Central Spring Game Draws National Attention

SAN ANGELO, TX-- The Bobcats took to the San Angelo Stadium turf to give fans their first look at the 2018 team in a game-like scenario with their annual Spring Game.

“We came out of [the spring] relatively healthy and just got better,” Central head coach Brent Davis said. “Four weeks ago I wasn’t very pleased with a lot of things. We just kept getting better each day and I felt like tonight was pretty good.”

The game pitted the Bobcat offense against the defense and drew attention from more eyes than just the local media.

A film crew from the Go90 docu-series “QB1: Beyond the Lights” was on hand documenting Central’s QB1, Maverick McIvor and the Bobcats. Central’s gunslinger, who’s sitting on 15 Division I offers, is being considered to be one of the featured athletes for the 2019 recruiting class.

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“It’s great for [Maverick], obviously. It’s a big feather in his cap,” Davis said. “It’s good for our program. It’s good to put San Angelo on the map. That’s a nationwide deal and it puts our brand out there, Bobcat football and San Angelo ISD and the town of San Angelo, Texas. All of that is fantastic. It’s good for football, it’s good for high school football and it’s good for this town.”

McIvor looked good in the scrimmage, throwing a couple of touchdown passes and showcasing his running ability which Bobcat fans have come to know and love.

“He’s as good a quarterback [as you’ll find] in the nation in high school and that’s not an overstatement,” Davis said of the District 2-6A MVP. “When you have a guy like that, you’re going to have a good football team.

McIvor’s spring, when not fielding offers, was used to get acquainted with his new-look receiving corps that only features two returners from 2017, Philip Lupton and Jackson Timme.

“We’ve gotten so much better since the start of [spring practice] and we’re definitely looking forward to next year,” McIvor said. “Our defense stepped up and got better and better every practice, so we’re really looking forward to next year.”

In the scrimmage the meshing of the new receivers and McIvor seemed evident, with the newcomers occasionally underestimating McIvor’s arm strength or dropping passes. However, that group will have plenty of time to gel with 7-on-7 tournaments during the summer in places like Austin and Lubbock.

Tanner Dabbert and Christian Gabaldon are expected to be the deep threats for the Bobcats in 2018.

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Above: Central's Tanner Dabbert catches a touchdown pass during the Bobcat's spring game. May 18, 2018 (LIVE! Photo/Sam Fowler)

“They’ve gotten better and better,” Davis said of the two receivers. “Dabbert played great tonight. He’s had a great spring. Christian has gotten better. It’s going to take him a little bit. He’s young, just a sophomore, and he played on our [junior varsity] last year.”

In 2017, the Bobcats looked like they would have a stacked backfield with Austin Barron transferring in to play running back before missing most of the season due to injury.

While the Bobcats relied heavily on McIvor’s running ability in 2017, Bobby Pena saw considerable time in the backfield as a sophomore which should translate well in 2018. The Bobcats also got a big boost when Sam Goodloe III transferred to Central from Reagan County at the beginning of the spring semester.

Both Pena and Goodloe showed excellent vision and running ability during the scrimmage.

“It always helps when you have a great quarterback than can throw the ball well if you can put a running game with him,” Davis said. “It makes [our offense] really good. I feel good about both [Bobby and Sam]. Sam moved in in January and really caught on and had a good spring. Bobby’s back from last year and he’s going to be solid, he’s going to be dependable. With them together, we’ll have a good running game.”

Goodloe rushed for over 1,400 yards combined during his sophomore and junior seasons for the Owls.

Behind, rather in front of this juggernaut offense is the offensive line where the Bobcats return four of their five starters from 2017. Heading up that quartet are Gunner Couch, Rowdy Garza and Oscar Nino. Couch missed the spring due to injury, but will start up front for Central when the 2018 season rolls around.

“I can’t wait,” said an enthused McIvor. “Four out of five coming back and that’s real good. I don’t know if we’ve allowed more than five sacks this spring. They work their tail off and every day they’re just out here getting better.”

Defensively, the Bobcats will look to replace a plethora of players in different position groups with the likes of defensive backs Gage Smith, Jakobe Green, Nick Severson and Otto Haynes, linebacker Noah Gatton and defensive linemen Malik Smith and Michael Neira graduating from Central High School.

The Bobcats open fall practice on Monday, Aug. 13, before opening the 2018 season at home against Killeen Shoemaker on Friday, Aug. 31.