and get ready for the playoffs.”
Huntsville has reeled off four wins in a row. Since losing to Brenham in the second week of the district season, the Hornets have beaten Waller, Montgomery, Magnolia and Magnolia West by an average of more than 15 points.
That margin would have been greater but Huntsville’s defense gave up two fourth-quarter touchdowns in a 41-28 win over Magnolia, then after building a 39-6 lead last week, Magnolia West scored a pair of touchdowns on a long kickoff return and a 59-yard run late in the third period.
Shane Martin, Huntsville’s fiery defensive coordinator, wants the Hornets to tighten up and start tackling better before they head to the postseason. He wants to see improvements starting at 7:30 tonight.
“To be honest, I feel like we’ve jelled as a defensive unit, but in the last couple of weeks, while we haven’t taken a step back, we haven’t gotten better either,” Martin said. “We’ve got to make tackles and we’ve got to make some big plays. We’ve held our own, but I feel like we can get a lot better.
“I want our guys to step up and have a big ballgame against Willis,” Martin added. “We’re at home, and this is the last time our seniors are going to play at Bowers. We need to put on a good show. Our fans deserve that.”
The Hornets say they’re ready to put on another good show. They did that at home three weeks ago in a thrilling 18-15 win over Montgomery.
Junior Mark Wheeler believes it’s important to continue building momentum for what the Hornets are hoping will be a lengthy playoff run. They don’t want another one-and-done playoff appearance like last year.
“We need to keep playing like a team,” said Wheeler, one of the Hornets’ many versatile players who contributes on both offense and defense. “When we started playing as a team, we started producing better.
“We’ll be playing tomorrow’s game for the seniors. It’s their last game at Bowers, so we want them to go out with a bang.”
The Hornets started making some noise offensively a few weeks ago. With quarterback Justin Gilbert leading the way, they have averaged 43 points a game in the last two wins.
Offensive coordinator Kane Harris said there is plenty of room for improvement.
“Pass protection is one area where we can get better,” Harris said. “We’ve got to make sure we always protect our passer. We can also get better overall in everything we’re doing.”
Coey, Harris and Martin don’t want the Hornets to get satisfied. They’re glad to see their players having fun in practice and during games, but they’re going to keep pushing because
“A team never stays the same,” Coey stressed. “You either get better or worse, and we want to keep getter better every week.”
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Discussion
Focus on the present
With playoff future decided, Hornets not looking past Willis
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OUTGUNNED: First-place Mavericks shoot down Sam Houston, run winning streak to 14
Texas-Arlington had an answer for every Sam Houston run Wednesday night on the way to a 75-63 victory over the Bearkats. It was the Mavericks’ 14th consecutive win and improved their Southland Conference record to 10-0.
The last team to start league action with such perfection was Sam Houston in 2010, a team which won the conference’s regular season as well as the postseason tournament championship. -
Championship salute
The Southland Conference champs from Sam Houston State received special recognition on Wednesday night for the most successful football season in school history.
Huntsville Mayor Mac Woodward, SHSU President Dana Gibson and Walker County Judge Danny Pierce were among those who honored the Bearkats during halftime of the Bearkats’ basketball game against Texas-Arlington.
Woodward declared Feb. 8 Bearkat Pride Day. -
Bearkat women win again, 61-45
Britni Martin scored 18 points, including four 3-pointers, to lead Sam Houston State to a 61-45 Southland Conference women’s basketball victory over UT-Arlington on Wednesday at the new UTA College Park Center in Arlington.
All four of Martin’s field goals were 3-pointers and the junior forward from Conroe went 6-of-6 from the foul line to post her 17th double-figure scoring performance of the season. -
Alive and kicking
For the third consecutive game, the Hornets played like a team that does not want basketball season to end anytime soon.
Desperate to notch another victory over Willis, the Huntsville boys jumped on the Wildkats early. The Hornets used their muscle and started pulling away in the second half, then when Willis made a late rally, Huntsville’s hungry bunch had enough energy left to hold off the Wildkats in a wild 76-63 victory at the Paul Bohan Hornet Gym. -
Lady Hornets roll through district undefeated again
The Lady Hornets did it again. For the second consecutive season, the Huntsville girls basketball team rolled through District 18-4A play without a loss.
On Tuesday night in Willis, the Lady Hornets closed out another perfect 14-0 district campaign with an 86-33 win over the LadyKats. -
New Waverly seniors close out regular season in style
In their final game of the regular season, the Lady Bulldogs just enjoyed themselves in a 60-46 win over Anderson-Shiro.
This was a team New Waverly beat on the road earlier in the season and a win in “Bulldog Country” would be the appropriate way to send out seniors Myeisha Williams, Morgan Eastland, Whitney McCullough and Alex Abbott. -
Streak stoppers?
The hottest team in the Southland Conference visits Johnson Coliseum tonight, riding a 13-game winning streak and sporting a perfect 9-0 league record.
Sam Houston State has a difficult task on its hands facing Texas-Arlington, a team which had its way with the Bearkats on Jan. 11 at Texas Hall. The Mavericks rolled to a 66-40 that night in what was Sam Houston’s worst loss in conference action all season. -
Bearkats to hold celebration befitting a championship team
A championship celebration unlike any in Bearkat history will take place tonight at Johnson Coliseum as part of the festivities for the Bearkats’ basketball game against Texas-Arlingon.
Walker County, the city of Huntsville and university officials will join with SHSU alumni, students, faculty-staff and fans in saluting the 2011 Southland Conference champion and NCAA Division I football national finalist Bearkat football team. -
Big week ahead for Bulldogs, Lady Bulldogs
To say that this is an important week for the Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs basketball team would be a big understatement. With the regular season winding down, much is at stake for the New Waverly boys and girls.
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Bulldog lifters gain experience at Shepherd meet
Looking back on his lifters’ performance at last Saturday’s meet in Shepherd, New Waverly powerlifting coach Mike Carolan lauded his team’s efforts. Senior Tucker Saxton won the 220-pound classification and freshman Dillon Silvis took fifth in the 114-pound division.
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