Stamford Bulldogs vs. Munday Moguls

Game One of the Eighth Annual Action Sports Medicine Champions Classic will certainly be quite a match between two teams that are expected to go deep into the 2011 playoffs – the Stamford Bulldogs and the Munday Moguls.

“Stamford has one of the area’s best small school quarterbacks (Hagen Hutchinson) and wide receivers (Jessie Ramos),” said Abilene Reporter-News sportswriter Evan Ren. “They had a great JV team last year and should be as good or probably better than last year. Munday is probably the fastest small school team in the Big Country. Their track team also knows how to play football. And Dee Paul is probably the quickest athlete in the area. I expect them to be very good.”

The Bulldogs finished 10-2 last season and were area finalists in the playoffs. Coach Wayne Hutchinson, who returns 6 starters, will rely a lot on a familiar face (son Hagen) to get the pigskin down the field. As a sophomore, Hagen completed 131-of-213 passes in 2010 for 2,319 yards and 24 TDs, with only 6 INTs. He also ran the ball 129 times for 924 yards and another 14 TDs. He led the team in tackles (120) from his defensive back position and grabbed 2 INTs. He’s predicted to be the District 4-1A offensive MVP.

Ramos (5-10, 155) was Hagen’s favorite target, catching 43 passes for 922 yards (a 21.4 average) and 12 TDs in just 8 games. Other Bulldogs to watch include offensive tackle Ray Alaniz and wide receiver Dalton Mathis (8.8 average last year).

Coach Patrick Corcoran’s Moguls enjoy 16 returning starters from a squad that went 11-3 last season and was a state quarterfinalist in the playoffs.

Dave Campbell’s magazine has also predicted that Munday senior defensive tackle and four-year starter Blanford Paul (72 tackles, 5 sacks) could get the District 8-1A defensive MVP award. He’s 6-0, 240 pounds, also rushed for 181 yards in 2010, and is on everyone’s radar in 2011.

Likewise on the radar is all-everything junior Dee Paul (6-0, 155) who accumulated these numbers in 2010: 1,693 yards rushing on 179 carries for 21 TDs; 12 catches for 273 yards and another 5 TDs; plus, he was 13-of-24 as a QB for 122 yards and a TD.

Other Moguls to watch: linebacker Andrew Serrato (5-10, 175), who had 137 tackles and 7 sacks in 2010; and running back Roddrick Taylor, who rushed 122 times for 882 yards and 14 touchdowns last year.

MORE SOON: Including pre-season stories from the Abilene Reporter-News.