By JOHNNY GREEN/Sports Director
The football arced high and deep, the hole in the Texas Stadium roof providing a backdrop as the pass spiraled toward Texas High's wide-open No. 8. Seconds later the ball ricocheted off Nathan Vasher's hands, ending the Tigers' comeback bid against Mesquite Poteet in the Class 4A Division I quarterfinals.
Singling out a dropped pass hardly seems the way to introduce the Gazette's 1999 Player of the Year, but it illustrates that he wasn't perfect. Just almost.
"Everything comes easy for Nate," said Texas High's Barry Norton, recipient of Vasher's talents in his first season as head coach. "He catches the ball so easy, breaks on the ball so easy and has great natural instincts. Sometimes it's too easy for him."
Thus, the dropped pass.
There were 52 others that he didn't drop, turning them into gains totaling 837 yards and 12 touchdowns. Still, catching the ball only scratches the surface of Vasher's talents.
He was also the team's third-leading rusher, averaging 7.2 yards per carry and scoring three touchdowns. As a passer, he was 3 for 3 for 94 yards and a TD.
Defensively, he intercepted six passes for 118 yards in returns. He moved from safety to cornerback when the opponent had a receiver who needed to be shut down.
It doesn't end there. When a big play was needed by the special teams, it was Vasher who got the call. One of his three kickoff returns went for a touchdown. He also scored on a punt return, averaging 31.7 yards on three attempts.
To top it all, he was the first Tiger ever to be named to the all-state first team on both sides of the ball by the Texas Sports Writers Association. The Associated Press also tabbed him first team on defense.
It was a season dampened only by the Tigers' exit from the Class 4A, Division I playoffs in the second round.
"Other than that, I wouldn't change anything," said Vasher,
who was promoted to the varsity
midway through his sophomore campaign.
"I think I accomplished everything I sought out to do. I think I made my team better by playing on both sides of the ball and by returning kicks. I'm pretty satisfied with my season."
While the individual postseason honors did come as a surprise, his season and that of the team's didn't.
"I thought we would do well because of the change of style on offense," Vasher said. "The coaches utilized everybody's talents and everybody got a chance. I got chances to play a lot of different positions that I might not have under our old coaching staff."
Vasher is currently the object of a recruiting battle with four high-profile universities-Arkansas, Texas, Nebraska and Texas A&M-still vying for his signature. He has already visited the campuses in Fayetteville, Lincoln and College Station and will make his decision after a trip to Austin next weekend. So far he hasn't indicated a preference for a school or position.
"I think I like cornerback (best)," Vasher said. "I tried it for the first time last summer (in 7-on-7 league) and it came to me real easy. I think if I get more coaching I can get better at it. Besides, you very seldom see a good defensive back, but everybody can catch the ball and be a receiver."
But not many can do both as well as the
Gazette's Player of the Year did in 1999.
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ALL-AREA OFFENSE
Pos. Player-School Wt. Class
TE Hercules Tarver, Paul Pewitt 210 Sr.
WR Chuck Lincavage, Texas High 180 Sr.
WR Brandon Jones, Liberty-Eylau 195 Jr.
L Gabe Morman, Prescott 279 Sr.
L John Ed Trusley, Ashdown 240 Sr.
L Brandon Grant, Liberty-Eylau 290 Sr.
L Kyle Jackson, Texas High 310 Jr.
L Phillip Gomez, Atlanta 300 Sr.
QB Brad Vinson, Texas High 180 Sr.
RB DeCori Birmingham, Atlanta 190 Sr.
RB Richard Bell, De Queen 195 Jr.
RB Kenny Boyd, Paul Pewitt 180 Sr.
PK Robert Redden, Pleasant Grove 170 Jr.
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PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
NE TEXAS-Lamarcus Franklin, QB,
Liberty-Eylau, 163, Sr.
NE TEXAS-Keith McFadden, RB, Liberty-Eylau, 170, Sr.
SW ARKANSAS-Willie Scott, WR, Nashville, 160, Sr.
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ALL-AREA DEFENSE
Pos. Player-School Wt. Class
L Scott Ward, Ashdown 230 Sr.
L Jeremy Rhone, Liberty-Eylau 225 Sr.
L Anthony Stanley, Paul Pewitt 240 Jr.
L Joseph Coates, Queen City
L Keon Griffie, Texas High 200 Sr.
LB Cory Johnson, Hooks 210 Sr.
LB Sammy Wyatt, Hope 215 Jr.
LB Jimmy Wilkerson, Paul Pewitt 230 Sr.
DB David Williams, Hope 190 Jr.
DB Willie Whitmore, Arkansas High 180 Jr.
DB Adrian Oliver, Atlanta 170 Jr.
DB Courtney Richardson, Liberty-Eylau 175 Sr.
P Jamie Green, Liberty-Eylau 200 Sr.
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PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
NE TEXAS-Bobby Bruce, DB, Hughes Springs, 180, Sr.
SW ARKANSAS-Fred Hopson, LB, Prescott, 185, Sr.
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All-Southwest Arkansas
OFFENSE
Pos. Player-School Wt. Class
Rec. Andrew Fellows, Prescott 190 Sr.
Rec. Gionni Robinson, Stamps 210 Sr.
L Jeff Willis, Ark. High 345 Sr.
L Brian Murphy, Ashdown 225 Sr.
L Columbus Swopes, Mineral Springs 220 Sr.
L Joey Gillenwater, Fouke 250 Sr.
L John Robert Lee, Arkansas High 215 Sr.
TE Paul Wilson, Hope 205 Sr.
QB Brian Pope, Nashville 180 So.
RB Ulysses Hill, Ashdown 160 Sr.
RB Harold Johnson, MineralSprings 175 Sr.
PK Stoney Ray, Nashville 225 Jr.
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR-(tie),
Cedric Cursh,
QB/DB, Foreman, 190;
Ryan Cole, QB/DB, Stamps, 180.
DEFENSE
Pos. Player-School Wt. Class
L Jason Parson, De Queen 210 Jr.
L Brian Scroggins, Ashdown 250 Sr.
L Marlo Wesley, Ark. High 205 Sr.
L James Love, De Queen 230 Sr.
LB Myles McCullough, Nashville 205 Jr.
LB Darrius Norman, Ark. High 210 Sr.
LB Calvin Flemons, Prescott 185 Sr.
LB Arthur Burnett, M.Springs 215 Jr.
DB Alex Peoples, Ark. High 180 Jr.
DB Justin Jones, Fouke 175 Sr.
DB Chris Benson, Nashville 175 Jr.
P Brian Barr, Ark. High 195 Sr.
COACH OF THE YEAR-David Bennett, Prescott.
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All-Northeast Texas
OFFENSE
Pos. Player-school Wt. Class
WR Edrick Walton, Hooks 185 Sr.
WR Bo Ayres, Redwater 150 Jr.
L Carlos Compton, L-E 225 Jr.
L Stewart Scharnberg, Atlanta 280 Sr.
L Mark Hayes, Linden-Kildare 250 Sr.
L James Hawkins, Texas High 290 Jr.
L Ben Harris, Hooks 240 Sr.
TE Chad Adock, Atlanta 185 Sr.
QB Brent Sims, Hooks 160 Sr.
RB Lonta Hobbs, Clarksville 180 Jr.
RB Brent Abby, Pleasant Grove, 225 Jr.
RB Jerome Ganaway, DeKalb 190 Sr.
PK Tramond Hawkins, Paul Pewitt Jr.
NEWCOMERS OF YEAR-
Bo Martin, RB/DB, James Bowie, 170, soph.;
Robert Dowden, RB, Linden-Kildare, 180, soph.
DEFENSE
Pos. Player-school Wt. Class
L Delwyn Johnson, Paul Pewitt 200 Sr.
L Terry Williams, Daingerfield 240 Jr.
L Joseph Coats, Queen City 225 Jr.
L Zelos Abby, Pleasant Grove 235 So.
LB Brandon Neal, Atlanta 185 Sr.
LB Nick Trotter, Hooks 185 Sr.
LB Lamarcus Stanley, Texas High 170 Jr.
LB Lance Hale, Jefferson 190 Sr.
DB Cedric Williams, Jefferson 170 Jr.
DB Crawford Wyse, DeKalb 185 Sr.
DB Ken Hill, Texas High 150 Sr.
DB Michael Boyd, Daingerfield 175 Jr.
COACH OF THE YEAR-
David Ream. Liberty-Eylau
