Fritz encourages FCA members to aim high

Published 11:50 pm Monday, April 22, 2013

“It doesn’t matter your background. It’s your opportunity to go ahead and be a success. It’s amazing to see young men that maybe weren’t born with a silver spoon in their mouth and be tremendous success. So when you go off to college, the bottom line is you and what you put in to your livelihood and giving it all you’ve got; and you’ve got an opportunity to be highly successful.”

Those were the words of Willie Fritz, head football coach of Sam Houston State University and keynote speaker Monday for the Third Annual Northeast Texas Fellowship of Christian Athletes Chick-fil-A Heart of a Champion Bowl Banquet.

The event was held at the Green Acres Baptist Church Crosswalk Conference Center. All players in this year’s game, coaches and distinguished guests were on hand to see the 2013 Heart of a Champion Bowl rosters and cheerleaders unveiled.

Head coach of the Blue Team is Tim Russell from Harmony with Jared Moffatt of Van the head coach of the Red Team. Both drafted their teams from a pool of East Texas seniors from an area which stretches as far north as Sulphur Springs and as far south as San Augustine.

Each team was introduced, along with cheerleaders and assistant coaches.

“I just think FCA is just a great organization and so many kids need positive guidance and role models and mentoring; and the FCA really provides all of that,” Fritz said.

Fritz is responsible for turning around a Sam Houston program that was below .500 when he became head coach in 2010 to 6-5 in his first season, winning 14 straight games in his second season and reaching the FCS national championship game the past two years.

“Ninety-seven percent of the offensive stats were gone when I got there and we were the last-place defense in the conference by a lot, so we really had to completely rebuild the program,” Fritz said. “The kids really believe in what we’re doing and we’ve got a great staff.”

The only blemish on the school’s resume is two losses in the FCS title games, both times to North Dakota State. But Fritz believes the Bearkats will be challenging again for the elusive national crown in 2013.

We have a lot of talented guys who are back and we feel like we’ve got the guys who can turn this program into a national championship team instead of national championship game participant,” Fritz said.

Notes: Fritz has been part of programs both as a head coach and an assistant that have rolled up an overall record of 251 wins, 88 losses and five ties. The record includes 10 appearances in post-season play (bowl games or playoff appearances) and 11 conference titles. He was inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame after he turned Blinn College into a national power in three years. From 1993 to 1996, Fritz turned a program that had gone 5-24-1 in its three previous seasons to 39-5-1 and two national junior college championships … Catering for the event was provided by Green Acres Baptist Church. The master of ceremonies was Bill Coates of ESPN East Texas 92.1-FM and KTBB Radio. … The invocation was given by Dale Pond, minister of missions of Green Acres and the Bowl Chaplain will be Dr. Darin Wood, pastor for Central Baptist Church in Jacksonville …This is the third FCA Heart of a Champion Bowl and will take place Saturday, June 15 on Earl Campbell Field at Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium.

Chick-fil-A Heart of a Champion Bowl

RED TEAM

Head Coach — Tim Russell, Harmony

Assistants — Mike Meador, Lindale; Brad Baca, Chapel Hill; Don Hubbard, San Augustine; Brian Mauk, Harmony; Craig Barker, Garrison; Darrell Piske, Robert E. Lee; Ron Callahan, Quitman; Mike Hall, All Saints; Shannon Wilson, Bullard

Quarterbacks – Colton Mebane, Bullard; Shelby Rogers, Brownsboro; Blake White, Grace Community

Running Backs – Tony Hubbard, San Augustine; Tyler Ivery, Sulphur Springs; Tory White, Longview; Caleb Williams, Frankston.

Wide Receivers – Patrick Brown, Henderson; Haden Bryant, Bullard; John Corrales, Grand Saline; Lin Gillham, Grace Community; Victor Hawkins, Pine Tree; Alan Peralta, Harmony; Trenton SirLouis, Lindale, Ty’Aundra Taylor, San Augustine.

Tight Ends – Ethan Callahan, Quitman

Offensive Linemen – Josh Boylan, Grace Community; Ian Chase, Robert E. Lee; Tristan Durden, Tatum; Seth Hollingsworth, Elkhart; Adrian Jackson, Longview; Ronnie Marsh, Winona; Will Miller, Quitman; Jesse Salinas, DeKalb; Keagan Smith, Whitehouse.

Linebackers – Tre Allen, Longview; Dillon Branson, Big Sandy; Ty Cook, Crandall; Cayden Ferrill, Hallsville; Jon-Michael Gordon, Elkhart; Zack Holladay, Bullard; Garrett Hounsel, New Diana; Brody Jennings, Maud; DeMarkus Lathan, Longview; Caleb Taylor, Alba-Golden; Ty Tolleson, Lone Oak.

Defensive Backs – Jake Anderson, Lindale; Corey Bartley, Longview; Cayle Bickham, West Rusk; Ivory Brown, Palestine; Harry El Hallaoui, Mineola; Javolick Garrett, Tatum; Hector Peralez, Kilgore.

Defensive Linemen – Cornelius Bell, Kilgore; Trevor Chasteen, Mabank; Delkei Derett, Robert E. Lee; Dallas Green, Spring Hill; Brock Kenyon, King’s Academy; De’Aaron Roland, Tenaha; Shaquille Rollins, Troup; Travon Roquemore, Henderson; Devonta Williams, Paul Pewitt.

Kicker/Punter – Lumi Kaba, Robert E. Lee

Cheerleaders – Kelly Nichols, Van (cheer sponsor); Sara Dover, Alto; Carlye Lide, Wills Point; Darien McCord, Mabank; Jada Ford, Robert E. Lee; Carly Sigler, Bullard.

RED TEAM

Head Coach — Jared Moffatt, Van

Assistants – Cody Gipson, Bishop Gorman; Mike Alexander Mt. Vernon; Scott Doring, Van; Sam Harvey, Van; Brian Herman, Eustace; Ricklan Holmes, John Tyler; Eric Robinson, Beckville; Gerry Stanfor, White Oak.

Quarterbacks – Garrett Smallwood, Van; Trevor Spear, Elysian Fields

Running Backs – Chaston Bennett, Rusk; Thaddeus Fagan, Hallsville; Jalen Seahorn, Eustace; Marcus White, Robert E. Lee.

Wide Receivers – Dalton Etheredge, Beckville; DD Franklin, Jacksonville; Meritte Greene, All Saints; Colin Jeter, Longview; Brandon Lackner, Bishop Gorman; Justin Spady, Longview; Buck Wilson, Commerce.

Tight End – Micky Morris, Wills Point

Linebackers – AJ Davis, Kilgore; George Hutson, Athens; Trent Jackson, Carthage; Kris Johnson, Marshall; Tyler Loven, White Oak; Jalen Porter, Longview; Michael Taylor, Alto; Kanon Walker, James Bowie; Chase Whitaker, Mt. Vernon.

Defensive Backs – Colten Allen, Beckville; James Bradford, Shelbyville; Da’Quayvia Brewster, Kilgore; Nakia Brown, Longview; Zachary Gossett, Rains; Bobby Tanner, San Augustine; Daniel Vasquez, Grapeland; Jamarcus Warren, John Tyler; Lorenzo Young, Timpson.

Defensive Line – La’Darrian Anthony, Gladewater; Alberto Balderos, Gladewater; Brannon Beaton, Whitehouse; Coby Bradford, Hallsville; Necolas Edwards, John Tyler; Aaron Liker, Center; Sid Moore, Van; Lane Pearce, Carthage; Kyle Purselley, Eustace.

Kicker/Punter – Luc Swimberghe, Lindale

Cheerleaders – Cheryl Trimble, Harmony (cheer sponsor); Payton Bledsoe, Van; Sara Carden, Harmony; Jessica Nelson, Wills Point; Brianna Rainwater, Van; Kourtney Williams, Troup