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Division II 3 Playoff Bracket

District 25-3A Football Playoff Notes  Saturday, 11/08/08

Bellville beat Smithville in their final outing 42-14. Even though Bellville and Giddings have the same district record, Bellville will enter the playoffs as the "district winner" because they beat Giddings earlier in the season. Bellville will meet Wharton (3-2), the District 26-3A runner-up, to begin the playoffs next Friday night. 

Giddings will face the Sweeny Bulldogs next Friday in Round 1 of the playoffs. Sweeny became the out right champion of District 26-3A by knocking off Wharton in the final game of the regular season. The Bulldogs mounted a late game comeback, scoring 21 points fourth quarter points to beat the Tigers 24-19. The win allowed Sweeny to end district play with a perfect 5-0 record.  

Sealy skidded to a third place finish in the district, ending their district run with a loss to LaGrange. Sealy is the school with the largest enrollment in the district so they will play in Division I (big school). The Tigers will take on Needville (3-2) who finish in the number three spot in District 26-3A.

Xavier Daniels signs Letter of Intent

AP Sports Editors Name Xavier Daniels 3A Defensive Player Of The Year

Giddings Falls To Carthage, Finish As D II Quarter Final Champion

Buffs Hold Off Brahmas For Victory in Double OT

Buffs Batter Rio Hondo To Claim Regional Title

Giddings 41, Yoakum 27

Superior Running, Relentless Defense: Buffs Stomp Sweeny, Move On To Round Two

11/16/08  The Giddings Buffaloes moved to round two of the State Playoff Friday night after stomping the Sweeny Bulldogs in a 41-9 victory.

The Buffs got off to a running start moving the ball easily against the Sweeny defense. RB David Bradshaw (5 carries, 144 yards, 1 TD) was able to bounce his way to the outside, running past the Bulldogs for a 67 yard score. Berry added the extra point and the Buffs had the early lead at 7-0.

QB Trey Masek (37 carries, 210 yards, 3 TD) would strike next with at 14 yard touchdown run. Berry’s kick was good and the score moved to 14-0.

By the second quarter the Bulldogs began to show some success on offense but the relentless Giddings defense held them to a 35 yard field goal. The Giddings lead dropped to 14-3.

The Buffs rumbled back with two more second quarters touchdowns when Masek broke free for scores of eight and six yards. Berry added two extra point kicks and the Buffs went into the locker room with a 28-3 halftime lead.

Neither team scored in the third but Giddings FB Eric Rimes (8 carries, 88 yards, 2 TD) added two touchdowns (five yards and 4 yards) in the fourth quarter to stretch the lead to 41-3.

Sweeny struggle until the end of the game but threw a 26 yard pass into the end zone, with three seconds on the clock, for their only touchdown of the night. Their attempt to punch in a two point conversion failed and the game ended at 41-9.   

Giddings held Sweeny to just 127 total yards while logging 468 yards for themselves. Giddings had 22 first downs to Sweeny’s nine. The Buffs punted one time for 33 yards, while Sweeny punted seven times for 272 yards.

The Giddings defense swarmed Sweeny the majority of the night in a persistent effort that wore down the Bulldogs attack.  

Giddings will meet Yoakum (8-3) next in the Regional Quarter Final match-up. Yoakum was the District 28 runner up with a district record of 4-1, finishing behind Cuero (10-1) who is competing in the Division I bracket.

Yoakum defeated Poteet (6-5) Friday night by a score of 33-13. Poteet placed third in District 27 with a record of 3-2.

Buffs Blast Cards, Defense Dominates 2nd, 3rd & 4th Quarters

11/10/08  The Giddings Buffaloes blasted Columbus Friday night commanding a 34-20 lead by halftime, then stretching the score to 54-27 by the game’s end.

Columbus struck first marching past the Buffaloes defense and scoring on a pass play within the first three minutes of the game. The Cardinals missed the extra point kick and took a 6-0 advantage. 

Giddings went right to work on offense scoring on a five play endeavor that ended as QB Trey Masek hammered it into the end zone. Zach Berry hit the extra point and the Buffs took the lead 7-6 with 7 minutes to go in the first quarter.

The Buffaloes defense held Columbus on their next drive but a successful fake punt allowed the Cardinals to keep the ball and counter with an extended drive of their own. They eventually scored running it in from the two yard line and the score advanced to 13-7.

The Buffs wasted no time moving the ball down the field and into scoring territory again. They relied on the rushing skills and speed of Rimes, Taylor, Bradshaw and Masek to tie the score. The ensuing kick by Berry split the uprights to give Giddings the lead again, 14-13.

Not to be outdone the Cardinals rallied back scoring on a two-play drive and an extra point that brought the tally to 20-14.

Giddings worked the ball back down the field, stealing another opportunity from Columbus when Masek dumped the ball off on a short pass to tight end Zach Berry. Berry lowered his shoulder and powered his way across the line for the score. Berry’s point after attempt missed its mark and the score was tied at 20.  

After a series of questionable called by the officiating team, the Buffs defense tightened up and held the Cardinals scoreless on their next drive. Speedster Corey Brite returned the Cardinal’s punt 72 yards to the 10 yard line. Masek scored on the next play, hurdling over the defenders. The score promptly move Giddings to a 27-20 lead.

The Buffalo offence took advantage of another defensive stand. With 2:21 on the clock Giddings quickly struck again when Masek hit Brite on a 27 yard touchdown pass. The teams went in at the half with a score of 34-20.

Giddings received the second half kickoff and positioned themselves for another quick strike. Xavier Daniels stunned the Cardinals with a 50 yard dash into the end zone and the Buff’s lead moved to 41-20.

The Giddings defense would continue to dominate giving Columbus only rare opportunities to advance the ball.

Masek hit Brite for his second touchdown reception, the extra point failed and the Buffaloes led 47-20.

Columbus scored on another run in the fourth quarter bringing the score to 47-27.

Quinn Taylor scrambled to give Giddings another touchdown. Berry’s kick would give Giddings a 54-27 advantage and eventually the win.   

The Giddings defense came alive in the second quarter pounding the Cardinals for the rest of the game. Columbus struggled to handle the rived up D-line which held the Cardinals to only one score in the second half.

Giddings presented a well rounded offensive attack using five different players for the eight touchdowns scored.   

Buffs Prepare to Meet Columbus, Headed To Playoffs

11/05/08  The Giddings Buffaloes are preparing to meet Columbus after wrapping up a playoff berth with the 35-7 win over Smithville.

The Buffs are already contemplating who they will meet first in the playoffs but they have to prepare to take on Columbus this Friday night.

Giddings is nursing injuries within the squad, the most substantial being the shoulder injury to QB Rush Plumlee. Back-up QB Masek is expected to take the lead.

Columbus takes the field with a 1-3 district record, they are 5-3 overall. The Cardinals had a good pre-district start but will not see post season play because they could not get the job done in district competition. They have lost three out of four district match-ups, they beat Smithville but lost to Sealy, Bellville and LaGrange.

The Buffaloes will contend with a Columbus squad that relies on the rushing abilities of several different backs. Clayton Bubak is their main runner carrying the ball 143 times for 889 yards. Bubak averages 6.22 yards per carry.

Behind Bubak is Cordik Carter with 52 carries and 320 yards, Brandon Bimage gained 273 yards on 43 carries and Darvis Coleman 42 carries for 272 yards.

Columbus quarterback Brooks Sitka has rushed for only 52 yards on 20 carries. Sitka has completed 21 of 39 passes for 310 yards. Receiving the ball most of the time for the Cardinals is Stephen Appelt, who has 15 catches for 177 yards (12 yards per catch). 

Another standout for the Cardinals is 6’7”, 330 lb. offensive tackle LaAdrain Waddle. Waddle, who is a senior and a Division I college prospect, is expected to be a handful for the smaller Giddings defense.

Coach Derek Fitzhenry said that Columbus had the ability to win the games they lost, they just couldn’t get the job done in the end.  

Columbus stayed with Sealy through the first three quarters, and then let the Tigers score 21 points in the fourth quarter to finish with a lopsided 38-7 loss. Columbus led Bellville 14-7 at halftime but then didn’t score again, losing 20-14.

Xavier Daniels Gets Five  Interceptions, Buffs Roll Past Smithville

11/1/08  Giddings senior safety Xavier Daniels hauled in five interceptions, helping in the Buffs team effort, as they rolled past Smithville Friday night at Buffalo Stadium.

"X" as he is called by his teammates and friends, (humbly) showed off his athleticism on his first steal as he battled Smithville's Cyle Jones for the "in mid air" take away.  

The Buffs were unable to capitalize after the play but on their next opportunity QB Rush Plumlee broke a 48 yard run to put the squad in scoring position. FB Eric Rimes quickly took it in for a score but the play was brought back because of a holding call.

A few plays later Plumlee scored on a 23 yard dash and Zach Berry's kick gave Giddings a 7-0 lead.

With about one minute left in the first quarter Plumlee left the field after taking a shot to his "already banged-up" shoulder. Trey Masek came in and took over as the first quarter ended, 7-0.

The Giddings defense dominated, giving Smithville's quarterback more than he could handle most of the time, throughout the night. They played a huge role holding Smithville back on several early attempts and put un-ending pressure on QB Ross Matocha, allowing Daniels to spoil five of his 13 passes.

The D-line put forth a hard-hitting effort, virtually taking the Tigers top rusher, Jordan Runnels, out of the game. They also limited running back Adam Mack to 74 of Smithville's 144 rushing yards.

Buffs lineman Ryan Scrima had at least two sacks and spent the night causing Matocha to scramble.

Giddings' speedster Corey Brite made his way to the six yard line on a 30 yard run and the Buffs threatened again. Rimes claimed a six yard score, Berry's kick was good and Giddings went up 14-0 with 11:45 left in the second quarter.

Daniels quickly picked off another one of Matocha's passes but a fumble left Giddings with a fourth-and-20 and Masek punted the ball away.

As the game progressed, Masek was forced to the sideline after a solid hit from a Smithville defender and Plumlee had to re-enter the game nursing his battered shoulder.

Running backs David Bradshaw and Eric Rimes came on strong putting Giddings in scoring position again, but another holding call would negate Rimes' 20 yard touchdown and Giddings' let the ball go over on downs after a forth-and-nine came up short.

The Giddings defense held once again giving them one more second half try for a score. Masek came back into the game and hit Bradshaw with 34 seconds on the clock for a 37 yard touchdown completion. Berry added another kick to end the half at 21-0.

Masek assumed the lead for Giddings in the second half but the Buffaloes were unable to put points on the board in the third. Daniels snatched two more interceptions in the third quarter, steals that hindered the Tigers on offense and wore down their defense. 

Corey Brite scored on a pitch with a 34 yard run. Berry's kick gave Giddings a 28-0 advantage.

Smithville's David Wehr scored for the Tigers on a 12 yard run finally putting Smithville on the board with 10:42 to play. 

Giddings marched back and Masek punched it in with a 14 yard run. Berry nailed another extra point to bring the tally to 35-7.

Xavier Daniels snatched another interception, bringing his total to five for the night, ruining Smithville last drive and the game ended 35-7. 

With Columbus' loss to LaGrange and this win Giddings has clinched a spot in the playoffs.

Giddings will travel to Columbus to meet the Cardinals next week for their final regular season game.

Buffs Concentrate On Beating Smithville, Securing A Playoff Spot

10/31/08  The years of looking past Smithville are over as this year they have begun to see the fruits of a labored building process.

Giddings needs a win to try and clench a playoff spot, likely going into post season as District 25-3A's number two team. Sealy will go "big school" so Giddings will probably match-up with Sweeny in the first round.

As for tonight's action, Smithville's head coach, Justin Wiley, is in his third year with the school - serving as the defensive coordinator in 2006 and head coach in 2007 and 2008. 

The Tigers will visit Giddings on Friday touting the top defense in the district. They have given up only 895 yards rushing and 571 yards passing.  

On the other hand, Giddings will take the field labeled as the districts number one offense. The Buffaloes average 437.6 yards per game, Smithville allows an average of 183.3. 

The Buffs roster two of the top runners in the district, Rimes (1097 yards) and Plumlee (1067 yards).

Smithville's top rusher junior Jordan Runnels will carry the ball the majority of the time. Runnels is ranked fifth in rushing in the district, with 93 carries for 743 yards.

Senior quarterback Ross Matocha holds the district's seventh rushing spot with 605 yards on 87 carries. Matocha completes less than 1/3 of his passes, launching 52 and completing 16.

Another weapon Smithville will use is junior Adam Mack. Mack is a small but quick runner who resides in the district's ninth slot for rushing yards with 444 on 54 attempts. Mack also holds the fourth spot for kick-off returns this season, averaging 23.4 yards.  

Just like last week's game with LaGrange, expect to see the Tigers put it all on the line in an effort to squeeze into the playoffs. They have nothing to lose and a whole lot of respect to gain.

Buffs Lead District In Team Offense, Rimes Rushes To The Top

10/28/08  The Giddings Buffaloes offense leads the district in team offense, logging a total of 3501 yards after eight games.

The Buffs have a total of 3113 rushing yards and 388 yards in the air,  and have averaged 437.6 yards per game.

Sophomore running back Eric Rimes leads the district in rushing yards with 1097, an average of 8.71 yards per carry. Giddings quarterback Rush Plumlee ranks second in District 25-3A for rushing yards with 1067 yards, an average of 7.4 per carry. 

Plumlee also ranked second in scoring with 90 points - 13 touchdowns. Rimes is tied for third with 54 points - 9 touchdowns. Bellville running back Garrette Nunn led the district with 96 points - 16 touchdowns.

Smithville led the district in defense, giving up 895 yards rushing and 571 yards passing. Giddings hasn't faired so well on the defensive side of the ball. The Buffs ranked last giving, up 1747 rushing yards and 842 passing.

Overall, Giddings is in second place in the district with a record of 2-1. The Buffs fall in behind Bellville who is in first place with a record of 3-0. Sealy is in third and Columbus is in fourth. Smithville and LaGrange round out the district with just two games to play before post season play begins.      

Giddings Starts Slow Against LaGrange, Finishes Strong With Important Win

10/26/08  After a lack luster first quarter and 13 unanswered points by LaGrange, Giddings racked up 21 second quarter points then walked away with a 36-29 win.

LaGrange received the opening kickoff and moved the ball right down the field. They scored within the first four minutes of the game on a 32 yard reception by their top receiver Brandon Wilkerson. The kick that followed was good and the Leopards led 7-0.

Giddings had trouble handling the ball, fumbling on the first two plays from scrimmage. They recovered the ball both times but were forced to punt the ball away early in the game.

LaGrange immediately moved the ball into Giddings territory again but they were unable to score when a 21 yard field goal attempt went wide left. The score stood at 7-0, the Buffs took over at the 20 yard line and fumbled again. LaGrange recovered the ball.

The Leopards punched in another score connecting on a seven yard pass to Sean Bunch. The extra point try missed its mark and LaGrange settled for a 13-0 advantage to end the first quarter.

Giddings fullback Eric Rimes (14/156 yards) wasted no time in the second quarter scoring at the 11:05 mark as he broke from the pack and capitalized with a 47 yard dash to the end zone. Zach Berry's kick split the uprights cutting into the LaGrange lead, 13-7.  

The Buffs held LaGrange on the next drive and Rimes took advantage, out running the Leopards again, this time for a 65 yard touchdown. Berry's kick gave Giddings the lead, bringing the tally to 14-13.  

LaGrange's (mostly) pass offense would prove to be a liability during the next series when Giddings DB Xavier Daniels picked off LaGrange quarterback Henderson on their own 38 yard line.

Plumlee and the Giddings offense took over again finally scoring on fourth-and-16 with a 28 yard pass to WR Marcellus Mack. Berry's kick was successful and the Buffs took an 21-13 lead.

The Leopards took the ensuing kickoff and marched down the field for another score. Their attempt for a two point conversion was unsuccessful when Mack intercepted Henderson's pass, the Buffs went in at halftime with a 21-19 lead.  

With the slim two-point lead Giddings was fortunate to be on the receiving end of the second half kickoff.      

Not long after the second half started Giddings QB Rush Plumlee (18/ 180 yards) broke free for a big run falling short of a touchdown initially, but scoring with a two yard run on the next play. Once again Berry's kick hit its mark and the Buffs commanded a 28-19 lead.

The Buffs speed and stamina began to take its toll and on their next drive LaGrange was forced to settle for a field goal. The score stood at 28-22.

The Leopards battled but an interception by Giddings DB Mack with 8:42 left in the fourth quarter proved to be more than they could overcome. After the pick Plumlee took the ball in from the 30 yard line. Quinn Taylor's two point conversion gave Giddings a two touchdown lead.

LaGrange managed another score and then attempted an on side kick. Zach Berry was able to cover the kick and Giddings took over near the 50 yard line. They would eventually run out the clock with Plumlee taking a knee inside the 10 yard line to end the game.  

Giddings was penalized 11 times for 100 yards. The squad also struggled to hang on to the ball dropping it numerous times, giving it up twice.

The Buffs rushed for 390 yards, averaging 9.3 yards per carry. They put the ball in the air and were successful a couple times striking once for a much needed score. The group was able to spread the work around and several of the Buffs added greatly to the win, this accomplishment kept LaGrange on their toes and guessing all evening. 

Expect Leopards To Pull Out All The Stops Friday Night

10/22/08  LaGrange will be in town this Friday night looking to recover after being shut out by Smithville on their home turf this past Friday night. Smithville slammed LaGrange 38-0.

The Leopards have struggled all season and apparently looked past the Tigers who have began to build a formidable program after years of finishing last in district.

While Smithville has improved and started to command some respect on the Central Texas football scene, LaGrange has labored, falling from their perch at State Champion. The Leopards were considered a successful football powerhouse in the late 90's and in 2000. This year the Leopards are 4-3 overall, but 0-2 in district.

Under the leadership of Coach Fitzherry Giddings has topped LaGrange for the past five years in a row.

Coach Derek Fitzhenry said that LaGrange is a “big play” type team. They have racked up 2541 yards on offense with almost 75% of their success coming in the air.

LaGrange has used two quarterbacks this season; senior Luke Henderson (#7, 6’1, 195 lbs) has completed 65 passes for 782 yards and junior Josh Schneider (#6, 6’1, 210 lbs) has 68 completions for 1149 yards.

Brandon Wilkerson (#9, 6’3, 180 lbs) is the Leopard’s top receiver with 37 receptions for 569 yards. Wilkerson is only a sophomore. Senior Sean Bunch (#4, 6’2, 160 lbs) has caught 25 passes for 508 yards.

Despite LaGrange’s limited success this year the Buffs need to be sure not to get caught looking past them. LaGrange always comes to Giddings pumped up and looking to up-end the Buffs. The Leopards have nothing to lose and will likely pull out all the stops hoping to pickup a win before facing Columbus and Sealy in the last two weeks of district play. 

Buffs Fall Short In Game Of Catch-up In Bellville

10/18/08  The Buffs found themselves in a game of catch-up Friday night, eventually falling to Bellville 20-14 in a hard fought battle.

Bellville gave Giddings every opportunity to take control of the contest, throwing two interceptions to begin the game, however Giddings couldn't convert.

DB Deladrick Britton intercepted Bellville QB Mueller on Bellville's first play from scrimmage and DB Marcellus Mack picked one off on Bellville's second possession.

After the pair of errors on offense, Bellville's defense held and the first quarter ended 0-0.

The Bellville scoring attack started in the second quarter when their stud running back Garette Nunn (20-115 yards) scored on a 1 yard run. The Brahma's kicker added an extra point for a 7-0 lead.

Giddings answered immediately when FB Eric Rimes (15-189 yards) busted loose for a 63 yard score. The extra point try failed after a bad snap and Kicker Zach Berry was forced to cover up the fumbled ball.

With 3:45 left in the first half Bellville's Nunn broke through for his second score, a 5 yard touchdown run. The kick went wide left and the score moved to 13-6.

Bellville would have another run at the end zone before halftime but they came up short when a 44 yard field goal attempt missed its mark. 

Bellville started the second half with another score, this time striking through the air on a 34 yard touchdown pass. Bellville added the extra point to extend their lead to 20-6.

To answer, Eric Rimes bumped his way to the outside to spring free for the second of his two touchdowns managing to put it in the end zone from 43 yards out. Rush Plumlee would convert on a two point endeavor, bringing the tally to 20-14.   

The Buffs would have to chances to win the game in the fourth quarter. Bellville's defense held Giddings on a fourth-and-ten and the ball went over on downs.

The Brahmas coughed up the ball and the Buffs recovered the fumble allowing them one more chance to take charge of the game. 

With 1:52 to go and the ball on the 17 yard line. Giddings failed to punch it in on four tries and the ball went back over to the Brahmas.

Giddings left the field battered by the 20-14 loss and the powerful Brahma defense. QB rush Plumlee suffered an injury to his right hand and Rimes was limping with a slightly injured ankle.

Giddings (4-3, 1-1) will host LaGrange (4-3, 0-2) next week, the Leopards were shutout on their home field Friday night by Smithville, 38-0.   

Buffs Face Unbeaten Bellville

10/16/08  The Buffaloes will hit the road this Friday night to take on Bellville. The Brahmas are ranked No. 18 in the state and are undefeated.

At 6-0 Bellville hasn't lost a game in their six outings, though they were scheduled to play No. 2 Navasota during Week 2 but the contest was cancelled because of Hurricane Ike. The Brahmas met Sweeny instead.

The Buffs are looking to hand the Brahmas their first loss as district play continues.

The Brahmas haven't met up with a real talented opponent yet this year. Their closest matchup was against 4A Livingston who they beat 26-22.

Livingston led in the statistics for the contest, with more total yards, more first downs, a better passing percentage and an equal number of yards per carry. However, Bellville won the game, the difference came as the result of a kickoff that was returned 88 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter.

Bellville has outscored their opponents 196 to 84, averaging over 32 points a game. Giddings has outscored their competition 234 to 167, scoring more than most but giving up way to many in the early going.

To succeed, Giddings will have to come up with a way to stop the Brahmas' powerful running back Garrette Nunn who rushed for 209 yards on 25 carries last week against LaGrange. Nunn had three of Bellville's four touchdowns in their 28-14 win over the Leopards.

Bellville boast a stubborn defense that have given up only 84 points so far this season and held LaGrange to -0.75 yards rushing.

The Buffs will have to put the big win against Sealy behind them and focus on the Brahmas who are likely the third best team in the district.

We're taking Giddings 28-21.    

Buffs Rally Is A Success In Come From Behind Victory

10/11/08  A 4th quarter touchdown with seconds left in the game proved to be the difference between Giddings and Sealy Friday night at Buffalo Stadium.

The game winning score came came late in the contest leaving just over 16 seconds to play. Giddings full back Eric Rimes (18-120 yards) was able to shed three or four would be tacklers and spin his way into the end zone for the Buff's fourth and final touchdown of the night. 

Giddings was able to hold Sealy on the opening kickoff, the Buffs then scored on their first possession. Quinn Taylor (5-74 yards) outran the Sealy defense and put the first points on the board. Kicker Zach Berry missed the extra point and Giddings led the Tigers, 6-0.  

Sealy  would soon find their way into the end zone when linebacker Andre Downey scooped up a fumble and took it in for a defensive touchdown. Sealy's extra point was good and they took the lead at 7-6.

Rush Plumlee (25-143 yards) and Trey Masek (R: 8-43 yards, P: 1-21 yards) took (random) turns at the quarterback position, and both played in the defensive effort as well.

Masek scored in the second quarter on a short run but an attempt for a two point conversion came up short, the score stood at 12-7.

Sealy struck back, air-ing it out with a touchdown pass to the end zone to take a 14-12 lead at the half.

Sealy's star running back Dexter Downey (19-189 yards) came alive and broke free for an 82 yard Sealy score in the 3rd quarter to help Sealy pull away to a 21-12 lead to end the 3rd quarter.

Sealy would not score again but Giddings scored twice in the 4th quarter. Rush Plumlee put a TD on the board after breaking away from Sealy defenders. Berry was successful on the point after kick bringing the tally to Giddings 21-19.

After shutting down Sealy on their next offensive possession, Giddings mounted a final drive that earned another score when Rimes "danced" his way into the end zone on a nine yard run to finish off the Tigers. Plumlee added two more for the Buffs with an extra point conversion.

Giddings was able to hold off one final Sealy attempt, stuffing them on a kickoff return and two consecutive offensive plays to end the battle at 27-21.  

The win gets Giddings off to a positive start in the District 25-3A standings with a 1-0 record. Bellville and Columbus also moved to 1-0.  Sealy, LaGrange and Smithville all drop to 0-1 after the first week of district competition.   

Giddings will travel to Bellville for their next district outing, the Brahmas will take the field with an overall record of 6-0.  

Buffs To Begin District Play vs. Sealy At Buffalo Stadium

10/07/08  Sealy is the first opponent for the Buffs as they prepare to begin district play this Friday night.

Head coach Derek Fitzhenry described the Tigers as "not very big" - but instead they are "really fast". He added that "they are a team of finesse".  

The Tigers currently hold a pre-season record of 3-2 and were able to claim wins over Houston's Second Baptist (private) 34-21, 2A Hempstead 43-8, 3A Brookshire Royal 23-7.

During week two Sealy lost to St. Pius (a Houston area private school) 14-7, and last week to No. 4 ranked 3A Navasota 35-0.

The two losses came as the team was without their star running back Dexter Downey who was removed from the active roster for disciplinary reasons. Downey is expected to play in the district opener on Friday.

Before the loss to St. Pius the Tigers were ranked in the Texas AP Top 10. Last week (Sept. 30) they fell to No. 12 in the poll, Giddings was in the No. 15 spot at that time.

Sealy will likely try to run past the Buffaloes. Downey, QB Jeff Krenek and RB De'Quincey Cooper combine for almost all of Sealy's rushing yardage.

When they do put the ball in the air expect to see Krenek throw short passes to either Orie King or Dexter Downey. The Tigers have averaged less than 20 yards per catch so far this season.   

Back-up QB Masek Leads Buffs Past Robinson

10/4/08  With QB Rush Plumlee sidelined because of a shoulder injury that he suffered in the Elgin game, back-up quarterback Trey Masek took the helm and led Giddings to a 51-35  road win over Robinson.   

Plumlee continued to handle the punting duties for Giddings, booting the ball one time for 35 yards.

The Buffalo offense started off slow, unable to score against the Rockets in the 1st quarter. Robinson scored on their first possession using a passing attack, operating from the spread offence, to make their way, almost effortlessly, down the field. The Rockets used a series of short passes thrown to various receivers to score in the first two minutes of the match-up. 

During the 2nd quarter the Giddings offense began to "click" and the Buffs scored three times to tally a 21-14 lead at halftime.

Masek rushed for 221 yards on 26 carries, Eric Rimes added 182 yards on 26 carries and Quinn Taylor managed 29 yards on 3 attempts. Masek completed one of two passes, the successful grab was handled by Quinn Taylor for a 48 yards score.

Another highlight came when Giddings blocked an extra point attempt and Xavier Daniels scooped the ball and returned it over 95 yards adding two points to the scoreboard for the Buffs.  

Zach Berry took over the kicking responsibilities for Giddings after former kicker Ethan Westfall left the team earlier in the week. Berry hit five of six extra point attempts while also performing on the offensive and defensive lines at various points through out the game.   

The Giddings defense struggled to contain the Robinson passing game and allowed the Rockets to stay in the game and score 21 points in the second half.  

Robinson completed 14 of 24 passes for 245 yards. The Rockets gained 129 rushing yards on 20 attempts. 

Buffs Scoring Summary: Masek scored four short yardage touchdowns and ran in one two-point conversion. Taylor had two touchdowns; one in the air and one on the ground. Eric Rimes scored a lone touchdown on a 22 yard run. Giddings kicker Zach Berry scored five extra points in his first outing as kicker helping Giddings in the 51-35 victory.  

Giddings improved its record to 3-2 and will begin district play next Friday at home against Sealy.   

Sealy To Face Navasota

10/01/08  Sealy will travel to Navasota on Friday night to take on the Rattlers - the newly scheduled game is a result of cancellations due to Hurricane Ike.

The Tigers were originally scheduled to meet Rice Consolidated during Week 2 (September 12th) of their  schedule. The game was cancelled because of Hurricane Ike. Navasota would have played Hearne, that game was also cancelled.

This weeks game will be Homecoming for Navasota who is currently ranked at No. 2 according to texasfootball.com. The Rattlers are 3-0 and have two game cancellations on their record at this point (Hearne and Bellville).

Sealy is in the No. 12 position on the poll and holds a record of 3-1 with one game cancellation on their record (Rice). 

The game will showcase two of the states top running backs, Dexter Pratt (Navasota) and Dexter Downey (Sealy).

The Rattlers are expected to win their district and contend for a state title behind the powerful running of workhorse Dexter Pratt (6'2", 225lbs) who rushed for 2,054 yards and 20 touchdowns. Downey was the 2007 District 24-3A Newcomer of the Year and as a sophomore rushed for 725 yards and nine touchdowns. 

Fumbles Cost Giddings, Elgin Comes Out On Top

9/30/08  Giddings gave up three fumbles in the first seven minutes of the game on Friday night as Elgin took a 20-0 lead in the first quarter. 

Elgin came out "on a roll" at the start of the game when Giddings fumbled the opening kick off and Elgin was able to score within the opening seconds of the matchup.

Photo by: Kristen Smith

As the game continued the Wildcats had tallied a 14-0 lead in the first three minutes.

The Buffaloes ended up giving up four of six fumbles and suffered one interception - errors that cost them points and forced the defense to spend an inordinate amount of time on the field.  

The turnovers left Giddings behind on the scoreboard and fighting to gain the momentum needed to rally for the lead. 

The defense struggled to contain Elgin running back Derrick Falke who who led Elgin scoring four touchdowns - three on the ground and one in the air. Photo by: Kristen Smith

The Buffs mounted a second half comeback on offense and the defense allowed the Wildcats to score only once more during the third quarter.

Giddings would turn the ball over one again in the fourth quarter, stifling their late game push and their effort to overcome the Elgin lead.  

4A Wildcats Looking To Upset The Buffs

9/24/08  When a 4A school plays a 3A school  the general idea is that the 4A is playing down and the 3A is playing up. When a 4A team meets Giddings they are almost never playing down.

At first glance Giddings vs. Elgin looks like a good match up. The stats for the pair point to Giddings for a slight advantage.

Giddings has played three games racking up 1307 total yards. Elgin has completed four games accumulating 1224 yards on offence.  

Giddings holds a record of 2-1, the loss came at the hands of the states No. 1 team Liberty Hill. Elgin, 3-1, has faced three 4A teams, none of them can be considered a serious a playoff contender. They also played, and beat, 3A Taylor - who is expected to finish 6th in District 24-3A.

The Wildcats attempt to run the offense that Liberty Hill runs but are not nearly as deceptive with the hand-off, or as powerful running up the middle.

As a team Giddings has rushed for 1100 yards in three games (avg. 9.6 yds per carry). Elgin has rushed for 916 yards in four games (avg. 6 yds per carry).

In the air, Giddings has completed 5 passes for 207 yards (avg. 41.4 yds per catch). Elgin, on the other hand, has completed 18 passes for 308 yards (avg. 17.1 yds per catch).

Elgin is led by QB Tyler Swenson, a feisty runner who has rushed for 218 yards on 29 carries (avg. 7.1 yds). Swenson has completed 18 of 38 passes for 308 yards.

A far as their overall running game goes Elgin spreads the work around using four other backs, besides Swenson, to help get the job done. Derrick Falke has rushed for 171 yards on 33 carries, Kelton McMillian has gained 169 yards on 21 carries, Jason Hickman has logged 128 yards in 15 attempts and Kevin Weaver has tallied 105 yards on 19 carries.   

Giddings QB Rush Plumlee has logged 534 yards on 70 carries (avg. 7.6) and Eric Rimes has gained 358 yards on 37 carries (avg. 9.7).

On the other side of the ball, Elgin's defense has allowed 74 points in four games, Giddings has allowed 70 points in three outings. 

Expect Giddings to come out "swinging", ready to get back to action after a (long) 15 day break. Elgin, on the other hand, might be in need of a break - especially after suffering their first loss, last week, at the hands of Pflugerville Hendrickson.    

Giddings is fresh, primed and ready. We're looking for over 400 yards on offense and a 42-21 win.

Two Ike Evacuee Athletes At GHS

Giddings, Lexington Listed: Statesman Post "Most Winning" Central Texas Teams 

Scores September 18, 2008

Giddings JV 44, Flatonia 6

Giddings Freshman 14, Leander Freshman "B" 0 

Wednesday Football Fever?

Copyright 2008 LeeCountyLive.com - All rights reserved

9/16/08  Wednesday night football is an unusual occurrence for Varsity teams in Texas. Games being moved to the middle of the week almost never happens and when it does, not only does the title - Wednesday Football Fever - not have the same ring to it, it just doesn't feel right.

Hurricane Ike turned everything upside down on the east Texas coast and as far as Buffalo Football goes the change to a mid-week game turned our squad of high school athletes around and had Wharton thinking "upset" by the middle of the 1st quarter.

A slow start, plenty of errors and a host of penalty yards found the Buffs struggling to catch-up in the second quarter. 

The team finally got on track and tied the game up at 14 points by halftime. The Buffs came out of the locker room and outscored Wharton - 20 to nothing - during the 2nd half, and the Buffs walked away with a 34-14 win.    

QB Rush Plumlee would run for 203 yards on 21 carries and FB Eric Rimes would add 166 yards on 12 carries for a total of 382 yards rushing.

Corey Brite pulled in one catch for a 65 yard touchdown, bringing the total yardage for the game to 447.

Wharton lost three fumbles and was penalized eight times for 50 yards. Giddings gave away five of eight fumbles and was penalized 13 times for 80 yards.

Kicker Ethan Westfall had a good outing, nailing four of five extra points, a turnaround from the two previous games. He also saw success on one of his "pooch" kick-offs when the Wharton player called for a fair catch and then failed to handle the ball. Lance Krause reacted to the mis-que and recovered the fumble on the 32 yard line to help in the Buffaloes' effort.

The Buffs are back on the field practicing and after their open week this coming Friday night, they will look to tangle with 4A Elgin on September 26th... back to Friday Football Fever.    

Smithville: More Wins Than 06 & 07 Combined, Looking For A 5-0 Pre-Season

9/15/08  Smithville currently holds a preseason record of 3-0, an unexpected situation to say the least. The Tigers haven't gone 3-0 since 1999 when they finished with a 6-4 record.

The positive start to the 2008 season marks the end of a nine year drought for the Tigers. The unanticipated success has got many people wondering if the program, that has dealt with its share of struggles in the past, could go 5-0 this pre-season. 

The Tigers have claimed big wins over 2A Lexington (34-7), 3A Wharton (35-21) and 3A Luling (34-6) - homecoming for the Smithville squad.

While the list of Tiger opponents isn't a "who's-who" of Texas high school football competition, winning the first three games on their schedule has to be a huge confidence builder for Smithville.  

Smithville is set to face off with Halletsville (2A) and Yoakum (3A) to round out their 2008 pre-season run. Neither of the two can be considered a "powerhouse" opponent so it is very possible that the Tigers could begin district play at 5-0. 

The Tigers have been blessed with some great rushing from junior RB Jordan Runnels (416 yds) and senior QB Ross Matocha (274 yds). Runnels has rushed for over 100 yards per game and had his biggest outing two weeks ago against Wharton racking up 154 yards on 16 carries.

Smithville's coach, Justin Wiley, began working with the program in 2005 and served as the teams defensive coordinator in 2006 (1-9 overall). He took over as head coach last year to begin the 2007 season and the team went 0-5 in district and 2-8 overall.

The Tigers have already won as many games as they did in the 2006 and 2007 seasons combined. We'll watch to see if coach Wiley has started to build a program that can contend for a playoff spot this year and for the years to come.  

2008 Copyright Lee County Live - All Rights Reserved 

Buffs Overcome Early Struggle With Wharton, Moves To 2-1

9/10/08  The Buffs improved their record to 2-1 tonight after overcoming an unexpected struggle with Wharton.

Giddings began the game receiving the opening kick off but fumbling the ball. Wharton recovered the loose ball and made their way into the end zone for the first points of the night.

After a slew of fumbles and penalties the Buffs finally got on track and ended up with a 34-14 win over the Tigers. 

Varsity Game Against Wharton Changed To Tonight

9/10/08  The varsity football game against Wharton has been changed to tonight - Wednesday, September 10. The kickoff will be at Buffalo Stadium at 7:30 p.m.

The change is due to possible inclement weather and traffic problems due to coastal evacuation efforts. Wharton is approximately 70 miles from the Texas coastline and is in the area that is expected to get hit by hurricane Ike.

Updates for JV and freshman games that were previously moved to tonight will be posted when they are verified.

Athletic Schedule Changes Due To Hurricane Ike

9/9/08  1:30 p.m. Updated

9/09/08  10:30 a.m. Coach Derek Fitzhenry has announced this morning that this weeks athletic schedule has changed due to Hurricane Ike.

The current changes are listed below and are subject to further change as necessary due to possible coastal evacuation and the fact that Wharton could be affected.

Schedule changes are listed in red - any other changes will be added as information becomes available.

9/9/08- Volleyball hosts Bastrop, GHS Gym - JV, Varsity 4:30, 5:30, Freshman A & B Teams @ Bastrop 4:30, 5:30

9/11/08 -Volleyball-V @ Madisonville Tournament TBA

CHANGED - 9/10/08 –WEDNESDAY Football-F(gold) vs Stony Point, F(black)& JV @ Wharton

POSTPONED - 9/12/08 -Volleyball vs Wharton V 4:30, JV 5:30, F 6:30

CHANGED - 9/11/08 THURSDAY-Giddings Buffaloes vs Wharton Tigers, Buffalo Stadium 7:30 kickoff

9/13/08 -Cross Country-Texas A & M Invitational, College Station

9/13/08 -Volleyball-V @Madisonville Tournament

9/15/08- Booster Club Meeting 7 pm GHS Library

9/16/08- Volleyball vs Thorndale F 5:00, JV 6:30, V 7:00  

Jeff Mutscher Is Latest "Prediction Contest" Winner

Jeff Mutscher is the winner of last weeks contest. Jeff predicted that the Buffs would take down La Vernia by a score of 34-28.

Jeff was half right, having guessed that the Bears would score 28 - he just underestimated Giddings by 19 points, most people did. Nevertheless, Jeff was the closes and for his efforts he gets a Limited Edition "Buffs LIVE" t-shirt.

Get your prediction in for this weeks game against Wharton by clicking the link provided. Predict The Score

Buffaloes Tromp Past La Vernia 53-28

Beginning with the opening kick-off that Quinn Taylor ran back for a touchdown the speedy Giddings offense would prove to be an overwhelming test for La Vernia.

It wasn't long before QB Rush Plumlee would have two rushing touchdowns and Taylor would score another to built up a 24-7 lead. Corey Brite would punch in the two point conversion to bring the score to 26-7.

Giddings allowed the Bears to drive down and score again but Giddings would answer with a pitch to Brite to score again bringing the half time tally to 32-14.

La Vernia fought back after halftime, rambling down the field to score on their first possession of the third quarter to bring the score to 32-21.

Later in the third quarter the Buffaloes defense would force a Bears fumble that Frankie Mathis scooped up and took in for another 6 points. Plumlee would add a two point conversion as the Buffs went up 40-21.

Giddings got the ball again and marched down the field using the speed of David Bradshaw to get around to the outside for another Buffaloes touchdown.

Giddings continues to struggle with their extra point efforts. They have had more success running the ball for the two point try, but neither of the options have worked on a consistent basis. Coaches are looking to solve the problem.

The final score for Giddings came after Eric Rimes broke loose making it to the 2 yard line before being knocked out of bounds by a La Vernia defender.

Rimes quickly took it in from the two and Ethan Westfall followed with an extra point kick that was good for a 7-point late 4th quarter endeavor.

It wasn't pretty but Giddings tromped past La Vernia 53-28.

Buffs Set To Meet La Vernia

9/4/08  The Buffaloes will try to bounce back from the two point loss they suffered Friday and head to La Vernia to take on the Bears.

La Vernia (enrollment 826) beat Bandera (enrollment 824) last Friday when the two teams met on La Vernia's home field. The Bears stuffed Bandera racking up a 49-19 win.

La Vernia managed 293 yards on 36 carries and claimed 192 yards in the air.

Coach Derek Fitzhenry reported that the La Vernia squad is big but not nearly as aggressive as Giddings or Liberty Hill.  He also said that the Buffs have been working hard to correct some of the mental errors that cost them valuable penalty yardage in last Friday's game.

La Vernia poses a dual threat with a ground assault that nips away at the opposing defense with small gains that eventually add up to big numbers.

The team successfully put the ball in the air last Friday with receivers like Brody Walton (5'8", 140 lbs.) who caught 7 passes for 142 yards, Chris Hubert had 2 catches for 36 yards and Doug Helmke who pulled down one grab for 11 yards. Three of the Bears touchdowns came as a result of their air attack.

The Bears have a powerful ground game with runners like QB Seth Grubb who rushed for 111 yards (and threw for 168), TB Doug Helmke who managed 115 yards and FB Steven Kubena (6'2" 190 lbs.) who tallied 41 yards.

Bandera had a total of 330 yards against La Vernia; 168 yards rushing and 162 passing. La Vernia's defense managed to keep Bandera out of the end zone at crucial points in the game.  

Giddings should line-up well against the Bears, with their set of speedy defensive backs they should be prepared to handle La Vernia's passing game.

Giddings was able to spread the rushing duties out between QB Plumlee and FB Eric Rimes last Friday and will need to do more of the same to keep the La Vernia defense guessing.

Predict The Score T-Shirt Winners

9/1/08  While there were several score predictions that came close to the final from Friday night's game, no one predicted that the Buffs would lose. That means we don't officially have a winner.

Most of the entries were close and almost everybody said it would be a high scoring game. What a great effort by the Buffs to come from behind in the 4th quarter!

We thought about it and decided that for this first week of the contest we'll be giving all of the "predictors" a t-shirt.

For the LaVernia game we need you to predict the final score and winner of the game. Of course that is Giddings!  

Liberty Hill 28, Giddings 26

Liberty Hill Edges Out Giddings, Buffs Fight To The End

8/30/08 Giddings gave the two time state champion Liberty Hill Panthers a run for their money last night at Buffalo Stadium putting on a fourth quarter show that brought the Buffaloes back into the game and most likely left the group from Liberty Hill a bit shocked. Giddings held their own and stayed in the game giving themselves a chance to win in the final minutes. 

Liberty Hill entered the game as the "favorite", picked to "have their way with the Buffs" by many area sports writers.

Giddings came out, under the leadership of junior QB Rush Plumlee, and marched straight down the field and scored on their opening drive. The Buffs managed to put points on the board despite a 10 yard procedure penalty and a sack. 

Plumlee did a marvelous job at quarterback, it was his first time to ever take a snap in an official game. The Buffs mixed a solid running performance with an adequate passing attack to keep the Panthers guessing. 

The Giddings offensive line did a good job blocking for Plumlee who completed several passes which spread out the Liberty Hill defense allowing a more successful running attack. 

Receivers Marcellus Mack and Quinn Taylor pulled down important receptions that helped the Buffs at critical points during the game. Taylor reeled in one catch for 69 yards and Mack had two catches for 22 yards. 

Plumlee passed for 91 yards and rushed 20 times for 158 yards, scoring two touchdowns.

The Buffaloes had a tough time making their extra points, they failed to convert three times which cost them five points.

Another bright spot for Giddings was fullback Eric Rimes who rushed 12 times for 106 yards and two touchdowns. The sophomore is a powerful runner who is quick on his feet and does a great job when the Buffaloes find themselves in tough, short yardage situations.

The Giddings defense struggled in the first half, failing to stop Liberty Hill on three different drives. The Buffs had more success in the third and fourth quarters when they were able to swarm the ball and cause two different fumbles. This part of the Giddings roster is small in stature but quick off the line.  

The late surge by the defense and a touchdown by Rimes allowed Giddings to make one last attempt to tie the game. Their effort fell short when Liberty Hill held the Buffaloes out of the end zone.

While the loss is hard to take for Giddings the finals score doesn't tell the story of the ball game. Giddings amassed a total 351 yards against the state's number one ranked 3A team, while Liberty Hill managed 314. The Buffs did a good job at both their running and the passing games accomplishing a well rounded offensive attack that should pay dividends down the road.  

Look for the Buffs to move on and prepare for district competition, look for Liberty Hill to drop in the polls. There are holes in the Panther's game and Giddings found them.   

JV: Liberty Hill 39, Giddings 6

Freshmen: Liberty Hill 30, Giddings 8

Giddings Set To Host Two-Time State Champions

Coach Derek Fitzhenry said earlier this week that he expects Liberty Hill to run the same type of offence they have for the past two years and when Giddings met them on the road to the 2006 State Championship. 

While they will likely run the same type of "ram it down your throat" running game they will have to do it without some of the major talent they had in 2006 and 2007.

Lot of people have honed in on the holes left at Giddings when Brock Fitzhenry and Alan Dock graduated but they over look the  losses left by Liberty Hill's graduating "class of 2008".

The Panthers began practice this year looking for new backs to fill in where Dustin Gonzales (2300 yards, 33 TD's) and Doug Allman (1802 yards 30 TD's) left off.

Their defense is minus the strong linebacker talent Marlowe Poitier who was recruited by Sam Houston State University. Liberty Hill coaches expect Cody Littimore to fill the hole left by Poitier.  

Lattimore is listed as a linebacker/running back at 6'0', 200 lbs. Texas Football Magazine lists Lattimore as a "player to watch" with 4.7 speed.

During the Liberty Hill/LaGrange scrimmage the Liberty Hill squad showed a lot of great running power but not a lot of speed. Lattimore did well in the scrimmage but wasn't able to dominate.

Junior Rush Plumlee will handle the QB duties for Giddings. Plumlee is not as fast as many other QB talents but he'll use his tenacious attitude and adequate passing ability to run the Giddings offense.  

Look for running backs Eric Rimes, David Bradshaw and Quinn Taylor to mount a speedy attack and lead the Giddings running game which will need lots of help from the weighted Giddings O-line.

The Giddings defense is the question for Giddings. They were able to attack Burnet in "scrimmage mode' but there is some question whether they will be able to handle the the deceptive and powerful Liberty Hill offense.

This one will probably come down to which team wants it bad enough and will for sure be an emotional one. Giddings has nothing to lose and is likely to pull out all the stops in their attempt to upset the state champion.   

Buffs Scrimmage Burnet, Prepare For Liberty Hill

8/24/08  The Giddings Buffaloes football team took the field Thursday night in their second scrimmage of the year, this time battling with Burnet.

Burnet was re-classified this year by the UIL, moving down from 4A to 3A - residing in District 8 with Liberty Hill, Wimberley and Fredericksburg.

Burnet has an enrollment of approximately 975 students and is expected to finish 4th in their district according to Texas Football Magazine. They were not ranked in the magazine's Top 25.

The Buffs (enrollment 561) held their own with the Burnet squad. Each team had a couple of "breakaway plays" during the first part of the scrimmage while shuffling players in and out of positions. Both coaches used frequent substitutions that are part of the normal scrimmage process. 

The Giddings contingent struggled in a few areas. Coach Fitzhenry said he saw some areas where extra work is needed. 

The two squads finished their meeting with two "clocked" quarters during which Giddings scored on a short running play by QB Rush Plumlee.

Burnet did not score during the "official" part of the scrimmage, but that's not unusual during a scrimmage where coaches are trying to work on new plays and using players in different positions.

Coach Fitzhenry said he was pleased overall with the effort put forth by the Buffs at this scrimmage but added that they would have to get back to work on Monday to try and work out the problem areas.

The Buffs have used their 2-A-Day practices and the two pre-season scrimmages to prepare for the upcoming battle with Liberty Hill.

Liberty Hill (enrollment 704) enters the 2008 season as a highly touted contender after accomplishing two straight state championships titles in 2006 and 2007. Texas Football Magazine has ranked the Panthers in the No. 1 position in 3A.

Many sportswriters have put Liberty Hill in the No. 1 spot based on the two previous titles. Liberty Hill lost several key players and is in a re-building mode just like many other top Texas teams.

The Liberty Hill coach, Jerry Vance, has worked the team hard during the pre-season and after their recent scrimmage against LaGrange he continued with the team in "practice mode", on the LaGrange field, after the scrimmage had ended.

The Liberty Hill squad is in shape and ready to begin the 2008 season. They will likely run the same type of offensive game as they have in the past - steadily working the running game down the middle of the field until they find an opportunity for a big break.

They aren't fast and extremely athletic, just strong and well conditioned.

Expect this group of Liberty Hill athletes to be confident when they arrive at Buffalo Stadium on August 29th. They have won two back- to-back state titles and anticipate great things this year as well.         

Giddings Ranked No. 4 In Central Texas By Austin American Statesman

8/19/08  The Austin American Statesman ranked Giddings as the No. 4 - 3A team today, listing Liberty Hill, Wimberley and Burnet in the top three spots. 

The paper noted that Giddings had won 34 games in the past three years but that the Buffs would be fielding a new quarterback.

The report put Liberty Hill in the No. 1 position. Writers noted that the Panthers will use two new running backs, but lingered on the fact that the team has two state titles to its recent credit.

Wimberley pulled down the No. 2 ranking. The paper reported that the Texans have moved to District 8-3A and they are a past state champion. Wimberley will rely heavily on their Senior quarterback Barron Scudder.

Burnet rounded out the top three. The Statesman claims the "Bulldogs are back in 3A where that dominated in 2002 and 2003".

Giddings will scrimmage Burnet this Thursday night at Buffalo Stadium, then meet Liberty Hill in the season opener on August 29th.   

In another story posted today, the paper listed Quinn Taylor as a "player to watch" as he will try to fill the defensive vacancy left by All-State linebacker Alan Dock.

Eric Rimes Listed As Possible Breakout Player By TexasFootball.com

8/17/08  Giddings sophomore fullback Eric Rimes was listed as a possible "breakout player" for 2008 by TexasFootball.com.

Eric, who saw limited time on the field last year, is expected to play a major roll for the Buffaloes this year.

 TexasFootball.com called Rimes an "experienced sophomore", adding that those two words are not used together very often. The website also noted that Eric quick and shifty.

Travis Stewart filed the report listing several top "breakout" prospects and offered the question of  whether Rimes could be a 1,000 yard producer.

While Eric may not have had many chances to run the ball last year, he was productive when he got his hands on it.

Rimes is a smart player who excels in football and basketball as well as in the classroom. He is a hard worker who's efforts are starting to payoff on the field.     

Buffs Make Contact At Intra-Squad Scrimmage

8/10/08  Giddings Head Football Coach Derek Fitzhenry reported that the football team progressed well during the first week of 2-A-Day workouts. He said that the group of young men are working through the normal soreness that comes with the beginning of pre-season training drills.

The team worked out in full pads on Friday and then had an intra-squad scrimmage Saturday morning. JV and Varsity players participated in the scrimmage that lasted until 11 a.m. 

The Buffs will be back out on the practice field Monday morning to resume 2-A-Day's and prepare for the upcoming scrimmage in Rockdale.  

Coach Derek Fitzhenry reported to Buff Boosters on Monday night that he was happy with how hard the players worked, despite the heat.

Coach Fitzhenry plans to begin contact practice on Friday, players will take the field in full pads.     

Buffs Begin Workouts: Prepare For Upcoming Season

Looking For Leader At QB Position 

8/4/08  The Giddings Buffaloes football team began workouts Monday to prepare for their upcoming season which includes the opening night battle against two-time State Champion Liberty Hill.

Since the middle of June when Dave Campbell's Texas Football Magazine released its 2008 pre-season rankings listing Liberty Hill in the No. 1 spot, the Giddings football squad has been considered an underdog for the season opener against Liberty Hill. Don't count the Buffaloes out.   

The Buffs take the field as a young team with two or three quality athletes vying for the leading role at quarterback. The quarterback position, left vacant by superstar Brock Fitzhenry, will likely take on a new look in 2008. The absence of the speedy Fitzhenry is expected to open up the Giddings throwing game and bring a duel threat to its offense.

Opponents who struggled to contain Fitzhenry and thought that’s all they had to do to beat the Buffaloes, will have to prepare for more than just a running attack in 2008.

Plumlee, while not as fast or as nimble as his predecessor, has the ability to run the ball when necessary, a relatively strong arm and the tenacity and work ethic to get the job done.

Plumlee is an athlete that excels in multiple sports and is respected by his teammates for his ability and his winning spirit. He should step into the leadership role for Giddings and bring with him a passing threat using the handful of quick receivers Giddings has returning to its squad.

Trey Masek,

During the State 7 on 7 tournament games Masek did more to help the Buffaloes when he played receiver catching a number of passes and scoring on several attempts.

Masek is a smart player who is quick on his feet and an athlete who possesses an amazing level of concentration.      

Marcellus Mack is a third possible

Mack, who played on both sides of the ball last year, stands over six feet tall and is a lean, mean, jumping machine. Mack also proved he can do things with the ball after making the catch, scrambling for valuable yardage during the summer football tournaments.  

Coach Derek Fitzhenry said he expects to have the largest offensive line that Giddings has seen in many years. The Buffs are looking to develop the “O-line” into a blocking force that will allow for a better passing attack and wider gaps for its set of young running backs.   

2008 Copyright Lee County Live - All Rights Reserved 

Texas Football Magazine Ranks Giddings 13th In State

6/17/08  Dave Campbell's Texas Football Magazine has ranked the Liberty Hill Panthers as the state's No. 1 3A team to begin the 2008 pre-season. The 2008 issue of the magazine hit the newsstands on Monday but you probably won't find it in Giddings until Friday.

Surprisingly, Navasota is ranked in the states No. 2 spot. This shocked us because Navasota has never really contended for a top spot and they seemed to field a somewhat undisciplined team in 2007. They finished 2007 with a record of 9-4.

The Rattlers are expected to win their district and contend for a state title behind the powerful running of workhorse Dexter Pratt (6'2", 225lbs). (Photo: Giddings defenders Dock and Gonzalez bring down Navasota's Pratt)

The magazine ranked Giddings 13th in the state and 2nd in District 25-3A. Giddings head football coach Derek Fitzhenry said that "the fact that the Buffaloes are ranked in the Top 25 Poll is a testament to how much respect that have with the 3A coaches in Texas". "The coach's opinions about a team have a lot to do with how well the team gets ranks".

The group picked Sealy to win the district and stuck them in the 7th place spot in the State Farm/Texas Football 3A Top 25. Giddings will host Sealy during week 6 of their 2008 schedule.

As far as Sealy winning district, Coach Fitzhenry stated, "well, we'll see about that". Sealy has seven returning starters on offense and eight on defense.

The Buffaloes ran all over Sealy in the 07 pre-season scrimmage and then claimed a resounding 21-12 victory over the Tigers in the playoffs, despite losing QB Brock Fitzhenry during the game. Fitzhenry went down during the second quarter with an ankle injury.

Sealy's offence will, no doubt, rely heavily on junior Dexter Downey who was the District 24-3A 2007 Newcomer of the year.