NEDERLAND —   NEDERLAND -- The following information should help anyone playing Beat Bob West this week: the Nederland Bulldogs have started each of the last three seasons and four of the last five at 1-1. The last three seasons started with a loss and then followed with a victory.

    Since West Orange-Stark handed Nederland a 40-19 loss last Friday, the stage is set for a potential history lesson with the Patriots of Goose Creek Memorial.

      That history suggests that the Bulldogs have GCM, tonight's opponent, right where they want them, even if head coach Larry Neumann says his team is still experimenting with personnel.

   By no means is the 18-year Bulldog boss using it as a crutch but Nederland is not exactly the same team it was in the spring or when the squad came together for two-a-days a month ago.

   A concussion (Brett Butler) and an ankle injury (Exavier Bill) has brought on changes in Nederland's defensive front and in the secondary. The Dogs also went from two senior quarterbacks to an inexperienced sophomore almost overnight.

  "We haven't been as concerned with Goose Creek so much as we are concerned with our team," explained Neumann. "We have to find what is going to work best for this team. We have some pretty good ideas of what that is but we have to improve on those things and we have to get better at some of the things we aren't so good at right now."

  Suffering from a pulled groin, Nederland's Jake Kemp will still play some safety, along with Trevin Sonnier, but Kemp will forgo his duties at tailback. In his place, juniors Troy Benjamin and Edwin Nelson will take on that role.

    Bill, although never listed as a starter, has a 6-2, 240 pound frame that Neumann's defensive line could benefit from regularly. Holden Butler will be in for Brett Butler at the other safety position.

   At any rate, Neumann says his team is very capable of beating GCM, provided his team tackles and blocks better.   

  "They played a good game last week but gave up some big plays that really hurt them, just like with us," Neumann said of the Patriots, who suffered a 24-14 loss to Little Cypress-Mauriceville at home in Baytown last week.

   GCM coach Bret Boyd said that was exactly the case.

   "I think it really came down to four or five plays and that was the difference," Boyd explained. "I think Nederland has had some of those same problems. They (Bulldogs) are well-coached and have a lot of history down there with their program so I know our kids are excited.

   "Football in Nederland on a Friday night is a big thing. We'll need to execute better but I think we should have a chance to win. We definitely want to improve with every game. We want to be prepared for district and I'm sure coach Neumann will say the same thing."



When: Friday, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Bulldog Stadium

Records: GCM 0-1, Nederland 0-1

Series: 0-0

Radio: KLVI (560-AM)

Internet video: Port Arthur News Friday Night Experience on www.panews.com at noon Saturday.



NEDERLAND BULLDOGS

DEFENSE

DT - Brock Pryor (52)

DT - Blake Castillo (71)

DE - Koby Couron (79)

DE - Corbin Carr (69)

MLB - Jordan Wood (25)

OLB - Brett Brown (45)

OLB - Luke DeLord (29)

LCB - Zach Taylor

RCB - Trey Broussard (15)

LS - Trevin Sonnier (9)

RS - Holden Butler (24)

OFFENSE

QB - Carson Raines (18)

RB - Troy Benjamin (1)

WR - Stephen Schlett (10)

WR - Trevin Sonnier (9)

WR - Brent Salenga (4)

WR - Chris Cunningham (7)

LT - Andrew Lack (67)

LG - Austin Dial (68)

C - Kanton Richard (53)

RG - AJ Garza (50)

RT - Ben Jones (62)



GC MEMORIAL PATRIOTS

OFFENSE

QB - Chris Cowen (12)

RB – Damon Guillory (28)

WR – Tavaris Moody (20)                                   

WR – Jarimiah Johnson (82)

WR - Justin Meza (14)

WR – Josh Mayes (80)

LT –  Kendall Wilkerson (76)     

LG – Seth Tyler (65)

C – Clint Welborn (60)

RG – Kenneth Camp (51)

RT –  Jonathan Lambright (55)

DEFENSE

DT –  Cody Schumaker (54)

NG – David Hall (40)

DT – Vince Allen (34)

ILB – Desmond Collins (32)

ILB – Tyler Cox (35)

OLB – Josh Stuart (46)

OLB – Alvin Munrose (40)

FS – Charles Simpson (15)

SS – Terry Vallaire (21)

CB – Darwin Dejean (23)

CB – Melvin Smith (2)