Saint Jo and Union Hill have been so consistent over the past half-decade, any attempt to unseat them atop the district standings has been futile.
However, Savoy and Campbell will look to shake up District 10-1A Division I this year as both programs bring in new head coaches.
Here’s what to watch for in District 10-1A Division I.
Campbell Indians
Head Coach: Preston Compton (1st Season)
Last Season: 3-7; 1-2 in district
Campbell Key Players and Storylines
After Westley Pritchard left to take a job on staff at Saint Jo, Campbell didn’t have to look far for his replacement.
The Indians promoted defensive coordinator Preston Compton to take over the program.
Compton is no stranger to success, having played at Southlake Carroll and Denton Ryan.
Now he aims to take Campbell to similar heights in the six-man world. The Indians have yet to make the playoffs since dropping down to six-man football in 2019 after a brief excursion to 11-man football in 2018.
As Compton takes over, he’ll have exactly half his starters back on each side of the ball from last year’s team.
Offensively, the Indians lose their first team all-district running back from 2022. However, they anticipate Keenan White (52 rushing yards) stepping into a bigger role offensively this year and sophomore Manny Knox and freshmen Jayden Barker to contribute well. Both Knox and Barker can play quarterback or running back.
Bolstering the Campbell run game will be the return of juniors OL/TE Brayan Cruz, OL/FB Nathaniel Wright, and center Nathan Hall, who all started a year ago.
On the other side of the ball, White (32 tackles) really made himself known from his defensive end position last year as a freshman, earning Defensive Newcomer of the Year award for the district.
He’ll have plenty of help in the trenches as both Cruz (27 tackles) and Hall should have an impact on the defensive line as well after starting as sophomores a year ago.
The Indians will be young this season. Compton said he doesn’t have a single senior on the roster. However, he’s ready for the challenge as the season continues to grow ever closer.
“I have high expectations for this team,” Compton said. “We have a group of kids that is hungry to win and very coachable and we are setting our eyes on a playoff spot.”
Savoy Cardinals
Head Coach: Keith Hughes (1st Season)
Last Season: 4-6; 0-3 in district
Savoy Key Players and Storylines
Savoy is another program that will head into 2023 with a new coach. After Jacob Guzman left to take over at Meadow, the Cardinals tabbed Keith Hughes with taking over the Savoy program.
Hughes had most recently coached at Whiteface and when he decided to return to the six-man coaching ranks, he looked for a place that had hard-working kids, was hungry for success, and was somewhere God would be proud to call home.
He felt like Savoy checked all of those boxes, and he’s excited about the Cardinals’ potential heading into 2023. Last year was the most wins Savoy has had in a single season since 2018.
“This team should be better than it has been in every way,” Hughes said. “We are older, stronger, smarter, and know the systems a little better each week. I honestly feel like there is a real chance to be a very good football team.”
Five starters returning on each side of the ball will certainly help in trying to turn that prediction into a reality.
The Cardinals will be strong in the backfield where they return both quarterback Layne Steele, who started as a freshman last year, and junior spread back Keylyn Streetman. Vaden Wood, who was a first team all-district selection at linebacker last year, also can contribute at running back for the Cardinals.
Eden Mendoza will be Savoy’s go-to receiver in the passing game, while Jace Rodgers and Donovan Taylor will anchor the team in the trenches on both sides of the ball.
Taylor was especially prolific on the defensive line last year, earning second team all-district honors last season.
Expect Wood to be the defensive leader from his linebacker position. Streetman, Mendoza, and Steele can all contribute in the secondary.
Hughes believes the biggest gains his team has made is in the weight room. With a mixture of youth and experience on Savoy’s roster, he said the biggest focus for his Cardinals is to be a powerful football team when they take the field this fall.
Saint Jo Panthers
Head Coach: Mark Stevens (5th Season)
Last Season: 8-3; 2-1 in district (Lost to Gordon in bi-district round)
Saint Jo Key Players and Storylines
Saint Jo graduated a large senior class last season and only returns three starters on offense and just one on defense. Despite the turnover, Panther head coach Mark Stevens still has high expectations for his football team.
“It will be up to our underclassman to step up,” Stevens said. “But we have good numbers in our program, so we expect to compete for district championships and make a run in the playoffs every season. This one is no exception.”
The Panthers averaged over 43 points per game last year, and the return of last year’s leading receiver Devin Stewart (585 receiving yards and 16 touchdowns) will be a big boost to the offense. Stevens also expects sophomore running back Lee Yeley (516 rushing yards and seven touchdowns) to step up after the graduation of first team all-district running back Trevor O’Neal.
Up front, senior center Cason Ruiz should help lead the offense in the trenches. On the other side of the ball, Stevens also expects senior Blaine Penaluna to be an important player for the Panthers from his defensive end position.
Heading into this season with a younger football team, Stevens believes his team’s biggest access will be their team speed. He hopes to use that to their advantage as they seek to make the playoffs for the fifth-straight year.
Union Hill Bulldogs
Head Coach: Josh Bragdon (5th Season)
Last Season: 11-1; 3-0 in district (Lost to Abbott in area round)
Union Hill Key Players and Storylines
In recent years, Union Hill has been a six-man powerhouse out in East Texas. Not only have the Bulldogs made the playoffs in the last eight seasons, but they haven’t even lost a district game since 2015.
The Bulldogs have some graduates they must replace from last season, but they still have key players returning on each side of the ball.
Offensively, the main threats will be running backs Logan Dunn (498 passing yards and 16 touchdowns) and Devin Espinoza (915 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns). Espinoza was the district’s Offensive MVP a year ago.
On the other side of the ball, Espinoza was a first team all-district selection at safety, while Dunn was named first team all-district as a utility player.
After the graduation of the other five players who earned first team all-district last season, Union Hill will need a supporting cast to step up around Dunn and Espinoza this fall. However, the Bulldogs have been so consistent over the past eight years, it would be a surprise to see much of a drop off in 2023.
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