Shiner defense will be anything but Green
Team knows what to expect from Windthorst brothers in 1A final
December 19, 2003
Scott McDonald, The Dallas Morning News
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The Shiner football team had the dubious task of stopping a talented back named Green last weekend. This week the job triples.
A week after playing Chilton all-state quarterback Jamar Green, Shiner must face three backs named Green when it takes on Windthorst at 7 p.m. Saturday at Waco ISD Stadium for the Class A state championship.
Windthorst has a three-pronged attacked in brothers Brad, Chad and Kyle Green, a trio that astutely runs the triple option out of the Wishbone.
"We're going to have to play a perfect game to stop them," Shiner coach Steve Cerny said of Windthorst. "They are very big, and they don't make many mistakes."
Shiner doesn't make many mistakes, either.
Each team is 14-1 and seeking its second state title. Shiner won the 1986 Class 2A state championship with a win over Mart. Ten years later, Windthorst won the Class A championship with a 41-12 win over Bedford.
Windthorst is led by a strong running game, spearheaded by Brad and Kyle Green. Brad, a freshman who averages 8.75 yards per carry, has 1,410 yards and 21 touchdowns. Kyle is a senior who averages 7.4 per carry and has 1,155 yards with 26 touchdowns. Chad, a senior quarterback and twin of Kyle, has passed for 1,555 yards and rushed for 523.
Windthorst averages 43 points and 418 yards per game, but it's the defense that could win Saturday's game. Windthorst, which has 39 interceptions and a turnover margin of plus-35, allows only 225 yards and 12 points a game.
"We're going to have to control the line of scrimmage on offense and defense," said Windthorst coach Bill Green, the father of the Green brothers, the two oldest of whom were ball boys for the school's 1996 state championship team. "We also have to stop their dive play and their sweep. I don't know if we'll be able to stop it, but we'll try."
Shiner advanced to the state championship game with a balanced running attack from its split-back Veer offense. Chris Baer leads the charge with 1,572 yards and 22 touchdowns. The other two backs couldn't be any more balanced: Quentin Wright has 1,249 yards and 18 touchdowns, and Garet Pustka has 1,244 yards and 19 touchdowns.
Shiner will attempt to stop the potent Windthorst offense by using a base 4-3 defense with multiple variations. Baer, who also plays middle linebacker, has two interceptions and 10 sacks to go with his team-leading 110 tackles. Shiner allows only 10 points a game.
"Both teams need to control the clock to keep the other offense off the field," Bill Green said. "Shiner has a solid team, and we have to get after them."
Windthorst (14-1) vs. Shiner (14-1), Class A state championship, 7 p.m. Saturday, Waco ISD Stadium
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