San Marcos Daily Record SanMarcosRecord.com Sunday, March 23, 2014 — Page 9A HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL... Sports HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL... Relentless Rattlers Badda boom slide past Unicorns By JOE VOZZELLI 7 overall. SM clubs three HRs Daily Record Sports “We had let a few ball games get by because we in 12-3 home victory NEW BRAUNFELS — were sitting back and wait - By TYLER MAYFORTH Opponents pay heed: ing for the big hit.” San Sports Editor When you play the San Marcos head coach Bryan Marcos Rattlers, you had Webb said. “I could kind of Patience paid off in a big way last Friday for better be ready for any - feel it was like it was on Vianey Villalpando and the San Marcos Lady thing. Tuesday (4-1 loss to Rattlers. San Marcos utilized an Smithson Valley), it was a Through four innings, San Marcos and San aggressive approach on the 1-0 ball game. Tonight we Antonio Wagner were locked in a tight game. base paths during its 5-1 forced the issue. We finally Based entirely off recent results and on how the victory over New Braunfels found a weakness and Lady Rattler offense had been clicking, it should - last Friday night. With the exploited it.” Daily Record Photo by Joe Vozzelli n’t have been close that long — but San Marcos win, the Rattlers evened Up 2-1 in the sixth, the couldn’t get out of its own way and Wagner’s their District 25-5A record San Marcos sophomore David Hamilton takes third after tagging up at 1-1 and improved to 12- See Rattlers, Page 10A on a fly ball. Hamilton went 1 for 2 with two stolen bases in the game. See SMHS, Page 16A

OPINION...

P“ThIerEe weCre aI loNt of isGsues tIo bTe ta keTn caOre oGf. If EI didTn’t bHelievEe in R the potential of this university and the leadership we have here, I would have probably walked away.” — Texas State head coach Danny Kaspar

Based on record alone, this past season for Texas State was a disaster. Throw in the Bobcats’ futility on offense and it gets worse. Once you add the name “Danny Kaspar,” suddenly the future looks bright regardless of Texas State’s brutal first year under the new head coach. Don’t be fooled. Kaspar knew he wasn’t going to immediately turn this program around. His team’s 8-23 record made that quite clear. It took Kaspar two full years and three recruiting classes until he had back-to- back 21-win seasons at Stephen F. Austin. Over the next nine years, Kaspar posted eight winning seasons and won 20 or more games five times. “I don’t want this to be a three-year plan — that’s not my goal,” Kaspar said over lunch at The Tap Room last Wednesday. “At my age and with my track record, I’m not into long rebuilding. My hopes are that in three years we can have this pro - gram where I want it to be. “I wanted it to be a two-year turnaround, but after a few months of getting to know the sit - uation, I felt like this would be a three-year rebuilding project. “I didn’t have that idea coming into the hiring process. You learn more about your program as you get into it. I found those things out this year, not just in a day or a week. It took a month or two. Some things aren’t what they seem to be. Some things are more positive than I thought they would be. Some things are more negative than I thought they would be.” Fortunately — or unfortunately, Daily Record Photo by Gerald Castillo depending on how you look at it — Kaspar worked with a blank, but For the first time in a long time, defense was consistently played inside Strahan Coliseum. Texas State sophomore forward Emani Gant (shown above) contests the shot of Troy forward Kevin Thomas during a game Danny Kaspar See Kaspar, Page 11A this past season as Joel Wright watches the play unfold.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL... COLLEGE BASEBALL.. Practice Dates If you want to catch Texas State practice this spring, here are the dates you need to know. All practices are open to the public ’Cats split with WKU Fran demands more and held inside Bobcat Stadium. From Staff Reports Saturday afternoon over Date Type Time Western Kentucky. “It’s rare Head coach wants consistent focus BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — that you need to get his March 24 Practice 3:30 p.m. Texas State head coach Ty attention. He loves to play By JOE VOZZELLI supposed to be on the field. Best was March 25 Practice 3:30 p.m. near the sideline when he should Harrington has confidence and love to hit.” Daily Record Sports March 27 Practice 3:30 p.m. in Garrett Mattlage whenev - Mattlage mauled the have been in the formation. March 29 Scrimmage 10:30 a.m. “That’s just the intensity of prac - er the switch-hitting junior Hilltoppers for seven RBIs, Texas State head coach Dennis March 31 Practice 3:30 p.m. shortstop steps into the finishing two shy of the Franchione stepped a bit out of char - tice,” Franchione said. “If you prac - April 1 Practice 3:30 p.m. tice to play Division-I football, they’ve batter’s box. school record set by John acter as his team wrapped up its first April 3 Practice 3:30 p.m. “Garrett is one of those Thompkins on March 28, week of spring camp. got to bring it. If they don’t bring it, I have to bring it for them. It can be April 5 Scrimmage 10:45 a.m. guys who is always ready to 1999. Those seven RBIs The usually soft-spoken April 8 Practice 3:30 p.m. go,” Harrington said after were the most by any Texas Franchione lit into a few players dur - coach-driven or player-driven. I pre - fer it to be player-driven.” April 9 M&G Draft TBA watching Mattlage knock in State player since Spenser ing Saturday’s practice inside Bobcat April 10 Practice 3:30 p.m. more than half of the Dennis did the same in an Stadium, specifically slot receiver April 12 Spring Game 1 p.m. Bobcats’ runs in a 13-4 win C.J. Best, who forgot where he was See Bobcats, Page 11A See Baseball, Page 16A

• Converse-Judson at San Marcos, 7 p.m. Thursday, March 27 High School Tennis The Daily Local • Cornerstone at San Marcos Academy, High School Softball • San Marcos at Boerne Champion Invita - 4:15 p.m. • Smithson Valley at San Marcos, 7 p.m. tional, All Day Schedule... High School Softball • San Marcos Academy at Holy Cross, 5 Record’s • San Marcos at New Braunfels Canyon, 7 p.m. Saturday, March 29 Sunday, March 23 p.m. College Track & Field College Baseball College Baseball • St. Dominic de Savio at San Marcos • Texas State at University of Texas Relays • Texas State at Arkansas State, 4 p.m. • Texas State at Western Kentucky, 1 p.m. Academy, 4:30 p.m. College Softball College Softball Two Womenʼs College Tennis Friday, March 28 • Texas State at UL-Lafayette, 2 p.m. • Texas State at Texas Tech, 12 p.m. • Arkansas State at Texas State, 1 p.m. College Baseball • Texas State at UL-Lafayette, 4 p.m. Menʼs College Golf • Texas State at Arkansas State, 6 p.m. High School Baseball Monday, March 24 • Texas State at UTSA Lone Star Invita - High School Baseball • San Marcos Academy at Regents, 1 p.m. minute Menʼs College Golf tional, All Day • San Marcos at San Antonio Wagner, 7 High School Softball • Texas State at UTSA Lone Star Invita - p.m. • Hyde Park at San Marcos Academy, 10 tional, All Day drill Wednesday, March 26 High School Track & Field a.m. College Softball • San Marcos at University of Texas Re - College Track & Field Tuesday, March 25 • Lamar at Texas State, 6 p.m. lays in Austin, All Day • Texas State at University of Texas Relays College Baseball College Track & Field College Track & Field in Austin, All Day • Texas State at Texas, 6 p.m. • Texas State at University of Texas Relays • Texas State at University of Texas Relays High School Baseball in Austin, All Day See Briefs, Page 10A THE DAILY RECORD, San Marcos, TX., Sunday, March 23, 2014 — Page 11A

Bobcats… (From Page 9A) the strongest day of any wide “The first-team offense has The defense drew the brunt of receiver. On one play, Best had some reasonably good exe - Franchione’s ire during a 15- bobbed and weaved down the cution,” Franchione said. “The minute scrimmage as Texas field for a 40-yard scamper off major points right now are for State broke out down markers an option pitch from Jones. the offense to block better and for the first time in spring camp. While the offense looked for the defense to run to the ball Franchione commanded his strong Saturday, the defense and tackle. We haven’t done offense to take it to the weary struggled and new defensive that well all week.” defense: “Come on, they’re coordinator John Thompson Though it wasn’t a good day tired!” looked visibly disappointed. for Texas State’s secondary, the “That’s a two-fold deal,” For the first time in camp, defensive line and linebackers Franchione said. “No. 1, it illus - Texas State seemed lost on in had a relatively solid day across trates to the offense the advan - the secondary — unsure about the board. tage of tempo. When you see the who was supposed to be provid - Senior defensive end Michael defense is tired, that plays into ing coverage. Thompson’s read- Odiari wreaked havoc, especial - your hands. The other side of and-react system shifts the ly in 11-on-11 drills, where he that is, defensively, when you demand onto players and the clogged holes and tackled run - get fatigued, you still have to Bobcats struggled to make ning backs up in the backfield. focus. We got into a little bit of those reads, especially during Odiari also shined in “Bobcat survival mode defensively.” up-tempo drills. drills.” When he lined up The Bobcats capped a gruel - Even when the coverage was against offensive lineman Ryan ing week of spring practice with near-perfect, the tackling wasn’t Melton, Odiari ripped Melton almost 60 minutes of 11-on-11 fundamentally sound. On one backward while grabbing a hold drills Saturday. occasion, wide receiver Ben Ijah of running back Chris Nutall. The offense ruled the day as caught a pass over the middle Offensive tackle Adrian quarterback Tyler Jones and and broke through five arm Bellard excelled in these mano- company moved the ball down tackles en route to the end a-mano matchups with a few the field with ease. Jones was zone. pancake blocks. Bellard has effective on roll-out passes. On Following Saturday’s two- been one of Texas State’s most one specific play, the soon-to-be hour session, defenders had consistent linemen thus far in sophomore quarterback found slumped shoulders and sunken camp. wide receiver Brandon Smith heads as they gathered near the The Bobcats return to their wide-open for a 30-yard recep - sideline. Texas State’s offensive spring practice schedule on tion. players, on the other hand, were Monday. Daily Record Photo by Gerald Castillo It wasn’t just Smith who jumping up and down as “We’ve had four hard days of impressed. Aside from his lapse Franchione blew his whistle practice out of five,” Franchione Texas State defensive end Michael Odiari fights through Ryan Meltonʼs block in concentration during the 15- three times to signal the end of said. “I wanted this to be a chal - minute scrimmage, Best had practice. lenging week. We’ve given them to tackle Chris Nutall during Saturdayʼs spring practice.

Kaspar… (From Page 9A) back. In addition to scoring the eighth I didn’t believe in the potential of this held as accountable for mistakes on and broken slate his first year in San Marcos. fewest points in the nation, the Bobcats university and the leadership we have off the court that I feel like they should After seven years of Dougie Ball, fans turned the ball over 13.7 times per game here, I would have probably walked be.” craved some semblance of defense. Lucky and it’s a miracle they were able to walk away.” So where’s the pony at the bottom of steals weren’t cutting it any longer and with how many times they shot them - Anybody who watched several seasons all this mess? giving up 75 or more points 62 percent of selves in the foot — especially in late- of Dougie Ball — and better yet, had Here’s the tail: Texas State is finally the time the Bobcats stepped on the floor game situations. inside knowledge of the program — playing defense. under former head coach Doug Davalos “We had 10 games that were decided in knows the foundation of every problem. How about the head: When the Bobcats was just silly. the last two minutes or less and only a Davalos recruited his system and not the practice for the first time this offseason, Texas State absorbed what Kaspar, a couple went our way,” Kaspar said. “We player, took a devil-may-care attitude the only tangible remain of the former defense-first, -second and -third coach, have to be able to execute and not panic because he knew he wouldn’t be fired — regime will be Wesley Davis. The soon-to- taught — to an extent — and made great or lose our poise.” and worst of all, valued a jump shot over be senior guard is regarded as Texas strides. The Bobcats led the Sun Belt Texas State had the same problems character. State’s best on-ball defender and is Conference in scoring defense (66 points since 2006 when Davalos took over for Egos constantly clashed and when fourth in career steals. allowed per game), held eight opponents Dennis Nutt. It was only in the 2013 Kaspar assumed control with his no-non - “I’m going to be pretty much dealing to fewer than 58 points (most since 1995- Western Athletic Conference Tournament sense approach, it only magnified. A with players I brought in this spring,” 96) and suffocated UL Monroe in a 61-36 that the Bobcats gelled under Davalos hard-headed senior class often dictated Kaspar said. “We had some issues and win that probably brought tears to and played team-centric basketball, not the downward trajectory of the season. problems this year, but we need to put Kaspar’s eyes. the fractured pick-up version. Kaspar suspended three of the five sen - that behind us and move on.” “We were night and day from the first Not to bury Davalos deeper, but he left iors (Reid Koenen, Corey Stern and Joel This pony isn’t going to turn into a time I worked with these guys until now,” the program in shambles. Kaspar didn’t Wright) at least once during the season thoroughbred overnight, but at least it’s Kaspar said. “There is still room to know that before he took the job and for academic reasons or violations of finally headed in the right direction with improve, but I commend my players for seriously weighed his options. team rules. a successful jockey holding the reins. their growth in that aspect.” “I was a little taken aback by the “What really struck me was with how Tyler Mayforth is the Sports Editor with Defense could only take Texas State so amount of work needed both academical - much structure was needed to get the the Daily Record. You can reach Mayforth far, however, as its anemic offense and ly and athletically,” Kaspar said. “There program going where I wanted it to go,” at [email protected] or on low collective basketball IQ held the team were a lot of issues to be taken care of. If Kaspar said. “I don’t think players were Twitter (@smdrtyler).