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| District 8-3A Preview |
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By Christopher Lyke
Texas HS Football Chief Editor
Like that of 7-3A, District 8-3A features a wealth of very solid playoff caliber squads in which every team with the exception of one, reached the post-season. So what could we expect out of a playoff-heavy district such as this one? One thing has been buzzing among these neck of the woods is the word sleeper. The Sanger Indians are being considered as the biggest darkhorse among the teams in the district. Some have even predicted the downfall of Gainesville and the continuation of dominance by Decatur. But nobody is talking about the possibilities of Argyle and Bridgeport making a huge impact in the playoff chase. Could Argyle and Bridgeport hold the keys to the race? It is one of the many questions surrounding this district's endless list of possibilities.
The Decatur Eagles are considered as the district favorite and with good reason. The Eagle offense brings back its key skill players such as Brandon Cobb at quarterback, Cristo Cardenas at wide receiver and bring in a pair of talented rushers like Josh Trant and Justin Unger. Last season, Cobb racked in over 2,200 yards in the air and a repeat of those number may be in the works, but it will be rather difficult to duplicate it with the level of play in the region. Defensively, the Eagles have Chance Fuller at defensive end and solid experience in the middle of the field with Unger, Jesse Ortiz and Joseph Staley. If the Eagles can overcome the inexperience factor early in key areas of the field, they will hold plenty of the cards to success.
Although Gainesville lost its head coach and several key stars to graduation, the Leopards should still be a force to be reckoned with. The predicted downfall of Gainesville, may not be that much of an expected tale if you ask the teams within the district and region. Leopards are still expected to contend regionally and district wise with the return of WR/DE Jerome Franklin. The deep playoff run went a long way towards helping the younger players soak in the key aspects of what needs to be done early in the season. On the defensive side, the Leopards have Alex Overstreet, Jerome Franklin and Casey Martin to help shore up the holes. If overlooked, these Leopards could end up being more dangerous than their predecessors in recent years.
The big buzz within the district revolves around the potential rise of the Sanger Indians. With a solid offensive and defensive line coming into the picture, the buzz of the Indians is rather justified. With the experienced and talented line also comes a solid rusher as well. RB Nathan Pegues returns with nearly 900 yards to his credit in last year's statbook. Pegues should find more yards and production out of the backfield as long as Neal Tiuis and Billy Wright hold up their end of the bagain up front. On the densive side of the ball, look for the impact of LB Kyle Patton and DB Weston Squire take form and hold the cards to the way the district race forms.
And with the buzz on Sanger, the talk of Gainesville and Decatur in the mix of the district, there are teamson the outside looking in that could be overlooked and could cause havoc when need be. Argyle and Bridgeport maybe considered as underdogs within the district, but they are just as dangerous on both side of the ball when you place Gainesville, Decatur and Sanger in the same district.
Argyle brings back a solid defensive unit that includes Cy Zimmerman, Griffin Keller and Colby Husby. Zimmerman is possibly the most underappreciated defensive player in the area when it comes to the lower classifications. On the offense, look for WR Brice Bode to become the key go to receiver and playmaker. And if the Eagles can find solid replacements up front, they will have a big chance to pull off some very nice surprises.
Quarterback Ryan Durban returns to take the helm of the Bridgeport Bulls offense in his senior season. And if Durban can help the younger skill players grow quickly, there will be no reason the Bulls cannot be in the middle of the playoff race. The Bulls will have some key experience up front to handle the pressure not only on the offensive side of the ball but on the defensive side as well. Other than Durban, some key players to watch should be Caleb Kaker, James Kilpatrick and Zach Bracken. |
| Key Players & Team Information |
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871.5 |
8-4 |
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Pos |
Name |
Ht |
Wt |
40 |
Yr |
QB |
Brandon Cobb |
6'2 |
195 |
4.5 |
Sr |
RB |
Josh Trant |
5'10 |
180 |
4.5 |
Jr |
RB/LB |
Justin Unger |
5'11 |
190 |
4.6 |
Jr |
WR |
Cristo Cardenas |
6'1 |
175 |
4.5 |
Sr |
DE |
Chance Fuller |
6'2 |
200 |
4.7 |
Sr |
LB/DE |
Jesse Ortiz |
5'10 |
200 |
4.6 |
Sr |
LB |
Joseph Staley |
6'0 |
210 |
Sr |
Sr |
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|
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828 |
13-1 |
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Pos |
Name |
Ht |
Wt |
40 |
Yr |
WR/DE |
Jerome Franklin |
6'4 |
215 |
4.7 |
Sr |
WR |
Tyler Haywood |
6'3 |
210 |
4.7 |
Sr |
WR |
Ariel Rice |
6'3 |
190 |
4.9 |
Jr |
RB |
Da'Ron Calhoun |
5'10 |
180 |
4.5 |
Sr |
OL/DL |
Casey Matsler |
6'0 |
245 |
5.4 |
Sr |
LB |
Alex Overstreet |
6'1 |
175 |
4.6 |
Jr |
DB/P/K |
Casey Martin |
5'11 |
160 |
4.6 |
Sr |
WR |
Heath Jones |
6'2 |
170 |
4.7 |
Sr |
QB/DB |
Collin Sikes |
5'10 |
165 |
4.7 |
Sr |
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727 |
7-4 |
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Pos |
Name |
Ht |
Wt |
40 |
Yr |
OL/DL |
Neal Tiuis |
6'5 |
255 |
5.0 |
Sr |
OL/DL |
Billy Wright |
6'4 |
260 |
5.2 |
Jr |
RB |
Nathan Pegues |
5'10 |
180 |
4.5 |
Sr |
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|
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669 |
7-6 |
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Pos |
Name |
Ht |
Wt |
40 |
Yr |
QB |
Ryan Durban |
5'11 |
160 |
4.8 |
Sr |
DL |
Taylor Schuett |
6'3 |
210 |
5.1 |
Sr |
DL |
Caleb Kaker |
6'0 |
195 |
4.8 |
Sr |
LB |
Zach Bracken |
6'0 |
185 |
4.9 |
So |
DB |
James Kilpatrick |
5'11 |
165 |
4.8 |
Sr |
DB |
Mason Bridwell |
6'0 |
175 |
4.7 |
Sr |
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 |
528 |
11-4 |
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Pos |
Name |
Ht |
Wt |
40 |
Yr |
DB |
Cy Zimmerman |
5'10 |
160 |
4.5 |
Sr |
LB |
Griffin Keller |
6'0 |
210 |
4.7 |
Sr |
WR |
Brice Bode |
6'0 |
165 |
4.6 |
Sr |
WR |
Matt Handler |
6'2 |
180 |
4.8 |
Jr |
LB |
Cole Frazier |
5'11 |
195 |
4.7 |
Sr |
DB |
Colby Husby |
5'10 |
175 |
4.7 |
Sr |
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458.5 |
4-6 |
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Pos |
Name |
Ht |
Wt |
40 |
Yr |
RB |
Heath Myers |
5'11 |
180 |
4.6 |
Sr |
TE/DE |
Derek Winn |
6'4 |
205 |
4.8 |
Sr |
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| Projected Finish |
1 |
Decatur |
2 |
Gainesville |
3 |
Sanger |
4 |
Argyle |
5 |
Bridgeport |
6 |
Bowie |
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| Pre-Season Awards |
District Darkhorse |
Sanger |
District MVP |
Jerome Franklin
Gainesville |
Offensive MVP |
Brandon Cobb
Decatur |
Defensive MVP |
Cy Zimmerman
Argyle |
Diamond In The Rough |
Ryan Durban
Bridgeport |
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| 2005 Records |
| Decatur |
8-4 |
| Gainesville |
13-1 |
| Sanger |
7-4 |
| Bridgeport |
7-6 |
| Argyle |
11-4 |
| Bowie |
4-6 |
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| Recruiting Key |
| THSF Top 200 Player |
| Top '07 Prospect |
| Top '08 Prospect |
| Top '09 Prospect |
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