Medina and Leakey have controlled this district the past two seasons.
However, there was evidence that gap was beginning to be closed at the end of last season. Prairie Lea gave Leakey all it wanted in the final regular season game of the year.
Will one of McDade, Nueces Canyon or Prairie Lea break through this year or will the status quo be maintained?
Here’s what to watch for in District 16-1A Division I.
Leakey Eagles
Head Coach: Kurt Nichols (3rd Season)
Last Season: 6-6; 3-1 in district (Lost to Irion County in area round)
Leakey Key Players and Storylines
Leakey has yet to miss the playoffs since returning to six-man football in 2018. After a first round exit in 2021, the Eagles bounced back a year ago, upsetting Leverett’s Chapel in the bi-district round.
This year, the Eagles have to replace their offensive star from last year in spreadback Pierce Goddard. However, they still have fullbacks Jeff Knox and Fisher Rimkus as well as Logan Webb and tight end Caleb Yeschke up front. All four players were all-district honorees a year ago.
On the other side of the ball, Knox should anchor the Eagles again from his defensive tackle position, while Rimkus was another threat on the defensive line a year ago. Behind them, linebacker Quentin Pichardo and safety Vincent Pintor return as well after earning all-district honors a year ago.
Goddard’s offensive production is the biggest hole the Eagles have to fill from a year ago. Many of their other key players return, setting them up to not only keep their playoff streak alive but also to push for a postseason victory again in 2023.
McDade Bulldogs
Head Coach: Wayne Carter (2nd Season)
Last Season: 4-6; 2-2 in district
McDade Key Players and Storylines
McDade finished just a game out of the playoffs a year ago as a 73-52 loss to Leakey proved to be the difference in the race for second place.
This year, the Bulldogs return three starters on offense and four on defense.
Head coach Wayne Carter said he is expecting his team’s defense to be improved this year. They return defensive backs senior Diego Vasquez, sophomore Jacob Pacheco, and fellow sophomore Jonathan Brandon, who all earned all-district honors a year ago.
Meanwhile, offensively, the Bulldogs have some holes to fill after losing much of their scoring talent from a year ago. However, Carter said he’s confident that some of the younger players who gained experience last fall are primed to step into bigger roles this year.
Running back Trent Rizor will be an important piece of the offense along with Vasquez, who was a first team all-district tight end in 2022.
McDade may have some question marks remaining heading into the season but if the defense is as strong as Carter expects it to be, the Bulldogs could challenge for the second playoff spot again this year.
Medina Bobcats
Head Coach: Mark Coley (3rd Season)
Last Season: 11-1; 4-0 in district (Lost to Jonesboro in area round)
Medina Key Players and Storylines
After just three total district wins from 2018-2020, Medina has now won back-to-back undefeated district titles.
They very nearly advanced to the third round of playoffs a year ago, falling to Jonesboro by just six points.
This season, Medina does have to replace the district’s 2022 Offensive and Defensive MVPs, but the Bobcats still return half their starters from a year ago on each side of the ball.
Look for fullback TJ DeLeon and running back Cason Johnson to lead the way in the backfield offensively. Both were all-district selections last year.
Will Derry is another back that head coach Mark Coley is expecting to contribute. And when the Bobcats turn to their passing attack, Branson Wickham should serve as one of the team’s primary receivers.
On the other side of the ball, DeLeon and Derry should lead the Bobcats at linebacker, while Wickham and Johnson anchor the secondary. Johnson showcased his versatility a year ago, earning all-district honors as a utility player.
Coley knows his Bobcats have some key pieces to replace. But despite the roster turnover, he believes the Bobcats have enough talent back to continue their impressive turnaround.
“We want to continue to build our program here,” Coley said. “A three-peat district championship would be nice, but getting back into the playoffs is the ultimate goal.”
Nueces Canyon Panthers
Head Coach: Naphtali Fletcher (6th Season)
Last Season: 2-8; 1-3 in district
Nueces Canyon Key Players and Storylines
The dominance of Leakey and Medina has left Nueces Canyon mired mid-pack in the district standings the past three seasons. The Panthers haven’t made the playoffs since 2019.
This season, Nueces Canyon returns three starters on each side of the ball. Head coach Naphtali Fletcher expects them to come out hungry after finishing with just two wins last season.
Spreadback Nate Carbajal graduated, but the rest of the Panther backfield remains relatively intact. They hope that experience will help them improve on the 27.8 points per game they averaged a year ago.
Diego Galvan (1,007 yards, 17 total touchdowns) and Marcos Ortiz (535 total yards) should lead the charge this season. Both are also threats in the receiving game as well. Fletcher also has high hopes for sophomore back Owen Hankins (254 total yards)
Up front, look for tight end Ethan Hondorf to not only be a physical presence but also a threat in the passing game (188 receiving yards).
Defensively, Galvan (71 tackles and Hondorf (40 tackles) should be the leaders of the unit.
With Nueces Canyon having to replace half of its starters from a year ago, Fletcher noted there will be some positions where his team will lack experience. Still, he hopes the Panthers’ backfield weapons will be enough to lead them forward on the field in 2023.
Prairie Lea Indians
Head Coach: Steven Brown (2nd Season)
Last Season: 1-8; 0-5 in district
Prairie Lea Key Players and Storylines
It has been a tough stretch for Prairie Lea, which hasn’t won a district game since 2016.
However, the Indians showed signs of progress late last year. In their final game of the season, they gave Leakey all it wanted in a narrow 40-28 defeat.
This season, Prairie Lea will be playing with heavy hearts as they take the field in honor of DJ Cubit, who tragically lost his life in a car crash in late July.
Looking at this year’s squad, despite losing some key players to graduation, head coach Steven Brown is encouraged by a strong batch of freshmen that should help the Indians’ cause this season.
Offensively, running back Jimmy Soberanes and spread back Gabriel Garcia should lead a strong rushing attack for the Indians. Both earned second team all-district a year ago.
Up front, Bryant Garcia should play a key roles trenches on both the offense and defensive lines.
Gabriel Garcia will also be one to watch from his cornerback position on defense as he’s the lone all-district returner on that side of the ball from a year ago. But that’s not all for the secondary as Lane Fiscus and Soberanes should help make the secondary a stronghold for the Indians this season.
Heading into this year, the Indians will be heavy underdogs in their district yet again after being 45’d by every team but Leakey a year ago.
However, the underdog role is one Prairie Lea’s players have embraced, according to Brown. They have been hard at work all offseason looking to improve.
And with nine starters from last year’s squad returning and the motivation of playing in memory of Cubit, Prairie Lea will be hopeful that this will be the year its district losing streak comes to an end.
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