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DEL.ICIO.USDiscipline carried Banneker to playoffs
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The job at Banneker, as Benny Crane saw it, was bigger than the games, bigger than the potential victories and definitely bigger than the inevitable losses.
More importantly, he insists, it was about changing the perception that had long dogged the Trojans as a perpetually undisciplined and underachieving program.
“Banneker always has been blessed with a lot of good athletes, year after year,” Crane said. “But we just haven’t been able to hit it.”
Crane took the route of changing the core, which, with the talent on the roster, would ultimately change the results on the field. After four losses to open the season — one to rival Westlake, the Trojans’ first-round playoff opponent Friday night — it would have been easy for him to question his philosophy.
But three times after defeats, referees sought out Crane to share the kind of sentiment that moved the coach.
“They said we were one of the most disciplined teams they had seen,” Crane recalled. “After reading blogs in the past calling us dirty and everything else, to have impartial referees notice how we conduct ourselves meant a lot. I knew it, but it just validated it for me and made me feel good.
“We do a lot of life-teaching,” he added. “Of 90 players, only about nine will go on and play in college. So we talk a lot about preparing for life, growing up to be solid young men. And the kids have done a great job grasping those things.”
The players seemed to grasp that they were letting their season get away from them after the winless start. But they came together to take four victories in the final six games, earning another shot at neighborhood foe Westlake.
Although he attended Lovett and was a star linebacker there, Crane grew up in the Banneker neighborhood, which means he grew up in the Westlake area, too.
In 15 minutes, you can get from one school to the other. “These kids have gone to elementary school and middle school together. They’ve gone to camp together and talk to each other every night on the phone,” Crane said.
So to “circumvent some of the hype,” Crane had his team show up just 45 minutes before kickoff. “Roll off the bus and play the game,” he said. “I wanted to separate the emotion of the kids from the game.”
Hard to say if it worked. His players seemed as charged as Westlake’s, and the schools put on an exciting display of offense. Westlake just had more, and came away 34-28 winners.
On both sides of the ball were skilled playmakers that made the interminable game tolerable. The Lions sported spectacular junior running back Mychal Harrison, 11th-grade quarterback Cameron Newton and a fleet of fleet-footed receivers — Jamal Washington and Antonio Glover, among others. All of them broke through many Banneker tackles for huge gains.
Their efforts made obsolete the stellar talent of Trojans quarterback Jason Rogers, awesome running back Andrew Ramsey and receivers DeAnthony Houston and Deshon Lawrence.
Banneker held a 21-14 lead with 4:05 left in the first half. But Westlake, playing at home, answered with a 69-yard run by Harrison, and then, after an Addison Williams interception, took a 27-21 halftime advantage on a Newton quarterback sneak.
Try as they might, the Trojans did not have enough to extend their season. But Banneker’s defeat was not an underachievement. The Trojans were overwhelmed by a better, faster and more opportunistic team. And there’s no shame in that, especially considering from where the Trojans have come.
Permalink | Comments (4) | Categories: Curtis Bunn
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By Jaguars
November 5, 2005 07:25 PM | Link to this
Why can’t Stephenson High School get some love this year?
By brandon brown
November 6, 2005 06:34 PM | Link to this
This is Brandon Brown From westlake High School #21. We were a much better team than banneker and we will beat any other team that comes in our way. I don’t like Banneker but i give one player from their team respect RB Andrew Ramsey. we played at Ben Hill REc center together that’s the only reason. But quote my word on this one we will Win the state 3-AAA championship. It feels good to be A Lion.
By STEPHANIE R. WHITE
November 7, 2005 03:17 PM | Link to this
This is Stephanie White (Andrew Ramsey’s mother from Banneker #1). I just want to tell Brandon thanks for the comment about Drew. We all have to stand up for our school, so it’s o.k. you dont like Banneker, but you know we will always represent in whatever we do when we come from Ben Hill. I hope you all much success in the playoffs, and now that we’re out, I will be rooting for you. God Luck!!! and Thanks again.
By Robert Young
November 7, 2005 04:09 PM | Link to this
Westlake is full of talent that has been supplied by a Super Football Program @ Sandtown Park.