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Is West up to the test in '09?
BY Kevin Hageland Staff Writer
Losing 52-49 in triple overtime is about as close as a game can be.
That was the experience Plano West went through in the area playoffs last season against Cedar Hill and the Wolves expect plenty more tight games this year. Only this time, West plans to be on the other end of such tight games.
“If you look at our district, it’s so tough you know all of those games are going to be close,” said Mike Hughes, West head coach. “We want somebody that has the attitude necessary to make a play in those situations. The players will see that and it will rub off on the rest of the team. So now the question is, who do we have that can will our team to a win?”
“I really do think our offensive line is the strongest aspect of our team right now,” Hughes said. “They are a confident bunch; I like the attitude of our offensive line and the way they work together.”
Junior Travis Cross is entrenched at the crucial left tackle position, which makes sense considering Hughes said Cross, “Is one of the best linemen we’ve ever coached here at West.” Next to Cross is senior Richard Peabody at left guard and senior Alex Raney at center. On the flip side of Raney are senior John McHenry at right guard and senior Chase White at right tackle. White has already given a verbal commitment to Vanderbilt.
The quintet in the trenches will be protecting senior quarterback Michael Pruneau, who takes the reins as full-time starter after playing behind Travis Wilson last season. The 6-foot-4 Pruneau is more of a traditional quarterback than the scramble first, throw second athlete Wilson was.
“Pruneau can run, but he has a rocket arm,” Hughes said. “I think Pruneau realizes that it’s his time and we are looking forward to watching him step up.”
Pruneau’s varsity experience level is similar to that of junior running back Jarrett Horan, who started when DJ Cohen was injured last season. Horan showed impressive bursts of speed in 2008, but has attempted to balance out his game with more bulk.
“I don’t think Jarrett missed a single workout all summer,” Hughes said. “People have seen his quickness, but now he has improved strength to go along with that speed.”
West is hoping speed will be the name of the game at the wideout position as the Wolves attempt to stretch the field vertically more than they have been able to in the past two seasons.
Returning senior receivers Blake Baldridge and Sean Ballard pace a group that also includes senior Kolby Wright, juniors Ryan Doyle and Dax Damrich as well as sophomore Carson Smith. That group was set to be larger, but Blake Parker is focusing strictly on baseball this year and John Peloza transferred. Those moves may have thinned the Wolves pack, but West is still confident.
“All the guys on offense are good friends,” Pruneau said. “We have come up through the system playing together and it feels like we always know what each other are thinking.”
No similar psychic connections were discussed on the West defense, but ESP isn’t needed to figure out what Hughes expects from the unit.
“I will not accept anything less than a dominating defense this year,” he said. “Defense is how you win state championships, not by outscoring people.”
And the Wolves are well aware of that.
“I know this district is tough and our competition will be really good,” said Michael Rodriguez, West senior defensive end. “But we do have the personnel to be dominant on defense.”
The Wolves defense is anchored by Jeffcoat, a four-year varsity player. Opposite Jeffcoat is Rodriguez. Both those defensive ends are vital to the cause as West is looking for a defense that both stops the opponent and forces turnovers.
“The defense gets fired up because of those turnovers,” Hughes said. “But it’s on offense where the turnovers really make the difference because you get a short field to work with and a better opportunity to score.”
The chance of seeing such momentum swings are increased by the fact that West has a pair of ballhawks in the linebacking corps in senior Shannon Adams and junior Nathan Broussard. The latter player is 6-foot-4, but runs a 4.6 in the 40 and has the potential to be, “One of the top seniors in the country next season,” according to Hughes.
Senior Ryan Solano is back in charge of place-kicking duties and he is expected to handle the punting as well.
“[Solano] was good last year,” Hughes said. “And I think he will be even better this year.”
Anyone who doubts the importance of special teams play need simply go back to West’s 2008 season-ending defeat. The Wolves led that game at one point 28-0 before suffering a third straight single-digit, first round playoff defeat.
“I think that Cedar Hill game is always going to be in the back of our minds,” Ballard said. “It’s something that is tough to move past, but it can be a motivating factor for us too.”
If West incurs any similar misfortune during the regular season, Hughes expects his squad to quickly get back on track.
“I feel really good about this team and the practices we’ve had so far,” he said. “If our guys make a mistake or two, they bounce right back from it and try to turn those bad things into positives.”
The Wolves will scrimmage at Highland Park, 7:30 p.m. Friday, before opening the regular season Saturday, Aug. 29, against Southlake Carroll in the Tom Landry Classic.
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