For the brunt of the season, Manvel were pegged as favorites to climb each wrung of the playoff ladder towards championship glory. After being bumped down to 5A with realignment, the Katy Tigers were finally out of the Mavericks postseason picture – fellow Houston foes who clobbered Manvel three consecutive years in the quarterfinals. This year’s team was arguably the best ever fielded for the school; firing on all cylinders with an offense averaging 47.9 points per game and beating teams by a 37.5 point margin differential, Manvel boasted a balance scheme where eight or more players usually notched a grab per game – spread formations that gave the Mavericks an unblemished record through the regular season. A restrictive defensive unit pressured opponents for 32 sacks and 16 interceptions, permitting the opposition to score over 21 points only four times throughout the year.
As any sports fan knows, expectations and reality don’t always mesh in the unforgiving landscape of competition; Manvel’s Achilles heel came in the form of a steamrolling Temple, who bestowed a sinking feeling of inevitable dread on the Mavericks faithful in the quarterfinals, engaging in a back-and-forth slugfest that resulted in a 24-23 Wildcats win.
In six trips to the quarterfinals, the Mavericks have advanced only once (2011); Manvel have 11 wins or more every season since 2010.
Key losses
Derrick Tucker (S), Keylon Stokes (WR), Caleb Jolivette (RB), Sam Smith (RB) London Harris (OL), Colby Thomas (C)
The Manvel graduating class boasts six seniors ranking in the top recruits of the state, as per 247 Sports.
The most highly touted student athlete is Texas A&M pledge Derrick Tucker, who joins an Aggie class ranked seventh in the nation. The senior is the No. 17 safety in the nation and is being pursued heavily by UT for his services. Tucker had 60 total tackles and six interceptions, including a one-handed pick against previously unbeaten Fort Bend Marshall.
You gotta see the @DerrickTucker19 one handed pick. Ridiculous. @ManvelHS pic.twitter.com/8jo4kRJ7XI
— David Nuño (@DavidNuno) October 8, 2016
One of nine Mavericks players with over eight receptions on the season, Stokes lead the team in receiving, catching for 1,263 yards and 15 touchdowns, including an additional 261 yards on the ground for three rushing scores. The Tulsa commit is one of three Texas graduates that verbally pledged to the Hurricanes this year.
The running back tandem of Caleb Jolivette and Sam Smith lead all rushers on the team, scrambling for a combined 1,070 yards and 13 touchdowns. Jolivette boasted unbridled speed; a Houston transplant, the senior was a track star who won the bronze medal in the 100-meter dash. Smith’s physicality was beneficial in breaking tackles and was crucial as a goal-line option. Returning junior Deneric Prince will likely take over ground-and- pound duties next season.
Texas State commit London Harris and uncommitted Colby Thomas were crucial in blocking for an offense that totaled 3,704 passing yards and 2,464 rushing yards in fourteen contests.
Key returners
Kason Martin (QB), Jalen Preston (WR), Kam Scott (WR), Trent Gordon (CB), Brian Johnson (OL)
Similar to the graduating upperclassmen, the 2018 class also boasts their fair share of top ranked talent: the youngest son of coach Kirk Martin, quarterback Kason Martin was responsible for a team-leading 3,334 yards total yards and 46 touchdowns, connecting with 18 different receivers.
Top targets Jalen Preston and Kam Scott will be in the fold next year; Preston has talents that coach Kevin Sumlin is salivating over, making the 4-star prospect the Aggies’ primary target next season. Both combined for 1,102 yards and 13 touchdowns and will be critical with limited depth at the running back position. Second team all-district recipient Trent Gordon is considering 15 FBS offers, with the most recent being a scholarship invitation from Michigan. The cornerback accounted for 81 tackles, four tackles for loss, one sack, and two interceptions for a formidable defense that allowed 13.1 points per game.
Offensive lineman Brian Johnson recently visited Iowa State and will return to a front that only saw a handful of departing starters.
The Verdict
Manvel reached the State Championship once in 2011, falling to Aledo 49-28 after a 15-game winning streak. Since then, the Mavericks have succumbed to the curse of the quarterfinals – tumbling from a winning peak so often, that their gloved hands have tattered on the sharp turf of the losing edifice. They continue to dust themselves off, refreshing each season with a goal to advance down the field towards championship greatness.
Every year, the Mavericks field an impressive roster; next year is no exception and will likely see Manvel exorcise the demons of their playoff curse. A semi-finals berth and beyond should be in the cards for this team.
Brought to you by: XENITH
