• E-mail

After years of losing, Arlington Bowie football finally got on the map last fall. Starting with tonight's season opener against Fort Worth Dunbar, opponents will use Bowie's place on the map as a bull's-eye.

"They thought we were the same old Bowie, so they didn't pay any attention to us last year," defensive tackle Spencer Hython said. "We've got a target on our back now."

Bowie made the playoffs last season for the first time in the 26-year divided history of the school. This year, Bowie found itself in the rare position of being named in the area rankings before the season began.

Second-year coach Kenny Perry doesn't mind opponents circling Bowie's name on the schedule, something that hasn't happened in years.

Bowie won a total of 11 games in the five years prior to Perry's arrival. The Volunteers went 7-4 last season and lost a playoff game to South Grand Prairie by three points.

"My motto's been, if they're talking about you, it's good," Perry said. "If they quit talking about you, you'd better worry."

There's plenty of talk about Bowie after a 5-2 run through District 8-5A last season. Perry expects his players to do their talking with their play.

RICKY MOON/Special Contributor

Ronnie Thomas is one of three running backs expected to share the load for Bowie.

"Our kids know what to expect," Perry said. "Last year, we were under the radar and that's not going to happen this year. But that's all right, that's what you want it to be. At least people are starting to respect you."

There's a lot to respect about Bowie, starting with junior quarterback Christian Matthews, a 6-4 honor student with a nice arm. Perry expects him to be a national recruit by the time he leaves Bowie.

Matthews certainly showed improvement over the summer, when he led Bowie to the semifinals of the 7-on-7 state tournament.

"He's a lot better," senior receiver Carlton "Pooh" Cannon said. "He's learning how to view the field more and he's learned how to come off the primary receiver."

The defense is expected to be better, too. Perry didn't have time to teach much technique in his first year, but now Bowie's defense should be smarter as well as aggressive.

"We played wild, let's put it that way," Perry said. "We tried to get the kids sold on running to the ball. This year, they're a lot more sound."

This year's team has already experienced adversity. Running back Jeremy Davis, who rushed for 1,190 yards and 13 touchdowns last season, was kicked off the team last month for violating team and district rules.

"I've never been one that makes a big deal about kids getting hurt or losing kids to grades," Perry said. "You've just got to go on."

Bowie is now using a running back-by-committee philosophy. Johnathan Johnson, Kedrick Jackson and Ronnie Thomas are handling the running back duties, each with a different style.

"They all three make a great back," Perry said. "Every scrimmage we've had, they've all done something we really need them to do."

It's no different than last season, when Bowie lost starting quarterback Rafael Sears on the third play of a scrimmage.

"Everything's going great, our kids are fired up," Perry recalled, "and boom, there goes our starting quarterback. And our backup quarterback is on the sideline with bruised ribs."

The injuries thrust Matthews, a sophomore, into the starting lineup last season. His inexperience might have been a drawback last year, but his experience is a positive this year.

The rest of Bowie's team is banking on turning one of the few drawbacks to success – notoriety – into a positive.

"They're not going to take us so lightly again," Cannon said. "The whole team is more experienced and we're more ready than ever."

Fort Worth Dunbar (0-0) vs. Arlington Bowie (0-0), 7:30 tonight, UTA's Maverick Stadium