Senior Day presentation to highlight Saturday pregame
11/17/2010 7:20:00 AM | Football
When Sam Houston completes its 95th season of football by hosting its oldest rival, Texas State, this Saturday at 2 p.m., seven Bearkats will be stepping onto the turf at Bowers Stadium as SHSU student-athletes for the final time.
Six of the players are lettermen including two young men who have been part of the program for the last four years. The seventh is a walk-on member of the team who has contributed to the success of the program with his work on the practice field.
All seven student-athletes and their families will be honored in the special "Senior Day" ceremony prior to Saturday's kickoff.
"Our senior class is small this year, but these young men have contributed a lot to the team as leaders," Sam Houston head coach Willie Fritz said. "We look forward to honoring the seven student-athletes and the families on Senior Day."
The seven Bearkat seniors are:
Brandon Bruce, a 5-11, 205-pound defensive back, is a three-year letter winner for the Bearkats. He has totaled more than 70 tackles for the Kat defense during his career. The criminal justice major was an All-District quarterback and defensive back at Hughes Springs.
Julius Emmanuel, a 5-11, 250-pound defensive lineman, earned his place on the 2010 Bearkat squad as a walk-on. He came to Sam Houston from Pearland High School.
Victor Carmichael, a 6-1, 190-pound safety from University High School in Waco, has been a starter for the Bearkats the past two years. The kinesiology major has totaled more than 80 tackles for Sam Houston. Carmichael came to SHSU from Kilgore Junior College where he was an all-conference performer.
Coty Gatewood, a 6-2, 260-pound defensive lineman from Kilgore, is a four-year letterman for the Bearkats. A kinesiology major, Gatewood has been a starter this season at defensive end where he has totaled 20 tackles including four for losses. He was an All-District lineman in high school at Kilgore.
Jarvis Pippins is a four-year letterman as a cornerback for Sam Houston. The mass communications major has totaled more than 75 tackles in his career and has intercepted three passes. He came to Sam Houston after earning All-District and All-East Texas honors at Longview High School.
Michael Pittman, a 6-0, 185-pound defensive back from College Station, has played this season as a backup cornerback and special teams player. He is a kinesiology major from A&M Consolidated.
Bryan Randolph, a 6-3, 200-pound quarterback from Simi Valley, Calif., has lettered the last three seasons for Sam Houston. A mass communications major, he came to Huntsville from Moorpark College in California where he was an All-Western State Conference selection.
Senior Day is one of many special activities highlighting Saturday's football contest.
The annual "Bearkat-Bobcat Battle" with Texas State also will be "Kids' Day" at Elliott T. Bowers Stadium. Youngsters 17 years of age and under are admitted free when accompanied by an adult with a paid ticket. Up to four youngsters may accompany each adult.
The Villas of Sycamore is sponsoring "Show Your Spirit Day" for the final game as well. Prizes include a 42-inch Sony LED big screen television, a Garmin NUVI 1300 GPS system and an 8GB IPOD Nano. Any currently enrolled Sam Houston student may participate.
To enter, stop by the Villas of Sycamore tent at the Bearkat Alley Tailgate at 1 p.m. for the Villas of Sycamore "Show Your Spirit" prelims. Each entrant will have the opportunity to show his or her Bearkat spirit for the judges. Three finalists will be chosen for the finals to be held during halftime of the football game. Contestants will be judged on dress, school spirit and dance moves.
Tickets for the Sam Houston vs. Texas State football game and other Bearkat home events are on sale online now at www.gobearkats.com/tickets . Fans also may purchase tickets at the Sam Houston office located in the Ron Mafrige Field House at Bowers Stadium. Ticket office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The ticket office telephone number is (936) 294-1729.
