FROM THE PRESS BOX: GATORS, MUSTANGS MAKING WAVES IN STATE RANKINGS

NO LONGER flying under the radar, Dickinson enters the start of District 24-6A
play ranked among the best in the state.
The undefeated Gators come into Saturday’s game against Clear Lake as the
22nd-ranked team in the latest Dave Campbell’s Texas High School Football Class
6A poll after dispatching Katy Taylor 35-7 last week. Coach John Snelson’s defense
has been among the toughest in the Houston area, having allowed just 15
points in the first month of play. The offense has been productive, as Dickinson is
averaging 38.7 points per game.
Dickinson is one of two area teams ranked in this week’s poll. Friendswood,
which launches District 10-5A-1 play on Friday against Texas City, is ranked eighth
in 5A-1. The Mustangs are 3-0 on the season and had last week off.
Like Dickinson, Friendswood has used its defense as the anchor to its strong
start. Coach Robert Koopman’s unit has allowed just 13 points in the last two
games while a balanced offense continues to develop under explosive sophomore
pivot Luke Grden.
*State rankings are but a distant memory for a La Marque team seeking to avoid
the program’s first 0-5 start and its first five-game losing streak since the 1958 La
Marque Tigers lost their last seven games after starting 2-1.
A team with only 14 seniors showed signs of maturity in a 10-7 loss at Columbia
last Friday, marking the first time this season new coach Shone Evans’ squad
came into the final 12 minutes with a chance to pull off a victory. La Marque had
two chances inside the Columbia 15 but were unable to make the necessary plays
to deliver a win.
“We’re a young team, but — no excuses — we
have to learn how to finish when we have a team on
the ropes,” said Evans. “There were huge improvements
from the last game and the first part of the
season.”
The Coogs face the task of hosting a Jasper team
that is ranked second in the DCTF Class 4A-2 poll
and comes off a 71-10 demolishing of Livingston
last week. Friday’s game will mark the first time
La Marque will play at Etheredge Stadium, as their
September 14 home opener against Hitchcock was
moved to Texas City after steady rains made Etheredge
unplayable.
*Hitchcock has looked like a much different team
after falling to East Bernard on September 7. The
19-18 loss has served as a rallying cry of sorts for
the Bulldogs, who followed up their win against La
Marque with a 62-0 win at Houston Scarborough
last week. Coach Craig Smith’s team hosts KIPP
Houston on Friday, its last nondistrict game before
opening 13-3A-1 play at Columbus on October 12.
The Bulldogs possess one of the area’s best
freshmen in Christian Dorsey, who had a coming
out part in the win over La Marque when he rushed
for two touchdowns and passed for a third. At 6’2,
200, Dorsey has lined up at quarterback, running
back and receiver while also seeing time on defense.
His passing has given a run-heavy Hitchcock
squad an added element to their offense, one that
could be a difference maker as the program bids for
a sixth straight playoff berth.