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District 22-6A Season Preview

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District 22-6A has a new look this year as the Pearland and Alvin ISD schools link up with the Pasadena programs.

Five of these programs made the playoffs a year ago, and that doesn’t even include a Manvel team that had its 13-year playoff streak snapped last year. So, no wins will come easy for these programs.

Here’s a school-by-school preview for the nine teams in District 22-6A.

Alvin Yellowjackets

Head Coach: James Gage (4th season; 10-20 record)

Last Season: 2-8; 0-7 in district

Alvin Key Players and Storylines

After back-to-back four win seasons, the Yellowjackets took a step back in 2023 with a 2-8 campaign. However, head coach James Gage is optimistic about his team’s prospects for this fall with seven starters returning on each side of the ball.

Drew Bingham is back to lead the Yellowjackets at quarterback.

The running back position has some question marks, but there are no such doubts about the offensive line. Tackle Adyn Villaloboz has 20 games of starting experience, while center Chris Baez is another returning starter.

The defensive line will be a strength led by Josiah Miller. Linebacker Kadyn Hodson will be one of the leaders of the defense, while safety Jaylen Peterson is an athletic playmaker on the backend.

Gage said Alvin’s players have “grown closer over the offseason.” And even though they don’t have any star players, they have a bunch of “good high school football players” ready to hit the field this fall. With everyone on the same page, Gage and his squad are aiming for their first .500 finish in 10 years.

Alvin Shadow Creek Sharks

Head Coach: Tyrone Green (1st Season)

Last Season: 9-2; 6-1 (Lost to Clear Springs in bi-district)

Shadow Creek Key Players and Storylines

For the first time in program history, the Sharks will have a new head coach leading them onto the field. However, it’s a familiar face. Tyrone Green was promoted to the top job this offseason after the retirement of Brad Butler. Green has been with the program for all six of its varsity seasons.

Last season was the first time Shadow Creek has lost in the bi-district round of playoffs. However, they are poised to make a postseason run this year with nine starters back on offense and seven on defense.

The Sharks should put up some fireworks with the talent they have at the skill positions. Senior Jacorey Watson (850 passing yards and ten touchdowns) played some quarterback a year ago, but he can switch back to his natural receiver position after quarterback Joseph Stewart transferred in from Fort Bend Hightower.

Stewart will have a wealth of options because in addition to Watson, the Sharks also have three-star prospect Rahim Hutchins Jr. (378 receiving yards and five touchdowns) and promising junior Chris Stewart (698 receiving yards and ten touchdowns) in their receivers room. Stewart led the team in receiving yards a year ago.


Up front, offensive linebacker Chace Murray has “great football IQ”

Shadow Creek is just as loaded defensively. Texas A&M commit cornerback Cobey Sellers and three-star safety Kyle Peterson (45 tackles) will lock things down on the back end.

Linebacker Deuce Williams (30 tackles, four TFLs), a TCU commit, will be an experienced leader in the middle of the field, while defensive lineman Donnovan Rogers-McNeil (37 tackles, 10 TFLs) is a powerful player with a great work ethic.

Shadow Creek’s talent speaks for itself. The Sharks will definitely be a threat to make a deep playoff run this fall. But they aren’t getting ahead of themselves.

Green said his guys will just have to compete every day and make sure they do the little things right and everything else will take care of itself.

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Manvel Mavericks

Head Coach: Kirk Martin (12th season, separated across two stints; 112-30 record)

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

Manvel Key Players and Storylines

Kirk Martin has shown the type of program Manvel can be after the Mavericks went to state championship games in 2011 and 2017 under his leadership. He’ll look to restore that playoff success this year after the Mavericks missed out on the postseason entirely a season ago.

Manvel has just under half of its starting lineup returning with five starters back on each side of the ball.

The Maverick coaching staff will be spoiled with options offensively. Last year’s quarterback Romin Seymour transferred to Fort Bend Elkins, but senior Jackson Hamilton and junior Cam Renfro are waiting in the wings to battle for this year’s starting job. Both are dual threats.

Manvel will have no shortage of fresh legs at the running back position with sophomore Kenneth Hayes, junior Aycee Johnson, and sophomore Xaiden Brown all expected to see significant carries. Then out at the receiver, the Mavericks should be able to stretch the field with Antoine Wilder and Khalil Ali. Both are in the 10.8-second range in the 100 meters.

Defensively, the Mavericks will be strong in the back end with Brian Robinson (41 tackles) and Grant Stewart, who are both “fast physical safeties.” Cornerback Anthony Morgan has great length while linebacker Amarion Fuller (52 tackles, five TFLs) has great size and should be the leader of the unit overall.

Martin admits the Mavericks may not have great size in the trenches, but whatever they lack there, they make up for team speed. That raw athleticism combined with the tradition of this Manvel program has Martin hopeful of a Maverick playoff run this season.

Pasadena Dobie Longhorns

Head Coach: Daniel Fitzmorris (1st Season)

Last Season: 8-3; 6-0 in district (Lost to Atascocita in bi-district)

Dobie Key Players and Storylines

The Longhorns took home their first district title since 2020 a year ago. Now, they’ll have a new head coach in 2024 after Demond Stafford departed to take over at Northbrook.

In his place steps Daniel Fitzmorris. Fitzmorris is a Dobie alumni and most recently served as Pasadena Memorial’s offensive coordinator.

The Longhorns will have good veteran leadership with seven starters returning on offense and five back on defense from last year’s team.

For Dobie, it all starts in the backfield with explosive junior running back Cameron Mathews (1,679 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns). However, it won’t be a solo act. Fellow junior DaMarcus Hodges rushed for over 800 yards last season and has great “vision.” He can rack up yards after contact in a hurry too.

Paving the way for this rushing attack will be hard-nosed fullback Bryce Evans and senior linemen Markel Terry and Theodore Washington.

When the Longhorns do turn to the air, receiver Tariq Riley (527 receiving yards and seven touchdowns) is a “deep ball weapon,” while James Spivey is a great route runner.

Defensively, Dobie returns two of its three top tacklers from last season in linebacker Desmond Talib (71 tackles, five TFLs) and defensive lineman Hunter Stacy (54 tackles). “Run stuffer” Mike Williams (46 tackles) and fellow senior Aiden Sanchez will also play key roles at linebacker, giving Dobie a pretty formidable front seven.

The secondary is where more question marks come into play. Jalen Broussard has great technique and picked off three passes a year ago. Fitzmorris also expects junior Johnny Lewis to be a key player in man coverage. But besides those two players, the Longhorns still have some holes to fill on the backend.

Fitzmorris was on the Dobie team that went 12-1 back in 1999, while his assistant head coach Charles Washington was that team’s quarterback. With a coaching staff that knows what playoff runs at Dobie look like, they’ll be hoping to replicate some of that success come this fall.

Pasadena Memorial Mavericks

Head Coach: James Crocker (6th season; 24-28 record)

Last Season: 5-6; 3-3 in district (Lost to Summer Creek in bi-district)

Memorial Key Players and Storylines

The Mavericks made it back to the playoffs for the first time in three years last season. Now, they’re ready to take this new district head on with eight starters back on offense and five returning on defense.

They’ll be strong in the backfield with “powerful runner” Lorenzo Delgado (1,110 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns), and dual threat quarterback Logan Johnson. Johnson is a three-sport athlete, who even played receiver back during his freshman year.

Johnson will also have great protection on his blind side from left tackle Devan Robison. Robison will only be a junior, but he already has 21 games of starting experience.

On the other side of the ball, Memorial has some work to do in the secondary. That means German Woodard will be needed to take on a leadership role. He moves to safety after leading the team in interceptions as a cornerback a year ago. He has “excellent ball skills” and is a reliable tackler.

In the front seven, D’Vaughn Roberts has blistering speed and led the Mavericks in tackles last season. Defensive end Kaiden Stewart will bring “size, speed, and strength,” coming off the edge.

Heading into this season, head coach James Crocker is keeping the message simple. He wants to see his team compete week in and week out as they look to build off of last year’s successes.

Pasadena Sam Rayburn Texans

Head Coach: Sergio Gonzalez (3rd season; 5-15 record)

Last Season: 2-8; 0-6 in district

Sam Rayburn Key Players and Storylines

Sergio Gonzalez enters his third year at a Sam Rayburn program that hasn’t made the playoffs since 1997. However, he loves the effort his players are giving day in and day out to help this program reach its potential.

The Texans are still looking to gain experience, but most of their key players will be familiar with the Friday Night Lights. Nine starters return on each side of the ball and 31 letterman are back overall.

Offensively, the Texans do have some weapons. Receiver H’rei Jones is the “most athletic player in the program” in the eyes of Gonzalez. He is getting looks at the Division I level. Running back Haven Livingston has great vision and is Sam Rayburn’s most experienced varsity player.

At quarterback, Malachi Rivas has the leadership needed to play the position. He’s got a “rocket arm” and the football IQ to know when and where to put the ball.

The Texans should be strong on the back end of their defense with ballhawk safety Abel Gonzalez and cornerback Luciano Morales. Morales is a “fearless tackler,” who “will be counted on heavily in the secondary.

In the front seven, middle linebacker Jaquan Bell has a knack for making plays all over the field. His was Sam Rayburn’s Defensive MVP a year ago.

With so many starters returning, Gonzalez said his team has great cohesiveness. He wants to see his team use that to their advantage and “play physical Texan football” as they aim to become increasingly competitive with their district bunkmates this fall.

Pearland Oilers

Head Coach: BJ Gotte (3rd Season; 15-8 record)

Last Season: 9-3; 6-1 in district (Lost to Atascocita in bi-district)

Pearland Key Players and Storylines

Pearland finished in a three-way tie for the district title a year ago. Now, the Oilers are hopeful of building off of that this season.

Half of their starters are back from their 2023 team (five on offense and six on defense).

Offensively, explosive receiver Jordan Hernandez (514 receiving yards and five touchdowns) will be a dynamic threat for new starting quarterback Jake Westmoreland to aim for. Head coach BJ Gotte believes Westmoreland has the playmaking ability needed to keep the Oiler offense rolling this fall.

Up front, Henry Dines will bring quickness and tenacity to the offensive line.

On the other side of the ball, the Oilers have several key players back from a unit that allowed just over 21 points per game a year ago. Safety Jaison Law (90 tackles) has great football IQ and led the Oilers in tackles a year ago.

At linebacker, Charles Gooden (81 tackles, seven TFLs) can make plays in space against the run or pass, while Joseph Credit (74 tackles, six sacks) is getting looks from the Division I level after a strong sophomore season last year. They’ll be joined in the front seven by defensive lineman Jaylen Stewart (52 tackles, nine TFLs), who should be disruptive against both the run and pass.

Gotte knows what it takes to win a state title, having brought one home at Paetow back in 2021. As he enters his third season at Pearland, he’s set a goal of turning the Oilers into a “consistent contender that can make deep playoff runs.”

Pearland Dawson Eagles

Head Coach: Mike Allison (7th season; 46-22 record)

Last Season: 6-5; 6-1 in district (Lost to Clear Creek in bi-district)

Dawson Key Players and Storylines

Dawson has never missed the playoffs or finished with a losing record in its six seasons under head coach Mike Allison.

So although the Eagles have just 13 lettermen back, including only four starters on each side of the ball returning, they shouldn’t be counted out.

Rodney Bonham is a player that gets fans off their seats. He’s a “quick, sure-handed receiver,” who also is a threat on special teams. He returned two punts for touchdowns a year ago. The Eagles will need right tackle Jake Reynolds to anchor their offensive line. He has “good technique in the run game and moves well to help pass protect.”

Defensively, Jeremiah Treadaway (72 tackles, four TFLs) is a four-year letterman at linebacker. He’s a “sure tackler and has the ability to cover.” In the secondary, Chase Davis will “bring a lot of athleticism and a high football IQ.” Expect both Treadaway and Davis to see snaps offensively as well.

Allison said that although the Eagles graduated several three-year lettermen, their team unity is strong.

A year ago, Dawson started 0-3 before hitting its stride and going 6-1 in district. Allison hopes his team can peak at the right time again this year as they look to contend for another district title.

South Houston Trojans

Head Coach: Patrick Longstreet (7th Season; 24-37 record)

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

South Houston Key Players and Storylines

South Houston came up just a game short of the playoffs in 2023 after making the postseason the two years prior. They return just over half of their starters (seven on offense and five on defense) from that team.

For the Trojans, it’s simple. They’ll be at their strongest either when throwing the football or defending the pass.

Cornerback KaMory Harris and safety Ralph Osborne made quarterbacks think twice with their passes a year ago. Osborne led the district in interceptions with five, while Harris was an all-district honoree.

Those two will also likely play a key role at receiver again this season. They’ll be joined by Robert McKinney, who is dynamic with the ball in his hands.

Aaron Escareno is set to take over at quarterback this year. He’s a three-year letterman who has also played receiver in the past.

The Trojans don’t have the biggest 6A squad. Longstreet only expects to have about 42 players on varsity this season. However, he expects his players to give it their all week in and week out as they look to make inroads in what will be a tough district.

 

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