DAILY Photo by Jonathan Palmer East Limestone players prepare for their season-opener against Athens on Saturday night. The two schools meet for the first time in more than 50 years.

Indians' hopes rest with veteran QB
New season finds new coach at E. Limestone

Twenty-third in a series.

By Bradley Handwerger
DAILY Sports Writer
bhandwerger@decaturdaily.com · 340-2462

CAPSHAW — Another offseason, another coaching change for East Limestone High.

And for the second year in a row, it involved a Cavnar.

Prior to the 2005 season, then-head coach Phil Cavnar passed away while jogging. Brother Mike Cavnar stepped in his place, coaching the Indians to a 9-3 record and a second-round Alabama Class 4A state playoff appearance

This time, Mike Cavnar stepped down weeks before the season's opening game, a much anticipated contest at Athens on Saturday.

It didn't take long for those in charge to find Cavnar's replacement. They didn't even have to go anywhere. Jeff Pugh, an assistant on Cavnar's staff, takes over.

East Limestone returns the most important part of the team from the past two seasons — quarterback Chad DeWitt, a junior who has started the past two seasons in Capshaw.

North Jackson, East Limestone's main rival in Class 4A, Region 7, had best watch out.

The Indians haven't lost on Cavnar Field with DeWitt starting at quarterback.

That includes an epic battle two years ago when DeWitt led East Limestone to its first-ever win over North Jackson, a hard-fought 14-6 contest that secured the school's only region championship.

The Chiefs travel to East this year for an Oct. 6 midseason matchup. DeWitt already is looking forward to the game.

"We're always excited about playing North Jackson, home or away," DeWitt said. "But since we're at home this, we'll have more fun."

Added running back Jonathan Pinque: "They got us bad last year (A 50-20 North Jackson win). We're undefeated on this field so far since Chad took over. They're coming to our house this year. They aren't going to beat us here, hopefully."

What's more, DeWitt, an all-state honorable mention a season ago, now has a quarterbacks coach helping him nail down the passing game.

He's always been lethal to opponents when he pulls the ball down to run, but the better he gets at the passing game, the harder he'll be to stop.

That job goes to Clay Styles, a former University of North Alabama quarterback hired this offseason to help DeWitt improve passing the football.

It's working. As DeWitt said, he's more comfortable stepping back to throw.

The improvement could be seen this summer during 7-on-7 passing camps, he said.

"It helped a lot because we actually got to actually see action instead of practicing without a real defense," DeWitt said.

"We know what another team is going to do."

DeWitt isn't alone in carrying the team. Pinque returns as the starting tailback after filling a year ago at midseason when the first-team running back went down with a knee injury.

The running back, a recipient of the prestigious Carnegie Medal winner for heroism, isn't resting on his laurels. The award came when he saved two friends from drowning after a car had gone into a neighbor's pond.

"(Last season) helps, but you can always get better," Pinque said. "When you start thinking one season is good enough, you're going to go down. My mind is like I can always get better."

Even so, Cavnar called Pinque one of the strengths of the team.

"Without Jonathan last year, we don't win the nine games we did," former coach Cavnar said. "As a sophomore, he played like a man."

Paving the way for DeWitt and Pinque is an offensive line led by Dresden Williams, a 6-foot-6, 295-pound hulk at
tackle.

Besides an offense that can light up the scoreboard, the Indians' schedule also sets up positively.

Other than a season-opening tilt at Athens, the first time in more than 50 years those two schools will tangle, all of the meaningful games will be played at Cavnar Field.

If all falls right for the Indians, they could find themselves owning their second region title in three seasons.

East Limestone schedule, 2005 results

Sept. 2 at Athens

Sept. 8 at Priceville*

Sept. 15 DAR*

Sept. 22 at East Lawrence*

Sept. 28 Tanner

Oct. 6 North Jackson*

Oct. 13 Ardmore*

Oct. 20 Madison County*

Oct. 26 at Columbia*

Nov. 2 at West Morgan

*-Class 4A, Region 7

at Tanner L, 19-18

at Madison County W, 41-14

vs. Douglas W, 40-7

vs. Guntersville W, 18-6

vs.West Morgan W, 37-8

at West Point W, 13-12

at Ardmore W, 35-12

vs.Fairview W, 12-6

at North Jackson L, 50-20

vs. Hazel Green W, 18-13

vs. Lawrence County W, 49-7

at Chelsea L, 27-6

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