2012, Are you ready?

   Eagle Football 2012           

            For those of you that do not remember, last season was finished with a bang.  We beat many

            teams that we had not beaten in the past, had a game in which we had three players rush for

            over 100 yards, and stopped playing football at a time we really wanted to continue.  The

            banquet was a night of achievement for some, trophies and awards for many more, but for

            most of us simply an indicator of the good things to come.

            This year we begin where we left off.  We begin with most of our team returning.  We begin

            with a true understanding of Eagle Football and its common work ethic, its common dedication,

            and its common desire to rise to a new level of Christian manhood.  We as a group of people

            (parents, players, coaches, and supporters) that believe in a common goal, that we “can do

            all things in Christ that strengthens” us enjoy the faith that we are getting ready to embark on

            new chapter in life.  This year’s chapter in life will include some of the same things of the past;

            sweat, energy, discipline, teamwork, dedication, time, and effort, but it will also include many

            new things that we have not experienced in the past.  And those things are going to be special!

            For me, the beginning of this Eagle Football season has been a long awaited arrival.  I can’t

            wait to see the accomplishments that this group of young men have in store for us all.  I can’t

            wait to watch and visualize the mighty men that God has raised up to be His next generation

            of witnesses to Him.  I can’t wait to witness young men who have a desire to work and sweat

for a common purpose.  I can’t wait to watch them be mentors to one another and to use the

traits and characteristics that God has given them in a team atmosphere.  I can’t wait to be

influenced, myself. By this group of young men that God has placed in my life. 

           

            The calendar is included in this mailing, but for all intended purposes the calendar stays the

            same from year to year.  We always begin, (by KHSAA standards) around July 15^th, we      

            always practice Monday through Friday until we begin our “school schedule” and then we 

            go to a Monday through Thursday practice schedule and we always kick our season off with 

            a car wash the Saturday before we begin.  Although there has been a few changes 

            (as most of you that know me well, might expect) they are marginal, good for the program, 

            and somewhat pushed in by new KHSAA standards.

            The largest change to our schedule comes to us from the KHSAA and it comes in the form of

            the elimination of two-a-day practices.  Now some of you, mostly players that just smiled out

            loud, might seem to rejoice over this news might also know me well enough to know that we

            (The Eagle Football Program) are not going to lose practices over this situation.  So, what that

            means; is that we will have additional long-a-day practices rather than having the standard

            two-a-day practices.  Under the criteria of the State and Federal regulations we can not be on    

            the practice field more than five hours in one day, and we will maintain that strategy.  

            The other major change in our program will be our practice times.  The “Heat Schedule” which

            is the first week of practice (for the varsity players) will stay the same as it has always been, and

            that is 6:00 – 9:30.  Long-a-days, (again, for the varsity players) will begin at 3:30 instead of the

            4:30 start time that we have used in the past.  So the long-a-day schedule will be 3:30 – 9:30.

            As stated earlier, the long-a-day schedule will be extended for one additional week so this 

            schedule will be used the week of July 23 – 27, July 30 – August 3, and August 6 – 10.

            Beginning the week of August 13^th we will begin our school schedule and only practice   

            Monday through Thursday.  Our school schedule has changed a little to accommodate parents   

            and players outside of our school building, although I will continue to include a study hall for 

            any Evangel Christian School student that wishes to study between the time that school is  

            dismissed and football practice begins.  Our school schedule (which we will stay on for the 

            rest of the year) runs from a practice start time of 5:30 and a practice ending time of 8:00.

Middle School players begin practicing on July 30^th at 6:30.  Beginning their second week of

practice they will follow the same practice schedule as the varsity.  Juniors begin practice on

August 6^th at 6:30.  Beginning with their second week of practice they too will follow the same

practice schedule as the varsity.  This practice schedule coordinates all teams to be practicing

together by August 13^th, (when we begin our school schedule).  It also coordinates a time of

emphasis for one week for each level of our program to be acclimated to the grinds of the new

football season.  The varsity players are expected to lead the way in showing the younger    

player what the expectations are for the 2012 season.  We are going to have a great one!

Their have been many questions concerning the number of players we will have this year.  I 

will answer those questions at this time, the best I can.  Our varsity team will be filled with 

many returning players.  The varsity team will also see many new younger players filter in.    

I always look for new players and discuss our program with many people in the off-season, 

but being an Independent team does not really give me the luxury of seeing many of the players 

that are going to play until we actually begin practicing.  I expect somewhere around ten new 

players and a core of ten returning players.  As the practice date gets closer and closer the 

numbers will begin to become more solid.  Whether or not we field a Middle School and 

Juniors team is yet to be seen.  I think we have a very good shot at having both of those teams 

this year because we have coaches dedicated strictly to those teams.  There are also many 

players in the school itself that want to play.  We also have began advertising campaigns in the 

Southeast Outlook that will probably establish Interest as well.  All in all I think our numbers 

are going to be outstanding!

With numbers comes other solutions to new questions and we will begin to solve those questions  at our first parent meeting that will be held on July 10^th at the school library at 6:00.  There will be a lot of information, handouts, discussions, questions and answers.  Hope to see you there!

David C. Thomas

Head Coach, Eagle Football

(502) 523-0869

DThomasfootball@aol.com

2012 Game Schedule

 

Aug. 18                South Haven Christian Academy                 5:00

Sept.   1               Franklin Classical                                      5:00

Sept.   7               Pleasant View                                           5:00

Sept. 22               at Indianapolis Lions                                 TBA

Sept. 29               Franklin Christian School                           5:00

Oct.    6               at Sacred Heart Academy                           3:00

Oct.  12                at McClain Christian                                  7:00

Oct.  19                at Community Christian                             6:00

Oct.  27                at Indianapolis Knights                              3:00

Nov.  3                Landmark Christian Academy                     3:00

Eagle Football 2012

2012 has begun:

Coach Thomas was in attendance last weekend (Dec. 11th) at the MTAC meetings in Murfreesboro, Tn. and was busy forming new relationships, keeping firm old relationships, and making the future for EAGLE FOOTBALL.

Soon to come, will be our 2012 schedule which could claim the possibilities of three new championships that the Eagles could win in 2012.  Our team and our players will be moving to build on the wins that took place toward the end of the 2011 season and to draw more athletes to our team.

The vision of our program will continue to accept new coaches and players for our newly formed Junior Team, (ages 9 - 12) and our Senior Team, (ages 12 - 14).  Our Juniors and Seniors, when coupled with our varsity team will allow Christian Faith to grow in athletes, parents, families, and communities as far as our program can reach.  This branching out will also enable us to bring together families within the public school, private school, and home-school framework.

In 2012 we are growing, and the growth is large.  I hope you are ready; 
I can't wait!

Eagles 12, KCD 6

Eagles vs Kentucky Country Day

   KCD Louisville

Two days earlier, at home (on Eagle Field) The Eagles won their first game of the year and on this day they would attempt to keep that streak alive against Kentucky Country Day.  The eleven hopeful players for the Eagles took the field and kicked off to the Bearcats of KCD, after winning the toss and deferring possession of the ball to the second half.  The Eagles stopped the mighty Bearcat passing attack on the game’s first drive after 7 plays.  The Eagles had things going well but fumbled a center-quarterback exchange after putting together a 8 play drive themselves.  The Eagles stopped the Bearcats once again, and then took the ball on a 7 play drive that saw Jonas Griffith score on a 55yard scamper, and Touchdown.  The first quarter ended with the score 6 – 0 in favor of the Eagles.  

As the second quarter began the Bearcats received the ball on a short field, via a fumble by the Eagles, and continued to march the ball down the field through the air to a Touchdown.  The Eagles continued to run the ball effectively (using 6:50 of the total 8:00 minutes in the quarter) but failed to get the ball in the end zone and the first half ended with the score tied at 6 – 6.

The second half began with KCD kicking to The Eagles and the young men and your sons began to take control of the game.  The running game and The Eagles controlled the entire 3^rd quarter as they did not allow The Bearcats to have an offensive snap.  Yes, you heard me right, we had the ball for the entire 3^rd quarter as we mounted, what would end in, a 13 play drive of 65 yards, and an Ory Yates 1 yard Touchdown run behind the blocks of Derek Baete and Jacob Roberts.  We threw an incomplete pass on the extra point and The Eagles led 12 – 6. 

On the kick-off, after the Ory Yates touchdown, Timothy Miller kicked a great kick-off and after three Bearcat players attempted to corral the football two Eagles, C.J. Roberts and Jonas Griffith, jumped on the ball.  The Eagles, with a 12 – 6 lead, took control of the football on the Bearcat 27 yard line with less than 5:00 minutes to go in the game.  The Eagles took three downs to get the next first down, to the 13 yard line.  The game clock now read 3:12, as the Eagles prepared to put the ball in the endzone and obtain their second win of the season.  On first down Jonas Griffith went eight yards to lead to second down and two.  The Eagles then had a mental melt down.  At second down and two The Eagles had a delay of the game penalty (now second down and seven) and then on the next play an Eagle player jumped off-sides, now making the situation 2^nd down and twelve.  The Eagles ran the ball twice in to The Bearcat defense and failed to make the first down.  The Bearcats took control of the ball at their own six yard line with less than 2:00 minutes left in the game.  They put together a 7 play drive and when the clock read :27 seconds (and running) The Bearcats were inside The Eagle 10 yard line taking a shot at a Touchdown.  The Bearcats threw the ball three times toward the endzone with no completions and The Eagles won the game 12 – 6, in an amazing example of determination and will, ending the game going 10 players against 11 players (as C.J. Roberts became injured) and stopping The Bearcats when they had to.

Eagles 23, Tri-Cities 0

                    Eagles versus Tri-Cities Christian School
                                                October 15, 2011
From the Eastern Tennessee Appalachian Mountain foothills came the Tri-City Golden Eagles hoping to improve on their winning ways against our own Eagle football team.  The game that ensued between these two teams would rival the game played in the previous year when the Golden Eagles won in dramatic style while scoring a late 4^th quarter touchdown that secured their 12 point win.  On this day the Hometown Eagles would try to take control early, with the running game, and then finish it off in the fourth quarter.  The Tri-Cities team took the kick-off and control of the game by the lack of offense produced by both teams.  Our Eagles drove the ball several times but the many number of penalties (65 yards) and mistakes, both offensively and defensively kept the visiting team in the game.  The Golden Eagles held the ball for 9:00 minutes of the opening quarter but the Eagles stiffened as the visitors grew close to the goal line, on two separate occasions, and the quarter ended all tied up at zero-zero.  

     The second quarter was when the Eagles began their own control of the ball and with a methodical twelve play drive the home team took the lead with just 5:25 left in the first half, 6 – 0.  The visiting Golden Eagles ran the kick-off back to the 35 yard line and began their own drive, attempting to score before halftime.  They were on the move, 7 plays into the drive, when, with less than 1:00 to go, in the half, Jonas Griffith intercepted a pass and took it down the sidelines for a 90 yard “pick six”, and the Eagles took a lead into half-time, 12  - 0.  During the intermission the home team made some offensive and defensive adjustments and in the second half it paid dividends.  The Eagles received the kick-off to start the third quarter and controlled the ball 10 of the 12 minutes, but mistakes kept them from finding the end zone.  Gerry Griffith tackled the Golden Eagle quarterback in the end zone for a safety, on a very athletic play, and the third quarter ended with the Eagles in control of the game (and the score), 14 – 0.  The fourth quarter saw more dominance by the hometown bunch as they controlled the ball, on two separate drives, for 11:45 of the 12:00 minutes in the fourth quarter.  Ory Yates and the Offensive Line took control and scored one last time with 7:25 on the clock to finish out the scoring with a final score of 22 – 0.

      Ory Yates led all runners with 136 yards on 20 carries and a Touchdown while the Defense stood tall, in crucial situations, and held the opponents to 24 total yards rushing and 34 total yards passing.

Eagles 16, Southside Crimson Knights 28

Eagles vs Southside Crimson Knights

Eagle Field, Louisville

            The Southside Crimson Knights, are out of Indianapolis, Indiana, and the Southside bunch after a two hour drive brought it to the Eagles.  They opened up the game running the “old fashioned” flying wing “T” formation from the late 1940’s and it pushed across (4) four Touchdowns with its’ mere muscle in numbers strategy.  In a game that was pretty even throughout the contest the Knights gained 351 yards and threw the ball twice, while the Eagles gained 275 yards and threw the ball three times. 

            The Crimson Knights gained the advantage when they scored halfway through the first quarter on a 12 yard run around right end.  Early in the second quarter the Eagles responded by mounting their own drive of 9 plays and 72 yards for the score that tied the game at 8 all.

            In the third quarter the Knights again scored to take the lead atb16 – 8, but the Eagles came back again, early in the forth quarter to tie it at 16 a piece.  In the fourth quarter, the home team wore down and the “muscle” of the flying “T” proved to be the difference as the Knights scored twice and the game ended in a 28 – 16 defeat for the Eagles.

            C.J. Roberts had one of those great games a kid (or a coach) will never forget by running for 121 yards on 15 carries and creating havoc on Defense with 6 solo tackles, 7 assisted tackles, a forced fumble, a recovered fumble, and a pass knock down.  Tim Miller contributed with 53 yards on 11 carries, and Jonas Griffith had 86 yards on 13 carries.  Gerry Griffith and Zach McClanahan also had great defensive games.

            The players really played hard, and many things worked very well, but in the end fatigue and mistakes proved to be the difference.  Great job Eagles!

Eagles 0 Gamble Montessori 18

Eagles at Gamble Montessori

Cincinnati, Ohio

            The Eagles traveled to Cincinnati on Saturday to play the Black and Green Gamble Montessari team that had good size and speed.  Gamble featured a defensive line with defensive ends that stand 270 and 260 with a nose tackle that weighs in at 290.  The Gamble Montessori team also had athletes in many of their skilled positions and posed a tough match-up for our Eagles.  Much the same as the Landmark Christian game we controlled the first quarter, but as soon as we got the ball we gave it right back on a quarterback-center exchange fumble.  But with the short field, (starting from our 24 yard line), Gamble punched it in the endzone and took a 6 – 0 lead.  We drove the ball down to the other end of the field, after the kick-off, but then, after controlling the line of scrimmage we had another fumble.  The game went back and forth for the rest of the half and ended at half-time 6 – 0.

            In the second half we failed to change our mistake riddled ways and had a total of 6 fumbles and 145 penalty yards (for the game).  The penalties and the turnovers made it impossible to get anything going on offense and it kept our backs against the wall defensively.  Gamble mounted a drive late in the third quarter and made the score 12 – 0, and then ended the scoring with under 3:00 minutes left to go in the game when Josh Lykins threw a desperation ball that was picked off and returned 76 yards for a Touchdown.  The Final Score was Gamble Montessari 18 and our Eagles 0.

            So; after scoring 41 points in our first game and 16 in our second game we have gone two games without any points scored.  What concerns most fans of the Eagles are the mistakes.  The coaches also think that the players are playing at a great level of intensity and focus but there are to many mistakes being made. 

As we prepare for the Southside Crimson Knights the focus is “back to basics” and getting back to doing what we do best; run the ball.  An emphasis has also been placed on plays that can get us first downs in third down situations.  Come support your Eagles as we take on the Crimson Knights from the south side of Indianapolis, at home, on Saturday, September 24^th, at 6:00pm.