2005 Record: 10-2
2005 District Record: 6-0
Playoff finish if any: State Runner-up

Home Stadium: Cougar Stadium
Capacity:1200

Coach's Record at the school: 45-12
Number of years at the school (including 2006 season): 6
Overall Coach's Record: 45-12
Number of starters returning on offense: 6
Number of starters returning on defense: 5

Key returning players (with 2005 stats All-State/All-District honors):
• QB Jeff Abt 1100 yds 20 Td's HM All-State
• DT Scott Milbourn 18 TFL 66 Tackles 1st All-State
• LB Garrett Van Dyke 21 TFL 89 Tackles 1st All-State
• WR Matt Krob 1100 yds rushing 19 TD's 1st All-State

Key players lost
• Kendrick Blue – Truman St
• Clark Fangmeier - Rice
• Jeremy Best – Arkansas Tech
• Isaiah Castillo – Arkansas Tech
• Jared Cramer – Arkansas Tech
• Mark Wilson – Arkansas Tech

Key Newcomers (transfer in or moving up from JV or Jr. High)
• Patrick Johnson RB 9 th grade 1400 yds rushing last year
• Keenan Woods OT 12 th grade transfer from Westfield 6'2 315

What is your team goal(s) for the 2006 season?
• Develop Godly young men
• Win State Championship

What is your overall season outlook for 2006?
We hope to be better than last year. Some holes to fill but less holes now that Spring Ball has come and gone. We are getting excellent leadership from our Seniors.

What are your keys to victory in 2006?
• Leadership of Jeff Abt QB
• Improvement in the Secondary

What are the strengths of your team heading into the 2006 season?
• Improved passing game
• Small but strong and quick O-line
• Front seven on Defense

What is/are the area(s) that your team needs to focus on during spring practices, pre-season workouts and scrimmages leading up to the 2006 season?
• 100% commitment to summer workouts
• Secondary
• Timing in the passing game

Give us your thoughts about your spring practices/drills:
We had a good Spring with 8 practices and a Spring Game. Installation of new passing game went very well thanks to OC David Nelson. QB Jeff Abt threw for 317 yards and ran for 32. Defense is solid and will have an improved Secondary. We had excellent spirit and attitudes during Spring and this will carry over into our summer workouts which are very tough.

Background Information

Quarterbacks:

Offensive Backfield:
This will be interesting this year as we look to a sophomore to fill the one-back spot. Stuart Trahan had 394 yards as a freshman (1000 on JV) with 5 TD's including a 94 yard TD jaunt vs Galveston O'Connell. He needs to add size and speed and should do just that with a great summer. Good work ethic. He is a playmaker and makes good reads then goes downhill. Add to that an incoming freshman Patrick Johnson who had 1400 yards in 9 games last year in Jr. High and it's a pretty good mix. PJ is a Barry Sanders type kid, 5'5 150, and very strong with 4.8 speed. He's going to be the real deal if he keeps working hard. Must put 2+ tacklers on him.

Receivers/Tight End:
Two seniors are our X and Z receivers. Mike Ellisor is 6'1 155 and runs a 4.66. He has excellent hands and made 5 catches in the Spring Game for 110 yards, two of those diving catches. Very fluid, agile. John Martin is a different type, 6'0 180, runs a 4.68 and cleans 250. Made 6 catches in Spring Game for 92 yards and 2 TD's and was tough to bring down. Runs excellent screens. A surprise has been Kyle Serres at Y. Played JV DB last year but came on Spring and made 6 catches in SG for 65 yards. Sure-handed. Only a sophomore, but already 6'3. Needs to add 10 lbs of muscle. Smart. Then you've got Matt Krob at H. All-District performer since his freshman year at WR and RB, Matt is the school's all-time leading receiver and yards from scrimmage. He will be a hybrid in the new offense, carrying the ball 6-8 times a game, and will be a tough match-up in the slot vs a linebacker. His 4.56 is second fastest on team.

Offensive Line:
Quietly the engine of the offense. 2 all-district performers return: Josh Yerian (HM All-State) and Aaron Walther . Josh is 210 and may play center this fall. He is an excellent athlete, with a 270 clean and 5.0 speed. Aaron is 215 and will anchor the strong guard spot. Both had 40+ pancakes last fall. The quick guard looks to be Jr Matt Fisher , 215 with a 250 clean and 5.1 speed. Strong Tackle looks to be transfer Keenan Woods ( Westfield ), 6'2 315 and quick tackle is a gem of kid named Kirk Wilson . Just a sophomore, Kirk is 235 and had the best spring of any o-lineman. He pulls well (important in our scheme), and loves to block downfield. John Kenward is a 265 Sr who can play any spot on the OL and will provide critical depth. Like Wilson , he squats 425.

Defensive Line:
It starts with DT Scott Milbourn . He is a Sr who is being heavily recruited. He is 6'1 285 with 5.0 speed and quickest first two steps on the team. He benches 385 and squats 465 with a 300 clean. Loves to hit! He will be joined by Jr Scott Martin who is 5'9 235 and benches 275. DE Blaine Tonking is an animal at 6'2 210. He is a triathlete and cleans 275 with 4.9 speed. The other spot is a question mark. Sr Aaron Butler and Fr Reid Tonking are competing for that position.

Linebackers:
Garrett Van Dyke is a blue-chipper at ILB. 6'1 220 lbs he cleans 275 and runs a high 4.78. He has been a very productive in his first three years, with almost 75 tackles for loss and All-State distinctions as a sophomore (RB & LB) and junior (LB). Hard worker and leader by example. Soph. Matt Lee and Sr. Hunter Heldt will battle for the other spot inside. Matt is 6'1 200 with 4.7 speed and a mean streak. Hunter is a Sr. who has put in a lot of work in the weight room and gets the most from his ability. At OLB, Sr Alan Hayes is a 3 year starter who is a solid performer. This might be the year he goes from solid to outstanding if his Spring is any indication. A natural leader with great spirit, Alan plays well in space and as a run stopper. Good instincts. At the other spot, Jr. Cody Scott and Sr. Eric Fulco will compete. Cody is possibly one of the best athletes on the team, with a 4.6 forty and a 6'1 185 frame. We need him to get a little mean.

Defensive Backs:
Free Safety is a question mark after the graduation of All-Stater Blane Toldan. Jr. Jose Abaroa is the #1 candidate after Spring and likes to hit, has good instincts, but lacks great speed. Corners are solid with Sr Ralph Vallier (4.7speed) and Erik Castillo (4.5, fastest player on team). Both are about 160 and can play physical. Ralph has a 265 bench. Only 1 returning interception among the three and that's a big concern. The addition of veteran DB's coach Ray Waddy (Washington Redskins) will help.

Special Teams:
This is an area we take great pride in and it is our goal to never be outplayed in this third. We work on it relentlessly. Soph. Kyle Serres is the next in a line of outstanding kickers at NCS. Great leg strength as a freshman (4 touchbacks in JV) and was 7/8 on PAT's for the varsity in clean-up duty. Has good placement on kickoffs.

Punter will be John Martin, in his second year as the punter. Averaged 39.2 yards per punt last year but more importantly a net average of 36.

NCS predictions for the finish of teams in our district:
1. Northland
2. Houston Christian
3. Second Baptist
4. Concordia
5. Westbury Christian
6. Lutheran South
7. Ft. Bend Baptist
8. Lutheran South
9.

Pre-Season Top 10 (All Private Schools in our division)
1. Plano Prestonwood
2. Arlington Grace Prep
3. Midland Christian
4. Denton Liberty
5. Dallas Christian
6. Houston Northland
7. Ft. Worth Christian
8. Houston Christian
9. Houston Second Baptist
10.Tomball Concordia Lutheran

What positive(s) from 2005 is Northland looking to build on for 2006?
We're looking to finish the job. Eagerly anticipate the upgrade in district competition.

What thing(s) from 2005 would NCS like to avoid in 2006?
Offense being predictable

What is Nortland's biggest game of the year – why?
Non-district – Home vs St. Pius 9/22
District – at Houston Christian 10/20

Top Recruiting Prospects Seniors and Juniors and what schools are they interested in.

1. Scott Milbourn Schools: Big 12, TCU, SMU, Rice, N'western
2. Jeff Abt Schools: Rice, N'western, SMU
3 .Garrett Van Dyke Schools: TCU, OSU, SMU, Arkansas , Utah

Other comments about the 2006 season or player(s):
Season will hinge on how well the Srs take a strong leadership role in weights this summer and practice this fall.