01/24/03 Rockers Press Release

A loss is tough for any football team; but especially when you make multiple mistakes, and lose by a big margin. The Rockers turned the ball over five times to Lake Charles, and consequently lost 67-28. Five turnovers to none was the story of the game! Two turnovers led directly to scores: a 50 yard interception return by linebacker Butch Monticello, and an 18 yard fumble return by defensive back Warren St. Junious.

There were some bright spots for Austin. Kicker Darren Brown was steady; providing the Rockers with their only points of the first half on field goals of 29 and 38 yards. The most success on offense came on running plays. Shon Mitchell rushed for 49 yards on 11 carries and scored Austin's first touchdown on an 18 yard run. David Banks, playing in his first game, had 8 carries for 31 yards and two touchdowns on runs of 9 and 2 yards. (Game Stats)

The most glaring difference between these two teams is that Lake Charles was playing its fourth game of the season while the Rockers were only playing their second. This is not an excuse; it's just a fact! The Landsharks were sharp (from steady weekly game experience), the Rockers were not!

It's very difficult for any team to sit through two byes through the first three weeks of the season; then open with the toughest two teams in the division! Teams need to play on a regular basis (especially at the beginning of the season), to work out the kinks and to get their timing and rhythm down! That is almost impossible to do when you are not playing on a regular basis.

This week, we play our third game of the season and third straight on the road! We take the longest bus ride of our season to Tupelo, Mississippi. It will be another tough trip for the Rockers; but our players and coaches aren't about to back down from the challenge!

The past is the past! We are using the Lake Charles experience as a wake-up call! We are determined to turn this negative situation into a positive!