Friday, August 22, 1997

Wylie, Stamford tie in scrimmage

By MARK WILSON / Abilene Reporter-News

STAMFORD - Wylie and Stamford scored three touchdowns each as the two football teams staged their first scrimmage of the 1997 season.

Wylie got off to a slow start offensively and Stamford claimed a 12-0 lead with a pair of touchdowns from its first-team offense. But Wylie rallied for three touchdowns, including two from its first team, before Stamford's first-team offense tied it up.

Wylie starting quarterback Grant Gregg was 11 for 20 passing, with one touchdown and no interceptions. Reserve Scott Bull connected on 3 of 4 passes.

Stamford quarterback Eric Alvarez, a returning starter, completed 6 of 11 passes. Reserve quarterback Derrick Haterius was 3 of 8, and was intercepted once, by Sean Bailey, near the Wylie 5-yard line as Stamford was mounting a threat.

Wylie lost three fumbles and Stamford lost one.

"I was disappointed in the way we started the scrimmage," said Wylie head coach Hugh Sandifer. "There were a lot of nerves, a lot of apprehension on the field. We were just standing around and watching them play.

"I saw some kids that wanted to play, and some that need to keep working for a starting position. We moved the ball better when we got out of the controlled situations. Stamford's got a solid football team. They can make you look sluggish."

Sandifer, whose defending District 6-3A champion Bulldogs were 11-1 last season, said that he was pleased to see that his team started to pick up the pace as the scrimmage continued.

"If we had kept the same level of play we had the first 15 minutes, I'd have been very disappointed. We're not satisfied, but it is a great sign that the kids want to get better. That was a big plus for me and the team."

Stamford coach Jerry Taylor, who led his Bulldogs to the District 7-2A championship and on to the Class 2A state quarterfinals a year ago, said, "We still have lots to work on. Wylie showed us where some of our weak spots were.

"Lack of conditioning hurt us. They're quicker than we were, and that wore on us. Wylie will be a good football team.

"I thought our hitting on defense was better than average. We worked on our passing game more than I would have liked. Overall we did a good job of adjusting to the things Wylie was doing."

Stamford's first touchdown came on the second possession of the first-team offense, with quarterback Eric Alvarez throwing a 12-yard pass to tight end Lonnie Applin. That came one play after Derrick Hughes sacked Alvarez for a 5-yard loss.

After a Wylie fumble was recovered by Applin, Clarence Whitfield run for a 4-yard touchdown to make it a 12-0 Stamford lead. A 16-yard run by Whitfield helped set up the score.

Scott Unger run for a 4-yard touchdown with Wylie's first-team offense a few plays after Stamford lost a fumble near midfield. Gregg contributed a 23- yard run along the way.

Sean Bailey scooted around left end on a pitchout for a 7-yard touchdown run for Wylie that tied it, 12-12. Bailey had gained 22 yards on the previous play to set up the score.

The final two scores came after the teams went into goal-line situations, with the offenses starting from the other team's 7-yard line.

On Wylie's first play from there, Gregg hit wideout Cory Wood with a 7-yard touchdown pass.

After Wylie failed to score on its next series from the 7, Stamford took over at the Wylie 7 and scored on fourth down from the 3 on a pass from Alvarez to Whitfield.

Wylie will play host to San Angelo Lake View in the final scrimmage, next Friday, before opening the regular season at Hamlin on Sept. 5.