Landon Appling came into Memorial Stadium feeling like his season had not really started. A year after rushing for 1,301 yards and nine touchdowns, the El Campo senior had been held to 149 yards in the first two games of the season.
After Friday, Appling can consider his final football season as a Ricebird officially on. “I really wanted to prove to everyone this week that I could still run the ball,” said Appling, who ran for 168 yards and four touchdowns to lead El Campo to a 31-17 win over the Memorial Vipers. “I’m going to be catching the ball a lot this year, but I’m still a runner.”
Appling, a three-sport star in El Campo, showed off his track speed every time he touched the ball against the Vipers. He ran for touchdowns of 23, 15 and 12 yards to spot the Ricebirds a 21-10 lead at halftime in Memorial’s home opener and was far from calling it a night. On his second carry of the second half, he continued the trend with a 47-yard sprint into the end zone. “You’re on a 100-yard dash when you’re out there and you just have to run as fast as you can for as long as you can,” said Appling, who also had an interception in the game. “Our line did such a great job that I really didn’t have to do anything besides run. I made a couple good moves on a couple of plays, but most of my big runs were when there were big holes for me to run through. They did pretty much everything for me.” El Campo improves to 2-1 on the season, while the loss drops the Vipers to 0-2 going into next week’s home game against Corpus Christi Moody. The Ricebirds will host Wharton next week.
Also the Ricebirds leading receiver coming into the game, Appling caught two passes for 31 yards and played in El Campo’s secondary throughout the game along snaps at quarterback. “He’s doing so much for us,” said El Campo head coach Bob Gillis. “We’re having him do tons of things on offense and then on our defense. He showed he’s a tough runner and showed if he gets loose, there will not be too many people who can catch him. It’s not going to surprise anyone that we’re going to use him a lot down the road.”
Memorial’s versatile player, O.J. Hughes also had his breakout game. The senior ran for a team-high 116 yards on 18 carries. He scored his first touchdown of the season on a 2-yard run and added seven runs that resulted in first downs for the Vipers. “We are going to have to do a better job of using our guy the way they used theirs,” said Memorial head coach Mickey Finley, when comparing Appling and Hughes. “We moved the ball really well with O.J. back at quarterback. That took some of the pressure off Jared (Dolezal). “We knew he (Appling) was a heck of a football player coming into the game. We had to get lined up right to be able to stop him and we didn’t do that.” Appling, who was a Class 4A all-state kickoff returner last season, also plays baseball. Football is his only focus now though. “Everyone does their part and I just try to do as much as I can,” Appling said. “The more versatile I can be, the better we’re going to be.”
Notes Memorial quarterback Jared Dolezal ran for a career-high 108 yards, including a 4-yard touchdown run. The junior was 1-for-6 through the air, including throwing an interception on his first throw of the game… El Campo quarterback Waylon Malone completed four of his five passes in the game for 45 yards… Sophomore running back Devin Parks ran for 94 yards on 16 carries for the Ricebirds and Shaquille Edwards recovered a fumble for the Ricebirds… Memorial cornerback Josh McNickels picked up his first sack of the season, dropping Malone for a 9-yard loss in the second quarter… With El Campo’s win and Memorial splitting into two schools next year, the Ricebirds won the all-time series 5-2 over the Vipers.
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The kids can not be blamed. They give it all they got. We need 5A or 4a coaches that can handle the program and rebuild it. The most talented athletes at MHS are in the stands. I have never seen or heard of any of the MHS coaches visiting a junior high to see the talent and keep them in the program. Just go see St. Joe, they are all there due to Finley and his entourage. We are the joke of the district. Victoria is an "easy" game for everyone. El Campo used it to try new things to get ready for their 4A district. Save Victoria Football, fire a Finley and they all will go. Whoever is calling offensive plays needs to go. Defense is terrible. Victoria has the talent, they just don't want to play for these coaches. We are on the road to a third consecutive losing season. When does it stop?
September 14, 2009 at 10:22 a.m.Funny how everyone is excited about the opportunity to beat 'one of the worst' teams around. Should prove to be quite a battle, but I would not get my hopes up!
September 14, 2009 at 9:31 a.m.it's early,yes
September 14, 2009 at 9:01 a.m.The mental errors must stop.70 plus and at game changing moments,can't happen.Maintain positive outlook,analyze,adjust,and improve on your mistakes and give yourself a pat on the back for the good. We're behind all of the young men and coaches.
Written September 12, 2009 - 1:24 PM
I'm not a coach and don't claim to be but friday nights game was a blur to many from the stands you could see the DE just getting pushed around like nothing, ALL the LB couldn't tackle, the most shocking thing is how SLOW the Middle Linebacker is as small as he is you would have though the coaches put him in that position because of his speed but it must be something else??????? Hope the coaches make changes with players before next week, according to the fans sitting with me the same thing happened in Taft, I just hope Coach Finley does the right thing for the sake of the kids they deserve to win and go out WINNERS, hopefully next week we can see some changes and maybe for once get to the quarterback (someone mentioned we have yet to even get 1 sack) and hopefully the OL watchs some tape this week and correct the many, mistakes they made. Good luck Vipers, Your Coach will make the right changes to make sure you all go out on a winning note.
September 13, 2009 at 12:29 a.m.jaiso....u went back a lonnnnng ways! lol
Coach Wood was here in the late 50s. He then went on to win 9 fb state championships @ Brownwood.
September 12, 2009 at 4:08 p.m.I'm not taking up for the coaching staff, but the problem in Victoria goes far beyond coaching. In my experience with dealing with people from Victoria, the parents think that their boy is the biggest stud in town and is not being utilized the way he ought to be, and they think they are smarter than any high school coach in Texas. Gordon Wood most certainly knew something all those years ago when he said something to the fact that Victoria will never be a traditional powerhouse in football and that it was a coaches graveyard. In a way I feel sorry for this coaching staff. I bet most of them dread the day they made the decision to move to Victoria to coach.
September 12, 2009 at 3:23 p.m.#29 why not throw to him. Salazar--a true Freshman! Why play on a team as wide receiver when you don't even throw the ball his way--AT ALL, NOT ONCE!!!!! If you are a parent with a kid in CYFL asked to have your boy play any position but wide receiver, he will never get the ball.
Defense sux! But wait, who is the Def.Coord??? So nothing will change. Being mutal on this Head Coach tatics I can not see why?!? the player's parents have not complained about this silly program that as I said b4 is "junior highish".
Next school Bd meeting is Thursday, Sept 17th. Now, you know.
September 12, 2009 at 8:54 a.m.It is all about coaching. Finley has failed to do his job and he should be fired.
September 12, 2009 at 8:46 a.m.What a total joke this Victoria Memorial Football Program is! Losing to a School with 2,500 LESS students?! Not to mention, losing five of seven Games against this smaller School! OUCH! Maybe next year, Victoria East and West will be competitive...if they drop to class 2A!
September 12, 2009 at 2:20 a.m.