Union off to quick 3-0 start
By By Marty Stamper / staff writer
Sept. 16, 2004
UNION Union head football coach Brad Breland may not know how to bake a cake, but he sure knows how good they can be.
And he knows it takes a lot of ingredients to turn out a quality product.
Breland also knows it takes a lot of ingredients in just the right combination to make a quality football team.
A year ago, his Union Yellowjackets started out 0-3 en route to a 6-4 season that did not end with a playoff berth.
This year, the 'Jackets are 3-0 against those same three opponents, beating Noxapater (21-18), South Leake (37-0), and Nanih Waiya (31-0). The back-to-back shutouts are the first at Union since 1985 Breland's senior year.
Several factors have contributed to the turnaround in fortune.
"I think the main difference is that basically every one of them started last year," Breland said. "They're out there and we tell them stuff and they already know what we're going to tell them before we tell them, for the most part.
"They're good kids, they work hard, and they've got a good attitude, and they're talented on top of that.
"They've worked in the weight room a year and have gotten bigger, stronger, and faster. They know what to expect out of us and we know what to expect out of them.
"On top of that, in the preseason we were a lot tougher. We worked harder the first three weeks than we have in the past.
"It's a combination of all those things."
Senior running back Anthony Johnson leads the offense with 323 yards and seven touchdowns on 44 carries. Derrick Holliday and Darron Thames both have over 100 yards rushing. Jacob Casey has completed 8-of-14 passes for 108 yards.
Johnson also leads the defense with 25 tackles. Jess Brantley has 16, Scott Holliday 15, Lorenzo Wells and Nickos Harris both have 14, Jordan Robinson and Jaquarius Talley both have 13, Jamelle Blalock has 12, and Demond McDonald adds 11.
"We set some high goals going into the season and so far we're still on track to meet all of them," Breland said. "We're practicing well and if you practice well, you're going to play well most of the time."
Union is tied with Scott Central for the Region 3-1A lead with identical 3-0 marks. Pelahatchie is 2-0. Nanih Waiya and Thomastown are both 2-1. South Leake is 1-1, Pisgah and Puckett are both 1-2, Noxapater is 0-2, and Edinburg and Sebastopol are already 0-3.
Of Union's remaining seven games, Scott Central (away on Oct. 22), Pelahatchie (away on Sept. 24), Thomastown (home on Oct. 15), and Puckett (home on Oct. 29) should be the toughest challenges to a perfect regular season.
