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District 8-6A Season Preview

Tom Thumb

 

District 8-6A is nearly identical from the previous realignment except for the addition of Haltom.

Everyone will be chasing Arlington Martin. The Warriors have won five-straight district titles and didn’t skip a beat in 2023 even with a coaching change last offseason.

While the Warriors will be favorites, the district should be competitive across the board. Last year, it took a three-way tiebreaker to determine the final two playoff spots.

Here’s what to watch for in District 8-6A.

Arlington Colts

Head Coach: Scott Peach (22nd season; 134-104 record)

Last Season: 4-7; 3-3 in district (Lost to Highland Park in bi-district)

Arlington Key Players and Storylines

Arlington will go in search of its 10th straight playoff berth this fall.

Head coach Scott Peach is feeling confident about his team’s prospects. He believes this will be the best team Arlington has had since 2020.

The Colts have six starters back on offense and three back on defense.

They have “outstanding talent at the receiver position” starting with Isaiah Robertson (437 receiving yards and four touchdowns), a SMU commit. Quarterback Coleman Cravens (555 passing yards and eight touchdowns) has a big arm. He gained experience last year, earning seven starts as a sophomore.

Leading the protection of Cravens will be offensive tackle Elijah Ibiezugbe. Peach believes he will be one of the top lineman in DFW this fall.

On the other side of the ball, the Colts have great experience on the defensive line. Defensive tackle Tobi Akintade is a three-year starter that should “dominate in the run game.” Behind him, linebacker Caleb Olabode is Arlington’s “best defensive player.” Peach is confident he’ll be playing on Saturdays come next fall.

The secondary won’t have a ton of experience. Cornerback Deon Mays will have to play a key role. He has plenty of speed and great length at 6’2.”

The team speed and overall talent on this Colts squad should set it apart from previous Arlington teams. With that being said, Peach expects his group to push for its first district title in five years and make a run in the playoffs.

Arlington Bowie Volunteers

Head Coach: Joseph Sam (4th Season; 14-18 record)

Last Season: 7-4; 5-1 in district (Lost to Dallas Jesuit in bi-district)

Bowie Key Players and Storylines

Bowie was a two-point conversion away from its first district title in 11 years last season. Unfortunately for the Volunteers, the try was unsuccessful, and Martin walked away with the district title after a 30-29 victory.

This year, look for the Volunteers to rely on an offense that averaged nearly 30 points per game in 2023. That unit returns eight starters, while the defense has just four back.

Running back Darrion Bowers is set to be the bell cow again after back-to-back 1,000 yard seasons. Head coach Joseph Sam said he has great vision and speed when he hits a hole. Receiver Dilon Talie (559 receiving yards and two touchdowns) is a great route runner with great hands. He’s poised to be the number one receiver this year following the graduation of Rafeald Campbell.

In the trenches, opponents better be ready to battle with Ian Mayes. He can play all five offensive line positions, and Sam said between the white lines, he plays with quite the mean streak.

On the other side of the ball, the Volunteers return their leading tackler from last year in linebacker Jeremiah Brinson. He has the ability to make plays across the field. Also in the front seven, keep an eye on defensive end/linebacker Galatians Pagofie. Sam believes he’s due for a breakout year. Okello Okello (43 tackles, 12 TFLs) also brings plenty of athleticism to the defensive line. This will be his fourth year on varsity.

Sam said the culture he had hoped to establish at Bowie has taken hold. That is a promising sign for the 2024 season as the Volunteers look to finish the job they came up one point short of a year ago.

Arlington Lamar Vikings

Head Coach: Billy Skinner (4th season; 9-21 record)

Last Season: 4-6; 3-3 in district

Lamar Key Players and Storylines

Lamar notched its best season under Billy Skinner a year ago. A three-way tiebreaker is all that separated the Vikings from their first playoff berth since 2019.

They’ll be hopeful of making another run at the postseason this year as the majority of their offensive production returns.

Sophomore receiver Trenton Yancey is a special talent. He had a huge freshman year, catching 60 passes for 816 yards. That breakout season has already earned him over 30 Division I offers.

He’ll have a familiar face throwing him the ball in senior quarterback Gannon Carey (1,907 passing yards and 10 touchdowns). Carey brings another dynamic to this Viking offense with his 4.4 40-yard dash speed.

The passing game is far from a one-man show. Seniors Jesse Little (443 receiving yards and two touchdowns) and Greg Peoples (244 receiving yards) were Lamar’s second and third-leading receivers in 2023. Junior Khamill Pruitt will be a threat in the open field and on kickoffs. He’s also getting looks from the Division I level.

Defensively, the Vikings have yet another sophomore star in linebacker Braylon Williams. He led them in tackles a year ago.

Up front, keep an eye on Marquis Reis (26 tackles). He recently just started playing the sport, and should build off a solid sophomore year where he earned an all-district honorable mention.

The Vikings have the type of gamebreaking players on their roster that can come up with a special play to win a game. With those x-factors, the Vikings will hope this is the year they get over the hump and punch that playoff ticket.

Arlington Martin Warriors

Head Coach: Chad Rives (2nd Season; 8-4 record)

Last Season: 8-4; 6-0 in district (Lost to Allen in bi-district)

Key Players and Storylines

Head Coach Chad Rives kept the Martin tradition of district titles going in his first year in charge. The Warriors made a late two-point conversion stop to edge Bowie 30-29 in the regular season finale, sealing the top spot. They have now won five-straight district crowns after last year’s success.

They’ll have to reload some this year, especially on defense where just three starters are back.

The offense has six starters returning from last year’s squad, and the skill positions are in great shape. Dual threat quarterback Brooks Brigance (1,004 passing yards, 846 rushing yards, and 19 total TDs) and junior running back Daylon Cobb (667 rushing yards and seven touchdowns) are quite the dynamic duo.

Brigance also has two of his top three receivers returning in Trantan Miles (367 receiving yards and two touchdowns) and Brody Williams (252 receiving yards and a touchdown).

Up front, the Warriors only return one starting offensive lineman. Rives listed tackle Jacob Martinez as one of the top athletes on the Warriors roster this year, so his experience and leadership will be vital.

On the other side of the ball, opposing tackles are going to be in for a long evening when facing Martin. The Warriors have two talented edges in three-star junior Jesse Ford and senior Ryder Havard. Besides those two, junior Jordan Talley is the only other returning starter for the defense. He was a second team all-district selection in 2023.

The internal hire of Rives a year ago led to a rather seamless transition on the field last fall. Now this season, Martin has to replace 47 of its 66 lettermen from a year ago, but don’t overlook a program that has established itself as a regular district title contender over the past decade and a half.

Arlington Sam Houston Texans

Head Coach: Christopher James (3rd season; 0-20 record)

Last Season: 0-10; 0-6 in district

Sam Houston Key Players and Storylines

The Texans head into this fall looking to snap a 26-game losing streak.

Their defense will be looking to take a step forward this season after struggling to slow down opponents a year ago. They’ll have a strong presence in the middle of the field with senior linebacker Noel Lopez and junior Bryson Castile. Castile looks to have potential to play on Saturdays after a solid sophomore year. He can play some running back as well.

Behind them in the secondary, junior Isaiah Terrell had two pick-sixes a year ago, while Jayden Scurlock started all ten games as a sophomore. Scurlock is a versatile option. He can either play at defensive back or a linebacker. Fellow defensive backs Josh Nyamari and Naftali Gekonge should be two more senior leaders on the back end.

Offensively, the Texans have to replace their quarterback from a year ago. Whoever steps into that role will have some options at receiver. Senior Carlos Santillan and sophomore Chaunce Price were both all-district honorable mentions a year ago.

The Texans took their lumps at times last fall. They’ll hope that experience will make their returning players better as they look to be increasingly competitive with their district rivals this fall.

Grand Prairie Gophers

Head Coach: Tony Tademy (7th season; 15-44 record)

Last Season: 1-9; 1-5 record

Grand Prairie Key Players and Storylines

The Gophers made the playoffs in 2021 but have now had back-to-back one win seasons.

They’ll look to take a step forward this year with six starters back on offense and eight returning on defense.

Offensively, Grand Prairie wants to establish a physical ground game.

That means Bra’len Smith (498 rushing yards and seven touchdowns) will tote the rock a lot this fall. He’s a workhorse back who “puts his head down to gain the extra yard.” Offensive lineman Christian Franklin will have to make inroads up front. He can play every position along the line.

If the Gophers turn to the air, look for Michael Green to be a factor. He “makes the hard catch look easy” with his length and catching ability.

Despite Grand Prairie’s struggles last season, the Gopher defense actually led the district in forced turnovers.

They have two playmakers at linebacker in “physical and violent tackler” Xavier Rodriguez and Joseph Puente (105 tackles, three TFLs), who is the “smartest guy on the defensive side of the ball.”

On the back end, safety Tyrone Delaney is a “violent tackler and ball hawk.”

The Gopher coaching staff is looking for its players to establish the right mindset in 2024. They said they must get off the bus ready to go to battle and expecting to win each game if they want to reach their full potential this fall.

Haltom Buffalos

Head Coach: Jason Tucker (11th season; 38-66 record)

Last Season: 2-8; 2-5 in district

Haltom Key Players and Storylines

2-8 doesn’t read pretty on paper, but four of those eight losses came by just one possession. With two of those losses coming in district play, the Buffs weren’t far off from being a playoff team.

The Buffalos do have some senior production to replace from that team, especially at the offensive skill positions.

Junior Dominique Mounivong looks poised to step into the starting quarterback role this year. He’s had a strong offseason in the weight room, squatting over 500 pounds. He’ll be joined in the backfield by the versatile backs Drico Roberson and Keenan Jackson. Both also will potentially see snaps as receivers.

On the other side of the ball, linebacker Jayden Davis will be the Buffs’ anchor in the middle of the field. He was a second team all-district selection a year ago. The Buffalos also have a couple of impressive juniors. Defensive end Damien Wayne was a second team all-district selection in 2023, while defensive back Lukas Bryant finished with 38 tackles a year ago.

This year will be all about finishing for the Buffalos as they move into this new district. If they can turn some of those close losses into wins, they’ll give themselves a shot at snapping a playoff drought that dates back to 2020.

South Grand Prairie Warriors

Head Coach: Laban DeLay (4th season; 16-18 record)

Last Season: 3-8; 3-3 in district (Lost to Lake Highlands in bi-district)

South Grand Prairie Key Players and Storylines

South Grand Prairie squeaked into the playoffs a year ago with its three district victories serving as its only three wins on the season. But with just nine lettermen graduating and eight starters back on both sides of the ball, the Warriors will be looking up in 2024.

Junior quarterback Daylon Brooks will get the keys to the offense after splitting time last year. The Warrior backfield should be a strength this year as Brooks will have the running back tandem of Josiah Lucas and Riley Calvin alongside him. Out at receiver, Cade Wallace is back after earning an all-district honorable mention in 2023.

Oscar Mercado will be the anchor of the offensive line. He was a first team all-district pick last fall.

Flipping sides, defensive back Jameel Ross, linebacker Noah Adams, and defensive lineman Cayden McGriff are coming off seasons where they earned all-district honorable mentions. The defensive line should be a particular strength with senior Noah Morales, Kaden Fields, and Bryson Dabney all listed as key returnees alongside McGriff.

Head coach Laban DeLay said he’ll need some of his leading returners to take on an increased leadership role this year. But with last year’s experience under their belts, all signs point to the Warriors taking a step forward in the win column this fall.

 

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