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eastrobertson89

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  1. Here are my memories of Curtis Woodard. I was a senior on the team when Curtis played as an 8th grader. My younger brother was on the team for the next four years. Personally, the most striking thing I remember about Curtis was that he was the strongest person for his size that I've ever seen. His body looked like a Greek God chiseled out of stone. This body did not come from working out. He was the youngest child in a large, very poor family. Curtis began his first season (1988) as a second string fullback. I think he ran a kickoff back for a touchdown in his first game. Due to injuries and pure talent, he began to see significant playing time around the third game of the season. He ended up gaining over 1,000 yards that year. He kept us from getting shut out against McEwen by making a 50 yard run against the best team we played that year. At the end of the season, he tore his ACL early in a bowl game rematch with Jo Byrns. Curtis was an 8th grader, but I believe he had been held back at least once. Age limitations are why he only played four years. When Coach Bill Nolen left for a different job (an assistant at Gallatin maybe?), Ray Busey became the head coach. The 1989 season was not very good for East Robertson. They only won one game. Curtis was either hurt or held out by the coach for disciplinary reasons for most of the season. In 1990, East had only 17 players on the team, but won district 8A for the first time since 1985. When he wanted to, Curtis excelled at defense, playing noseguard or defensive guard. No one could block him. He was too fast and strong. Curtis missed at least one game that they lost with an injury or school attendance issue. East finished 7-4 after losing to DCA in the first round of the playoffs. 1991 was going to be a breakout year and everyone knew it. Coach Pat Brown took over when Coach Busey left for Cascade (I think). I'm not sure if he was asked to leave, but that is a different subject. East went undefeated during the regular season, including a sound defeat of DCA. Curtis scored at will that season. The last game of the regular season was against Montgomery Central, already bound for the playoffs in AA. I remember it was bitter cold. Curtis scored 8 touchdowns and East won 60-0. East's power rating was the highest in single A after that game. East won its playoff game the next week, the first time I can remember a team from 8A beating one of the private schools from Nashville in the playoffs. I was told that Curtis collapsed after the game because he had the flu. I was told that Coach Brown let Curtis stay with him the next week so he could recover. The next week's game was against Trousdale County, the defending state champion and a team that knew (and still knows) how to play hard nosed football. Curtis played and gained yardage, but never could break a long run. The field was extremely wet due to heavy rains. East outgained Trousdale significantly in offensive yardage, about 180 to 75, but lost the game 10-6 or 10-7. Curtis was stopped on fourth and goal twice in that game. When I went to college and met SEC running backs, they didn't physically match up to Curtis at all.
  2. David Woodard's nickname was Bird because he could fly. I always wished he had played football. He had the physical talent to be an NFL receiver. East would have been unstoppable if he would have played with his uncle, Curtis. He wasn't as strong as Curtis, but he was faster. David had a tall, lean build while Curtis was by far the strongest person pound for pound that I have ever seen. East Robertson didn't have a track team, but they took a few athletes to some meets. I think David actually won the state or placed in the 100m, the 200m, and the high jump.
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