Teams to watch: Richmond Foster angling to play spoiler in 5A DI

[caption id="attachment_26894" align="aligncenter" width="800"]Photo by Russell Wilburn Foster QB Alex Ramart (Photo by Russell Wilburn)[/caption] Visit Richmond Foster when the students aren’t in class and you’re likely to find some teenagers throwing the football. It started in January when returning quarterback Alex Ramart and the rest of his team decided 2016 would be the year. “Our process to 9-0 started back in January when Alex and the rest of the juniors picked up the leadership from our departing seniors,” Foster head coach Shaun McDowell said. “That first month without the seniors in athletic period is always different, and you’re not sure what to expect from the younger guys that become the oldest guys in the room. Alex had the guys ready and quiet, waiting on us for instruction in January and then through spring.” Foster didn’t have official spring ball. The Falcons focused on installing the offense and ironing out kinks while getting extra time in the weight room. It was Ramart that McDowell would see organizing extra workouts after school or on the weekends. Foster would field concerns come fall, but leadership wasn’t one of them. “Having a quarterback with that type of work-ethic and intelligence is invaluable. We speak the same language because I also coach quarterbacks. It is the perfect storm for us at the position. He’s completing around 74 percent of his passes and has cut down his interceptions. We have a lot of leaders on this team, but having the quarterback be one of the hardest workers forces the rest of the team to step up,” McDowell said. “His ability to get guys to come out and do the extra work was a key for us and it is paying off.” [caption id="attachment_26893" align="alignright" width="300"]Photo by Russell Wilburn Foster WR CeeDee Lamb (Photo by Russell Wilburn)[/caption] The Falcons profited from that extra work before the fall season began. Foster reached the state 7-on-7 championships for the first time in program history. Now, at 9-0 and heading towards a district crown and a playoff berth, Foster is exceeding expectations and becoming a favorite in Class 5A Region IV. “I knew we’d be good, but probably not 9-0 good. From that standpoint, these guys are exceeding our expectations. We’ve been a dominant team in all three phases. I’m enjoying the completeness and physicality of our football team,” McDowell said. “We’ve attacked all of our weeks, our grades and our game plans.” The offense was always going to be talented with Ramart, four future college offensive linemen, a talented running back and all-everything wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, who is committed to Oklahoma. It was the defense that concerned McDowell before the season started. So far, so good for the Falcons. “We had concerns about the defensive line and the secondary,” McDowell admitted. “We have an all-state linebacker in Garrett Grammer who is playing even better than he did last year. But, we needed young players to step up at defensive line and in the secondary. We’ve found those players and a few of them have a chance to be special as they develop, including freshman Dot Nwankwo at defensive tackle.” Foster begins playoffs Nov. 11 at 7:30 p.m. at Guy K. Traylor Stadium in Rosenberg against San Antonio Brackenridge or San Antonio Lanier. They'll be the favorites in 5A DI Region IV, but should get some stiff competition before a potential state semifinal clash against a team from a loaded Region III that includes Manvel, Temple and Port Arthur Memorial, to name a few.

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