Springlake-Earth has been dominant since returning to six-man football. The Wolverines haven’t lost a district game in three years.
Despite the Wolverines dominance, there’s plenty to watch in District 3-1A Division I. Storylines include an Anton team playing in memory of a beloved coach, a pair of brothers leading a revived Lorenzo program, and a Kress team hungry for revenge on Petersburg after the Buffaloes kept them out of the playoffs a year ago.
Is this the year someone knocks off Springlake-Earth? Take a look at the talent each of the teams have at their disposal as they prepare for battle in 2023.
Anton Bulldogs
Head Coach: Adam Ramirez (1st Season)
Last Season: 1-9; 0-4 in district
Anton Key Players and Storylines
Anton will be playing with heavy hearts this year after its head coach Matthew Hoover passed away last November.
His offensive coordinator Adam Ramirez takes over the Anton program this year. He said his Bulldogs will look to honor Hoover through their effort and competitiveness week in and week out.
Anton has promoted OC Adam Ramirez to be the New Head Football Coach of the Bulldogs.
He takes over for Matthew Hoover, who passed away unexpectedly in November.Coach Ramirez was one of Coach Hoover’s assistant coaches and they were friends since they were kids.
💜💜🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/4obYV7zSOz
— Pete Christy (@pchristy11) February 26, 2023
This year, Anton has four starters back on each side of the ball. Gavin Martinez earned all-district honors from both his utility back and safety positions last year and should be one of the leaders for the Bulldogs in 2023. Joining him in the backfield is senior quarterback Dominic Gaitan who will help lead the Anton passing attack.
Elsewhere, sophomore Autilano Castillo is a promising player to keep an eye on after earning an honorable mention as a utility player in 2022. Linebacker Jose Avalos should also be a key cog defensively alongside Martinez and Castillo.
The Bulldogs may have finished 1-9 a year ago, but they aren’t too far removed from success. In 2021, Anton made a run to the third round of playoffs after an undefeated regular season.
With that accomplishment in recent memory, Ramirez hopes the experience gained from last year will help his Bulldogs return to winning ways and contend for a district title again this season.
Kress Kangaroos
Head Coach: James Shelton (1st Season)
Last Season: 6-4; 2-2 in district
Kress Key Players and Storylines
After leading Sanderson to an 8-2 season and a playoff berth last year, James Shelton now takes over at Kress.
The Kangaroos came up just short last year in their search for their first ticket to the postseason since 2019. They fell 72-62 to Petersburg in a game that ended up deciding second and third place in the district.
Kress has hired James Shelton to be the Kangaroos new Head Football Coach/AD.
Shelton was at Sanderson leading the Eagles to an 8-2 season!
He takes over a Kangaroos squad that went 6-4 in 2022.
Congrats Coach Shelton! @sixmania @Texas1AFan pic.twitter.com/xiRCHGX5bi
— Pete Christy (@pchristy11) June 14, 2023
Kress will have some holes to fill in 2022 as the Kangaroos return just two starters on each side of the ball. However, their top returning players each earned all-district honors last season.
One of Kress’ biggest strengths will be on its defensive line with the return of Malachi Guzman and Jaleel Baker, who were both first team all-district selections a year ago.
Baker will also see some work as a running back offensively, while junior Cole Todd will give an offense that averaged 51 points per game a reliable target in the passing game. Todd was a first team all-district honoree a year ago.
Also on offense, keep an eye on sophomore Calin Teeple. He can play both out of the backfield and at wide receiver and earned all-district honors for his play on special teams a year ago. He’s primed for a bigger role in 2023.
The Kangaroos have good numbers among their underclassmen although they are a bit concerned about their roster depth as a whole.
The hope among the Kress coaching staff is for the Kangaroos to take 2023 one game at a time, working hard and learning all they can, as they aim to be in the playoff race when late October rolls around.
Lorenzo Hornets
Head Coach: Brian Sepkowitz (2nd Season)
Last Season: 3-6; 1-3 in district
Lorenzo Key Players and Storylines
All things considered, 2022 was a roaring success for the Hornets in head coach Brian Sepkowitz’s first year at the school.
Not only did the Hornets finish their first season in three years, they also snapped a 16-game losing streak in district play with a 29-26 win over Anton in the final game of the year.
“We feel that the community really rallied behind the team and were pleased with the progress made,” Sepkowitz said. “I think the team is going to benefit from having the same coach two years in a row and being able to build on the continuity and team atmosphere we built last year.”
The Hornets have high hopes for this season with four starters back on each side of the ball. Sepkowitz said his team knows they let a couple wins slip away last year and are hungry for further improvement in 2023.
On the field, it will be a family affair for the Hornets as senior quarterback/defensive back Chris Quintana and his brother wide receiver/defensive back Jonathan Quintana should be the focal point for the Hornets on both sides of the ball.
Chris, a senior, earned second team all-district honors offensively last year, while Jonathan is primed to step into more of a leadership role as he prepares “to carry the torch” after Chris graduates.
Elsewhere, the Hornets have promising young talent. Sophomore linebacker Alex Soto earned second team all-district last year, while fellow sophomore wide receiver/defensive back Savi Garcia should also play a big role for the Hornets this year.
The 2023 season will be a special one for the Hornets as the Quintana brothers share the field one last time. They will aim to keep the Hornets flying in the right direction following the growth displayed in Sepkowitz’s first season a year ago.
Petersburg Buffaloes
Head Coach: Scotty Bruington (2nd season)
Last Season: 6-5; 3-1 in district (Lost in bi-district to Knox City)
Petersburg Key Players and Storylines
Head Coach Scotty Bruington originally returned to his alma mater in May 2021 to resurrect the school’s baseball program for the first time in over 60 years.
Last year, he was promoted to head football coach as well and led Petersburg back to the playoffs after a down year in 2021.
This season, the Buffaloes have four starters back on each side of the ball as they aim for another postseason trip.
2022 District Newcomer of the Year LB/OL Corbin McWilliams returns as does Dayln Parraz, who is primed for a bigger role from his running back position this year following the graduation of Petersburg’s first team all-district running back.
Look for Jude Thompson to play a big role for the Buffaloes on both sides of the ball after he earned all-district honors at both tight end and safety, while OL/DL Joe Gicante should lead the Buffaloes in the trenches.
Bruington believes 2022 was just the tip of the iceberg for his Buffaloes. He said he expects the Buffaloes to win more games and go deeper in the playoffs in 2023 as Petersburg’s program continues to grow.
Springlake-Earth Wolverines
Head Coach: James Ball (2nd Season)
Last Season: 7-5; 4-0 in district (Lost to Nazareth in area round)
Springlake-Earth Key Players and Storylines
It’s a mixed bag for the Wolverines this year as they return half of their starters on each side of the ball.
However, expectations will be high as always for a program that hasn’t lost a district game since it returned to six-man football in 2020.
With both last year’s district Offensive MVP and Defensive MVP gone, head coach James Ball expects his team to face a bit of a learning curve this year as new players seek to fill the holes left by graduating seniors.
Among the returning players, JJ Jaramillo is primed for a big season. He earned first team all-district last year at both running back and cornerback (580 rushing yards and eight touchdowns; 140 tackles and six INTs).
Quarterback Slade Beerwinkle is back to lead the passing game and will have center Gavin Gonzales at his disposal up front not only as protection but as a pass catcher as well (160 receiving yards and three touchdowns)
Defensively, Gonzales (115 tackles, 2 INTs) will slot in alongside Jaramillo to create a dynamic duo at cornerback, while Beerwinkle (126 tackles and three fumble recoveries) will look to make opposing backfields miserable again this year from his defensive end position.
While there will be some new faces in new places for Springlake-Earth this year, Ball said his players’ physicality and disciplined technique will provide a sturdy foundation. The Wolverines will look to improve every day and make a deeper playoff run this season after an area round exit in 2022.
CLICK HERE to listen to the Texas HS Football Podcast, with Taylor Arenz
