A Cast of Characters Leads Frisco High School's Football Rise

Originally published in the November 2006 issue of The North Texas High School Sports Report http://www.nortexsports.com

In District 9-4A, Lake Dallas, McKinney North, and Frisco have distinguished themselves against some very tough, very talented teams. For the Raccoons, the leadership reins belong not to a single player, but to a number of players who each lead by example. It's a perfect situation for head coach Vance Gibson, who stresses preparation and a team effort as the recipe for success. "We knew going into the season that we could be a good football team if we took care of the things we could control. We want them at the highest level they are capable of playing."

To the casual observer who only looks at stats, they would think the team is all about Brogan Funderberg. While the Raccoon running back has had a breakout year, Coach Gibson points out that he has a number of players who have contributed this year. "Any good team is going to have more than one or two players who step up," he says. For Frisco, they come on both sides of the football.

"GOLDENARM" GRANEY

Colin Graney is more than just the quarterback; he is the spiritual center in the midst of the football chaos. "I try to be the one who is always calm. I try to lift up everyone. If something goes wrong, I don't point fingers, that's the last thing you want to do, but I talk to them when I can." That usually isn't a problem. Many of the players have played with each other for several years, and they get along well. "There's a lot of team chemistry this year. Brogan and I have been playing for six years together. Evan and I have been playing together for 5 years. For a quarterback, it's always nice."