mirror sports 11-25-09

HIGHLAND PARK – Three weeks ago,Eddie Johnson was trying to get open for apass. Now, he’s trying to get open for a shot.But it isn’t anything he’s not accustomed to.

Johnson, the top receiver in District 16-4Athis season is one of six players on theMidlothian boys basketball roster making theswitch from a fall sport on grass to the wintersport on the hardwood.

Some might see those changes as a process.But for Johnson and his teammates, it’s nothingnew.

“We’ve been doing this since freshman yearso it’s nothing to us. We come in and coach(Glenn) Hartson expects us to progress howwere supposed to progress and play how we’resupposed to play. It’s no difference to us,”Johnson said.

Joining him on the move from the field tothe court are Derrick Agbaroji, Mason Yorkand Trevor Pinson. Agbaroji is a starter whileYork and Pinson have come in off the bench inmultiple games already.

At 6-foot-3 and more than 210 pounds,Johnson is the starting force on the low post forthe Panthers who played their first two gameswithout his services. The results — a 12-pointloss to Mesquite Poteet and a 22-point loss toLake Highlands.

However with the entire team finally avail-able last Friday against Trinity Christian ofAddison, the Panthers rolled to a 64-43 win.The next day, the team won 61-53 over districtrival Ennis en route to winning the consolationbracket at the Scot Classic Tournament atHighland Park.

The added size is something the team knewit needed.

“I knew we could score (without those bigmen), the only thing that was going to hurt usis defense and rebounding. That’s kind of beengetting us. A lot of teams have been getting put-backs. And with Eddie and Derrick in there itmakes a big difference, it really does,” coachGlenn Hartson said. “I think with those guys

we’re going to put up some points.”Since their returns to the court, Johnson and

Agbaroji have helped the Panthers rally from a0-2 start. Johnson scored a combined 18 points

Sports irrorWednesday, November 25, 2009

Robby Clark knows that he won’tcoach the Midlothian football teamnext season. However he isn’t plan-ning on his departure allowing forthe current Panthers to take time offuntil the new coach arrives.

Clark and his coaching staff planto continue working with the play-ers in offseason training. The newsof his resignation was taken prettyhard but it was nothing he believedthe team couldn’t overcome.

“We’re going to work their tailoff during the interim, between nowand the time the new guy is here.We told them there ain’t no daysoff, we’re not going to sit aroundand mope and wonder, we’re goingto work. And at some point, some-one will install their philosphies andbeliefs and then kids will start mak-ing their transition, Clark said. “It

doesn’t matter whether it’s RobbyClark or Lou Holtz, they’re going tohave a senior year and it needs to bea good one.”

In his four seasons, Clarkbelieves the program made stridesdespite a tough record. Each seasonsince his arrival, the Panthers haverisen in the Harris Ratings, seenmore participants come out to play

football and have narrowed the gapson teams that used to run away withvictories in previous years.

All those things Clark believesmake Midlothian an opportuneplace for a new coach with freshideas to come in and begin work.

“I think it’s close to being consis-tently competitive. I chose consis-tently because I feel like in our timehere one of the more respective rat-ing systems is the Harris and we’vegone from 151 to 67 and that’s asignifcant deal. We’ve gone frombarely over 100 high school partici-pants to over 215. We have a largeincoming senior class, that’s thefirst time Midlothian’s ever hadthat,” Clark said. “I think that there isan opportunity to pick up where we leftoff with this program and move it to

Sometimes it just comes downto winning and losing. RobbyClark knew that. So when the

Midlothian football coach turned inhis resignation to the school about aweek after theseason finale,it came as lit-tle surprise.

In four sea-sons, Clarkamassed a 12-28 record asthe head manof thePanthers. Ashe reviewedhis tenure, herealized itwas time tomove on andget a freshstart for bothparties.

His record was his downfall. Itshould not be his legacy.

While the wins and losses didn’tshow up on paper, the real results ofwhat Clark did for the Midlothianprogram will show up down the line.

Prior to his arrival in 2006, thePanther football program had been arevolving door of short-term coacheswith less than glamourous results.From 2001-06, the program wentthrough five different coaches withtwo lasting just one year. Only oneof those was able to pull off a win-ning record (Gary Oliver, 7-4 in oneseason) with two others having five-win season. None made it to theplayoffs.

On paper, Clark’s results don’tdiffer much from his predecessors.However, those numbers are not hisonly contribution to the program.

What Clark provided toMidlothian was the one thing it des-perately needed — stability. Afterthe district earning a reputation ofone-and-done coaching gigs, Clarkgave the school a recognizable faceyear in and year out, and though itwas just four seasons, it was an eter-nity compared to those before him.

That factor has led to good thingsfor the program. Currently, a handfulof former Panthers who spent timeunder Clark are playing at D-I col-leges with more expected to sign let-ters of intent this coming spring.

The Panthers have made strides in nar-rowing the gap between themselves andthe traditional powers. With a few differ-ent bounces, who knows how

Coach’slegacy notin record

Clark thankful for chance, ready for fresh startBy ALEX RILEY

Mirror sports writer

See CLARK, Page 2C

Photo by Mike Sackett/Special to the Mirror

Former Midlothian football coach Robby Clark talks defensivestrategy with his team in a game earlier this season. Clarkcoached the Panthers for four seasons before resigning.

Former Midlothian coach looks back on tenure, ahead to future

The viewfrom thepress box

ALEX RILEY

MIRRORSPORTSWRITER

See RILEY, Page 2C

Transitional periodPhotos by Mike Sackett(left) and Alex Riley (right)/Special to the Mirror

Midlothian senior Eddie Johnson was the district’s leading receiver this year with more than 800 yards. He is also a postplayer for the Panther basketball team. In two games, he has scored 18 points while the team has won both games.

Football, cross country standouts make way to hardwood for PanthersBy ALEX RILEY

Mirror sports writer

Photos by Gary Puckett and Alex Riley/Special to the Mirror

Like Eddie Johnson, Derrick Agbaroji was an offensive weapon on the footballteam who is now playing for the basketball squad. Agbaroji scored 20 in his firstgame this year and has scored 40 points for the season.

Coaching record

2006 season 3-72007 season 5-52008 season 3-72009 season 1-9

Four seasons 12-28

See SWITCH, Page 3C

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