Sports irrorWednesday, January 6, 2010

FORT WORTH – JordanShoemaker was walking off the fieldat Amon G. Carter Stadium when heheard his name being called. As heturned around, it was Air Forceoffensive lineman and fellow EllisCounty native Chris Campbell.

Campbell, a senior on the Falcons’front line, had just closed out hisfootball career with a 47-20 win overShoemaker’s Houston team in theArmed Forces Bowl. The two caughtup for a few moments beforeCampbell returned to the celebrationand Shoemaker headed to the lockerroom.

Already Shoemaker had set hisgoals for next season – be a part of

the celebration at the end of the year. “You’ve got to forget about this,

you can’t sulk on it. Yeah, it’s a lossbut I’ve got another year and I’ve gotto focus on my last year,” Shoemakersaid.

A junior starter on the Houstonoffensive line, Shoemaker helpedengineer a Cougar offense that wasdominant for much of the season.The Cougars averaged 43.9 pointsper game and were tops in the nation

with 581.2 yards per game. However, against an upstart Air

Force defense the high-flying attackwas anything but.

Houston gained just 331 yards on61 plays. A large part of that sluggishperformance came off turnovers asHouston quarterback Case Keenumtossed a bowl-record six intercep-

Shoemaker ready to put loss in bowl behind himHouston offensive lineman optimistic about senior season in 2010 By ALEX RILEYMirror sports writer

Photo by Gary Puckett/Special to the Mirror

Houston offensive lineman Jordan Shoemaker talks withfellow Ellis County resident Chris Campbell after the game.Houston played Air Force in the bowl for the second year. See BOWL, Page 4C

Armed Forces BowlAir Force 47, Houston 20, Final

@Amon G. Carter StadiumDec. 31

FORT WORTH — The scoreboard was abit deceiving by game’s end.

Yes, Air Force had just picked up a lopsided47-20 win over Houston in the Armed ForcesBowl. Of that, there was very little doubt. TheFalcons deserved to bevictorious and by awide margin.

But it was not indica-tive of the microcosmconnected to EllisCounty.

On both sides of theball there were formerhigh school rivals whohad one final chance tosquare off against eachother. And when it wasall done, they shookhands, talked for a fewminutes and evenshared a laugh or two.

Former Midlothianstandout Jordan Shoemaker took the worst ofit as the Cougars suffered through the seasonending loss. The left guard provided protec-tion for All-American quarterback CaseKeenum who had little go his way. He threwsix interceptions in the game, three less thanhis total for the entire season.

However, the turnovers didn’t show how

Ellis Countyproducts shinein bowl game

ALEX RILEY

MIRRORSPORTSWRITER

Photo by Alex Riley/The Mirror

After coming back from the holiday break, the Midlothian boys basketball team won the consolation bracket of theFort Worth ISD Coca-Cola Classic. The Panthers have now won four of their last five games.

FORT WORTH — A few weeks ago,Glenn Hartson was a little bit worried. HisMidlothian boys basketball team was on abit of a swoon late in the non-district sea-son. After dropping the championshipgame of the Joshua Tournament, thePanthers fell in the next three straight to fallto 5-7.

However, the team rallied for a win inthe district opener against Waxahachie justbefore going on break for the holidays.They returned on Dec. 28 for the FortWorth ISD Coca-Cola Classic.

The boys won three of the four gamesthey played in three days and have nowpicked up wins in four of their last fivegames to improve to 9-8 as district playgets ready to tip off.

“I think it’s good and I think it speaksvolumes for the program. I know last yearwe had a little down year but this is whatwe’ve done in the past. This is Midlothianbasketball,” Hartson said. “We’ve alwaysbeen right there and it all goes to kids. Theypractice. After our loss the other day, wewent back and practiced and they’re willingto do that. They know that it’s going to helpthem be successful.”

Following the 19-point loss to FortWorth Polytechnic, the boys rallied to reeloff three straight wins and claim the tourna-ment’s consolation bracket title. OfMidlothian’s nine wins, seven have come

in tournament play as the Panthers (9-8, 1-0 district) have amassed a 7-3 tournamentrecord with two consolation bracket titlesand a runner-up finish.

It did not come as easy as that though. Against Houston Northbrook in the sec-

ond game of the tournament, Hartsoncalled a timeout early in the second half tolight a fire under his team after some lack-luster effort.

The plan worked to perfection as thePanthers went on to post 25 points in theperiod and roll through the rest of the tour-nament.

“I called a time out and I got pretty ani-mated I think. I haven’t yelled at them likethat all year. I felt like they needed that andit worked. I was proud of them. I’m proudthat they scored 25 points in the third quar-ter but we’ve still got to work on the rest ofour game,” Hartson said. “If we’re going tobe good in district and go to the playoffswe’ve got to get that taken care of.”

Picking up momentumBoys basketball team comes back from break, earns big wins in tournament

Photo by Alex Riley/The Mirror

In three tournaments this season, Eddie Johnson (right) has been named tothe all-tournament team twice. Johnson and Nimitz guard C.J. Shelton werehonored after the consolation championship game last week.

By ALEX RILEY

Mirror sports writer

See HOOPS, Page 2C

The viewfrom thepress box

In a 9-8 start this year, theMidlothian boys basketballteam has found its greatestsuccess while playing in regular season tournaments.

Highland Park Tournament: 2-1record, consolation bracket title

Joshua Tournament: 2-1record, runner-up finish

Coca-Cola Classic: 3-1 record,consolation bracket title

Tournament warriors

Photo by Gary Puckett/Special to the Mirror

Former Midlothian offensive linemanJordan Shoemaker was one of two EllisCounty products playing in the ArmedForces Bowl. Shoemaker and Houstonfell to Air Force 47-20.

See RILEY, Page 4C

Future remains bright as areatalent pool continues to refill

1C-1-06 sport 2/8/10 12:16 PM Page 1