Forbes Baggett tries to stay loose, Kyle Harrison listens to his favorite music and Darius Evans does what he can to settle a stomach full of butterflies.

All of the Hornets have their own pregame routines. Some have a ritual or two that they have to do prior to a big game.

Even the coaches and their kids have superstitions that they must do to keep Lady Luck on Huntsville’s side.

“They were having turkey at Kellen’s school today, but we couldn’t have turkey,” Hornets defensive coordinator Shane Martin said on the eve of the Hornets’ playoff game against Beaumont Central. “Kellen’s been eating foot-long cheese coneys and tater tots with cheese, with a sweet tea, every Friday this season. And I’ve been having a hamburger all the way with mayo and mustard, plain tater tots with ketchup and cherry vanilla diet Coke.

“That’s what we had today. No turkey for us.”

Baggett, one of many veterans on the Huntsville team that won its second consecutive district championship this fall, said he used to get restless and irritable before every game. That didn’t work as well as his new routine.

“I just relax really,” said Baggett, a senior offensive and defensive lineman who has played a major role in the Hornets’ run to the area round of the Class 4A Division I playoffs. “I try not to get too hyped up. I don’t want to psyche myself out.

“It’s just another game really.”

Really?

Last week’s bi-district contest against Buda Hays was a little more weighty than a nondistrict game against Houston Waltrip in September. Baggett knows that, but he feels it’s best to play down the importance of games like today’s area-round clash with Beaumont Central (8-3), the second-place team from District 20-4A.

“I’ll think about the game and try to get mentally focused,” Baggett said. “We joke around a little and try to keep it light.”

Most of the players try to eat light, especially right before the game.

“Not all of us eat light,” Baggett laughed. “Kyle (Harrison), Big D (Deante Roberts) and (Marquel) Kizzee, they go for seconds, and maybe thirds.”

On Friday, Baggett and senior teammates Justin Gilbert and Shaquille Ross went to Huntsville Intermediate School for a pep rally. Baggett said that kind of break in his regular routine was lots of fun.

“It felt good to see those little kids all hyped up and ready to come watch us play,” Baggett said. “Those kids were all excited. We slapped their hands and had a little pep rally.”

Harrison, a senior offensive lineman, said he has trouble resting prior to big games.

“The night before a game I’m trying to get some sleep. That’s kind of off and on,” Harrison explained. “When I can’t sleep, I concentrate on what I need to do to get ready for the game. On the bus ride to the game, I try to sleep some more. Then when we get there, it’s time to focus.”

For varsity veterans, focusing on the job becomes old hat. Young players have extreme difficulties in this area, though.

Evans and fellow sophomore Markey Thomas made their varsity debuts last week, and both said it was hard to think straight.

“I was kind of nervous at first,” Evans said of his first varsity experience. “I went out there like it was a JV game, though, and tried my best.”

“I was shocked when they called my name,” Thomas added. “I didn’t think I’d get in the game, I was really nervous, but I was excited at the same time. I’m sure I’ll be nervous again this Saturday.”

Evans made one of the biggest plays for the Hornets last week. On a first-quarter kickoff following Gilbert’s long touchdown run, one of the Rebels’ return men slipped as he tried to field the football. Evans didn’t hesitate. He zoomed down the field and grabbed the bouncing ball.

Evans raced into the end zone for what appeared to be a touchdown, but the referees blew the play dead where the young Hornet picked up the loose ball.

The Hornets scored two plays later and took a 14-0 lead.

“I got a lot of love from my teammates after that,” Evans said. “Even Forbes, he’s a hard guy, but he came over and said, ‘Good job kid.’ That made me feel good.”

Baggett said the Hornets are in this thing together. That’s why he has scrapped one of his old pregame habits and replaced it with an easier, softer routine.

“Used to be, I didn’t want to talk to anybody before a game,” Baggett said. “Now it feels like I gave up more than two years with my (older) brother (Brys) and my teammates because I was just too uptight. That’s not the way to come off with my teammates. I want to be positive and upbeat with my boys now.”



Hornet football notes and quotes

‘Fuel for the fire’ — Players spent a little more time than usual this week checking out the bulletin board inside the Joe Clements Field House at Huntsville High. Posted next to the weekly scouting reports was an article that was published in Thursday’s edition of the Beaumont Enterprise.

In the article, Beaumont Central linebacker Jacoby Hale talked about the Hornets and their senior quarterback Justin Gilbert.

“Really, he reminds me of Quandre Diggs of Angleton,” Hale said of Gilbert. “Diggs is amazing and (Gilbert) is agile like Diggs. They play both sides of the ball, and like Diggs, he loves to run the ball.”

Considering that Diggs may be one of the nation’s top recruits a year from now, that’s high praise from the Jaguars’ top defensive player, a swift and hard-hitting linebacker who has committed to Utah.

Central’s defensive coordinator went a step further. It was coach Kirvis Fontenot’s comments about Gilbert that fired the Hornets up.

“He seems to be a little selfish when he has the ball,” Fontenot said of the Hornets’ quarterback who has committed to Oklahoma State. “He wants you to commit and then he runs. Even when you do not commit, he still wants to run. Anytime you have a guy like that, you have to follow through with your responsibilities.”

Selfish? The Hornets and their coaches say no way.

“Justin’s just doing what we ask him to do,” Huntsville offensive coordinator Kane Harris said.

Lineman Forbes Baggett said he was glad to hear the Jaguars’ comments.

“I like it when a team comes in talking,” Baggett said. “They’re a good team, I’ll give them that. They’ve got some athletes and they’re going to be tough to beat. We’re ready for them, though.”

Hornets head coach Mitchell Coey concluded, “By calling some of our kids out, that may have provided some fuel for the fire.”



What: Huntsville vs. Beaumont Central in Class 4A Division I area-round playoff game



When: Saturday, 6 p.m.



Where: Thorne Stadium, Houston



Records: Hornets are 8-3; Jaguars are 8-3



Radio: KSAM (101.7 FM)



Good luck send-off: Everyone is invited to a good luck send-off Saturday at 2:30 p.m. at the Joe Clements Field House at Huntsville High School