Blum has been a dominant six-man force in Central Texas the past half decade, but the Bobcats will have a new-look squad this year after being hit hard by graduation.
Will that allow for a team like Covington or Avalon to climb into the playoffs this year? Plus Three Way looks to make strides after bringing in a new coach this spring.
And don’t forget about a Milford squad that will be looking to make its second-straight playoff berth.
Here are all the storylines and key players to watch for in District 11-1A Division I this season.
Avalon Eagles
Head Coach: Malcolm Cole (9th Season)
Last Season: 5-5; 1-3 in district
Avalon Key Players and Storylines
District play didn’t go the way Avalon had hoped last year. The Eagles were 45’d in two of the games and also lost to Covington by 28.
But with five starters back on each side of the ball, head coach Malcolm Cole hopes the lumps they took last year can be used for good.
“I expect our underclassman to continue to progress and take on the roles of leaders,” Cole said. “As a team, I hope that we learned from the difficulties that we endured last year, and we use those to strengthen us this year.”
Offensively, Avalon does have to wide receiver/running back Colby Ornelas, but virtually the rest of its production returns.
Look for Erick Padron (1,247 passing yards and 20 TDs; 552 rushing yards and five TDs) and Josh Novak (635 passing yards and 11 TDs; 652 rushing yards and nine TDs) to serve as the Eagles’ do-it-all backs. Making those stats even more impressive is the fact that Novak was just a freshman a year ago.
When either of them turns to the air, wide receiver Jake Ozymy (181 receiving yards and four touchdowns) and tight end Shawn McEwen (248 receiving yards and two touchdowns) are likely to serve as their primary targets. Ozymy is also a track star for the Eagles having run in the state 800 meter track meet the past three years.
Defensively, the Eagles will rely on Ozymy (50 tackles, three TFLs) and Novak (39 tackles) at linebacker while Padron (67 tackles, four TFLs) patrols the field from his safety position. McEwen (36 tackles, five TFLs) should be Avalon’s primary threat in the trenches.
One of Avalon’s biggest strengths this year will be its team speed.
Cole believes that all things considered, the Eagles can be a playoff team this year. However, he knows how deep this district is. He said Avalon will have to bring its A-game every week if it wants to bounce back and earn a postseason berth this season.
Blum Bobcats
Head Coach: Cooper Thornhill (8th Season)
Last Season: 7-5; 4-0 in district (Lost to Gordon in area round)
Blum Key Players and Storylines
The Bobcats continue to churn out victories in district play. You have to go back to November 2016 to find the last time Blum lost a district contest. That’s good for 24-straight victories.
This year, Blum has some retooling to do. The Bobcats graduated seven of their eight players that earned all-district honors last year.
Quarterback Lane Williams is the lone returning all-district player. He’ll look to take another step forward this year after earning first team honors in his first year tasked with throwing the football for the Bobcats. Senior JC Lavender could be a player Blum looks to step up out of the backfield after he rushed for around 200 yards a year ago.
Defensively, Lavender should be the leader of the unit from his linebacker position.
Blum will be a new look football team this year after losing most of its production from a year ago to graduation. But with the way the Bobcats have had sustained success under Thornhill, don’t count them out as they aim for another district title in 2023.
Covington Owls
Head Coach: Charles Steele (8th Season)
Last Season: 6-4; 2-2 in district
Covington Key Players and Storylines
Covington came agonizingly close to snapping its 26-year playoff drought last season. Its two district losses were by a total of just 15 points.
The Owls have some talent to replace, but their backfield will still be strong in 2023. Senior Kaden Dorsey returns at running back while sophomore Josh Rives burst onto the scene last year as a utility back. He was the district’s Newcomer of the Year last season.
Those two players will also be the leaders defensively as both earned first team all-district honors last year. Dorsey will anchor the Owls up front from his defensive end position while Rives will roam the backside of the defense at safety. Junior Hector Duron is another player that will have an impact defensively after he earned all-district honors as a utility player last season.
Heading into the season, the Owls will need players to step up to make sure Dorsey and Rives have the supporting cast they need.
However, returning two of your best players tends to be a recipe for success in six-man football. Covington will hope that will be the case as it gears up for another run at snapping its playoff drought this fall.
Milford Bulldogs
Head Coach: Jose Cervantes (2nd season)
Last Season: 8-3; 3-1 in district (Lost to Abbott in bi-district)
Milford Key Players and Storylines
After missing the playoffs in back-to-back years, the Bulldogs rebounded in Cervantes’ first year with a second-placed finish in district play.
And despite returning just one starter on offense and two on defense this year, the cupboard isn’t bare for the Bulldogs.
Milford’s offense will run through senior Amir Newman (1,186 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns), who earned the district’s Offensive MVP honors in 2022. Newman and fellow back Corey Serrata (896 rushing yards, nine rushing touchdowns, and 12 passing touchdowns) should prove to be a dynamic duo that can keep the wheels turning for the Bulldogs offense.
Defensively, the Bulldogs will be lead in the heart of the field by linebackers Kasen Agreda (86 total tackles and three INTs) and Shauman Rogers (76 total tackles).
Meanwhile, Matthew Lara (400 rushing yards, six touchdowns, and 35 tackles) has established himself as a jack-of-all-trades at Cervantes’ disposal. He contributed on both sides of the ball and earned all-district honors for his play on special teams in 2022.
With Newman and Serrata leading the way on offense and Agreda and Rogers as proven sure-tacklers on defense, Cervantes said his Bulldogs are primed to build off of last season’s success.
“We just want to continue to grow and get better each day,” Cervantes said. “The team’s expectations are to make the postseason again and hopefully make a further run in 2023 and continue to build culture.”
Three Way Braves
Head Coach: Cody Harris (1st Season)
Last Season: 1-8; 0-4 in district
Three Way Key Players and Storylines
Three Way will have a new coach in 2023 as Cody Harris takes over the program.
The Braves have not found much success on the field since beginning varsity football in 2018. They’ve won just two district games during that time span. However, Harris said he felt God’s calling to use his talents to make a positive impact at Three Way. Moving forward, he hopes to provide some stability at the athletic director position.
I am excited to announce that I will be the new Athletic Director / Head Football Coach at Three Way ISD! Kylee and I are so excited for this opportunity and very excited to move back into this area. pic.twitter.com/hjXR8XR1ry
— Cody James Harris (@Coach_Harris21) March 22, 2023
Knowing Three Way’s struggles as a football program, Harris said his initial focus will be establishing a foundation to build off of in future years.
“Hard work and joy is the motto this year for the athletes,” Harris said. “There will be a lot of highs and a lot of lows as we move forward. Through the hard workouts or tough times in a game, if we can learn to find joy in those moments, and push through, that creates a great environment, and positive memories to come as they move forward with life. “
Three Way’s star player from last year, spreadback Colt Berry has graduated, but Harris is expecting sophomore running back Logan Trussell and senior quarterback Kody Krowl to lead the backfield this year. Sophomore wide receiver Jose Torres should be Three Way’s go-to target in the passing game.
Lineman Jose Cehand will anchor the Braves on both sides of the ball. The Braves should also be strong at safety with Torres and Krowl. Krowl was a second team all-district selection last season. Trussell, meanwhile, will be relied upon in the middle of the field from his linebacker position.
Success may not come instantaneously as Harris takes over the Three Way program. However, he said he hopes his players will buy in and give their all as Three Way looks to begin building a program that can find more sustained success on the football field.
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