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District 23-6A Season Preview

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Shadow Creek, Dawson, and Pearland have had a stronghold on three of the playoff spots in this district. Shadow Creek has never missed the playoffs, Dawson has missed them just once, and Pearland has made them every year since the turn of the century.

However, the race for the fourth spot appears to be pretty wide open this year with a chance a long playoff drought could fall.

Here’s what to watch for in District 23-6A.

Alief Elsik Rams

Head Coach: Shea Rodriguez (2nd Season)

Last Season: 1-9; 0-7 in district

Elsik Key Players and Storylines

Elsik came close to snapping its now 15-game district losing streak a year ago. However, Alvin edged the Rams 29-26.

Last year, head coach Shea Rodriguez wasn’t hired until July , which created a tight turnaround before the 2022 season. With a full offseason under his leadership this time around, he’s more confident that his players are prepared for battle this fall.

This year, the Rams have six starters back on each side of the ball. And while Elsik does have a decent amount of returning lettermen, Rodriguez noted that some have only seen the field in reserve roles and not as starters.

Rodriguez believes that sophomore Kaden Mendenhall is ready to take the reigns of the offense this fall. He’ll be helped in the backfield with running backs senior Marco Savoy and junior Tay’ron Hughes.

The Rams have some work to do in the trenches after they graduated three all-district linemen on offense and two more on defense.

However, last year’s quarterback Eric Dadzie Jr. is ready to contribute off the edge. He has an offer from Arkansas State. Rodriguez is also high on linebackers Onyedikachi Ikoro and Samuel Marcelin. Both were all-district honorable mentions as sophomores last season.

The biggest focus of the Elsik program this year is to “compete.” Rodriguez believes that last year the Rams laid the foundation. Now, it is time to take a step forward on the field.

“Our key players have had an amazing off-season, an amazing spring, and a great summer,” Rodriguez said. “I expect those guys to lead this team as the leaders of young men and the ball players they have become over the last 10 months.”

Alief Hastings Bears

Head Coach: Tomas De La Rosa (4th Season)

Last Season: 1-9; 1-6 in district

Hastings Key Players and Storylines

Hastings has been able to knock off its crosstown rival Elsik the past two seasons. However, it is winless in its other 18 games the past two seasons.

If Hastings is to improve on its last couple seasons, it will start in the trenches.

Seniors Tristan Shandy, Pablo Membreno, and Jayvon Adebo were all all-district selections on the offensive line in 2022.

On the defensive line, juniors Smith Orogbo and Ike Okafor are both attracting the attention of college recruiters.

When it comes to the skill positions, keep an eye on running back Jae’don Webster. He was a second team all-district honoree last season.

Hastings certainly has a sturdy foundation to build on in the trenches on both sides of the ball. The Bears will hope that will translate into more wins on the field as they look to be increasingly competitive against their district opponents in 2023.

Alief Taylor Lions

Head Coach: Shawn Gray (4th Season)

Last Season: 5-6; 4-3 in district (Lost to Clear Springs in bi-district)

Taylor Key Players and Storylines

Taylor has made strides in recent years under the leadership of head coach Shawn Gray.

After missing the playoffs from 2017-2020, the Lions have made it back to the postseason in each of the past two seasons.

Gray said the Lions are aiming to build off of those appearances this year with five starters back on offense and four returning on defense.

They have a veteran leader offensively in senior quarterback Torian Roberts (729 passing yards and seven touchdowns).

In front of him, the Lions will be young on the offensive line, but Gray likes the experience they have in the receiver room starting with senior Brandon Barrera. Junior running back Jaxson Adeoye also appears ready to step into the bell cow role after being a significant contributor last season (379 rushing yards).

On the other side of the ball, Taylor allowed 24 points per game a year ago.

Gray expects safety Aaron McCardell (78 tackles, seven TFLs) to be the leader on that side of the ball. He’ll be needed in a secondary that will lack experience heading into the season.

Gray is also excited about the Lion front seven. Even though they’ll have several first time starters, he believes that the box will be the strength of the trenches. Linebackers Pierre Yamba (53 tackles, 14.5 TFLs) and Malcom Haven (77 tackles, eight TFLs) will bring a veteran presence to that young but talented group.

After back-to-back playoff appearances, Gray feels like the standard has been set as the Lions now set their sites on trying to climb into the district title race.

“As a program, we take pride in being a playoff football team, and we try to build on that every season,” Gray said. “Our expectations are to build a winning attitude, and to have high expectations for our football program.  We expect to be in the position for a district championship and playoffs this season.”

Alvin Yellowjackets

Head Coach: James Gage (3rd Season)

Last Season: 4-6; 2-5 in district

Alvin Key Players and Storylines

Alvin has found its nice, running the flexbone under head coach James Gage. This will be the fifth year the Yellowjackets have operated out of the option based offense.

After averaging just ten points per game in 2020, the Yellowjackets have steadily improved and averaged 28 points per game a year ago.

Alvin returns exactly half its starters from last season (six on offense and five on defense).

Yahir Meza is back to anchor the Yellowjackets in the trenches. He has started 21 games on the Alvin offensive line heading into his senior year.

The Yellowjackets also return two of the key backs for their flexbone offense in quarterback Brayden Griffin (350 rushing yards, 200 passing yards and eight touchdowns) and running back Ryan Garcia (250 rushing yards and three touchdowns).

Garcia will be needed to take on a much bigger role this year after Alvin graduated two all-district tailbacks.

Defensively, Gage is confident the Yellowjackets have leaders at all three levels of the unit. Linebacker Ryan Marin (50 tackles) and defensive lineman Anthony Contreras (20 tackles and two sacks) will lead the front seven, while quarterbacks will have to be weary of throwing in the direction of Riley Pavles (55 tackles, three INTs).

Alvin hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2005, but the Yellowjackets were close last year. They let a 14-point lead slip away late on Strake Jesuit and also had a third quarter lead in another one of their district games.

Gage said that if the Yellowjackets can learn how to finish games and also find ways to win the turnover battle, he believes they can make a strong push towards breaking that playoff drought this fall.

Pearland Oilers

Head Coach: BJ Gotte (2nd Seaosn)

Last Season: 6-5; 5-2 in district (Lost to Dickinson in bi-district)

Pearland Key Players and Storylines

It’s a mixed back for Pearland heading into 2023.

While the offense remains mostly intact from last season with seven returning starters, the defense has just three starters back from a year ago.

Don’t expect too much of a drop off from an Oilers program that has been as steady as they come. Pearland has made the postseason 23 straight years.

But while the Oilers do return just three starters on defense, they have a star leading the way in Texas Tech commit safety Ashton Hampton (53 tackles, five INTs). Cornerback Lazarus Range is another key player in the secondary (48 tackles, three INTs), while  Georgetown commit Jaden Wincher (28 tackles and three TFLs) returns at defensive tackle.

However, besides those three players, experience is fleeting.

Offensively, there’s no shortage of explosive weapons at the skill positions as the Oilers return their leading rusher LaDamion McDowell and leading receiver Patrick Bridges, a Central Arkansas commit from last season.

However, the Oilers will have a new signalcaller in the backfield after last year’s starter Jackson Hamilton transferred to Manvel.

The Oilers are a program that knows how to reload and Gotte is a coach that knows how to make deep playoff runs having led Paetow to a state title in 2021.

Pearland has fallen in the bi-district round five of the last six years, but after establishing the culture and foundation for his program in 2022, Gotte is aiming for the Oilers to make a playoff run this fall.

Pearland Dawson Eagles

Head Coach: Mike Allison (6th Season)

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

Dawson Key Players and Storylines

Just like their counterparts at Pearland, Dawson has been a team you can pencil into the playoffs year after year.

The Eagles have had a varsity football team now for 15 seasons. After missing the playoffs in their inaugural season, they’ve made it their past fourteen years.

This season, the Eagles are shaping up to be stout defensively . Nine starters return on a unit that allowed 24 points per game.

Opposing offensive lines will be in for quite the battle with Texas Tech commits Edward Smith (22 tackles, eight TFLs) and Charles Anderson (38 tackles, six TFLs) anchoring the Eagle defensive line.

Senior safety Bryson Burgess is also back after finishing as one of Dawson’s leading tacklers a year ago.

On the other side of the ball, the Eagles have some more question marks to answer. They have to replace a three-year starter at quarterback and also three offensive linemen from last year’s team.

Head coach Mike Allison is confident that senior quarterback Gage Greene is ready to be the man for Dawson behind center this year, while Torion Armelin will bring some veteran experience on the offensive line.

Running back Bryce Burgess (1,023 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns) should also help take some of the pressure off Greene this year.

Allison said the focus for this year’s group will be to simply compete. With the experience they have playing together and the pedigree of the Dawson program, if they can do that, Allison believes everything else will take care of itself.

Shadow Creek Sharks

Head Coach: Brad Butler (6th Season)

Last Season: 11-1; 7-0 in district (Lost to Summer Creek in area round)

Shadow Creek Key Players and Stroylines

Shadow Creek has won four district titles in its first five years of varsity football. In its first two seasons, Shadow Creek made the 5A Division I state title game, winning the championship in 2019.

It’s a testament to the talent within the program and there’s no shortage of it this year.

Half of Shadow Creek’s starters return from last year (five on offense, six on defense), and the roster is full of next level talent.

Dynamic athlete Jacorey Watson (952 passing yards and 13 touchdowns), who is being recruited as a receiver, is back at quarterback. Butler is excited about what running back/slot receiver Christian Seriale brings to the offense as well.

Butler believes the trenches is where Shadow Creek will need to show the most growth in 2023 after several key players graduated.

All three of Shadow Creek’s first team all-district offensive linemen were among its graduates, but tackle Calvin Peele returns after earning second team honors in 2022.

Defensively is where the Sharks should be the strongest. They allowed just 153 points in 12 games last season.

Houston commit defensive end Zion Taylor (24 tackles, seven TFLs) will look to wreak havoc off the edge while Efren Figueroa should take on a bigger role at linebacker alongside three-star recruit Anthony Williams (26 tackles, eight TFLs) and Nebraska commit Braylen Prude.

Houston commit Maurice Williams Jr. (43 tackles) will lead the Sharks at safety.

However, talent doesn’t always equate to wins. That’s why Butler said his players’ mentality is so important. They expect to win and take the field full of belief.

And heading into 2023, Butler is looking forward to see how his team gels throughout the course of the season.

“We graduated a strong group of solid players. Every season is its own journey,” Butler said. “If we can stay healthy, handle adversity when it comes and continue to improve, we can have a good football team.”

Strake Jesuit Crusaders

Head Coach: Donovan Fikac (3rd Season)

Last Season: 4-6; 3-4 in district

Strake Jesuit Key Players and Storylines

The Crusaders will be looking to get back to the playoffs for the first time in three years this fall. They have been stuck at the three win mark each of the past three seasons.

However, it’ll be almost a total rebuild at the offensive skill positions after Strake Jesuit’s starting quarterback, two leading running backs, and top three receivers all graduated.

The Crusaders do have some key returning players up front though with tackle Bennett Connelly and Chrysanthos Fetokakis and center Kyle Garvis on the offensive line. Both were all-district selections last year.

On the other side of the ball, again, there is talent in the trenches with defensive end Jackson Priesmeyer, a district honorable mention a year ago.

The biggest question for the Crusaders is whether they can find the skill talent they’ll need to succeed this year. If players step up in time for district play, the Crusaders will have their sights set on that fourth playoff spot which appears to be pretty open in this district.

 

CLICK HERE to listen to the Texas HS Football Podcast, with Taylor Arenz

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