FOOTBALL: Hornets, Brownwood Meet in Friday Opener

The countdown clock in the newly-adorned Gatesville High dressing room has slowly been dwindling for several months. That time has now arrived. Gatesville opens the 2014 grid season Friday night at Brownwood, with kickoff slated for 7:30 p.m. at Gordon Wood Stadium. It will be the first of 10 regular-season assignments awaiting Coach Kyle Cooper's team and it comes against a storied program in Texas schoolboy football. "No doubt, Brownwood has a ton of tradition on its side," said Cooper. "They still have a solid program, are well coached, and will be a good football team." The Hornets and Lions are not strangers on the gridiron, having played the past two years while both occupied spots in old District 8-3A. Gatesville won in 2013 en route to winning the league title, but Brownwood won last year's meeting 69-33 to keep GHS from the postseason. "Despite the score, we did some good things there,” he said. “We set a record for offensive output in a game with over than 500 yards. Turnovers really hurt us. We were just young, and we made some young mistakes.” The Hornets have had an entire offseason to think about that season-ending loss and 3-7 record in 2013. And, Cooper says, that time has allowed and introduced a new change in attitude among his troops. "We call it MUFLY," he said. "Make up for last year." That change was evident early in camp and has been prevalent in the squad's two preseason scrimmages against McGregor and Waco High, a pair of Central Texas playoff teams every year in classes 3A and 5A respectively. "We have done a lot of good things in those two scrimmages," he added. "Our defense has been the most impressive. The kids have done a great job flowing to the ball and we have been really pleased with that unit's ability to create turnovers and make big plays." HORNET NOTES: If you are making the drive to Brownwood Friday, don't forget Underwood's Cafeteria. Ask for the beef steak and get all of the cobbler and whipped cream you can stomach...The game will be broadcast live on Hornet Radio. Go to the Hornet Athletics' home page and click on the Hornet Radio link on the right side of the page. Lee Jaynes and Dusty Boyd will be doing commentary...Directions to stadium: Take Hwy. 84 East through Evant, Goldthwaite and on to Brownwood. A few miles before getting to Brownwood, go left on Hwy. 2126 and that will take you to the southwest side of town for 2-3 miles. Go right on Dickman Drive and the stadium will be a couple of blocks. Wear your black and gold.