The Jaguars are coming off of a close 33-31 win over Fossil Ridge in their home opener. Quarterback Xavier Williams led the offense with 111 yards passing and two touchdowns and 126 yards rushing and one touchdown. Head Coach Travis Pride said that it will be more of the same this week.

“We’ve got to control the tempo, keep our offense on the field and keep their offense off the field,” Pride said.

Running back Lewis Washington, who had 113 yards rushing and two touchdowns on his birthday, agrees with his coach.

“We’re going to go hard every play and catch them out of shape,” Washington said.

On the defensive side of the ball, however, things were a bit different. With a 17 point lead going into the fourth quarter, the defense gave up two consecutive touchdowns and allowed Fossil Ridge to get within two points before Washington recovered the onside kick to ice the game.

“In the third and fourth quarter we got dominated and let ourselves get down,” linebacker Micah Awe said.

For Legacy, though, Awe says they’re just going to fight through this one.

“We’re going to dominate every play, do our job and tackle,” Awe said. “We want to tell Legacy we won the first game.”

Legacy is coming off of a tough 30-20 loss to L.D. Bell last week. Quarterback Quentin Hasten had 205 yards passing with two touchdowns, but their defense gave up 346 total yards.

Awe says that they just want to get out there and shut up their trash talking.

Where: Newsom Stadium 

Score: 33-31, Summit

Summit High School vs. Fossil Ridge Panters

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Amy Moody, Taylor Hooker, Rhiannon Rodriguez, Alexis Mourning, Eli Torres and Ashley Eli are now graduated or have left Summit for various reasons. It has undeniably left the remaining players looking for replacements. Being able to find outside hitters and a skilled setter is proving to be a challenge but Captain Camille Cherry chooses to be positive about the current problem.

“I think it’s going to make us rise to the occasion and in the end make us a better team because all teams have setbacks,” Cherry said. “It has made out younger players have to step up and our defense pick up the slack.”

With six sophomores on the team, senior Jacque Allen has had to step up and fill the positions left by Rhiannon Rodriguez, who was forced to leave due to a medical problem, and Alexis Mourning, who now plays for Martin. Setter Eli Torres’ decision to spend her senior year playing only softball has pushed Cherry to overtake the setting spot.

Despite the many losses, the team remains hopeful. Through its raw and undeveloped talent, they still have what it takes to make it deep into the playoffs as long as they continue to improve. 

“We’re a lot younger and we have more sophomores. We have talent but it’s young talent that needs to develop. We need to get to know each other more. Sometimes, I feel separated and that shows so we ned to click and overcome that difference,” junior Lauren Davis said.

Team rituals is one of the many things that can help to overcame separation and make a new team bond with each other. Before games, the Jags often pray, dance, and cheer to get each other riled up and get the emotions flowing. Even during the pre-game stretching and running, the girls can be seen motivating and encouraging their teammates. The girls are willing to do anything to help improve a close the gap between the players, since they are all united by common goals. 

“We want to win district and go deep into the playoffs and win the state tournament in San Marcos in November,” Head Coach Linda Alfaro said.

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Eric Tran, a returning varsity player, is willing to push through any setbacks that are holding back his team. His dedication to the sport has earned him a spot at captain, where he plans to successfully lead the team from warm-up stretches to Regionals. The squad’s main goal going into this season: Aim high in practice, so your performance makes a difference when it’s game time.

“We need to input everything that we achieve in practice, into what we do in the match,” Tran said. “Practice how you play, ya know.”

Practice is definitely a change in the game plan this season. Tran and senior Stephanie Bello both agree that fitness is a weakness on the court. It is also certain that Coach McDonald, their “nutritionist and conditioning” coach, has the answer for it. Even Bello, the girls’ Varsity #2 player, believes that overcoming lack of fitness and working harder in practice will produce lots of W’s on the charts.

Before a match, Tran prepares by pumping up to a “game music” playlist on his iPod. Bello, clears her mind of everything but tennis until she is relaxed. But the team’s preparation relies mostly on Summit’s tennis coaches and their outstanding knowledge of the game. Props go to head Coach TJ Planas for developing his team for a potentially successful upcoming season. Stephanie Bello has already seen improvements in her game because of her coaches and trusts that listening to them, along with perfecting her strong backhand will keep her on top this year.

“Coach Planas has always told me to focus on being consistent in order to get better,” Bello said. 

Winning, however, is not all up to the coaches. The team needs to discipline themselves first, in order to gain the mindset to “pull out” matches. Another goal for this season: Be mentally strong; don’t let up. Bello believes that petty things like a player’s mind being in disarray could possibly hold them back.

“Just do exactly what you did in practice,” Bello said, “don’t get frustrated when its time to play. Just be confident.”

There is no need to wish them good luck. The team is willing to perfect their skills and attitude toward the game to win. The excitement of this season revolves around one challenge: to win district.

So be ready for a new and improved Summit tennis team to tear up the court and respectfully earn what’s ours.

Location: Vernon Newsom Stadium

The last time the Jaguars were on the football field, they got lit up by the Bowie Volunteers and were knocked out of the playoff picture, but now, in the second year under head coach Travis Pride, the Jags are ready to get back on the field.

“We’re trying to prove a point,” senior Devin Benton said. “Everybody wants to win.”

The Jags will open up against the Keller Fossil Ridge Panthers and a defense that returns 11 of 11 starters from last year. Despite that, Coach Pride said they’re still going to play their game.

“Mostly the plan is the same,” Pride said. “We’re going to play Summit football. We’re going to come at them and fast because we’re in better shape.”

The defense has also changed from the game against Bowie when they gave up over 600 yards of total offense.

“We’re nastier,” Benton said. “We don’t care about the other team’s feelings.”

Despite the outcome Benton does know one thing.

“We’re going to play our hearts out,” Benton said.

“We’re light year’s ahead of where we were last year,” Pride said. “Their retention is good, their chemistry and work ethic is higher and we have higher expectations.”

Last year, the Jaguar defense faltered in the final game, allowing 62 points and 627 yards to Bowie. This year, the defense returns six of those starters and a stronger defensive line.

“Our secondary is a lot better and our d-line and linebackers are on point,” defensive lineman Cortez Harris said.

The biggest change, however, has come from practice, which quarterback Xavier Williams said, is more player driven.

“This year since we know the system better than last year, games should be more fast pace and player driven instead of coach driven, meaning the coaches won’t have to tell teammates to step it up,” Williams said. “The players will try to encourage one another.”

Another change for the Jags is the drop down from 5A and schools twice as large to 4A. Coach Pride, however, doesn’t know how it will affect the team.

“It’s to be determined,” Pride said. “Good 4A football is the same as good 5A football.”

Williams, on the other hand, doesn’t necessarily see it as a change for the team, who is now in a district with perennial power Everman and former 5A school Burleson.

“Moving to 4A doesnt change anything at all,” Williams said. “All it means is that our school is a little smaller than the rest. We are still looking to compete for a state championship even if its 4A.”

The Jaguars will begin that run to compete for the 4A state title Friday night at Vernom Newsom Stadium against Keller Fossil Ridge, who returns 11 of 11 defensive starters.

While Harris believes the team “will go deep in the playoffs”, Williams doesn’t make the same prediction, but says the team will be in it the entire game.

“I predict that we will fight to the end for every game,” Williams said.