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District 20-6A Season Preview

Round Rock Hail Roof Inspection

 

District 20-6A looks entirely different from a year ago. George Ranch is the lone holdover in this now seven-team district. Strake Jesuit and the Alief ISD schools come over from 23-6A, while Foster and Fulshear will play their first year of 6A football.

Only three of its seven squads made the playoffs a year ago and only two of them had winning records. Who will step up and seize the opportunity this district presents?

Here’s what to watch for in District 20-6A.

Alief Elsik Rams

Head Coach: Shea Rodriguez (3rd season; 5-15 record)

Last Season: 4-6; 2-5 in district

Elsik Key Players and Storylines

The Rams busted through last year, snapping a 15-game district losing streak and scoring their most wins in a single season since 2015.

Junior linebacker Reilarean Phillips is the player to watch for the Rams. He has double digit Division I offers. But it’s far from a one man band. Sam Marcelin and Avery Malveaux, a 2023 second team all-district selection, were both reliable tacklers in the middle of the field last season. Opposing offensive lines will also have to be weary of defensive end Dikachi Ikoro. He’s a force up front and is coming off a year where he earned second team all-district honors.

The offense will revolve around the passing game. The Rams have two Division I receivers in Tayron Hughes and junior Dajon Patterson. They also get their quarterback back in Kaden Mendenhall as he heads into his second year as the Rams starter.

Elsik hasn’t made the playoffs since its seven-win season back in 2015. But with Division I talent on both sides of the ball, expect Shea Rodriguez’s squad to continue to make progress on the field in 2024.

Alief Hastings Bears

Head Coach: Michael Carter (1st season)

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

Hastings Key Players and Storylines

After Tomas de la Rosa accepted the Alief ISD assistant athletic director position, the Bears named Michael Carter as their new head football coach. He was most recently the offensive coordinator at Cypress Springs.

There is some momentum building behind this program. On the field, the Bears scored multiple district wins for the first time since 2020 a year ago. Off the field, they also just got a brand new weight room.

Now, this season, they have six starters back on each side of the ball.

Quarterback Madden Harvey is back for his third year as a starter. The Bears coaching staff said the team is fully behind him as an offensive leader. Alongside him will be running back Syncere Nealy. Nealy packs a punch as a power back who loves to play “hard-nosed” football.

On the offensive line, Hastings will need Xavier Obiero-Hyter to be its anchor after graduating four of its starters from last season. He “can play guard or center very effectively.”

Defensively, the Bears are going to be a handful in the trenches. Smith Orogbo has “a motor that doesn’t stop” and is “tough to block.” He’s a four-star prospect that recently committed to Texas.

But opponents can’t just zero in on Orogbo. On the other side of the line, the Bears also have Cal commit Ike Okafor. “He is fast and will be a handful for offensive lines,” according to the Bears’ coaching staff.

In the secondary, the Hastings coaches are looking for a breakout year from Simeon Cannon.

The Bears haven’t made the playoffs since 2018, but the tide may be turning. They’ve had a great offseason and are ready to become contenders in 2024.

Alief Taylor Lions

Head Coach: Shawn Gray (5th season; 17-21 record)

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

Taylor Key Players and Storylines

The Lions came up just short of the playoffs a year ago as they ended up on the wrong side of a playoff tiebreaker with Strake Jesuit.

However, they will sense there is room for opportunity after the top three teams in 20-6A last year were all aligned to a different district.

They have plenty of talent on both sides of the ball with eight starters back on offense and seven returning on defense.

Running back Jaxson Adeoye (893 rushing yards and four touchdowns) is an every-down back, who is a “great runner after contact.” Head coach Shawn Gray said he’ll be the heartbeat of the offense this season.

In the passing game, senior receiver Dylan Harris (439 receiving yards and three touchdowns) has great speed and is always a threat for a big play. He was Taylor’s second-leading receiver a year ago.

At quarterback, Logan Gray (354 passing yards and two touchdowns) is ready to step into the full-time starting role after the graduation of Torian Roberts. Gray is a dual threat who excels at “reading the defense.”

On the other side of the ball, Taylor is well set in the secondary. Melton Nwaugo can cover any position, while Patrick Spiller is the quarterback of the defense and a “hard-hitting” tackler.

Defensive lineman Mustafa Aboaba is quick off the ball. His effort up front will “set the tone for the defense this season.”

This Taylor team is certainly not lacking in the speed department, and Gray said they have good size on both sides of the ball too.

The Lions will need to stay healthy this year because their depth isn’t great in some key positions, but Gray believes it’s not out of this question that this team breaks out and contends for a district championship this year.

Houston Strake Jesuit Crusaders

Head Coach: Donovan Fikac (4th season; 11-20 record)

Last Season: 3-8; 3-4 in district (Lost to Clear Falls in bi-district)

Strake Jesuit Key Players and Storylines

The Crusaders didn’t get discouraged by an 0-4 start last year as they clawed their way to their first playoff berth since 2020.

They have some options at quarterback this season. Both Luke Bymon and Bryson Easley saw playing time a year ago.

There’s no such question mark at who will be their top rusher. John Hebert is looking to build off a strong sophomore season in the backfield. In the passing attack, Luke Omanaga should be the Crusaders’ go-to target. He was a second team all-district pick last season. Tight end Heger Davis will also be a key player up front. He was a second team all-district selection last year. He’s got the size at six-foot-seven to be a matchup problem if the Crusaders turn to him in the passing game too.

The Crusaders should make their presence felt in the trenches. Offensive lineman Chrysanthos Fetokakis will be tough for any defensive player to get around at 6’4″ and 355 pounds. Guard Ryan Frew was a second team all-district pick a year ago.

On the flip side, defensive tackle Brandon Ukponu will be Strake Jesuit’s anchor for his unit. He is committed to Harvard. Defensive back Bryce Stewart will be the Crusaders’ playmaker on the back end.

Strake Jesuit returns much of its offensive playmakers from last season. They’ll look for that unit to improve from the 20 points per game it averaged last year as they look to get back in the playoffs for the second-straight year.

Round Rock Hail Roof Inspection

Lamar Fulshear Chargers

Head Coach: Nick Codutti (4th season; 27-9 record)

Last Season: 11-1; 8-0 in district (Lost to A&M Consolidated in area round)

Fulshear Key Players and Storylines

The Chargers had great success in 5A Division I, winning 11 games in each of the past two seasons. Now, they’ll test themselves at the 6A level for the first time in school history.

They’ve got a good group making the transition with six starters back on offense and eight returning on defense.

The Chargers pride themselves on a “physical brand of football on both sides of the ball,” and they’ve got a group to execute that mission this year.

This is a team that loves to run the ball, and they’ve got a trio of backs to help them establish that ground game. Patrick Broadway (1,028 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns) and Demairus Froe (811 rushing yards and eight touchdowns) are both strong runners ready to form a one-two punch this year. When they need a spell, the Chargers also have “punishing fullback” Zane Smith (314 rushing yards and six touchdowns).

That run game will be vital as the Chargers settle in a sophomore quarterback this season.

Defensively, it all starts in the trenches. Defensive linemen Sheldon Rice (63 tackles, 20 TFLs) and Chance Bryant are both committed to Houston.

And while those two are creating headaches up front, the Chargers won’t be easy to throw against either. “Long corner” Jerome Drain and “physical safety” Ehimen Ediale are both committed to Air Force.

Fulshear had never made the playoffs before head coach Nick Codutti took over in 2021, but his players have brought into his physical brand of football, leading to the Chargers success in recent years.

They’ll look to build on that this year as they jump right into 6A action with tough non-district contests against Pearland and Ridge Point the first two weeks of the seaosn.

Richmond Foster Falcons

Head Coach: Shane Hanks (2nd season; 1-9 record)

Last Season: 1-9; 1-7 in district

Foster Key Players and Storylines

Foster will play 6A football for the first time in school history in 2024. Shane Hanks is determined to get this program back on the right track as he heads in his second season at the helm.

It’s a mixed bag for the Falcons when it comes to experience. The offense has six starters back, while the defense returns just three.

Hanks said his team doesn’t have the biggest size on the offensive line, but they do have plenty of speed at the skill positions. Junior receiver Riley Blanton will stretch the defense while senior Jack Den Herder has “great hands” and is a “great route runner.” Hanks believes Den Herder will be the leader of the Falcon offense this year.

Foster has a lot of starters and experience to replace on defense, but they do have some playmakers in the front seven. Linebacker Addison Ojiaku was the leading tackler for the Falcons last year.


In front of him, Shaun McDowell is an “athletic and strong defensive end” while powerful defensive tackle Josiah Hatter is a four-year varsity letterman.

Kicker Nick Lopez will give the Falcons an additional weapon on special teams. He made eight of 12 field goals in 2023 with a long of 37 yards.

Foster hasn’t made the playoffs since 2020, and last year was its first season below .500 since 2011. That will give this group plenty of motivation as they look to “return to winning form” in 2024.

Richmond George Ranch Longhorns

Head Coach: Casey Vogt (1st Season)

Last Season: 9-3; 6-2 (Lost to Stratford in area round)

George Ranch Key Players and Storylines

The Casey Vogt era begins at George Ranch after Nick Cavallo departed to take the Morton Ranch job. Vogt has double-digit years of coaching experience as an assistant at the college level.

He’ll preside over a Longhorn program that has good momentum coming into 2024. George Ranch won its first playoff game since 2019 a year ago.

Offensively, versatile running back/receiver Hayden Drinkard (827 rushing yards, 329 receiving yards, and 11 touchdowns) is going to need to have a monster season. Around him, the Longhorns are replacing their starting quarterback, leading rusher, and five of their top six receivers from last season. The retooling doesn’t stop there. Jacob Thompson is the only returner from George Ranch’s four all-district offensive linemen in 2023.

Defensively, the Longhorns have a great core of linebackers with Nate Mangus (48 tackles), Christian Lee (43 tackles, 12 TFLs), and Josh Richardson (48 tackles). In the secondary, Cade Marino (44 tackles) is coming off a strong sophomore season from his safety position.

Vogt and his staff have had to go to work to replace the talent the Longhorns graduated off of last year’s squad. How quickly they can fill those holes will likely determine George Ranch’s potential in 2024.

 

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