Irion County was the class of this district a year ago. However, with the Hornets reloading this year, that could open the door for either Robert Lee or Menard. And with Eden brining in a new coach and Veribest boasting its most experienced team in a little while, there are a lot of storylines to follow in District 13-1A Division I this fall.
Here’s a look at what to watch for this season.
Eden Bulldogs
Head Coach: Open
Last Season: 1-9; 0-4 in district
Eden Key Players and Storylines
Eden will be looking to turn the corner in 2023 after a 1-9 campaign a year ago.
The Bulldogs should have good speed this season, but they’ll be young. Just two starters are back on offense and three on defense.
Spreadback Ezra Gamboa burst onto the scene a year ago as a freshman and should be the lifeblood of the Bulldog offense this year. He had a couple of memorable performances, including a 225-yard, two touchdown display in a Week 6 defeat to Lometa last year.
Blake Teeple should be another key contributor for the Bulldogs at both the running back and safety position. He was a second team all-district honoree on the defensive side of the ball a year ago.
Irion County was the class of the district a year ago, but the Bulldogs are hopeful they’ll be able to take a step forward this season and compete for the second playoff berth in the district.
Irion County Hornets
Head Coach: Shawn Harrison (1st season)
Last Season: 12-1; 4-0 in district (Lost in state semifinals to Abbott)
Irion County Key Players and Storylines
Shawn Harrison takes over at Irion County following the retirement of Don Coffell. He had previously served as the Hornets’ defensive coordinator the past three seasons.
The Hornets are coming off a historic season where they made their first state semifinal in school history. However, a big senior class means Harrison will have some retooling to do. Just one starter returns on offense and only two are back on defense.
Leading the returners is junior Parker Posey. He started at both running back (202 rushing yards, 247 receiving yards, and 13 total touchdowns) and linebacker (99 tackles) for the Hornets a year ago.
The only other returning starter for the Hornets is senior defensive end Keegan Wadsworth (107 tackles, 2 forced fumbles), who should be a force in the trenches again this season.
Although those players are the only starters back from last season, Harrison said some of their other returners played key roles on last year’s team.
Two of those players are Colton Lawdermilk (502 rushing yards and nine touchdowns) and Wyatt Morris (157 rushing yards and three touchdowns), who should both play key roles in the backfield this season. Defensively, Lawdermilk (53 tackles) should also see time at linebacker, while Morris (36 tackles) is another option for the Hornets on the defensive line.
Harrison praised the Mertzon community for how they have rallied around the Hornets’ athletic programs. And with that support, Harrison said he is excited to see what his team can do this season as several players step into key roles.
“There will be some growing pains when you lose the senior class we lost,” Harrison said. “But this group of kids have stood toe-to-toe on a daily basis versus those guys and helped make our teams what they have been the past few seasons. They are hungry and ready to step in and prove themselves.”
Menard Yellowjackets
Head Coach: Bryson Oliver (2nd Season)
Last Season: 7-4; 3-1 in district (Lost to Jonesboro in bi-district)
Menard Key Players and Storylines
Menard’s first-ever season playing six-man football was a massive success.
The Yellowjackets had a 2-18 record in their final two seasons playing 11-man football, missing the playoffs both years. However, after dropping down to six-man for the first time in its 106-year history last year, Menard finished 7-4 and made the playoffs for the first time since 2019.
Head Coach Bryson Oliver knows how to win at this level, having been a state champion quarterback at Throckmorton in 2012. He’ll aim to keep Menard moving in the right direction despite the graduation of two all-region players.
However, the word this year for Menard is “reload” and not “rebuild”. That’s because three starters are back on offense and four return on defense.
Last year’s District Newcomer of the Year Wyatt Terrell will be in Oliver’s eyes, “one of the most talented fullbacks in the district.” He’ll be the most experienced player in the Yellowjacket backfield as junior Colby Powell returns at running back after missing last season with an ACL injury. At quarterback, Colby’s twin brother Logan and sophomore Jayden Payton are set to battle for the starting job. Oliver believes Payton will be one of the most athletic players on the Yellowjacket roster.
In the passing game, Kade Rayburn should be a reliable target for whoever wins the starting job. Meanwhile, up front, Oliver is excited about the prospects of Aidan Ramon, a 6’5” freshman who will compete for a starting job right away.
Defensively, opposing offensive lines are going to have their hands full not only with Terrell (46 tackles, 7 TFLs) at defensive end but also with nose guard John Michael Eggleston. Oliver said Eggleston has had a big offseason and will be a force to be reckoned with in the trenches.
The hope for Menard will be another playoff berth again this season. Oliver said they’ll be young in some spots, but he’s hopeful the senior leadership provided by players like Terrell and Eggleston will keep the Yellowjackets moving in the right direction as they continue to gain experience playing six-man football.
Robert Lee Steers
Head Coach: Lee McCown (2nd Season)
Last Season: 8-2; 2-2 in district
Robert Lee Key Players and Storylines
Lee McCown returned to the sidelines from his role in administration at Robert Lee with great success last season.
After winning just four games combined the previous two seasons, the Steers broke through with eight wins a year ago. And with five starters returning on each side of the ball, the expectations are even higher this year.
Running back/linebacker Brayden Sherwood will again be Robert Lee’s leader on both sides of the ball. He was a first team all-district selection at running back (1,482 rushing yards and 27 touchdowns) and linebacker (78 total tackles) a year ago.
Fellow senior running backs Anthony Landeros (415 rushing yards and five touchdowns) and Denver O’Dell (311 rushing yards and seven touchdowns) will provide important depth alongside Sherwood. Quarterback Brody Pitcock (183 passing yards and two touchdowns) also returns to give the Steers a highly experienced backfield.
O’Dell should also play a key role from his cornerback position on defense after earning all-district honors a year ago. Pitcock, meanwhile, switches from being one of the Steers’ leaders in the backfield to terrorizing opposing backfields from his defensive end position (57 tackles).
Pitcock also can give the Steers a boost in the kicking game after making 37 of his 52 PATs a year ago.
Heading into 2023, McCown is most excited about his team’s depth that he said they haven’t had in previous years. He hopes that will be the key to breaking through and securing Robert Lee’s first playoff berth since 2019 this fall.
Veribest Falcons
Head Coach: Justin Morris (3rd Season)
Last Season: 2-8; 1-3 in district
Veribest Key Players and Storylines
Head Coach Justin Morris feels good about his Veribest football team heading into 2023.
With five starters returning on each side of the ball, he said he’ll have a more experienced and mature football team than in years past. That should bode well as the Falcons look to gain on the top three teams in the district. All three of their defeats in district play last season were by mercy rule.
Quarterback/safety Hunter Hallmark is the player to watch for the Falcons. He earned all-district on both sides of the ball last season. Junior running back Lane Howard should also help carry the load in the Veribest backfield. He’s also a talented hurdler for the Veribest track and field team.
In the trenches, Morris expects Luke Williams to be a key player on both sides of the ball for the Falcons, while defensive end Brayden Clark will be a player opposing offense will have to watch for coming off the edge.
Morris hopes that his team’s maturity will translate to the Falcons being better at finishing games this season. He said he’s seen his team grow since he first took over and believes they are in a position to continue that progress this season with the veteran experience they’ll have on the field.
CLICK HERE to listen to the Texas HS Football Podcast, with Taylor Arenz
