Column: Hobbs football takes another step in right direction

  I pride myself in keeping rooted in reality when it comes to expectations for the teams I cover here in Lea County. 

  I’m not a fan. My job is to stay objective – report what I see.

  So keeping that in mind, when second-year Hobbs football coach Charles Gleghorn told me prior to the season the Eagles were focused on the first three games on their schedule and considered them all winnable, I thought, “He does know they play Artesia at the Bulldog Bowl in the second game of the season, right?”

  Beating Gadsden (which the Eagles did 40-14) and Roswell (a team the Eagles play at home Friday) I could see. While Hobbs hasn’t had a lot of success recently, those are programs the Eagles have defeated.

  But taking down Artesia at the Bulldog Bowl is something the Eagles haven’t done since 1991 – losing 10 straight games at the legendary venue.

Hobbs football stats through week 2

  Each week (either Saturday or Monday) I'll post the Hobbs football team's updated total statistics. Also, I forgot last week, but I'll continue posting my Sunday columns on Tuesdays during football season (if you want it sooner, buy the paper people!).

  Another note, I do have video from the Hobbs football team's win over Artesia on Friday, but haven't had a chance to put it together yet. I'll try to get to it in next few days.

  Anyway, here are the 2-0 Hobbs football team's statistics through week 2.

Individual Stats

Passing

David Romero: 33-for-59 (55.9 percent), 503 yards, 3 TDs, 4 INTs

Kolin Zembas: 1-for-2 (50 percent), 5 yards, 0 TDs, 0 INTs

Video: Hobbs football's victory over Gadsden in season opener

  The Hobbs football team opened the season with a 40-14 win over Gadsden on Friday at Watson Stadium. Here is video from the game (not the best quality, I hope in the future to get a proper camera to shoot video with other than my phone). I'll be working on a column and a follow-up story (we call it our Sunday Quarterback) from the game for Sunday's edition of the Hobbs News-Sun.

Hobbs vs. Belen football scrimmage quick thoughts, stats

Clayton Jones/Hobbs News-Sun

Hobbs' David Romero scrambles during a scrimmage against Belen on

Wednesday at Ruidoso Middle School.

  RUIDOSO — The Hobbs football team went to Ruidoso to face Belen in a scrimmage and lost 6-3 overall (one point per touchdown), including 6-0 with Belen's first team on field. While Belen is a tough squad (coming off a Class 4A state semifinal appearance), Hobbs didn't look as polished as I thought they might. Some shakiness on both sides of the ball. On offense, inaccuracy through the air, poor snaps to the quarterback (at least a half dozen) and dropped passes hurt Hobbs. Defensively, it was a lot of missed tackles (tackling way too high), but the defense didn't allow the big play and made Belen grind the ball down field (which it doesn't mind doing, however). Hobbs has some work to do before its opener Aug. 30 at home against Gadsden.
  Here are the stats from the scrimmage, including the second-team, 12-snap portion where Hobbs gained 240 of its yards (I don't have a roster for Belen, so just team stats for them).

Team Stats

Total yards – Hobbs 456; Belen 367

Rushing (att-yards) – Hobbs 18-157; Belen 43-240
Passing (comp-att-int) – Hobbs 18-39-3; Belen 7-12-0
Passing yards – Hobbs 299; Belen 127
Turnovers – Hobbs 3; Belen 2

Individual Hobbs stats

Passing – David Romero 10-24-2 193 (1 TD); Kolin Zembas 8-15-1 106 (1 TD)

Rushing – Zembas 7-115 (TD); Romero 6-32; Brandon Amaya 2-11; Steven Olivas 3-(minus 1)
Receiving – Olivas 7-42; Alec Smith 5-117 (TD); Amaya 3-77; Oscar Baeza 1-29 (TD); Brody Engle 1-5; Zembas 1-13; Lane Moore 1-5.

Prep athletes must be aware of social media dangers

  There is no doubt social media has changed the game when it comes to journalism – particularly for myself in sports – and how information is distributed to the masses.

  For example, just a few years ago the only way folks knew how a Hobbs boys basketball game went was listening to it on the radio live or picking up the paper the next day.

  Now through Twitter (and following myself or someone who may be at the game), updates are provided and sent to your phone almost as it happens (though, not with the same detail that include the reaction of coaches and players a story in the paper will give you – keep buying the newspaper people!). 

  Social media also makes it easier for all of us to connect. People will ask me questions about a game, team or situation through Twitter and (usually) get a prompt answer because it’s sitting there on my phone. No waiting for me to get back to the office and check my messages or work email.

  However, for every positive use and convenience social media gives us, there are about twice as many negatives that can happen if one isn’t responsible and careful.

2013 Lovington football schedule

  This is Lovington's 2013 football schedule. All games are at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

Aug. 30 vs. Artesia

Sept. 6 @ Robertson

Sept. 13 vs. St. Michael's

Sept. 21 @ Albuquerque Academy (1 p.m. start)

Sept. 27 vs. Eunice

Oct. 11 @ Hobbs

Oct. 18 @ Goddard

Oct. 25 vs. Hope Christian

Nov. 1 @ Portales

Nov. 8 vs. Ruidoso

2013 Hobbs football schedule

  I figured with official practices beginning Monday, I'd again put out the 2013 Hobbs football schedule - which is just a reverse of last season's schedule (Eagles went 2-8 in Charles Gleghorn's first season). All games are at 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted.
  All Hobbs sports schedules can be found at hobbsathletics.org.

Aug. 30 vs. Gadsden
Sept. 6 @ Artesia
Sept. 13 vs. Roswell High
Sept. 21 @ Oñate (2 p.m. Saturday game)
Sept. 27 @ Goddard
Oct. 4 vs. Alamogordo
Oct. 11 vs. Lovington
Oct. 18 @ Cleveland
Oct. 25 vs. Clovis
Nov. 1 @ Carlsbad