Sunday, December 28, 1997

Brownwood junior leads team

By BILL HART / Abilene Reporter-News

Colby Freeman had so much fun attending quarterback camps last summer at the University of Nebraska and Texas A&M that he plans to go back again.

The Brownwood junior feels going to both camps made him a better football player this past season. And he was, leading the Lions to the Class 4A Division I quarterfinals and good enough to be the most valuable offensive player on the All-Big Country Super Team.

Peter Abrigg felt the Cougars reaching -- but not winning -- the Class 5A championship game last year was all the incentive he needed to become a better all-around football player. His efforts this past fall, helping Cooper reach the Class 5A Division II quarterfinals, earned him the defensive player of the year award.

Tom Ritchey, whose Sweetwater Mustangs were 13-1, is the coach of the year after seeing his team go through their third straight undefeated regular season. He recently retired.

Cooper placed four other players on the team, offensive linemen Joey Heath and Everett Fraser, wide receiver Marc Rau and defensive lineman Kevin Stephenson. Stephenville had four, while Sweetwater, Brownwood and Abilene High had three players each on the Super Team.

The Eagles, who had their best season in 10 years, placed running back Sneezy Beltran, defensive lineman Doug Dowden and kick returner Ahmad Brooks on the team.

Stephenville landed quarterback Kelan Luker as a utility back, wide receiver Cody Cardwell, offensive lineman Daniel O'Keefe and defensive back Zane Jillson, while Brownwood is represented by tight end Marty Jones, linebacker Jarred Morris and defensive back Bryan Clark. Sweetwater placed quarterback Andrew Boatright, who started three years, along with defensive lineman Steven Weyman and linebacker Jonathan Palafox on the squad.

Rounding out the offense are running backs Arian Emerson of Colorado City and Antwoyne Edwards of Big Spring, offensive lineman Byron Patterson of Ballinger, center Josh Power of Breckenridge and punter Brian Bennett of Albany.

Others on the defensive unit are lineman Justin Scott of Wylie, linebackers Kyle Beck of Snyder and Jared Sanderson of Breckenridge, defensive backs Z.T. Burkett of Graham and Jonathan Reagins of Munday and place-kicker Nick Rankin of Throckmorton.

Stevenson, Heath, Emerson and Clark were repeat selections from last year's Super Team, composed of players from all classifications.

Freeman has started all three years at Brownwood and has led the Lions into the playoffs for the past two years. But this past fall, he was at his best, and he credits the camps.

"I found a lot of things there that helped me improve," Freeman said. "The quickness drills really helped, but seeing their facilities and be around good athletes made me come home and work harder.

"I got to meet coach Tom Osborne (who has since retired) at Nebraska and he's one of the most genuine people I have ever met. I also got to meet their quarterback, Scott Frost. We went to a lot of meetings and drills, so at night, you were pretty tired, but it was a great experience."

He was shown around the Nebraska campus by Clint Finley, who played high school football at Cuero, but at one time his dad Mickey was the coach at Comanche.

Freeman rushed for 1,280 yards and passed for 1,510 yards, accounting for 36 touchdowns. But the season ended on a sour note when the Lions lost to Canyon Randall, 31-20.

"I still feel bad about it," he said. "My dad (Brownwood head coach Steve Freeman) went to the Astrodome to see those state championship games, but I didn't want to go. I wanted to start getting ready for next year."

Abrigg is an all-around athlete. He is also one of Cooper's top quartermilers in track and was a soccer player until two years ago. He was also versatile on the football team. He kicked two game-winning field goals in the waning seconds and led District 4-5A with seven interceptions. He also returned kicks.

"It is a kicker's dream to win a game like that," he said of the field goals. "You don't get those chances very often. But to me, the highlights of the year were beating Permian and winning district.

"When we went to the championship game last year, we knew it would be reachable again and it made me work harder. It's easy to visualize going to the finals, but it is harder to get there the second time."

Abrigg returned an interception for a touchdown against Wichita Falls Rider, and he had three against Odessa in a game that put the Cougars in first place in district.

He feels track is probably his first option in college, but he'd like to play football, too, even if it is just to kick field goals. He would also like to be in the secondary, however.

It was a reunion of sorts for Ritchey and Freeman when the honorees met to have their picture recently at Shotwell Stadium. Steve Freeman was an assistant of Ritchey's in the mid-1980s, and Tom watched Colby grow up.

"If Brownwood and Sweetwater play next year, I'm gonna eat at Underwood's, then sit in the stands and have a good time," Ritchey told Freeman. "And if you guys play a game in our area next year, the team can stay at my house. We have two extra beds and a trailer. But if you play Sweetwater, you'll have to stay elsewhere."

The latter was in jest because Brownwood lost money on the playoffs because of an overnight trip.

Sweetwater beat Brownwood, 21-17, in the opening game of the season and now has won 38 straight regular-season games, the longest streak in the area by an 11-man school.

"That was a big game for the opening of the season because of the circumstances (both teams were ranked in the top 10), and the coaches involved," Ritchey said.

"The winning streak is a pressurized deal although we didn't talk about it. But the kids knew it and they wanted to keep it going. We had a good group of kids this year, but all of our teams were good kids.

"I decided a year ago that I was going to retire after this season, but I didn't tell anyone in case I wanted to change my mind. A couple of times I almost did."

Freeman, Luker, Rau, Cardwell and Power are juniors, while Beltran and Rankin are sophomores.

OFFENSE

Coach of the year -- Tom Ritchey, Sweetwater.

MVP -- Colby Freeman, Brownwood, QB, 6-3, 205, Jr.

QB -- Andrew Boatright, Sweetwater, 5-10, 170, Sr.

RB -- Sneezy Beltran, Abilene High, 6-0, 190, Soph.; Antwoyne Edwards, Big Spring, 5-11, 190,, Sr.; Arian Emerson, Colorado City, 6-0, 170, Sr.

Utility back -- Kelan Luker, Stephenville, 5-11, 190, Jr.

WR -- Marc Rau, Cooper, 6-1, 190, Jr.; Cody Cardwell, Stephenville, 5-9, 175, Jr.

TE -- Marty Jones, Brownwood, 6-4, 230, Sr.

OL -- Joey Heath, Cooper, 6-5, 270, Sr.; Daniel OÔKeefe, Stephenville, 6-4, 255, Sr.; Everett Fraser, Cooper, 6-6, 275, Sr.; Byron Patterson, Ballinger, 5-10, 235, Sr..

C -- Josh Power, Breckenridge, 6-1, 195, Jr.

K -- Nick Rankin, Throckmorton, 5-10, 145, Soph..

KR -- Ahmad Brooks, Abilene High, 5-10, 160, Sr.

DEFENSE

MVP -- Peter Abrigg, Cooper, 5-10, 170, Sr.

DL -- Kevin Stevenson, Cooper, 6-3, 240, Sr.; Steven Weyman, Sweetwater, 6-2, 250, Sr.; Doug Dowden, Abilene High, 6-4, 245, Sr.; Justin Scott, Wylie, 5-11, 195, Sr.

LB -- Jonathan Palafox, Sweetwater, 6-0, 170, Sr.; Jared Sanderson, 6-0, 200, Sr.; Breckenridge; Kyle Beck, Snyder, 6-3, 225, Sr.; Jarred Morris, Brownwood, 6-4, 220, Jr..

DB -- Zane Jillson, Stephenville, 6-2, 180, Sr.; Bryan Clark, Brownwood, 5-11, 172, Sr.; Z.T. Burkett, Graham, 6-2, 180, Sr.; Jonathan Reagins, Munday, 6-2, 185, Sr.

P -- Brian Bennett, Albany, 6-3, 205, Sr.

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