To say Celina (Texas) High School’s football team is chomping at the bit to knock off defending state 3A-I champion Prosper is a vast understatement.
After 24 seasons of primarily whipping up on their longtime rival, the Bobcats were defeated soundly last year, 33-7.
"I always look forward to this game and beating them," Celina linebacker Caleb Levey said. "But this year I want to beat the tar out of them."
Levey and the Bobcats (4-2) will get the chance Friday at home about 20 miles North of Dallas in a Nike 5 Days 2 Friday special. MaxPreps reporters Nick Reasons and Karl Wilhelm have been in Celina all week and got the bitter taste of what last year’s loss left.
"We won a lot of games over the years and they won one last year and that doesn’t sit too well around here," Celina coach Butch Ford told Reasons and Wilhelm.
Said senior linebacker Jay Perez: "For 24 years they hadn’t beat us, but last year it wasn’t even close. They were more ready than we were."
Said senior quarterback and co-captain Cody Worrell: "(This game) has been hyped up all season since we lost to them last year. Finally the game is here and we’re ready to go out and play against them." {VIDEO_2da9d7be-0ce1-4e15-b013-580bb160b9f4,floatRightWithBar}
Both teams responded to last year’s game in resounding fashion. Celina (12-4 last year) rebounded by winning eight straight before losing in the state 3A-II championship to Carthage 49-37. Prosper (14-1 last year), meanwhile, ripped off eight straight wins, defeating La Vega (Waco) 17-10 in the state finals.
Prosper (5-1) returned 10 starters from that team, including standout linebackers Drew Miller (6-foot-4, 225 pounds) and Colin Padilla (5-10, 175), along with two-way standout Brett Thompson, a receiver and defensive back.
The Eagles opened the year with three straight shutouts, increased their win streak to 17 overall with easy wins over Frisco (33-12) and Decatur (49-10) before losing last week to Argyle, 17-14.
They are led by senior quarterback Brian Hardy, who has rushed for 351 yards and seven touchdowns and passed for 414 and four more. Junior tailback Juan Williams leads the team in rushing with 693 yards and four scores while Thompson has 15 catches for 188 yards and a score.
Defensively, seniors Collin Padila (62 tackles), Collin Couch (52) and Drew Miller (50) set the tone. {VIDEO_8622238b-ccf7-4f4a-955d-26f580764a99,floatRightWithBar} Celina has rebounded well since back-to-back losses to Trinity Christian and Daingerfield and enters on a three-game win streak, with decisive wins over Arlington Heights (34-18), Whitehouse (45-16) and Sanger (48-14).
"We’re 1-0 in district play, and that’s exactly where we want to be," Ford said. "We had a tough preseason and learned a lot about ourselves. It made us a lot better.
"This is a great, friendly rivalry. They have a great team, probably the best we’ve played all year."
