OCR Text |
Show Pigskin Preview P4 Davis County Clipper September 6, 1996 Braves will challenge for region crown Mark Watson Sports l.Jitor BOl'NTIFl'L Conditioning. Fundamentals Defense. Those three words explain why Bountiful High football has been so successful during the past 20 years. The Braves have won three state championships during that time and have been at the top of region standings almost every year. Bountiful last year with narrow finished 10-losses to the two teams that played in the state championship game. Skyline and Fremont. Bountiful lost to to Skyline and Fremont. Coach Larry Wall enters his 12lh season at the helm with an record. During his coaching career. Wall has been involved with five state championship teams. He has helped coach four title teams and played on one. As a player he was on the 3A State Championship Viewmont team in 1971. lie was an assistant coach at Bountiful under Head Coach Paul Waite when the Braves won a state championship m 1979. In 1982 he was an assistant under Steve Dangerlield at Brighton when they went and won the 4A crown. As a head coach. Wall k took the Braves to state championships in 1990 and 2 12-1- 0 14-1- 0 83-4- 1 13-- 0 back-to-hje- 1991. "It's the greatest feeling in the world." Wall said about winning a state championship. "You're a state champion for life; nobody can take that away from you." It's great to see the success that comes after all your hard work and preparation. We still see guys who were on those state championship teams and feel that same sense of satisfaction. It seems to get better every year. the coach said. This year the Braves hope to build on last year's super season. "It was a special year for us last year; we were two plays away from being state champion. Wall said. "Were proud of our kids and football tradition at Bountiful High and like to build on it." A big plus for the Braves this year is the return of starting quarterback Wes Patterson. The senior QB has been running hard to improve his speed can throw the ball with uncanny accuracy. "If you don't have a lot of people returning from the previous year, it's definitely good to have your quarterback back." Wall said. "Patterson has the whole package. He throws well; he's strong, has good speed, makes good decisions; and lie's been there in the pressure games." The Bountiful quarterback fired two touchdown passes in the opening game against Clearfield, and carried the ball late in the game to burn out the clock and avoid a turnover. In Friday's game Patterson fired TD passes to tight end Moroni Schwab and wide receiver Mike Hailes. Other top receivers this year will be Zack Jacobs at wide receiver; and Brian Worthley and Chris Evensen out of the backfield. Defensively Bountiful returns a dandy in Aaron Kuehne at linebacker. He also plays on the offensively line. Bountiful will reload in the back- - HBack To SfDnoofl Mow ounit! 220 Worthley at field with and speedy Chris Evensen at tailback. Evensen gamed over 100 yards in the first game at Clearfield. He had a touchdown run called back because of a holding penalty. Patterson. Kuehne. Worthley and Evensen are the team captains this full-hac- k 6-- d year. Next year Bountiful will switch to 4A. This year is their fourth year against 5A opponents. Prior to that. Bountiful was a 3A team. Weve been up, down, back and forth. It really doesnt matter. The main thing for us is to play Bountiful football. That is go full speed all the time and play team defense. Then it doesn't matter who youre playing against. The Bountiful Braves work on conditioning throughout the year and need to be in great shape because many players play both offense and defense. It's just a fact of life because of our numbers. Well have six or seven players going both ways. Our quarterback will also start at free safety. BOUNTIFUL DEFENSE Mike Hailes (6), Rick Hodgkinson (22) and Christian Barr (55) converge on Clearfield runner during last week's opener Another plus for the Braves is the return of kicker Dax Rapp. "Our kicker is really strong, but overall were behind on our kicking game," Wall said. Bountiful plays in probably the toughest region from lop to bottom in the state. Skyline, Highland and Bountiful were four of the state semifinal teams last year. Davis is a perennial powerhouse, Viewmont has been strong in recent years; Cottonwood, however, has lost 23 straight games. Assistant coaches at Bountiful include John Edwards, 12th year; Occie Evans, 12 years; Kelly Clark Stringfellow, Anderson, Breck Fife, Nate Adams, Jerry Staley, Mike Pluim, Scott Hadley. Also helping are graduate assistants Brad Murdock and Pat Williams. Bountiful Braves 1995 Record: 10-- 2 Coach: Larry Wall Aug. 30 Bountiful Sept. 6 LAYTON, 13, Clearfield 6 7 p.m. Sept. 13 SPANISH FORK 7 Sept. 20 at Skyline 7 p.m. Sept. 25 bye Oct. 4 HIGHLAND 7 p.m. Oct. 11 at Cottonwood 7 p.m. Oct. 17 at Viewmont 7 p.m. Oct. 24 DAVIS 7 p.m. Players to watch... Depaiitmeyt Stoke Outlet place for Ihoso who loe lo shop drparlmrnf sforo brands, huf hair lo pay drparlmrnl si ore prices. Save 60-80- - Oi i'AimiiAT S i out: 1775 So. Main 298-880- 8 p.m. u Am: Kiumis ICoiinf iful AARON KUEHNE WES PATTERSON BRIAN WORTHLEY LINEBACKER QUARTERBACK FULLBACK |