 |
| Team Preview - Bellaire Episcopal Knights |
| SPC Division I |
|
By Christopher Lyke
Texas HS Football Chief Editor
The Episcopal Knights off-season activity has been a very active revolving door and it has turned into an off-season that has given them a good reason to be optimistic about the 2006 season. Despite losing prehaps their best player in Matt Stone in a transfer out of state to New Orleans Country Day, the Knights look to be much improved. And not only do the Knights undergo a change at quarterback, but they will be making a change at the head coaching position. Taking over for the departing Dick Phillips will be former assistant Steve Leisz, whose previous stop was a tenure as head coach at Kincaid school for 13 years.
On the offense, which will be run on a spread formation, a quarterback change will be made after Stone's departure. Coming in to take Stone's place will be Louisiana transfer Kellen Theriot. Theriot is a player with solid size, strength, speed and very good potential. If he stays healthy, the Knights have a solid chance to compete for the SPC Championship. With Theriot's addition to the team, the Knights offense actually looks to be even more impressive considering his potential on top of both starting running backs returning for their junior season. David Nwabuisi and Jerred Thomas posted a combined 1,371 yards in 2005, and will look to add on to that total in 2006.Nwabuisi, whose brother played at Kansas and for the New York Jets, also added in 129 receiving yards on 10 receptions coming out of the backfield as well.
Shifting to the receiving core, the top returning receiver is Travis Scott, who posted over 250 yards receiving in 2005. Also coming back in the picture will be junior Trevor Tamlyn, who also split some time at running back. The newcomer in the receiving core is Jonathan Aganekwu, who is a cousin of Emeka Okafor, currently playing for the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats. Aganekwu, who is also a gifted basketball player like his pro basketball cousin, is considered as the fastest player on the team.
Speed is a major advantage for the skill players on the Knights offense. It will also be a major plus on the left side of the offensive line. Speaking of the offensive line, the Knights bring back the entire group consisting of seniors and they have solid size there as well. Binford Halverson and Peter McLean, who are considered as the key workhorses on the line, will assume their roles on the left side of the line as Amyn Bandali takes up the all important center spot. Finally on the right side, Cameron Hughs and John Murrillo should handle a good chunk of the duties and blocking assignments.
The defense returns seven of their starters from last season with the majority of their linebackers and defensive backs coming back into the picture. The big question mark for the Knights defense will be up front on the line and end positions. The possibility of a mix and match with the offensive and defensive line is certainly not out of the question. Currently penciled into the fold are Dakota Klaus and Zoltan Krudy at the tackle spots. Both Krudy and Klaus have excellent size and strength to be legitimate forces on the line. On the ends, Chris Brandt and Josh Wright look to be the stars penciled into the line up. Both are physical players that have plenty of speed.
The strength of the defense for the Knights will be in the linebacking core. Chase Wrightman and Travis Adams combined for nearly 110 tackles in the 2005 while Wrightman spent the majprity of the season at the defensive end spot. While solid size and speed, the linebackers in the group are expacted to make a major impact on opposing offenses. With McCay Dixon also returning, the Knights linebackers have yet another positive to look at with experience being a key factor.
The defensive backs also possess a major plus with game time experience. On top of their speed and experience, the Knight defensive backs will have a good opportunity to use that attribute to their advantage. In the safety spots, Richard Pitts, the lone underclassman, will be joined by Clark Hibbert. And in the cornerback positions, lokk for Ryan Evans and Michael Brock to be high impact players. |
| Team Breakdown |
| |
Lettermen |
Ret. Starters |
Formation |
| Team |
Ret. |
Lost |
Off |
Def |
Off |
Def. |
| Bellaire Episcopal |
29 |
NA |
8 |
7 |
Spread |
4-3 |
|
| Players To Watch |
| Bellaire Episcopal Knights |
Key Offensive Players & Starters |
|
Pos |
Name |
Ht |
Wt |
40 |
Yr |
|
QB |
Kellen Theriot |
6'2 |
225 |
4.5 |
Jr |
|
RB |
David Nwabuisi |
6'0 |
215 |
4.7 |
Jr |
|
RB |
Jerred Thomas |
5'8 |
155 |
4.5 |
Jr |
|
WR |
Jonathan Aganekwu |
6'0 |
170 |
4.4 |
Sr |
|
WR |
Thomas Scott |
6'3 |
205 |
4.7 |
Sr |
|
WR |
Trevor Tamlyn |
5'11 |
185 |
4.6 |
Jr |
|
LT |
Peter McLean |
6'2 |
225 |
4.8 |
Sr |
|
LG |
Binford Halverson |
6'2 |
220 |
4.8 |
Sr |
|
C |
Amyn Bandali |
6'0 |
200 |
5.4 |
Sr |
|
RG |
Cameron Hughs |
5'11 |
230 |
5.9 |
Sr |
|
RT |
John Murilo |
6'1 |
260 |
5.5 |
Sr |
|
Key Defensive Players & Starters |
|
Pos |
Name |
Ht |
Wt |
40 |
Yr |
|
DT |
Zoltan Krudy |
6'5 |
235 |
5.8 |
Sr |
|
DT |
Dakota Klaus |
6'4 |
230 |
5.9 |
Jr |
|
DE |
Chris Brandt |
5'11 |
175 |
4.7 |
Sr |
|
DE |
Josh Wright |
6'1 |
185 |
4.7 |
Jr |
|
LB |
Chase Wightman |
6'2 |
240 |
4.8 |
Sr |
|
LB |
Travis Adams |
6'0 |
215 |
4.7 |
Sr |
|
LB |
McCay Dixon |
5'10 |
190 |
4.7 |
Sr |
|
SS |
Richard Pitts |
5'9 |
170 |
4.6 |
Jr |
|
FS |
Clark Hibbert |
5'10 |
165 |
4.7 |
Sr |
|
CB |
Ryan Evan |
5'10 |
165 |
4.5 |
Sr |
|
CB |
Michael Brock |
5'11 |
170 |
4.6 |
Sr |
|
|
| Team Links & Coverage |
| School |
Web |
Message Board |
Newspaper |
Radio |
| Episcopal |
|
THSF |
|
None |
|
|
|
|
| 2005 Wins & Losses |
| Varsity |
4-6 |
| Junior Varsity |
8-2 |
| Sophomore |
-- |
| Freshman A |
-- |
| Freshman B |
-- |
|
| Team Coordinators |
|
Steve Leisz |
|
Kim Randolf |
|
| 2006 Schedule |
| Opponent |
Time |
| Week 0 - 9/1
|
| @ Northland Chr. |
7:30 |
| Week 1 - 9/8
|
| Hou. St. Thomas |
7:30 |
| Week 2 - 9/15
|
| @ St. John's School |
7:30 |
| Week 3 - 9/22
|
| Dallas St. Mark's |
7:30 |
| Week 4 - 9/29
|
| Tulsa Holland Hall |
7:30 |
| Week 5 - 10/6
|
| @ OKC Casady |
4:00 |
| Week 6 - 10/13
|
| Kinkaid |
7:30 |
| Week 7 - 10/20
|
| @ Dallas Greenhill |
7:30 |
| Week 8 - 10/27
|
| Episcopal Dallas |
6:00 |
| Week 9 - 11/2
|
| @ SPC Title Game |
7:00 |
|
|
|
