H.S. Football: Frankston begins year against defending TAPPS champs

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August 28, 2012

H.S. Football: Frankston begins year against defending TAPPS champs

By JUSTIN RAINS Palestine Herald-Press The Palestine Herald-Press Tue Aug 28, 2012, 10:00 PM CDT

The Frankston football team gets a tough first test to open the Matt Nally era.

Nally and the Indians travel to Bullard Thursday to take on Brook Hill, the defending Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) Division III state champions.

The Guard won the title, 26-3, over Austin Regents last season, and were playing in their third-straight state title game.

“Obviously, there a good team and they’re very well coached. Watching them on film, they’re very talented,” Nally said. “We feel like they’re a good team, but we feel like we’re a good team. We understand that we want to win them all, but (non-district games) are just getting us better and more prepared for district play.”

The Indians are now strangers to tough non-district schedules. In the past, Frankston has lined up against the likes of 3A Brownsboro, Crockett and Elysian Fields in non-district play.

Nally said he shares the philosophy of former FHS coach Sam Wells — who made the schedule but is now at Elkhart — that a tough non-district slate gets teams ready for district play, when the games really matter.

“I try to keep the mindset that it’s just a game and we’re preparing more for Union Grove than we are for Brook Hill,” Nally said. “We want to win them all, but there’s more to it.”

Thursday will be an introduction, of sorts, for the new-look Indians. Frankston will debut new starters at both quarterback (Tye Griffin) and running back (Caleb Williams).

Both Griffin and Williams are experienced varsity players. Griffin has played linebacker for the Indians and has earned all-state selections, while Williams was the team’s primary kick returner last season, as well as a wide receiver.

Both have also played at their new positions before, so Nally doesn’t expect acclimation to be much of a problem.

“I don’t think there’s going to be any sort of transition period for them,” Nally said. “I think they’re going to go in just like it’s week 10.”

The Guard boast a slew of offensive weapons to throw at opponents, but Nally said the entire Brook Hill offense revolves around one player: Star quarterback Will Weathers.

The senior threw for almost 1,500 yards during his junior campaign, earning a first-team all-state berth in the process. He’s also dangerous on the ground, and ran for 87 yards in the state title game.

“Brook Hill is talented. They’re front is big and they have a talented group of skill kids,” Nally said. “They’re quarterback is very consistent and the O revolves around him. We’re going to have to bottle him up. We have to do our job defensively, we can’t worry about anyone else’s job.”

Offensively, the Indians will hope to continue their up-tempo style of attack behind Griffin and Williams.

The only way that could be altered is if Frankston stops its own momentum with mistakes, something Nally stressed cannot happen for the Indians to succeed.

“We can’t shoot ourselves in the foot,” he said. “We’ve got to make sure that we’re all on the same page, offensively. We’re so high-tempo and high-paced, if we get a penalty, it slows us down.”

Kick-off is set for 7:30 p.m. at Brook Hill’s Herrington Stadium (22450 FM 2493, Bullard, Texas 75757).

————

Sports editor Justin Rains can be reached via email at jrains@palestineherald.com

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