Rams Season Comes to an End

The bus ride to Williams Stadium was short for both teams. In what was the first meeting between the two neighboring schools, the stage was set for a classic high school playoff game. For 41 minutes, the Rams and Owls were engaged in a battle of defense, field position, and wind. But the last 7 minutes of the game turned into a nightmare for the Rams. The Owls broke open a 3-3 tie and scored 24 unanswered points to advance to Round 2 of the 5A Division I playoffs with a 27-3 victory. The Rams (7-4 overall) could not overcome its won turnovers and mistakes and the Owls overcame their own turnovers to get the win. Jerome Regal and Wendell Simon combined for 91 of the Rams 115 rushing yards. Safety Trey McGee led a stellar Ram defensive performance by recording two interceptions and corner Jerome McCullum also added an interception. The Owls were held to 213 total yards as Owl QB Adrian Phillips was under constant pressure for most of the game and completed only five passes. Defensive tackles Quincy King and Justin Yancey played well for the Rams and controlled the line of scrimamge. LB"S Grant Nakwaasah, Corey White, and Deontae Crosby held the Owls offense in check for much of the game. Kicker Zack Olen battled the wind and provided the only points for the Rams on a 28 yard field goal in the second quarter.

The Rams coaching staff would like to give a special "thanks" to the band, parents, and faculty for their unconditional support this season. The coaches also want to acknowledge the leadership and efforts of our graduating senior football players and we want to remind them that no matter what- WE ARE ALL GREEN and IT'S A GREAT TIME TO BE A RAM.

Click here to read the Dallas Morning News article about the Rams-Owls contest.

http://www.hsgametime.com/dfw/sharedcontent/dws/content/topstories/stories/111508dnspogarland.41d3201.html

The Rams knew that several scenarios existed going into the last regualr season game v.s the WT White Longhorns that could get the Rams into the playoffs. The easiest scenario was for the Rams to earn a berth by beating WT White. Mission accomplished. The Rams (7-3 overall and 4-3 in District 9-5A) beat the Longhorns 37-0 at Ram-Wildcat Stadium to earn a berth in the 5A Division I (Big school) playoffs. QB Lawrence Williams broke loose on a 96 yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Williams also added a 17 yard TD run in the 2nd quarter and kicker Zack Olen booted a 25 yard field goal to put the Rams up 24-0 at the half. Linebacker Corey White had a 77 yard interception return for a touchdown and fellow linebacker Grant Nakwaasah also got into the scoring act by registering a 50 yard interception return for a touchdown as well. Punt returner Brennan Dichiara also showed his skills by returning a punt 56 yards for a touchdown.

The Berkner defense was oustanding once again. They registered their 4th shutout of the season and held WT White to less than 130 yards of total offense. Overall, the Rams have held 7 of their 10 opponents to 7 points or less. For the year, the Rams defensive unit finished the season ranked # 1 in the state in points allowed per game @ 9.5 points/game for 5A teams that played a full 10 game schedule. The defense also ranked # 2 in the area in yards allowed per game at 211 yards per game. And the Rams coaching staff knows that to win in the playoffs you must play strong defense and hopes are high that the defense will continue their stellar play throughout November.

The Rams will face the Garland Owls (9-1) on Friday, Nov. 14 at Williams Stadium in Garland. Despite the close proximity of the schools, the Rams and Owls have never met on the gridiron. The winner of the contest will advance to round 2 of the playoffs and will face the winner of the Tyler Lee- A&M Consolidated contest being played on Sat. Nov. 15 in Waco. The loser will begin offseason next week. It is a GREAT time to be a RAM and the Rams need your support against the Owls.

Check out the Dallas Morning News boxscore and info. about the Rams.
http://www.hsgametime.com/dfw/schoolinfo.htm?y=2008&m=11&sportId=3&propertyId=1&infoType=boxScore&eventId=156509&schoolId=0


Rams Subvarsity results:

Rams JV Green 50 WT White 32
A shootout at Loos Stadium favors the Rams as the JV finished with a school-record 7-3 season. Congrats JV players, coaches, parents, and fans on an awesome season.

Freshmen Green 34 WT White 0

And this is a message from Coach Darnell:

The 9th Grade football team concluded the 2008 football season last night with a convincing 34-0 victory over the Dallas W.T. White Longhorns. In doing so, the young Rams finished 9 - 1 and won the First Freshmen Football District Championship in Berkner High School history!!!!!! Key performers in the game were Fred White who scored two touchdowns on runs of 1 yard and 32 yards respectively, Max Olen who returned a blocked punt for touchdown, Gerald Gafford who rushed for 55 yards, Marcus Davis who rushed for 65 yards, Trey Caldwell who scored on a 10 yard run, Sam Van Dyke who played well offensively, Xavier Thomas who threw a touchdown pass and played well offensively, Emmanuel Anderson who had a pass reception for a touchdown, Luke Russell who played well offensively, and Chris Bennett and JaMichael Smith who both had several defensive stops behind the line of scrimmage. If you see these young men today, please congratulate them on a job well done. Coach Darnell would like to take this time thank Mrs. Hurst and the Freshmen Cheerleaders for their support throughout the season and all of the coaches who gave of their time to help these players be successful.



Players of the Week
W.T. White

Offensive MVP – Charles Blackmon

Defensive MVP – Grant Nakwaasah & Corey White

Offensive Back – Lawrence Williams

Offensive Line – Tyler Tokar

Special Teams – Brennan Dichiara

Defensive Back – Aric Stock

Linebacker – Cameron Morris

Defensive Line – Preston Wimberly

Big Hit – Wendell Simon

JV Green vs W.T. White
MVP Offense – Nick Thompson & Marcus Bradley
MVP Defense – Micah Taylor & Raegan Lucio

Freshman Green vs W.T. White
MVP Offense – Xavier Thomas & Marcus Davis
MVP Defense – Max Olen & Fred White

Halloween Night and an Eagle Homecoming proved to be a frightening experience for one RISD team- the Richardson Eagles. The Berkner Rams overcame the distractions early as Rams defensive back Jerome McCullum returned an interception 25 yards for a touchdown on the third play of the game and the Rams never looked back in a 33-7 win at Eagle Mustang Stadium. Rams fullback Christian Corbitt rushed for a career-high 154 yards on 19 carries and 3 touchdown runs of 6, 2, and 1 yards. Kicker Zack Olen booted a 47 yard field goal in the 2nd quarter and added a 30 yarder in the third quater. But once again, the Berkner defense was stout. The Eagles (4-5 overall and 3-3 in district) were held to 75 total yards and only 9 first downs. The Eagles averaged only 1.5 yards per play overall. The linebacking crew of Corey White, Grant Nakwaasah, and Deontae Crosby continued to lead the charge and tackle/end Quincy King and safety Trey McGee registered big plays defensively for the Rams. The Rams defense, is ranked # 1 in the state (for teams that have played 9 games) in points allowed per game at 10.5 per game. The Dallas Morning News also lists the Rams as the # 2 defense in the area at 211 yards allowed per game. In 9 games, the defense has held 6 opponents to 7 points or less and have registered 3 shutouts. And in case you are wondering, the Rams schedule has not been an easy one. Six of the 10 opponents on the schedule are going to the playoffs next week.

The win improved the Rams to 6-3 overall and 3-3 in district play. It also moved the Rams one step closer to the fourth and final playoff spot in District 9-5A. Several scenarios exist where the Rams will get the playoff nod but the simpliest is a win over the WT White Longhorns on Friday. The Longhorns enter the contest with a 2-4 district record and a slim mathematically shot at the final playoff spot. The game is also the last home game for the Rams and will be senior recogition night. Activities will begin @ 7pm and kickoff is set for 7:30pm @ Ram Wildcat Stadium.

Check out the Dallas Morning News recap of the Berkner-Richardson game at the link below.

http://www.hsgametime.com/dfw/sharedcontent/dws/content/topstories/stories/110108dnspoberkner.41c7fe1.html


Rams Subvarsity results:

Berkner JV 40 Richardson 14

QB Nick Thompson and RB Jamaal McShane lead a strong offensive effort for the Rams. The JV improves to 6-3 on the year and can finish with 7 wins if they beat WT White, which would be a school record for JV wins.

Freshmen Green 48 Richardson "A" 0

The young Rams started quickly and dominated all phases of the game. Key performers in the game were Fred White who returned a fumble for a touchdown, Max Olen who scored on a 15 yard run, Gerald Gafford who scored on a 65 yard run, Xavier Perkins who threw two touchdown passes, Luke Russell who scored on a 15 yard reception, Michael Norwood who scored on a 12 yard reception, Tyler Jackson who scored on a 20 yard run and played well defensively, Aaron Catalan who did a good job on the offensive line, and Jordan Naemi who scored on a 18 yard run and blocked extremely well all night. The young Rams enter the final game of the season next week (against W.T. White) with an opportunity to win the Freshmen 9-5A District Championship!!! Please come out and support the young Rams. They play at Couch Field in Dallas starting at 5:30pm

Freshmen White 6 Richardson 18


Players of the Week
Richardson

Offensive MVP – Christian Corbitt

Defensive MVP – Jerome McCullum

Offensive Back – Lawrence Williams

Offensive Line – Tyler Tokar/Preston Wimberly

Special Teams – Brennan Dichiara

Defensive Back – Trey McGee

Linebacker – Grant Nakwaasah

Defensive Line – Justin Yancey

Big Hit – Johnson Nguyen

JV Green vs RHS
MVP Offense – Ahmad Hatim & Nick Thompson
MVP Defense – Jonta Bell, Davontae Corbitt, & Zakee Boyd

Freshman White vs RHS
MVP Offense – Johnny Ellzey
MVP Defense – Juan Rivera

Freshman Green vs RHS
MVP Offense – Aaron Catalan & Jordan Naemi
MVP Defense – Tyler Jackson

October had not been a kind month for the Rams. But last week proved that hard work and a positive attitude means something as the Rams broke a 3 game skid with a 55-0 victory over the Sunset Bison. QB Lawrence Williams tossed three touchdown passes, a pair of 30 yarders to Spencer Edmonds and Brennan Dichiara and a 41 yarder to Cory Cathwon. Cameron Linvel had two TD' s on the ground, one from 38 and the other from 54 yards out. Wendell Simon had a 54 yard TD run and Jerome Regal and Christian Corbitt each had 1 yard scores for the Rams who posted their season high in points scored in a game. Kicker Zack Olen was 7 for 8 on PAT's and once again was a weapon with his deep kickoffs. Offensively, the ground atttack was dominate and the average gain per carry was 12 yards.
Defensively, the Rams posted their third shutout of the season and allowed only3 first downs to the Bison. Sunset managed only 79 yards and was forced to punt 9 times. Nine of their 10 possessions were 3 and out possesions. The Berkner front seven was strong and welcomed the return of defensive tackle Justin Yancey, who missed the past 4 games due to injury. The strong outing moved the defensive unit back up the area rankings and the Rams now sit as the # 6 ranked defense according to the Dallas Morning News stats.
The Rams moved to 5-3 on the year overall and 2-3 in District 9-5A. The Rams face their biggest game of the year as they will travel down Beltline Road to tangle with long-time rival, the Richardson Eagles. The Eagles stand at 4-4 on the year and 3-2 in district play. The Eagles broke a 27 game losing streak earlier this season with a win over Denton. More importantly, the Eagles currently sit in fourth place in District 9-5A and the winner of the Halloween showdown is likely to grab the fourth and final playoff spot.
No hype is needed for this game. The possibility of a playoff spot is motivation enough for both teams. Kickoff is set for Friday, Oct. 31 at 7:30pm @ Eagle Mustang Stadium. This is Homecoming for RHS so arrive early.


Rams Subvarsity action this week:

JV Green 20 Sunset 0
JV record moves to 5-3 on the year


Freshmen Green 28 Sunset 12
Freshmen Green now is 7-1 on the year and undefeated in district play.

Players of the Week
Sunset

Offensive MVP – Lawrence Williams

Defensive MVP – Deontae Crosby

Offensive Back – Brennan Dichiara & Cory Cawthon

Offensive Line – Preston Wimbery & Cameron Jenkins

Special Teams – Cameron Jenkins

Defensive Back – Trey McGee

Linebacker – Cameron Morris

Defensive Line – Matt Emami

Big Hit – Charles Blackmon

JV Green vs Sunset
MVP Offense – Chris Hollis & Nick Barre
MVP Defense – Taylor Ricamore

Freshman Green vs Sunset
MVP Offense – Michael Pitts
MVP Defense – Luke Russell

Last Friday night, the Rams traveled to Forester Field to face the #10 ranked Skyline Raiders. Skyline boosts one of the most talented rosters in District 9-5A and in north Texas for that matter. The Raiders possess a top 10 area ranked offense and the # 1 ranked defense in the metroplex. Both teams engaged in a physical first half battle and both teams struggled with turnovers and falied to capitalize on opportunites. At the end of the first half, the game remained scoreless.
In the third quarter, Raider QB Chris Frazier threw two touchdown passes, from 22 and 14 yards out, to WR Mike Davis and the Raiders led 12-0 in the third quarter. Rams LB Grant Nakwaasah tackled Frazier in the end zone later in the quarter to get the Rams on the board at 12-2. Midway through the 4th quarter, kicker Zack Olen hit a 30 yd. field goal to cut the lead to 12-5 and it appeared the Rams had a solid shot of forcing overtime. But, with less than 3 minutes remaining, the Rams hopes ended as Raider safety Kerry Nation intercepted a pass and returned it 30 yards for a touchdown to push the final score to 18-5.
Despite the tough loss, several Rams had outstanding performances. Safety Trey McGee intercepted a pass and recorded 10 solo tackles. Punter/kicker Zack Olen had 8 punts for a 43 yd. avg. and combined with his kickoffs out of the end zone, he has become a weapon for the Rams.
The Raiders improved their record to 6-1 and 3-1 in district play. The Rams fell to 4-3 overall and 1-3 in district play. The Ram Coaching Staff knew that the 2008 season would present many challenges for the Rams. Early road wins against South Grand Prairie and Desoto proved the Rams had what it takes to compete for a playoff spot in District 9-5A. But October has not been a kind month and with three games remaining on the district schedule against Sunset, Richardson, and WT White, the reality is clear. The Rams must go 3-0 to go to the playoffs. Positive attitudes and hard work can get the job done. I would not want to be a Rams opponent the next three weeks. The Rams return home to face the Sunset Bison at Ram Wildcat Stadium on Fri. Oct. 24. Kickoff is set for 7:30pm. GO RAMS!!

In other subvarsity action:

Skyline JV 17 Berkner JV 0
JV record falls to 4-3.

Freshmen Green 35 Skyline 6
Green Team improves to 6-1!!!

Freshmen White 18 Creekview "B" 12
White Team stops Mustangs late to secure win.
___________________________________
Players of the Week
Skyline

Offensive MVP – Zach Olen

Defensive MVP – Trey McGee

Offensive Back – None

Offensive Line – Tyler Tokar & Cameron Jenkins

Special Teams – Corey White

Defensive Back – Aric Stock

Linebacker – Grant Nakwaasah

Defensive Line – Preston Wimberly & Quincy King

Big Hit – Jerome Regal

JV Green vs Skyline
MVP Offense – Jamaal McShane
MVP Defense – Ja’Michael Young & Denzell Wade

Freshman White vs Skyline
MVP Offense – Matthew Flores, Nick Kanu
MVP Defense – Josh Brown

Freshman Green vs Skyline
MVP Offense – Cameron Oliver, Hadi Alnaeemi
MVP Defense – Michael Norwood, Trey Caldwell

October has not been a Ram-friendly month as the Rams lost its second consecutive game 35-14 to its neighborhood rival, the Lake Highlands Wildcats. The Wildcats jumped out to an early 21-0 lead as QB Rick Zorn ran for a 7 yd. score and threw 2 touchdown passes to Austin Jones. Rams RB Jerome Regal scored on a 1 yd. plunge to get the Rams within 21-7 in the second quarter. But with less than a minute before halftime, Zorn scrambled and dodged his way through the Ram defense for a 19 yd. TD run and pushed the Wildcats lead to 28-7 at the half. In the third quarter, the Rams offense began to move the football on the ground and through the air and QB Lawrence Williams, who ended the night with 80 yds. passing, found Regal in the back on the endzone for a 3 yd. TD reception. The Wildcats responded with a score of their own, a 3 yd. TD run by Zorn, and the lead stretched to 35-14 late in the third quarter and neither team scored any the rest of the way. Zorn accounted for all five Wildcat touchdowns and the Rams were led by Regal's 2 scores and 83 yds. rushing by slotback Terry Gilbert.
The Rams fell to 4-2 overall and 1-2 in District 9-5A with the loss and the road to recovery does not get easier as the Rams travel to Forester Field on Friday, October 17 to challenge the Skyline Raiders. Skyline is 5-1 overall and 2-1 in district play with their only loss being a 24-20 defeat at the hands of Lake Highlands two weeks ago. The Raiders beat the Richardson Eagles 30-16 this past week and are equally dangerous on offense as on defense. Three of their wins have been shutouts and their offense is averaging 34 points per game and can score on the ground or through the air with their potent spread offensive attack led by QB Javia Hall, RB James White, and WR's Mike Davis and Joe Powell. Playoff implications are beginning to take shape as the Rams look to get back in the win column and fight their way back into the top four of the district standings. Creevkiew and Lake Highlands sit atop the district standings with 2-0 records with Skyline and Richardson at 2-1 and Berkner and WT White at 1-2. Skyline and Berkner have no recent meetings in the regular season but they did clash in the 2005 and 2006 playoffs and the Rams won both contests, 24-14 and 38-0, respectively. Game time is set for 7:30pm at Forester Field in Dallas.

Rams Subvarsity results:

LH JV 28 Berkner 27
QB Aric Stock and WR Spencer Edmonds paced a strong offensive attack for the Rams. The JV Rams are 4-2 on the year.

Freshmen Green LH
This was probably the most exciting finish of all the teams this season as the Rams rallied at the buzzer to win. The Green team improved its season record to 5 - 1 with a come from behind victory over cross-town rival Lake Highlands by a score of 21 - 18. The "young" Rams scored with 3 seconds remaining in the game to complete the comeback and get the win. Key performers in the game were JaMichael Smith who played outstanding defensively, Fred White who scored on a 5 yard run and played well defensively, Chris Bennett who played well defensively, Max Olen who played outstanding defensively, Gerald Gafford who had several big runs in the game, Jordan Naemi who had a touchdown pass, Xavier Thomas who played well offensively, and Luke Russell who scored two touchdowns including the winning touchdown.

LH "B" 6 Freshmen White 0

Last week proved to be a tough week for the Rams as they tasted defeat for the first time this season by losing on the road to a physical Creekview Mustangs squad, 21-14. Slot back Terry Gilbert had a 53 yard run and QB Lawrence Williams capped the long run with a 3 yard scoring run to get the Rams going early. Creekview QB Scotty Grau scored twice on runs of 34 and 60 yards ine the first half as they built a 14-7 halftime lead. The second half looked promising for the Rams as LB Grant Nakwaasah blocked a punt and LB Corey White scooped it up and scored from 37 yards out to tie the game @ 14-14. Grau scored on a 42 yard run late in the third quarter to put Creekview up for good at 21-14. The Rams had their chances in the fourth quarter but were unable to even the score and hence suffered their first loss and fall to 4-1 on the year. Creekwview remains unbeaten at 5-0 and sit atop District 9-5A with Lake Highlands and Richardson at 2-0 in district play.
The tough October stretch continues on Oct. 10 as the Rams host their longtime rival the Lake Highlands Wildcat at Ram-Wildcat Stadium. The Wildcats, 3-2 overall on the year and fresh off a 59-0 trouncing of the Sunset Bisons, are averaging 37 points per game. QB Ricky Zorn leads a high-octane spread offensive attack that is equally potent on the ground as through the air. Zorn and RB's Antoine Harrison and Desmond Roland have combined for over 1100 yards rushing in five games and WR's Dionte Garrett and Billy Allen have 34 catches and 7 TD catches combined. The Rams defense, ranked # 6 by the Dallas Morning News and yielding only 6.8 points per game, is eager to face the challenge of the Wildcat offense. And if the last few years contests in this rivalry are any indication, this game could come down to the last seconds. The past three meetings have been decided by a total of 11 points. Game time at Ram-Wildcat is set for 7:30pm.


In other Ram action this week:

JV Green 35 Creekview JV 12

Spencer Edmond catches three TD passes in the first half as the JV Rams run their record to 4-1 on the year.


Freshmen Green 56 Creekview 6
Freshmen White 6 Creekview 0


Players of the Week
Creekview

Offensive MVP – Zach Olen

Defensive MVP – Grant Nakwaasah

Offensive Line – Carson Bevers & Cameron Jenkins

Special Teams – Cameron Linvel

Defensive Back – Corey Dixon

Linebacker – Corey White

Defensive Line – Matt Emami

Big Hit – Brennan Dichiara

JV Green vs Creekview
MVP Offense – Nick Barre, Spencer Edmonds, Aric Stock
MVP Defense – Jonta Bell, Raegan Lucio, Kendall Douglas

Freshman White vs Creekview
MVP Offense – Thomas Ward
MVP Defense – Matthew Flores

Freshman Green vs Creekview
MVP Offense – Greg Bernal
MVP Defense – Jordan Naemi

The stage is set for one of the best games in the area as the Rams and Creekview Mustangs meet on Thurs. Oct. 2 @ Standridge Stadium. The Rams, fresh off of a 50-0 Homecoming victory over the Molina Jaguars, meet the unbeaten Mustangs who are fresh off a 49-7 thumping of the WT White Longhorns. Rams kick returner Jerome Regal got the party started with a 90 yard kickoff return for a touchdown against the Jaguars. Slotback Demarcus Lewis was on the receiving end of a 31 yard TD pass from QB Lawrence Williams to make it 14-0 early in the 1st quarter. Kicker Zack Olen kicked 3 first half field goals and Jerome Regal added a 13 yd. TD run and Cameron Linvel hauled in a 12 yard pass to complete the first half scoring and put the Rams up 36-0. RB Jamaal McShane added 2 second half TD runs to round out the scoring and send the Rams home with their second shutout this season.
The Creekview Mustangs are the # 7 ranked scoring offense in the state with a 44 points per game average and are rolling up over 469 yds. per game (ranked # 2 in area by Dallas Morning News. The triple threat of QB Scotty Grau, RB Ryan Wilson, and RB Andre McCoy leads the Wing T offensive attack behind an aggressive offensive line. The Rams defense, ranked # 1 in the state (by 5A Texas Preps) by allowing only 3.3 points per game and is allowing only 178 yards per game to earn a # 2 area ranking by the Dallas Morning News.
All statisical rankings can be found here.

http://www.5atexasfootball.com/08defensive_scoringleaders.htm

http://www.hsgametime.com/dfw/schoolinfo.htm?propertyId=1&schoolId=0&infoType=areaStatLeaders&areaGroupId=361&sportId=3

The Rams triple option attack is averaging 30.5 points per game and QB Lawrence Williams is confident that they can continue their winning ways the next few weeks as the Rams face Creekview, Lake Highlands, and Skyline. October is going to be a huge month for the Rams and for several playoff contenders in District 9-5A. Stay tuned.



Other Rams action this week:

JV Green 42 Molina JV 0

Freshmen Green 35 Molina "A" 0

Freshmen White 0 Richardson 6



Rams Players of the Week:

Offensive MVP – Cameron Linvel

Defensive MVP – Eric Mecklin

Offensive Back – DeMarcus Lewis

Offensive Line – Brandon Elliott

Special Teams – Jerome Regal

Defensive Back – Jeremy Hooker

Linebacker – Cameron Morris

Defensive Line – Marrell Jackson

Big Hit – Jamaal McShane

JV Green vs Molina
MVP Offense – Ahmad Hatim
MVP Defense – Matt Cannon

Freshman White vs Richardson
MVP Offense – Kevin Benitez
MVP Defense – Malik Green

Freshman Green vs Molina
MVP Offense – Gerald Gafford
MVP Defense – Chris Bennett

The Berkner campus has been a buzz this week as the smell and sounds of Homecoming mums and pep rally celebrations fill the halls. Excitement for Homecoming Week 2008 and the festivities that surround it have overshadowed one major fact---the Berkner Rams football team is undefeated at 3-0. But according to Coach Ledford and his staff, the three non-district wins are nice but have to be set aside as district play begins this week and the team focuses it attentions to the first district opponent, the Molina Jaguars. The Jaguars enter the game with an 0-3 record but if this week's practices at Berkner are any indication, the Rams are not worried that the Jaguars are winless. The practices have been high energy and productive as the Rams hope to continue their winning ways. The Rams, ranked # 12 in the Dallas Morning News Sports Day area 5A poll, enter the game with the area's 3rd ranked defense and have allowed only 13 points thus far in three games. Offensively, junior QB Lawrence Williams leads a strong ground attack that has racked up roughly 900 yards rushing in three games as 9 different players have been asked to carry the ball. And with the early season solid performances by junior Kicker Zack Olen and the special teams, the Rams look strong heading into district 9-5A play. It won't take long to see if the Rams are playoff quality in 2008 as they will face Creekview, Lake Highlands, and Skyline in the three weeks following Homecoming. Those three teams have a combined record of 7-2 thus far with Creekview and Skyline matching the Rams with 3-0 starts. The phrase, "It's a Great Time to be a RAM" has resurfaced this fall on the Berkner campus. The next few weeks should prove just how great of a time it really is for the Rams.

After posting a 10-7 victory over the Desoto Eagles in Week 2, the U.S. Army has named the Berkner Rams as their Army Strong Team of the Week in 5A Texas Football. Here is the article from www.texasfootball.com



09/17/2008
For the second straight year, TexasFootball.com is proud to partner with the U.S. Army for the Army Strong Team of the Week throughout the 2008 Texas high school football season.

Each week, TexasFootball.com and the U.S. Army join together to select one team from every classification in high school football that demonstrated the qualities exhibited within the Army – those include leadership, commitment to excellence and a desire to make a difference as a member of a team. Each is awarded the Army Strong Team of the Week by local officials from the U.S. Army at a school assembly or pep rally.


Army Strong Teams of Week 2
Class 5A: Richardson Berkner: DeSoto came into last week's game averaging 34 points per game. Berkner held them to 39 second half yards and forced three turnovers, one of which set up the game-winning 41-yard field goal with less than three minutes to go. It all added up to a 10-7 Berkner win.

Class 4A: Sulphur Springs: The entire nation had a chance to see how good the Wildcats are. Tyrik Rollison and Rashad Hall hooked up 6 times for 116 yards and two TDs in a 22-16 upset of top 10 Wichita Falls Rider, which aired on ESPN2.

Class 3A: Swee*censored*er: Daniel Jackson carried the ball 8 times for 150 yards, including a 94-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, which helped the Mustangs upset state-ranked Monahans 17-14.

Class 2A: Daingerfield: It had been a full decade since top 10 Celina had lost at home. That was before the Tigers rolled up 25 first-half points and snuffed a second-half rally to pull off the 28-20 upset.

Class 1A: New Deal: The defense was close-to-perfect, forcing seven turnovers and holding the powerful Swift offense scoreless until late in the fourth quarter in a 14-7 upset of Nazareth.

Six-man: Star: Star pulled off the upset win in this battle of the Tigers, rolling up a close to a triple-digit point total in a 90-64 road upset of Division I Gustine, which entered the game as heavy favorites.

Private schools: Austin Hill Country: The experts correctly predicted a blowout when AHC met Dallas Covenant. The only problem is they predicted the wrong direction, as the 34-point-underdog Knights reminded us all why they play the games with a 65-20 dismantling of Dallas Covenant.