Man, you don’t how excited I was when 5:00 pm finally arrived…let me just say that I ran so fast from my desk to the elevator to my car that for 9.58 seconds, I felt like Ussain Bolt!!
My car drove me to Gustafson stadium (I was in a euphoric zone and was incapable of operating a motor vehicle) for the first game of the 2013 HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL season as the Stevens Falcons hosted the Roosevelt Roughriders.
This was also the first game on Thursday Night Lights (TNL) with a new broadcasting crew…Don Harris from News 4 San Antonio (play-by-play), Chuck Miketanic from Fox 29 San Antonio (color), and David Chancellor also from News 4 San Antonio (sideline reporter). I have watched these guys on TV for a long time. So, yeah, I was a bit nervous about meeting them but I shouldn’t have. I mean, I am a self sufficient stat man where once I find a wall to hang my stat board, I am ready to crunch numbers no matter who it is for and I have been doing this since 1997 for TSRNsports.com and 2009 with CW35 and TNL (wow, I got the most tenure of the TV broadcasting crew!).
I did send an email to Don and Chuck a few weeks ago to tell them who Mark Lieberman is. I didn’t want to show up and them be like, who the hell are you?
When I arrived at the game, I saw David Ostmo on the field with Don, Chuck, and David so that is where I headed first. David introduced me to Chuck and I felt really comfortable immediately. I met Don in the film deck a few minutes before we went live and again, I felt really comfortable. I have a friendly outgoing personality and this is something I have a huge passion for and so do many more people.
I had like less than one minute to show Don and Chuck how I work and to read my stat board; I didn’t want them to sound or look clueless when I provided statistical information. I think as the game went on, they were getting more familiar with my stats.
Now, I must admit, that I wasn’t in my stat comfort zone. I am right handed and I always have my stat boards on a wall on the left side (it is just easy for me to write), but last night, I had to be on the right side.
Our next TNL game is at Lehnoff stadium on September 12th and I am happy to say that I will be on the left side and in my stat comfort zone and sweating my ass off (there is a wall a/c unit and some fans and that is it).
Last night we broadcasted the game from the film deck and I am still sweating this morning!! I felt bad for Don and Chuck…not only were they sweating, but they had to be on HD TV!!! For our next game, I will change at work into my athletic shorts. When is it gonna get cold?
OMG, I handed out a few business cards to folks in the press-box and that was cool for me. Hey, I just want people to know that only am I stat man, but also a a GREAT WRITER!
Now, I will talk about the football game…
The head coach at Stevens is Darryl Hemphill…I remember Darryl when he was the head coach of the O’Connor Panthers way back in 1998!!
The head coach at Roosevelt is Matt Carroll. So, Matt coached under Byran Dausin, Glenn Hill, and David Wetzel. Those are 3 top notch head coaches in the San Antonio area. He also has something that a lot of coaches want but never get the chance to get and that is a HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP…Matt Carroll got his in 1995 at Roosevelt as the Roughriders won the 5A Division II state title (the Judson Rockets won the 5A Division I state title that year making it the only time 2 San Antonio teams have won the both Division state title).
The Roosevelt Roughriders defeated the Stevens Falcons 39 to 27.
The quarterback for Roosevelt, Jacob Preciado, was very impressive. He was 14 for 23 passing for 205 yards and 5 touchdowns and he also had 12 carries for 61 yards and 1 touchdown. Yep, he was responsible for all 6 touchdowns. The Roosevelt running back, Jaroyce Bratcher, had 23 carries for 115 yards.
Arrion Springs is a defensive back for Roosevelt and has committed to play at the University of Oregon. Springs played both ways last night and let me just say, he is a REALLY GOOD AND KNOW I NOW WHY HE IS THE AREAS TOP PLAYER. He caught 3 passes, each for touchdowns, for 92 yards. Dude is explosive when he touches the ball. WOW!!!
The Stevens Falcons workhorse running back, Marquie Hinton, had 22 carries for 125 yards and when he runs, get out of the way or else you will get bulldozed!!
Bobby Chacon, the Stevens quarterback, was 9 for 19 passing for 140 yards and 2 touchdowns. Both touchdowns were to wide receiver, Tyrek Allen who had 3 receptions for 86 yards.
I have been a stat man since 1997 and something happened in the game last night that I have never seen. Toward the end of the 2nd quarter and with Roosevelt leading 19 to 7, the Roughriders were attempting a field goal that would’ve made the score 22 to 7, but Stevens blocked the field goal and returned it for a touchdown which made the score 19 to 14. How the heck do you score that cause I had no clue?
Tonight, I will be at Lake Travis stadium for Judson VS Lake Travis (TSRNsports.com).
Tomorrow, I will be at Gustafson stadium again for MacArthur VS Warren (TSRNsports.com).
And, on Monday, I will publish new photos of the renovation at Alamo stadium and the convocation center.