LP-79
10-25-2006, 02:06 AM
Cousins make an impact
The statistics show that Robert E. Lee's Jacob Amie is a better receiver than his cousin, Jerry Amie.
Jerry may beg to differ.
Stats also confirm Jerry is a more accomplished basketball player than Jacob.
Jacob believes otherwise.
So goes the friendly rivalry between the two seniors as both Amies are making an impact on Friday nights.
Jacob is a three-year varsity letterman and two-year starter for the Red Raiders. After finishing his junior season with 17 catches for 268 yards, he enters Friday's contest at North Mesquite leading the team with 15 receptions for 321 yards and three touchdowns.
"I've been getting tips from my cousin and it's been great," said Jerry, who will soon begin his third year starting for the Lee basketball team. "Jacob told me that I could help the team if I came out, so I did. At first it was easy, but it's getting harder (the more plays I learn)."
Jerry registered his second varsity catch last week, a 24-yard leaping grab to give him two receptions for 40 yards.
"I am trying to get more catches than (Jacob), but I know he's got it right now," Jerry says with a grin as Jacob looks on.
On the hardwood, Jerry is Lee's top returning scorer, averaging 12.8 points and double-digit rebounds per game.
"In tenth grade I did better than Jerry did," Jacob said of their basketball careers. "It's more of a competition in basketball because that is a second-hand sport for me. Last year I was being more of a team player."
REL receivers coach Dow Wynn likes having both cousins on the team.
"Jerry was a pleasant surprise when he came out in spring, and Jacob has had the benefit of three years and works his tail off every day in practice," Wynn said.
Wynn said there is a great camaraderie between the two players as they constantly attempt to one-up the other in practice and on the field.
"They are pretty funny and I find myself at practice having to turn my head so the players don't see (me grinning)," Wynn said. "Jacob will tell Jerry something wrong just so I'll ask him, 'What are you doing?' Jerry will then immediately look at Jacob and Jacob will have a big grin on his face."
Jacob, No. 5 in the program, is listed at 6-4, 223 pounds and possesses 4.58 speed.
"He's huge," said Lee head coach Mike Owens of Jacob. "You look at him and he doesn't have a drop of fat on him anywhere," Owens said.
Lee head coach Mike Owens remembers a humorous story of mistaken identity with Jacob.
"There was a prep school kid here with his parents last year, and he was thinking of transferring and they wanted to see the weight room," Owens continued. "They are looking around and Jacob and a few players come in for a few seconds and leave. His father asks if those are some of the linemen and I say, 'No, that's one of our receivers.'"
Jerry is No. 8 in the program and is also 6-4, but a leaner 180 pounds. He also is listed with 4.58 speed, but his stature allows him to be a little quicker in tight spaces.
"I guarantee Jerry Amie would be a big-time Division I recruit if he'd played since his freshman year because he is just now starting to get better," Owens said. "He has some speed and uses those long legs (to get separation)."
Both Amies are expecting to receive a lot of opportunities Friday against North Mesquite (4-3, 0-2) as the Red Raiders (5-2, 1-1) look to bounce back from their first lost in four games and first district loss. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. at Memorial Stadium in Mesquite.
Jacob, who was one of several sophomores on the sideline to celebrate Lee's 5A Division I title in 2004, said the season has not gone as expected, but there is plenty of time to turn it around starting with Friday.
"We know we stubbed our toe a little bit (last week) and we have to pick up the tempo on offense," Amie said. "We have a lot of leaders on offense and defense, and we are just trying to get together and hopefully get in the playoffs."
Chris Parry covers sports. He can be reached at 903.596.6335. e-mail: sports@tylerpaper.com
ŠTyler Morning Telegraph 2006
The statistics show that Robert E. Lee's Jacob Amie is a better receiver than his cousin, Jerry Amie.
Jerry may beg to differ.
Stats also confirm Jerry is a more accomplished basketball player than Jacob.
Jacob believes otherwise.
So goes the friendly rivalry between the two seniors as both Amies are making an impact on Friday nights.
Jacob is a three-year varsity letterman and two-year starter for the Red Raiders. After finishing his junior season with 17 catches for 268 yards, he enters Friday's contest at North Mesquite leading the team with 15 receptions for 321 yards and three touchdowns.
"I've been getting tips from my cousin and it's been great," said Jerry, who will soon begin his third year starting for the Lee basketball team. "Jacob told me that I could help the team if I came out, so I did. At first it was easy, but it's getting harder (the more plays I learn)."
Jerry registered his second varsity catch last week, a 24-yard leaping grab to give him two receptions for 40 yards.
"I am trying to get more catches than (Jacob), but I know he's got it right now," Jerry says with a grin as Jacob looks on.
On the hardwood, Jerry is Lee's top returning scorer, averaging 12.8 points and double-digit rebounds per game.
"In tenth grade I did better than Jerry did," Jacob said of their basketball careers. "It's more of a competition in basketball because that is a second-hand sport for me. Last year I was being more of a team player."
REL receivers coach Dow Wynn likes having both cousins on the team.
"Jerry was a pleasant surprise when he came out in spring, and Jacob has had the benefit of three years and works his tail off every day in practice," Wynn said.
Wynn said there is a great camaraderie between the two players as they constantly attempt to one-up the other in practice and on the field.
"They are pretty funny and I find myself at practice having to turn my head so the players don't see (me grinning)," Wynn said. "Jacob will tell Jerry something wrong just so I'll ask him, 'What are you doing?' Jerry will then immediately look at Jacob and Jacob will have a big grin on his face."
Jacob, No. 5 in the program, is listed at 6-4, 223 pounds and possesses 4.58 speed.
"He's huge," said Lee head coach Mike Owens of Jacob. "You look at him and he doesn't have a drop of fat on him anywhere," Owens said.
Lee head coach Mike Owens remembers a humorous story of mistaken identity with Jacob.
"There was a prep school kid here with his parents last year, and he was thinking of transferring and they wanted to see the weight room," Owens continued. "They are looking around and Jacob and a few players come in for a few seconds and leave. His father asks if those are some of the linemen and I say, 'No, that's one of our receivers.'"
Jerry is No. 8 in the program and is also 6-4, but a leaner 180 pounds. He also is listed with 4.58 speed, but his stature allows him to be a little quicker in tight spaces.
"I guarantee Jerry Amie would be a big-time Division I recruit if he'd played since his freshman year because he is just now starting to get better," Owens said. "He has some speed and uses those long legs (to get separation)."
Both Amies are expecting to receive a lot of opportunities Friday against North Mesquite (4-3, 0-2) as the Red Raiders (5-2, 1-1) look to bounce back from their first lost in four games and first district loss. The game is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. at Memorial Stadium in Mesquite.
Jacob, who was one of several sophomores on the sideline to celebrate Lee's 5A Division I title in 2004, said the season has not gone as expected, but there is plenty of time to turn it around starting with Friday.
"We know we stubbed our toe a little bit (last week) and we have to pick up the tempo on offense," Amie said. "We have a lot of leaders on offense and defense, and we are just trying to get together and hopefully get in the playoffs."
Chris Parry covers sports. He can be reached at 903.596.6335. e-mail: sports@tylerpaper.com
ŠTyler Morning Telegraph 2006