What is your All Time Cove team? Just for fun!

Here's mine:
rec.: Jason Mathenia, Mike Davis, Ron Evans, Ricky Ellis
rb; Donald Buckram, Vontez Duff
te: Ron Lewis, Travis Daughery, Zeke Brandon
ol: not sure
qb: James Richey,Nathaniel Foreman,Brent Garner

dl: Rogue Tii,? Tuiossasopo,Tyron White, Howard ?(played for San Diego Chargers)
lb: T.J. Hollowell, Sterling Lewis, Robby Johnston, Tanner Brock
sec.: Gary Wright, Willie Horton, Tim Atchison, Mario Goins,
k/p: Ramon Perez, Lance Garner

Coach: Tim Edwards (8 and 2 in first and only year)

Long Time Fan wrote:

Here's mine:
rec.: Jason Mathenia, Mike Davis, Ron Evans, Ricky Ellis
rb; Donald Buckram, Vontez Duff
te: Ron Lewis, Travis Daughery, Zeke Brandon
ol: not sure
qb: James Richey,Nathaniel Foreman,Brent Garner
dl: Rogue Tii,? Tuiossasopo,Tyron White, Howard ?(played for San Diego Chargers)
lb: T.J. Hollowell, Sterling Lewis, Robby Johnston, Tanner Brock
sec.: Gary Wright, Willie Horton, Tim Atchison, Mario Goins,
k/p: Ramon Perez, Lance Garner
Coach: Tim Edwards (8 and 2 in first and only year)

And here's mine:
Offense:
QB: James Richey, Brent Garner, Robert Griffin
RB: Vontez Duff, Donald Buckrum, Josh Harrison. Troy Vital
WR: Jason Mathenia, Billy Davis, Rashad Hawk, Josh Boyce
TE: Logan Brock, Zeke Brandon,? Otis
OL: Josh Racklin, Steve Holzman,?? Saio, Corey Smithers. Others I can't think of their names.
PK: Lance Garner, Kyle Matthews
KR: Vontez Duff, Josh Boyce

Defense:
DE: Terrell Herndon, Sasha Johnson, and one I can't think of went to Iowa, made All Big Ten and was in NFL now CFL.
DT: Michael Hickey, Steven Welch
LB: Tanner Brock, TJ Hollowell, John McKinney
DB: William Fields, Peanut Tillman, Tim Atchison, Lamar Morgan,?? Cato, Gary Wright, and looks like you can add Chris Miller.
Punter: Kyle Matthews

IMO there are others that could just as easily be on this list.

Hey first sarge,
That is a great list. The de we are both trying to remember is Howard hodges.Didn't tillman play mostly rec. for cove. McKinney deserves to be there, but I can't go with Steven Welch.

Long time fan and Sarge, you guys made some real fine picks. I just want to comment on the pick of the coach, Tim Edwards. For those of you that have not been here 30 years or more may not realize that we had a long drought in winning in the 60's-70's. Tim came in and took over after we had a 1-9 year (I think) and turned the program around. I was the press box announcer during those years and it wasn't very enjoyable to sit there and see us lose game after game. We did have some good years in between the bad ones but they were far in between.

Here I must defer to Long Time Fan. It is indeed nessary to have been there to have a good handle on who was the best indiviual athetes. I truly believe that the record book and stats give a fair evaluation of a team's quality overall when the stats of their oponents are factored in. However, while not without importance the stat picture fades a great deal as a measure of the quality of the individual player. Indeed you almost had to see the move, the yards after contact, the tackle, the interception, and the block to judge the quality. That said I don't know that I have seen a better tandem than Byrd and Wright at the high school level. My definition of a tandem is just that. They may not be the two best backs around or in the history of the school but they are the best pair. I love watching Donald Buckram and Jonathan Woods. I was and am close to the Woods. I respectfully submit that the real value of a running duo is how well they work together. Frankly, and its only my opinion, I think Byrd and Wright are one back with four arms and four legs. They block so well for each other and compliment each other's running style to the point that it is a running unit and not just a player. And these guys Dawg fans are JUNIORS. Again I hesitate to say who is the best Dawg anything especially regarding indvidual players. I can simply judge a player or a team by what I've seen in the game after my half century of playing, coaching (Little Legue) and covering the sport at the high school and college level. On the subject of offensive linemen I would be hard pressed to leave Roberto Davis out of any list as well as a quite young Christian man Nate Kepler now at TLU. Offensive linemen do 90% of the work for 10% of the glory and when they are as soft spoken and modest as Kep they are almost never remembered (If folks ever knew they were there at all). I would put both the Welch kids in the mix based not only of their high school record but on their brains on the feild. I expect Steven to do well at Tarlington State University. One of the best kept secrets in Div III football is the national records set by Josh at UMHB. He was the only freshman to beat 5 nationaly ranked teams on the road to take his Crusaders to the national championship. He became the only freshman qb in history to ever beat mighty Mount Union in their house when he handed them their first home loss in 5 years. He holds the all time national career record against nationaly ranked teams on the road. He owns most of the UMHB records and took his team to the playoffs every year. Not bad for a kid from Copperas Cove.

Howard Hodges was the DE I couldn't think of.
Sorry - I made that list up last night and my mind went blank trying to remember some of the kids' names. I used to have a collection of old "Dawg Ball" programs from every year back to 1986 or so, but I think they're stored in the garage now in with about 2 tons of other stuff I need to go through and sort out.
I included Steven Welch because I honest couldn't think of other DT's. Carl Boast was another great LB for the Dawgs - he and McKinney both made all-state the same year.
Back to the OL - how I ever forgot Roberto Davis and Matt Schoonover???? First and second team all-state in 2005, respectively.
DB: Tim Roy was another good one. Ad yes, Tillman played WR but also played DB. I'll never forget Vontez Duff on the option - take off with it or toss it half a mile down field to Tillman!! Duff, as many may not know, played QB at the junior high and freshman teams. Hollowell was the tailback and Aaron Mickans, who went to play for Iowa also along with Hodges, was the huge fullback.
We need to get Joe Lombardi involved with this list!!

And I forgot one other OL - Ryan Crump!!

OK, Bill - we'll include Josh Welch at QB. I think the reason Long Time Fan and I left him off our lists was because his senior season the Dawgs were not that good and missed the playoffs.
To this date, I can't figure out what happened to that 2003 team.

And, may his Mom forgive me, Sterling Lewis at LB!!
This kid, for those that don't know it, was injured most of his senior year. He made the tackle stopping Waco in the 2005 game which went into OT and the Dawgs won.
Because he was injured, he never received any good offers and went to, I think, Blinn JC, where he lead the team in tackles in freshman and soph years, was JC All-American and they won the Nat Championship.
He then transferred to Arizona. An injury got him into the starting lineup and he now leads the Wildcats in tackles!!
I saw him a few months ago. His Mom brought him into the VFW with her. Lord, he doesn't have a neck anymore!!!!

Retired 1SG wrote:

OK, Bill - we'll include Josh Welch at QB. I think the reason Long Time Fan and I left him off our lists was because his senior season the Dawgs were not that good and missed the playoffs.
To this date, I can't figure out what happened to that 2003 team.

The 2003 team will forever be a mistery. Frankly they were not overly talented but they had enough to make the playoffs and didn't. You got me buddy. However, I'm very satisfied it wasn't a QB problem. I had the privilege of flying with the team for four years to Origan, Virginia, Penn. Ohio ect. I caught evey Cru Game. I saw Mount Union go down at the hands of a teenager with 38 seconds left on the clock and a strike to a big tight end from 34 yards out with snow in his face. The seniors in the stands were in shock. They had never seen their Raiders loose at home. Josh did the Dawgs proud at UMHB. His school and national records are not widely published but they are none the less amazing.

Retired 1SG wrote:

Howard Hodges was the DE I couldn't think of.
Sorry - I made that list up last night and my mind went blank trying to remember some of the kids' names. I used to have a collection of old "Dawg Ball" programs from every year back to 1986 or so, but I think they're stored in the garage now in with about 2 tons of other stuff I need to go through and sort out.
I included Steven Welch because I honest couldn't think of other DT's. Carl Boast was another great LB for the Dawgs - he and McKinney both made all-state the same year.
Back to the OL - how I ever forgot Roberto Davis and Matt Schoonover???? First and second team all-state in 2005, respectively.
DB: Tim Roy was another good one. Ad yes, Tillman played WR but also played DB. I'll never forget Vontez Duff on the option - take off with it or toss it half a mile down field to Tillman!! Duff, as many may not know, played QB at the junior high and freshman teams. Hollowell was the tailback and Aaron Mickans, who went to play for Iowa also along with Hodges, was the huge fullback.
We need to get Joe Lombardi involved with this list!!

You bet we do. I call Joe the encyclopedia of sound. If I am doing an article and trying to remember a tune I give Joe a buz and instantly with the subject of the song, a piece of a line or who done it and the guy tells you everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask about the tune. He can do the same with Dawg sports. I love lestening to the guy in the press box. It's great to take the halftime break with guys like Joe, Less and Jim. My what those guys don't know ain't worth knowing.

Bill, Will you please get off of the Josh Welch fantasy that you have been on for a while. My God man, do you really believe what you write or do you somehow benefit from Jack about writing this crap. First off, you have just watered down this team by placing him on it. He was good, NOT GREAT. You have writen about him being the best QB in D-111 football. Hell, he made Hon Mention in his own conference with 2 players being picked for 2nd team. That makes him the 4th best QB just in his conference out of 6 teams which was picked by coaches.We thread was about coves best and you write a dissertation about Josh and UMHB. And why add a average player like Keplar just because he is a christian. Are you kin to these kids?.The records that Josh hold are emmbarrasing to mention. Who keeps records like that? You!!!. I will tell you why the 03 season fell apart and you can check this with any kid who played, and Bill, you ain't gonna like it. This team did not like Josh. He was not respected by them. He was arrogant, spoiled ,and treated special. Check on how he got the # 10). He blamed the line for the loss at Waco and Tracy publicly chewed out Woods when Waco got a safety on us. This play was Joshes fault. Bill, again, you do not know what you are talking about but I guess it makes you feel good doing it. That team quit playing For Josh .He was the leader of noone. They did not respect him. These are facts, not one guys opinion and I was in a position to know! I'll bet Dawg Dave can also shed some light on this. I do not know 1 person with a good grasp of Cove football that puts Josh even in the top 6 or 7. By the way, you'll remember that after his senior year, Jack helped sponsor a central texas all- star game and guess who the starting qb was. That's right. That's where you CHAMPS money goes I guess. The game has not been played since. Go figure. If people want to know what REALLY has gone on in the past few years, talk to the coaches that have left or the parents of players that played. I sware I could list 50 that would love to "enlighten" you.
By the way, I do believe that John McKinney should certainly be on this team.

I think at kicker we can throw in Sean Christopher, remember that game winner at Odessa in 01 to win the game, and at Waco University making two 35 yard field goals that windy night. And lets not forget josh harrison, carl boast, and john mckinney from that same team. Five shutouts that year

I've named Harrison, Boast and McKinney to my all-time team.
I couldn't remember the kicker's name. I do remember the game.

Yeah i remember that kicker, he was probably the only straight on kicker in the state, i remember his silly white shoe, but i definitely remember how great he placed his kickoffs, and he did get a personal foul for unneccessary roughness, i dont know about you all but when a kicker gets that penalty, he gets a star in my book.

Bill: I really hate to say it, but I've heard rumblings along the lines that Long Time Fan spoke of - as far back as when the 2003 Dawgs were playing in junior high. I have friends whose kids were playing on those teams and followed them. Then the freshman team when Josh QB'd the gold. I thought they were pretty good, when one parent told me the best QB was on the blue team. Next week I went early. This blue team QB was truly outstanding. I forget his name, but he was tall (about 6'3" and slender) and could rifle the ball 60 yards on a straight line. But things being what they are in a military town, the kid moved after his freshman year.
Now, guess I should add a couple of others I'd forgotten about:
DB: Mario Goins, Joseph Leary
RB: Jarrad Millsap - wasn't the biggest, but he sure complimented Robert Griffin in 2006.

I thought this was about people's opinion. If we are going to insist on proving that one of us is stupid and the other is a genious, what's the point.
I'm sorry, but I was very proud sitting in an Ohio press box watching a kid from Copperas Cove become the first freshman in the 100+ years of Raider football hand Mount Union a loss at home. Having seen every single game he played for those four years and knowing the young man I was very proud of being from Cove and from Texas.
For a guy who openly could not name a single O-lineman from Cove for the best ever team, how can you call a guy the caliber of Nate Kepler "average". Oh! and I'm sorry I mentioned he was a fine young Christian man. I am a believer that quality character is part of being a quality athlete or anything else for that matter. I expect Nate to do very well at the college level at TLU. I mean very well of course for an "average" high school player. LOL
Offensive linemen are the engine that drives any football team. For fans who REALLY know the game and not just who ran or threw a football, these are the real unsung heroes of the game. Give an average QB a lot of time to throw and aveage recievers a lot of time to get open and they'll get you a lot of passing yards. Give average running backs big holes and they'll rush for a lot of yards. Give an average defense a lot of rest on the bench and good field position based on the control of the clock and the line of scrimmage from a quality offensive line and they'll look very good. These are guys who take pain and put themselves in harm's way every play so a team mate can score and get the glory. Guys like, Matt Spoonover, Roberto Davis, Demtrious Smith (185lbs and a quality starter), C.T. Drumman, Tony Mackey and you're darn right Nate Kepler should be given their due. Thomas Publication gives one of our small cash scholarships called "The Grunt Scholarship" to the guy we consider to be the most deserving O-lineman each year. Someone has to remember their names LTF.
As far a Jack Welch is concerned, I have no doubt that Bill Thomas has butted heads with the coach on many more occasions than anyone I know. My confrontations, and there have been a few, with the coach are always face to face affairs between MEN. I almost never print negative comments regarding coaches on the high school level and NEVER CRITISIZE A HIGH SCHOOL KID IN PRINT. That said, there of course can be no question in any RATIONAL fans mind that Jack is the best coach in the history of Cove. I don't care if the guy has been watching Cove football since McAuthor was a 2nd Lt. or just moved here. On this absolute fact any guy disagreeing with the record book is embarrassing himself.
It is so easy to sit in the cheap seats and second guess a coach. The minute his son hits the field both the kid and the coach are fully aware that any mistake the quarterback makes (and being human he will make mistakes) will be touted as being the coaches fault for not playing a better player than his kid. When Josh Welch played for Cove there was no better kid.
Top, I love the parents here in Cove and value many wonderful friendships of some of the greatest parents and fans I've ever had the pleasure of meeting anywhere. However, they are as they should be, bias. I don't know anything in sports that I consider less creditable than "rumblings" from disgruntaled parents regarding quarterbacks or coaches.
No LTF, I am not related to these kids. Nor to the kid at Temple or the two at Waco or to any of the kids from the 15 other schools we have been blessed with the oportunity to help in the last 17 years. Like a lot of other folks we happen to believe we exist to help the kids of this world. Unlike a lot of other folks we have been blessed with the God given oportunity to do just that and we are more apreciative than I can exprss by the oportunity.

Thomas. Same old song, 20th verse. Everyone else is wrong and you are RIGHT. You are the expert. You have let us know that time and time again.Not denying that you have helped kids but that sure doesn't make you any smarter than the other bloggers.

Oscar wrote:

Thomas. Same old song, 20th verse. Everyone else is wrong and you are RIGHT. You are the expert. You have let us know that time and time again.Not denying that you have helped kids but that sure doesn't make you any smarter than the other bloggers.

Contrary to your automatic knee jerk reation I never said I was smarter than anyone. However unlike you Oscar I do tend to stay with facts and not suposition. It doesn't matter to me whether or not I like someone I give what at least I consider an honest answer.

Your right Oscar. Put a sock in it wthomas!(Honest answer)