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District 5-6A Season Preview

    insoles to jump higher

    District 5-6A has three of the premier programs in all of 6A with Allen, Denton Guyer, and Prosper. And don’t forget about McKinney.  The Lions broke through with a run to the third round of playoffs a year ago.

    However, the complexion of this district could be in for a major shakeup as every single team will have a new starting quarterback this fall due to either graduation or transfers.

    With so much change going on behind center, here’s what to watch for in District 5-6A this year.

    Allen Eagles

    Head Coach: Lee Wiginton (2nd Season)

    Last Season: 7-4; 5-2 in district (Lost to Lewisville in bi-district)

    Allen Key Players and Storylines

    Allen has long been used to double digit win seasons and deep playoff runs. From 2011-2020, the Eagles didn’t lose a single district game.

    However, while last year’s 7-4 season wasn’t a disaster by any means, it certainly fell below Allen’s standards.

    Heading into this season, the Eagle coaching staff is confident they’ve turned a corner. They have seen meaningful progress this offseason and believe their team is ready to reach the sky high expectations that are commonplace in Allen.

    The Eagles do have some holes to fill heading into 2023 with just four starters back on offense and five returning on defense.

    Brady Bricker is poised to take over the quarterback job as he returns to Allen after attending Plano Prestonwood Christian last season. He’ll be in good hands with three-star running back Kayvion Sibley (995 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns) alongside him. Sibley suffered an ACL injury in district play last season but is poised to return healthy and ready to go this fall.

    Out at receiver, the Eagles are excited for the potential of speedy sophomore receiver Caleb Smith, who already has multiple Division I offers.

    Flipping over to the defense, the name to know is defensive end Zina Umeozulu (43 tackles, 5 TFLs). A four-star recruit, he’s a player every opposing offense will have to gameplan for.

    Tank Marsh (26 tackles, 8 TFLs) will be another key player in the trenches for the Eagles, while linebacker Drew King (101 tackles) returns after leading the Eagles in tackles a year ago. Those three players will help make Allen’s front seven a formidable one for opponents.

    Allen has plenty of next-level talent on both sides of the ball. With the coaching staff believing they have the ship righted, expect a much more successful season at the biggest 6A school in Texas this fall.

    Denton Braswell Bengals

    Head Coach: Kent Laster (1st Season)

    Last Season: 3-7; 1-6 in district

    Braswell Key Players and Storylines

    After Cody Moore took a job outside the coaching profession, the Bengals tabbed Waco University head coach Kent Laster as the man to lead their program.

    Braswell has made the playoffs just once in its seven-year varsity football history. However, their 3-7 record a year ago looks a lot worse than the Bengals actually performed. Two of their losses were by just a singular point.

    With a new coaching staff coming in this season, Laster said it will be crucial for this group of players to set the tone for the program’s culture for the years to come.

    The Bengals have a good foundation to build on with half their starters returning from a year ago (seven on offense and four on defense). Laster is especially excited about his offensive line which has leaders such as left tackle Wyatt Payne, right tackle CJ Ihejiawu, and guard Isaiah Simpson.

    That reliability up front will be crucial as the Bengals settle in a new starting quarterback.

    Laster also noted that Braswell has good experience on its defensive line as well led by IyiolaOluwa Solomi (42 tackles, seven TFLs). In the secondary, safeties Andrew Grissom (90 tackles, two interceptions) and Dylan Scott (64 tackles) are Braswell’s two leading returning tacklers from last season.

    As Braswell embarks on a new era under just the second head football coach in school history, Laster has high expectations. He expects the Bengals to finish with a winning record in non-district and district play and make the playoffs for the first time since 2019.

    Laster admitted it won’t be easy, but he has full confidence in his players and staff as they prepare to go to battle this fall.

    “Any time a new staff comes in there are some blind spots that you might not really know of until its game time and adversity hits,” Laster said. “But overall, I believe our players and coaches will respond and do what it takes to overcome our weaknesses when they present themselves.”

    Denton Guyer Wildcats

    Head Coach: Reed Heim (2nd Season)

    Last Season: 14-1; 7-0 in district (Lost to DeSoto in state semifinals)

    Guyer Key Player and Storylines

    The Wildcats didn’t miss a beat in Reed Heim’s first year in charge as they won their first outright district title since 2014. They nearly advanced to their second-straight state title game but ended up running into a DeSoto team on a mission in the state semifinals.

    Heim said the Wildcats have some reloading to do this year with four starters returning on offense and just three on defense. But don’t be confused. There’s no shortage of talent on this Guyer roster.

    There will be a new player under center following the graduation of Oklahoma signee Jackson Arnold. Senior Logan McLaughlin saw limited reps a year ago (142 passing yards) and is set to receive the keys to the offense this fall.

    Luckily for McLaughlin, he has a pair of three-star prospects to help him settle into his new role. Syracuse commit tackle Willie Goodacre will anchor Guyer’s protection in the trenches, while Boston College commit wide receiver Josiah Martin (886 receiving yards and eight touchdowns) will be a nightmare for opposing secondaries to try and handle.

    Defensively, the Wildcats boast more Division I prospects. Four star corner Eli Bowen (35 tackles, two FFs) will anchor the secondary while senior Pelumi Olanipekun and junior Xavier Ukponu  will bring plenty of size to the Guyer defensive line.

    Safety Caleb Rowe is another name to watch on the Guyer defense. He was the district’s Defensive Newcomer of the Year after proving his ability as a sure tackler for the Wildcats (104 tackles).

    Guyer’s program is one that has been built on tradition. Since 2010, the Wildcats have appeared in five state title games. Heim expects his team to chase those lofty expectations again this season as the Wildcats aim for another deep playoff run.

    Little Elm Lobos

    Head Coach: Joe Castillo (2nd Season)

    Last Season: 2-8; 1-6 in district

    Little Elm Key Players and Storylines

    Joe Castillo is no stranger to turning around a struggling program.

    As the head coach at North Garland, he broke through with the school’s first playoff berth in 12 years in his final season with the Raiders in 2021.

    After last year’s 1-6 effort in district play, Little Elm’s playoff drought has now lasted six seasons.

    The Lobos suffered another loss this offseason with Tulane commit quarterback Kellen Tasby transferring to Prestonwood Christian. However, Semaj Jordan-Rector and Jaydon Perine, Little Elm’s two leading rushers from last year, return as does jack-of-all trades Prince Ijioma, who was a second team all-district utility player last season.

    Defensively, the secondary will have strong veteran leadership with the return of Ijioma at safety and EJ Hawthorne at cornerback. The unit also returns district honorable mention middle linebacker Osa Adonri.

    With the talent back at running back, Little Elm certainly should be able to move the ball on the ground this year. The question will be whether the other pieces will fall into place following the transfer of Tasby and the graduation of some key players on defense.

    McKinney Boyd Broncos

    Head Coach: Daniel Foster (2nd Season)

    Last Season: 2-8; 2-5 in district

    McKinney Boyd Key Players and Storylines

    After back-to-back playoff berths, the Broncos regressed in the win column, finishing 2-8 in head coach Daniel Foster’s first year in charge.

    This year, it will be a total rebuild in the backfield for the Broncos after the graduation of their starting quarterback and leading rusher.

    However, the return of receiver Ben Podor and tackle Kyle Zimmerman, who was a second team all-district selection last year, will give the offense a foundation to build on. Tight end Hayden Jenkins is also fully healthy heading into the season and is ready to contribute for the Bronco offense.

    Defensively, Boyd’s four leading tacklers from last season have graduated but there are still some key pieces back.

    Its most notable returning talent is concentrated in the secondary with the return of defensive backs Cole Smith (86 tackles and two interceptions) and Khristian Taylor. Junior defensive tackle Gavin Ordoyne is another promising player to keep an eye on after he earned second team all-district honors last season.

    After allowing nearly 40 points per game a year ago, Boyd will hope its experience on that side of the ball will lead to progress on the scoreboard and reduce pressure on its offense. That will be the first step towards hanging with its District 5-6A foes as Boyd look to bounce back from last year and compete for a playoff spot this fall.

    McKinney Lions

    Head Coach: Marcus Shavers (6th Season)

    Last Season: 8-5; 4-3 in district (Lost to Southlake Carroll in regional semifinals)

    McKinney Key Players and Storylines

    McKinney broke through with its first third round playoff appearance since 1993 a year ago. The Lions were nearly on their way to their first fourth round playoff appearance since their state runner-up finish in 1986 until Southlake Carroll stormed back from a 14-point deficit in the second half of the regional final.

    Head coach Marcus Shavers expects that his players won’t be satisfied with how last year finished. He wants them to continue to push excellence both on and off the field at McKinney.

    The Lions have a strong foundation to build from as they bring back nine of their defensive starters from 2022.

    Makhi Frazier is committed to Oregon State as a running back, but he’ll be a key linebacker (31 tackles) for the Lions alongside four-star prospect junior Riley Pettijohn (42 tackles). But that’s not all. The Lions have another four-star prospect in senior safety and Florida commit Xavier Filsaime (92 tackles), who is McKinney’s leading returning tackler.

    On the other side of the ball, the Lions return five starters on an offense that averaged over 38 points per game a year ago.

    USC commit Bryan Jackson (1,647 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns) will see the bulk of carries at running back but Frazier’s potential presence as well in the backfield should make McKinney’s run game one of the strongest in the district.

    Out at receiver, Khali Best (603 receiving yards and seven touchdowns) is another Division I prospect and McKinney’s leading receiver from a year ago. Up front, Shavers expects Jace Bryson to lead the offensive line after the Lions graduated their three offensive linemen who were first or second team all-district last season.

    One of the biggest question marks for McKinney will be at the quarterback position after the graduation of SMU signee Keldric Luster. However, with so much talent returning both defensively and at the skill positions on offense, McKinney still has the pieces in place for another potential playoff run.

    Prosper Eagles

    Head Coach: Tyler Moore (1st season)

    Last Season: 13-2; 6-1 in district (Lost to Duncanville in state semifinals)

    Prosper Key Players and Storylines

    With Brandon Schmidt off to take over at A&M Consolidated after seven seasons, the Prosper administration didn’t look far for its next coach. Tyler Moore takes over the Eagle program this season after serving as their offensive coordinator the past seven seasons.

    He steps into the role off the back of Prosper’s most successful season since its 2008 4A Division I State Championship. But the Eagles’ state semifinal run in 2022 was no fluke. They had advanced to the state quarterfinals in each of the three previous seasons.

    This season, Prosper returns six starters on each side of the ball. Moore said while the Eagles do return several key players, he’s also excited to see some “exceptional players” that will take on new roles this year.

    Nathan TenBarge is one of those players. After finishing last year with 21 catches and 354 receiving yards, he’ll shift over to quarterback this year for Prosper.

    Look for Javan Henry (552 receiving yards and five touchdowns) to be his primary target in the passing game and for left tackle and Tulane commit Tyler Mercer to anchor protection on the offensive line. Mercer was the district’s Offensive Line MVP a year ago.

    Defensively, linebacker is a strong spot with both Luke Johnson (74 tackles) and Jonah McClendon (81 tackles) returning. They were two of Prosper’s five leading tacklers last season.

    Meanwhile, in the trenches, Moore noted Malique Sutherland (39 tackles, 10 TFLs) as Prosper’s player to watch.

    Moore said the Eagles have a standard of excellence they have maintained in recent years. He has seen his players buy in and make sacrifices to reach that standard and said that he expects nothing less heading into 2023.

    Prosper Rock Hill Blue Hawks

    Head Coach: Mark Wilkinson (2nd Season)

    Last Season: 3-7; 2-5 in district

    Rock Hill Key Players and Storylines

    Rock Hill embarked on its first 6A season a year ago to moderate success, finishing 3-7.

    This season, head coach Mark Wilkinson believes his Blue Hawks have what it takes to be a playoff team. They may only have four starters returning on offense and three on defense, but Wilkinson believes his team’s senior leadership combined with a strong junior class can buoy the Blue Hawks in 2023.

    The Blue Hawk run game appears poised for success with running back Victor Chionuma (608 rushing yards and eight touchdowns) returning. However, they did suffer a big loss with star quarterback Kevin Sperry transferring to Carl Albert High School in Oklahoma.

    On the offensive line, 2022 all-district selections tackle Ben Rosa and center Kaden Sabonis are also back. The biggest hole on the Rock Hill offense will be at receiver where their top two receiving yardage leaders from 2022 have graduated.

    Defensively, after leading the Blue Hawks in tackles a year ago, linebacker Jonah Bowman is poised to be the forefront of the unit yet again. He’s attracted the attention of a couple of Division I programs so far.

    When opponents turn to their passing attack, they’ll have to be weary of defensive backs senior Nick Butler (32 total tackles) and junior Brody Woods (31 tackles). Butler led the Blue Hawks with four interceptions a year ago.

    Wilkinson predicts Rock Hill will be a surprise in 5-6A this year. If they can find a quarterback to lead the offense, keep an eye on the Blue Hawks as a potential sleeper in their second 6A season.

     

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