District 14-4A Preview

District 14-4A should provide one of the most competitive districts in all of East Texas. Here is an early look at the teams:


JOHN TYLER LIONS
Enrollment: 2046.5 (1)
2010 Record: 12-2; 4A Div. 1 Quarterfinalist
The Coach: Dereck Rush
The Players: Eric Davis (Sr., DE), Devonte Haggerty (Sr., WR), Jarren Gipson (Sr., OL), Tydarius Johnson (Sr., DL), Greg Ward (Jr., QB), Fred Ross (Jr., WR), Darion Flowers (Jr., WR), Dequante Woods (Jr., RB), Tyus Bowser (Jr., DE), Travian Johnson (Jr., DB), Chris Mobley (Jr., OL/OLB), Reginald Gipson (So., RB)
The Word: The swagger has returned in Cujo-country. After going 12-2 in 2009, the drop from 5A to 4A before the 2010 season made John Tyler immediate favorites to win their district and advance deep into the playoffs. The Lions did not disappoint putting together another 12-2 season and winning 3 playoff games before dropping a hard fought contest to Wylie in the quarterfinals. For the second year in a row, Coach Dereck Rush will have to find a new starting quarterback to operate JT’s spread offense. A year ago David Bush (TCU) made the move from receiver to quarterback to replace the departed Jeremy Johnson (SMU). This season look for junior Greg Ward to make the switch. Ward (5’11” 165 lbs., 4.5) put together an impressive sophomore season at receiver, hauling in 50 passes for better than 600 yards and 6 scores. Ward’s athleticism is well suited for Cujo’s spread rushing attack, but his real test will come when he is forced to throw the football. The Lions will not be short on targets in the passing game. Senior receiver Devontae Haggerty is a speedster that has garnered the attention of several college programs. Haggerty figures to play a huge role in the Lions’ offense in 2011. Juniors Fred Ross and Darion Flowers each made significant contributions for the Lions as sophomores and will provide the Lions with additional targets in the passing game. The starting runningback position is up for grabs as the Lions lose their top 4 rushers to graduation. Look for junior Dequante Woods to possibly win the job as the featured runningback during two-a-days. Sophomore Reginald Gipson may see some time in the backfield as well. The offensive line will be led by senior guard Jarren Gipson, a first team all-district selection as a junior. Expect junior Chris Mobley to make an impact along the offensive front as well. The Cujo defense will be led by defensive end Eric “Tank” Davis, an early commit to Texas A&M. The 6’3” 235 pound Davis was an absolute terror to opposing quarterbacks a season ago, racking up 12 sacks and 3 interceptions in route to a unanimous first team all-district selection. Davis will be joined up front by senior Tydarius Johnson and junior Tyus Bowser. The 6’2” 225 pound Bowser was the 14-4A defensive newcomer of the year in 2010. Questions remain at linebacker and in the secondary where the Lions lose a number of talented players to graduation. Junior Travian Johnson is a talented player who will be called on to lead an inexperienced secondary. The Lions return 18 lettermen in all, including 7 offensive and 4 defensive starters. JT should once again be considered the favorite to win the district and could be a hard out in the playoffs. Big matchups with Marshall at home and with Whitehouse on the road should determine the district championship.

MARSHALL MAVERICKS
Enrollment: 1583 (3)
2010 Record: 6-5; 4A Div. 1 Bi-District Finalist
The Coach: Thed Harris
The Players: Deonte McKinney (Sr., DE), Trey Rogers (Sr., QB/WR), Alandric Tutt (Sr., QB/ DB), Jensen Jackson (Sr., DL), Olajuwon Raven (Sr., LB), Aris Hilburn (Sr., OL), Kenderson Cooks (Sr., LB), Tremaine Bender (Sr., WR), Icordia Green (Sr., WR), Cory Walls (Sr., LB), Brandon Williams (Sr., DL), Mario Adkins (Sr., LB), Keith Biggs (Jr., RB), Thomas Reynolds (Jr., OL/LB)
The Word: The Marshall Mavericks have a long and storied football tradition. The tradition continued in 2010 with another playoff appearance despite a fourth place finish in district. The Mavericks ended the season with a 6-5 overall record and a first round playoff loss to Sherman (24-21). Coach Harris will have to find replacements for both his offensive and defensive leaders. Quarterback Bryce French and linebacker Jaquan Kelly both graduated and their shoes will be hard to fill. French accounted for the large majority of Marshall’s offensive production a year ago with his combined rushing and passing yards. Meanwhile, Kelly averaged 10 tackles per game and was the unquestioned leader of the defense. Harris has a couple of good candidates at quarterback in seniors Trey Rogers and Alandric Tutt. Rogers is quite possibly the more gifted passer, while Tutt may be the more explosive runner. Tutt is also a huge contributor on defense as a cornerback and on special teams as a kick returner. Other playmakers for the Marshall offense figure to be wide receivers Tremaine Bender and Icordia Green. Both were honorable mention all-district performers in 2010. Junior Keith Biggs seems primed to take over the starting runningback position after a solid sophomore season. Meanwhile, second team all-district tackle Aris Hilburn will lead the offensive line with help from Thomas Reynolds. The Marshall defense will be led by a couple of outstanding defensive linemen in Deonte McKinney and Jensen Jackson. McKinney has the size and quickness that college scouts love and could develop into one of the top linemen in the state. Seniors Olajuwon Raven, Mario Adkins and Kenderson Cooks will lead the Maverick linebacking corps. Cory Walls and Thomas Reynolds will also contribute at linebacker for the Mavericks. Tutt will headline a young secondary. Marshall should qualify for the playoffs and will likely go to the division 1 playoffs as the second seed. If the Mavericks have new leaders step up in important positions, this athletic squad could be a tough matchup for teams in the playoffs. Marshall returns a total of 16 starters (8 on offense and 8 on defense). A key matchup to watch is the October 28th home game against Whitehouse in the next to last district game of the year.

WHITEHOUSE WILDCATS
Enrollment: 1323 (5)
2010 Record: 9-3; 4A Div. 2 Area Finalist
The Coach: Randy McFarlin
The Players: Hunter Taylor (Sr., QB), Jonathan Aldridge (Sr., WR), William Coleman (Sr., OL), Andrew Struble (Sr., OL), Brennan Eberhart (SR., LB), Dylan Cantrell (Jr., WR/DB), Matt Gipson (Jr., RB/LB), Daimeyen Sanders (Jr., WR), Michael Nuon (Jr., WR/DB), Cartez Cofer (Jr., DL), Will Thomas (Jr., DL), Aaron Clemons (Jr., LB), Derek Clemons (Jr., LB), Zane Reeder (Jr., LB)
The Word: The Wildcats won 9 games in 2010. It marked the third time in five years that Coach McFarlin’s club has won at least 9 games in a season. Quite an accomplishment for a program that had won 9 games in a season only 3 times in the previous 58 years combined. Whitehouse finished an impressive 6-1 in district play, with a narrow 21-14 loss to John Tyler being the only blemish. Coach McFarlin will have to find a way to replace super talented receiver Trey Metoyer (Oklahoma) and safety Quincy Aldridge (TCU). Metoyer finished his prep career in second place on the career receptions list. Although the Wildcats lose a bevy of great players to graduation, the cupboard is not bare in Whitehouse. Quarterback Hunter Taylor returns for his senior campaign after completing a very impressive junior season which saw him pass for 3,854 yards and 46 touchdowns, both school records. Taylor has thrown 5 or more touchdowns in a game 5 times in the last two seasons. As has become the norm in Whitehouse’s pass-happy offense there will be no shortage of targets for Taylor in the passing game. Senior Jonathan Aldridge will headline a talented receiving corps. Aldridge hauled in 81 receptions for more than 1,400 yards and 17 scores as a junior. Incredible numbers considering Aldridge spent 2010 as the “second option” in Whitehouse’s spread offense. Aldridge has legitimate 4.4 speed, and has the ability to turn a bubble screen into 6 points in the blink of an eye. Fellow senior Justin Bloom will play the slot and also has the ability to make big plays. Bloom and Aldridge should be joined by a pair of talented junior receivers in Dylan Cantrell and Daimeyen Sanders. The 6’3” Cantrell has been tearing up the camp circuit over the spring and summer and could become one of the most highly recruited athletes in the 2013 class. Meanwhile, fellow junior Matt Gipson could inherit the starting runningback position. Bloom and Sanders are likely to see time in the backfield as well. Defensively, the Wildcats will have to replace all but 2 starters. The defense could start a number of juniors including Cartez Cofer, who figures to man the nose guard position in the Wildcats’ 3-4 defense, and Will Thomas who will likely occupy a defensive end spot. Meanwhile, Brennan Eberhart, Aaron Clemons, Derek Clemons and Zane Reeder should all contribute at the linebacker positions. Michael Nuon returns in the defensive secondary after playing well as a sophomore. The kicking game is in great shape with the return of senior kicker Brandon Cottrell. Whitehouse’s prolific offense will have to carry an inexperienced but talented defense for the early part of the season. But, look for the Wildcats to compete for a playoff spot and possibly finish second or third in this competitive district.

KILGORE BULLDOGS
Enrollment: 994 (8)
2010 Record: 3-7
The Coach: Mike Wood
The Players: Ladarius Anthony (Sr., RB), Riley Toler (Sr., QB), Chris Paige (Sr., DE), Wesley Williams (Sr., OL), Mathew Dickey (Sr., WR), Dondra Halton (Sr., LB), Donald Jackson (Sr., OL), Mason Nestleroad (Sr., TE/DE), Deontre Williams (Sr., LB), Shawn Williams (Sr., DB), A.J. Davis (Jr., LB), Cornelius Bell (Jr., FB), Josh Daniels (Jr., DL)
The Word: The smallest school in 4A took their lumps in 2010, finishing with a 3-7 overall record. But, the return of 18 lettermen and 12 starters could signal better things ahead for the Bulldogs. Coach Mike Wood will welcome back 7 offensive starters including his entire offensive backfield. Senior runningback Ladarius Anthony, an early TCU verbal commit, is a great north-south runner who had an incredible sophomore season, but whose junior season was slowed by injuries. The 6’0” 190 pound Anthony is healthy and primed to show all of East Texas that he is an elite back. Quarterback Riley Toler also returns after a very productive junior season. Toler, a multi-sport athlete at Kilgore, was a second team all-district selection at quarterback after completing 88 out of 171 passes for 1,415 yards and 13 touchdowns. Cornelius Bell (6’0” 230 lbs.) returns at the all-important fullback position in Kilgore’s I formation offense after a solid sophomore season. Mathew Dickey will add playmaking ability at the wide receiver position. Dickey hauled in 27 catches for 407 yards and 3 scores in 2010. The offensive line will be led by Donald Jackson and Wesley Williams. Jackson (6’0” 255 lbs.) was an all-district guard as a junior. The Bulldog defense returns 5 starters. Junior A.J. Davis had a tremendous sophomore season racking up 124 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks and will be one of the leaders of the defense. Seniors Deontre Williams and Dondra Halton should contribute at linebacker as well. Defensive ends Chris Paige and Mason Nestleroad will form a solid tandem. Paige led the team in sacks with 4.5 and Nestleroad tallied 54 tackles on the season. Junior Josh Daniels should also play a key role on the defensive line for the Bulldogs. Senior Shawn Williams will lead the secondary after racking up 89 tackles and 3 interceptions a year ago. With a slew of starters returning and help from an 9-1 junior varsity team, the Bulldogs should be right in the mix for one of the 4 playoff spots.

JACKSONVILLE INDIANS
Enrollment: 1128 (7)
2010 Record: 7-4; 4A Div. 2 Bi-District Finalist
The Coach: Steve Wells
The Players: Mark Jenkins (Sr., OL), Dexter Davis (Sr., DB), Zach Woodson (Sr., DL), Xavier Mosely (Sr., OLB), William Reed (Sr., OL), Jason Robinson (Sr., DL), Darrell Minifee (Jr., WR), Bryson Haywood (Jr., LB), Sha’Kil Mosely (Jr., OLB), Ladarius Session (Jr., WR), Trevor Ewalt (Jr., QB), Andrew Black (So., QB/WR),
The Word: Jacksonville spent much of the 2010 season living on the edge. A miraculous 30-27 come-from-behind win against Marshall, led to a last minute win against Kilgore the following week (27-26). Two weeks later Jacksonville pulled out a narrow 24-23 victory over Hallsville. But, all of those games were just a prelude to the 84-81, 12 overtime, 5 ½ hour marathon win over Nacogdoches in the next to last game of the regular season. Just for good measure, Jacksonville finished off the season with a heart pumping 56-52 loss to Sulphur Springs in the playoffs. Whew! Indian fans would have to label 2010 as one of the more memorable seasons in recent history. Several players return from last season’s 7-4 squad. Wide receiver Darrell Minifee garnered co-offensive newcomer of the year honors after an impressive sophomore season. Minifee pulled in 60 receptions for 901 yards and 10 scores. Fellow junior Ladarius Session will join Minifee in creating a solid receiving tandem. Session raked in 25 receptions for 343 yards as just a sophomore. Coach Steve Wells will have to find a new trigger man to get the ball to his playmakers as quarterback Ryan Black has moved on to play at Tyler Junior College after a solid prep career. The replacement may come in the form of Ryan’s younger brother Andrew. The younger Andrew spent most of his freshman season as a receiver on the varsity squad, but his skills at quarterback are well known to Coach Wells and his staff. Junior Trevor Ewalt will give the Indians another option at quarterback. A pair of quality interior linemen will headline the Indians offensive line. Guards Mark Jenkins and William Reed will try to provide time for whoever takes over under center. Jenkins was a first team all-district selection in 2010. Defensively, the Indians will be spearheaded by a couple of young but talented linebackers in juniors Bryson Haywood and Sha’Kil Mosely. Both were second team all-district selections as sophomores. Xavier Mosely will also hold down a spot at linebacker. Defensive lineman Zach Woodson will solidify the defensive line along with fellow senior Jason Robinson (6’2” 285 lbs.). Safety Dexter Davis is the leader of the secondary. Davis is equally capable of playing the run and the pass and provides the Jacksonville defense with a quality playmaker. The Tribe has put together back to back 7-4 seasons. But, with the loss of a strong senior class, a small step backwards is possible for the Indians.

NACOGDOCHES DRAGONS
Enrollment: 1690(2)
2010 Record: 3-7
The Coach: Scott Ford
The Players: Damion Johnson (Sr., QB), Xavier Gordon (Sr., OL), Joe Goode (Sr., OL), Cole Banner (Sr., WR), Marquee Shankle (Sr., DB), Geoffrey Deckard (Sr., WR), Bubba Johnson (Jr., RB), Michael Dove (Jr., WR)
The Word: The Dragons have endured back to back 3-7 seasons and haven’t won a district championship since 1982. Dragon fans would like nothing more than to snap that streak in 2011. But, Nacogdoches was just 2-5 in district play last season and things do not look to be getting any easier in this competitive district. Quarterback Damion Johnson looks primed to take control of the Dragon offense after splitting time under center last season. The 6’1” 195 pound Johnson is an exceptional athlete that can hurt teams with his scrambling ability. Cole Banner, Geoffrey Deckard and Michael Dove will form a solid receiving corps. Banner was a second team all-district selection in 2010. Runningback Bubba Johnson was a standout as a sophomore and should take on an even greater role this season. The offensive line will be led by seniors Xavier Gordon and Joe Goode. Gordon and Goode were both second team all-district performers a season ago. Meanwhile, senior defensive back Marquee Shankle should be a leader on defense. Even throwing out the 84 points allowed in the 12 overtime game against Jacksonville, Nacogdoches surrendered nearly 39 points per game in 2010. Improvement is definitely needed on defense if the Dragons are going to compete for a playoff spot in this district. With high-powered offenses like John Tyler and Whitehouse in the district defense becomes all the more important. With 12 starters returning, expect improvement from the Dragons in Coach Ford’s second year at the helm. Just don’t expect a huge climb in the district standings.

HALLSVILLE BOBCATS
Enrollment: 1240 (6)
2010 Record: 4-6
The Coach: David Plunk
The Players: J.C. Daily (Sr., DB), T.D. Snyder (Sr., DL), T.K. Snyder (Sr., WR), Josh Warbington (Sr., QB/DB), Josh Brown (Sr., WR/DB), Landon Lacy (Sr., WR/DB), Stephen Godwin (Sr., DT), Nicholas Young (Sr., LB), Darrian Gilmore (Sr., QB/WR), Seth Glezen (Jr., DE), Cayden Farrell (Jr., RB/LB), Santos Estrada (Jr., DB), Coby Bradford (Jr., LB), Ronnie Gideon (Jr., QB/ATH)
The Word: The Bobcats last made the playoffs in 2006 and last won a playoff game in 2003. 2010 began with high expectations for the Bobcats and 2 early wins seemed to validate those expectations. But, injuries and sloppy play led to 6 straight losses before the Bobcats righted the ship and won their final 2 games of the season to finish 4-6 overall. Hallsville loses 26 seniors including highly touted players like Josh Cochran, Kyle Pack and Chase Reeeder. One bright spot returning for Coach Plunk is junior runningback Cayden Farrell. The speedy Farrell proved he could handle the feature back role by capturing second team all-district honors as a sophomore. Farrell is also a key player on defense (67 tackles). Other players who proved their mettle were quarterbacks Josh Warbington and Darrian Gilmore. The 6’6” Gilmore spent time at wide receiver and quarterback for the Bobcats. The 5’11” Warbington also proved he could effectively operate the Hallsville offense, and had success both running and passing. If Warbington can win the starting quarterback role, it will free up Gilmore to operate at wide receiver where he proved to be an effective target. Other targets in the passing game should be Landon Lacy, Josh Brown and T.K. Snyder. Senior safety J.C. Daily will be one of the leaders of the defense after proving to be a tackling machine a year ago. Joining Daily on the defensive side of the ball will be linebackers Nicholas Young and Coby Bradford. Young, a senior, and Bradford, a junior, both have a nose for the football. Defensive tackles T.D. Snyder and Stephen Godwin will solidify the defensive front. The 5’10” 220 pound Godwin is a tenacious pass rusher. Meanwhile, junior Seth Glezen will occupy one of the defensive end positions after making a strong contribution as a sophomore. Junior defensive back Santos Estrada will join Daily in the defensive backfield and provide the Bobcats with another sure tackler. The Bobcats have some athletes that could cause problems for their opponents in 2011. Look for Hallsville to keep games close and possibly pull out some upsets against their district foes.

LONGVIEW PINE TREE PIRATES
Enrollment: 1343(4)
2010 Record: 1-9
The Coach: Derek Fitzhenry
The Players: Xavier McCoo (Sr., RB), Matthew Cox (Sr., WR/DB), Christian Marroquin (Sr., WR/DB), David Doktor (Sr., DL), Aires Biagas (Sr., DB), Tanner Carroll (Sr., OL/DL), Chris Clowers (Sr., OL), Ryan Millikin (Sr., TE/LB), Lamarcus Allen (Sr., TE/LB), Andrew Procell (Sr., TE/LB), Eddie Calico (Jr., RB/LB), Victor Jesse (Jr., RB/DB), Mason Liu (Jr., QB)
The Word: The Pirates have had just 2 winning seasons in the last 20 years and last made the playoffs in 2001. After back to back 1-9 campaigns Athletic Director Huey Chancellor resigned and accepted a job at Rockport-Fulton. Derek Fitzhenry takes over the reigns as the new athletic director/head football coach at Pine Tree in 2011. Fitzhenry, who had good success at Giddings, will welcome back a handful of talented players. Runningback Xavier McCoo is one of those returning. The 5’11” 185 pound runningback had a strong junior season racking up nearly 900 yards from scrimmage and 5 scores. McCoo will split time in the backfield with junior Eddie Calico. At 5’10” and 230 pounds, Calico is a battering ram of a runner who tallied close to 500 yards rushing a year ago. Calico is exceptionally strong, squatting 550 pounds and benching 350 during spring powerlifting tournaments. Wide receiver Matthew Cox could be a target in the passing game if he doesn’t make the switch to quarterback and become the new signal caller for the Pirates. Junior Mason Liu could also see some time at quarterback for the Pirates. Offensive linemen Tanner Carroll and Chris Clowers figure to anchor the front line for Coach Fitzhenry. Carroll was a team captain a year ago and Clowers is huge at 6’3” and over 300 pounds. The Pirate defense will be led by defensive end David Doktor and defensive back Christian Marroquin. Both were second team all-district selections in 2010 and Marroquin was one of the team leaders in tackles. Linebackers Ryan Milliken, Lamarcus Allen and Andrew Procell should all contribute on defense for the Pirates. Also, look for defensive backs Aires Biagas and Victor Jesse to make their presence felt on defense. Pine Tree has not won a district contest since November 2, 2007. Pirate fans are hopeful a new head coach can usher in a new winning era.