Interesting Comments About Lee Gonzalez
Posted: Thu Dec 22, 2005 10:57 pmHumble Hippos? Look to the offensive line
Key to Hutto ground game starts up front with experienced linemen
By Alan Trubow
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Thursday, December 08, 2005
HUTTO — One is the leader, the strong and cohesive personality who acts like a father, teaching and binding the group together.
One is the physical specimen, wowing with his Division I talent and ability to overwhelm opponents.
Andrew Price
AMERICAN-STATESMAN
(enlarge photo)
Hutto quarterback Jeremy Kerley, right, outruns Smithville's Jesse Istre as Hippo lineman Jess Thomison, left, trails the play on Oct. 7. Thomison, a center, is one of four seniors on Hutto's offensive line, which he says has 'a lot of chemistry.'
Andrew Loehman
AMERICAN-STATESMAN
(enlarge photo)
Hutto defensive tackle Dylan Martinez takes down Cameron Yoe running back T.J. Olivarri, left, while Hutto's Cass Slover and Yoe's Ryan Mikulec, right, rush in to help during Saturday's Class 3A playoff game in Round Rock. Hutto defeated its district rival to set up a state semifinal this weekend against top-ranked and undefeated Cuero.
One is the undersized overachiever, somehow pushing people around despite his smaller frame.
One is the goofball, nicknamed Goober: always smiling, cracking jokes and taking heat for his interesting personality.
One is the junior, looking up to the rest of his mates, trying to fit in and be one of the guys.
And there you have it, the Hutto Hippos' offensive line. Five parts. One unit.
One big, talented unit.
"They've got different personalities, but they're just a group of hard-working country boys," Hutto Coach Lee Penland said. "They're good friends. They hang out together when they're not playing football. It's really just a good group of guys."
Seniors Jess Thomison, Lee Gonzales, Kash Kothmann and Cody Almquist, and junior Matt Tomlinson have been the catalyst to a Hippos offense that has averaged more than 34 points per game this season heading into Saturday's Class 3A, Division II semifinal matchup with Cuero (13-0).
The reason? There's 15 years of starting varsity experience between the group.
It starts with the 285-pound Gonzales, who has started since his freshman year and will continue his football career next season at SMU. Then there's Almquist, a 265-pound beast who has started since his sophomore year. So has Thomison, the 265-pound center, and Kothmann, the Tiny Tim of the bunch at 200 pounds.
All that experience adds up.
"It makes a lot of difference," Thomison said. "After having all this experience for all these years, everybody is happy with where they're at and the position they're playing. We just keep getting better and better. It's chemistry. We have a lot of chemistry."
It's chemistry that has been built on and off the field.
These guys have been playing together since seventh grade. They've experienced success, winning district in junior high by opening up holes and providing protection.
And then there are the off-the-field activities.
"We all like to go hunting," Kothmann said. "We hunt together. Lee is probably the best hunter. Well, he's the most avid hunter. But we all go out and hang out together."
It's not just hunting. There's dancing, too.
"We all like to go to this dance hall, too," Kothmann said. "Almquist probably is the biggest dancer. At least he thinks he is. He thinks he's the ladies' man. But he's better on the football field."
They're all better on the football field. And part of the reason is how well they get along and fit into their respective roles.
Gonzales is the quiet guy who goes about his business and earns respect because of the way he dominates.
Thomison is the motivational guy who gets in peoples' faces, talks them up and lets them know when something isn't right.
"They all look up to (Gonzales) because of how good he is. He's just a talented football player who commands respect because of his ability. He's a quiet kid, but they all learn from him," Penland said. "Thomison is probably the leader of the bunch. If one of the coaches gets in a player's face — and I'm the offensive line coach so that happens a lot — Thomison is the guy who calms the player down."
When he needs to. Though sometimes he's the guy getting in people's faces.
"You know you did something wrong if Jess is coming your way," Kothmann said. "There was one time where my defender beat me and I was getting a little out of control. Jess was there to tell me to calm down."
But, most of the time, everybody on this offensive line is quiet.
They're humble. They don't want attention. And they don't know what to do when showered with praise.
"I don't think any of us care about the attention," Gonzales said. "We understand when our running backs or quarterback gets attention that we were doing our job."
And they have been doing their job. The offensive line is one of the main reasons the Hippos have gone the furthest in the playoffs in school history. Now they're going to have to match up against one of the top defenses in the state.
Can they do it?
"I don't think there's anybody who's gotten the best of us, yet," Thomison said. "It's going to be a challenge, but I think we are capable. We just have to play smart football and execute. I think we'll be OK."
Key to Hutto ground game starts up front with experienced linemen
By Alan Trubow
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Thursday, December 08, 2005
HUTTO — One is the leader, the strong and cohesive personality who acts like a father, teaching and binding the group together.
One is the physical specimen, wowing with his Division I talent and ability to overwhelm opponents.
Andrew Price
AMERICAN-STATESMAN
(enlarge photo)
Hutto quarterback Jeremy Kerley, right, outruns Smithville's Jesse Istre as Hippo lineman Jess Thomison, left, trails the play on Oct. 7. Thomison, a center, is one of four seniors on Hutto's offensive line, which he says has 'a lot of chemistry.'
Andrew Loehman
AMERICAN-STATESMAN
(enlarge photo)
Hutto defensive tackle Dylan Martinez takes down Cameron Yoe running back T.J. Olivarri, left, while Hutto's Cass Slover and Yoe's Ryan Mikulec, right, rush in to help during Saturday's Class 3A playoff game in Round Rock. Hutto defeated its district rival to set up a state semifinal this weekend against top-ranked and undefeated Cuero.
One is the undersized overachiever, somehow pushing people around despite his smaller frame.
One is the goofball, nicknamed Goober: always smiling, cracking jokes and taking heat for his interesting personality.
One is the junior, looking up to the rest of his mates, trying to fit in and be one of the guys.
And there you have it, the Hutto Hippos' offensive line. Five parts. One unit.
One big, talented unit.
"They've got different personalities, but they're just a group of hard-working country boys," Hutto Coach Lee Penland said. "They're good friends. They hang out together when they're not playing football. It's really just a good group of guys."
Seniors Jess Thomison, Lee Gonzales, Kash Kothmann and Cody Almquist, and junior Matt Tomlinson have been the catalyst to a Hippos offense that has averaged more than 34 points per game this season heading into Saturday's Class 3A, Division II semifinal matchup with Cuero (13-0).
The reason? There's 15 years of starting varsity experience between the group.
It starts with the 285-pound Gonzales, who has started since his freshman year and will continue his football career next season at SMU. Then there's Almquist, a 265-pound beast who has started since his sophomore year. So has Thomison, the 265-pound center, and Kothmann, the Tiny Tim of the bunch at 200 pounds.
All that experience adds up.
"It makes a lot of difference," Thomison said. "After having all this experience for all these years, everybody is happy with where they're at and the position they're playing. We just keep getting better and better. It's chemistry. We have a lot of chemistry."
It's chemistry that has been built on and off the field.
These guys have been playing together since seventh grade. They've experienced success, winning district in junior high by opening up holes and providing protection.
And then there are the off-the-field activities.
"We all like to go hunting," Kothmann said. "We hunt together. Lee is probably the best hunter. Well, he's the most avid hunter. But we all go out and hang out together."
It's not just hunting. There's dancing, too.
"We all like to go to this dance hall, too," Kothmann said. "Almquist probably is the biggest dancer. At least he thinks he is. He thinks he's the ladies' man. But he's better on the football field."
They're all better on the football field. And part of the reason is how well they get along and fit into their respective roles.
Gonzales is the quiet guy who goes about his business and earns respect because of the way he dominates.
Thomison is the motivational guy who gets in peoples' faces, talks them up and lets them know when something isn't right.
"They all look up to (Gonzales) because of how good he is. He's just a talented football player who commands respect because of his ability. He's a quiet kid, but they all learn from him," Penland said. "Thomison is probably the leader of the bunch. If one of the coaches gets in a player's face — and I'm the offensive line coach so that happens a lot — Thomison is the guy who calms the player down."
When he needs to. Though sometimes he's the guy getting in people's faces.
"You know you did something wrong if Jess is coming your way," Kothmann said. "There was one time where my defender beat me and I was getting a little out of control. Jess was there to tell me to calm down."
But, most of the time, everybody on this offensive line is quiet.
They're humble. They don't want attention. And they don't know what to do when showered with praise.
"I don't think any of us care about the attention," Gonzales said. "We understand when our running backs or quarterback gets attention that we were doing our job."
And they have been doing their job. The offensive line is one of the main reasons the Hippos have gone the furthest in the playoffs in school history. Now they're going to have to match up against one of the top defenses in the state.
Can they do it?
"I don't think there's anybody who's gotten the best of us, yet," Thomison said. "It's going to be a challenge, but I think we are capable. We just have to play smart football and execute. I think we'll be OK."