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| District 15-5A Preview |
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By Christopher Lyke
Texas HS Football Chief Editor
Three things about the teams in this district are a given. First, the Lufkin Panthers are a team with plenty of depth available. Second, The Woodlands will have a strong defensive prescence. Third, the Class 5A Game of The Year is very likely to come out of this district. Conroe is likely the third playoff team in the district with Magnolia and College Park not too far out of the distance.
Last season the Lufkin Panthers saw their season end just shy of the state championship game with a battle against the Southlake Carroll Dragons. It should be noted that with a 14-1 record and a slew of starters back, the Panthers are very likely the odds on favorite to win the state championship this year. They do return nine of eleven starters from the offense alone. Included in the group is quarterback Jeremy Claybon, star wide out Dez Bryant and receiver Ralph Thomas. Claybon in 2005 threw for almost 2,450 yards and could be in position for more this season. Look for Dez Bryant to be the go-to guy for a lot of touchdowns this season and to compliment Bryant, the Panthers Jacorey Turner to fill the role of running back. On the defensive side of the ball, The keys will be turned over to LB A.J. Penson and DL Randall Murphy.
The Woodlands after what many would call a sub-par 2005 season, returns with a stout defense with very goood talent out of the backfield. In that defense there is DB Taylor Skaufel, Taylor Charbonnet and Chris Lake. Look for Matt Hinton to be the workhorse on the defensive trenches. If the defense can hold the opposition through a rigorous non-district schedule, this team may be even better than most are wanting to give credit for. On the offensive side of the ball, the Highlanders will be looking to QB Brett Parsons for a bulk of the production. Parsons will have some very talented threats in the skill positions such as WR Taylor Grote and TE Colton McKey.
Between The Lufkin Panthers and The Woodlands Highlanders, we could see the drama take center stage in Week Eight when the Panthers will be travelling to The Woodlands. Home field advantage may be the key to this season's big showdown and if the Highlanders can knock off the Panthers on their home field, they will be vindicated with a justified non-district preparation. Both teams are worthy of finishing at the top of the district but only one can take the crown.
Despite being placed in a district with a two headed monster, the Conroe Tigers might actually be better off in this district set up after the dust clouds clear out. With an improved offensive line and running game, there is room for hope. Come playoff time, the Tigers will already have been battle-tested and through two very good playoff opponents. Look for Draylon Booker out of the backfield to get a majority of the carries in the Tiger offense. Defensively, the Tigers will be relying on the defensive backs to help carry the load. DB Ryan Thornton and Mookie Lewis should see the bulk of the action and assume the leadership role.
Although the Magnolia Bulldogs only return seven lettermen from last year's squad, the Bulldogs should be a much improved squad and should be in solid position to make a playoff berth happen. Quarterback Robert Hernandez, returns to the starting role after being shelved with a injury in 2005. And he will have plenty of targets to throw and hand off to. Among those targets are RB Cody Harvey, WR Darius Bolar and TE Jared Moyers. But the defense should be the one key area that propels the Bulldogs into the playoffs. DL David Cannales, LB Sam Stevens, DB Randy Stewart and DE James Klingman all have the talent to go to the lnext level. But can they do it with the Bulldogs in 2006?
And although the College Park Cavaliers are entering their first varsity season, don't be surprised to see them be in the hunt and play spoiler with Magnolia and Conroe. Oak Ridge brings a vast majority back, but they have a brand new head coach. The question for both teams will be whether or not they are capable of competing at a high level. |
| Key Players & Team Information |
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3810 |
7-4 |
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Pos |
Name |
Ht |
Wt |
40 |
Yr |
QB |
Brett Parsons |
6'5 |
220 |
4.7 |
Sr |
WR/KR |
Taylor Grote |
6'2 |
190 |
4.5 |
Sr |
TE |
Colton McKey |
6'6 |
220 |
4.5 |
Sr |
OL |
Brandon Thompson |
6'5 |
260 |
5.3 |
Jr |
OL |
Tim Buckman |
6'2 |
290 |
5.5 |
Sr |
DB |
Taylor Charbonnet |
5'11 |
175 |
4.4 |
Sr |
DB |
Taylor Skaufel |
6'0 |
195 |
4.4 |
Sr |
DL |
Matt Hinton |
6'1 |
265 |
5.1 |
Sr |
LB |
Jake Beller |
5'10 |
190 |
4.6 |
Sr |
DB |
Chris Lake |
5'9 |
165 |
4.5 |
Sr |
K |
Derek Depasquale |
5'9 |
170 |
4.6 |
Sr |
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2881 |
5-5 |
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Pos |
Name |
Ht |
Wt |
40 |
Yr |
TE |
Byron Mitchell |
6'3 |
266 |
5.2 |
Sr |
FB |
Antonio Kelly |
5'7 |
204 |
4.6 |
Sr |
OL |
Cole Felder |
6'0 |
250 |
5.4 |
Sr |
RB |
Draylon Booker |
6'0 |
176 |
4.6 |
Jr |
DB |
Ryan Thornton |
6'0 |
190 |
4.5 |
Sr |
DB |
Mookie Lewis |
5'10 |
165 |
4.6 |
Jr |
DL |
Kyle Bishop |
6'2 |
225 |
4.9 |
Jr |
LB |
Chad Miller |
5'9 |
175 |
4.9 |
Sr |
RB |
Lorenzo Greenwood |
5'10 |
165 |
4.5 |
So |
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2878 |
2-8 |
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Pos |
Name |
Ht |
Wt |
40 |
Yr |
QB |
Robert Hernandez |
6'4 |
195 |
4.6 |
Sr |
RB |
Cody Harvey |
5'7 |
165 |
4.5 |
Sr |
WR |
Darius Bolar |
6'2 |
185 |
4.5 |
Sr |
TE |
Jared Moyers |
6'2 |
245 |
4.9 |
Sr |
OL |
David Hart |
6'5 |
295 |
5.2 |
Sr |
OL |
Frank Hubbard |
6'0 |
350 |
5.3 |
Sr |
DE |
James Klingman |
6'3 |
220 |
4.7 |
Sr |
DL |
David Cannales |
6'0 |
260 |
4.9 |
Sr |
LB |
Sam Stevens |
6'2 |
225 |
4.7 |
Jr |
DB |
Randy Stewart |
5'11 |
185 |
4.5 |
Sr |
DB |
William McDade |
6'0 |
180 |
4.6 |
So |
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2441 |
14-1 |
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Pos |
Name |
Ht |
Wt |
40 |
Yr |
QB |
Jeremy Claybon |
6'0 |
185 |
4.5 |
Sr |
WR |
Dez Bryant |
6'2 |
200 |
4.5 |
Sr |
WR |
Ralph Thomas |
5'8 |
175 |
4.4 |
Sr |
DL |
Jamarkus McFarland |
6'3 |
270 |
5.0 |
So |
LB |
A.J. Penson |
6'2 |
220 |
4.8 |
Sr |
DB |
Darius Terry |
6'0 |
180 |
4.6 |
Jr |
K |
Jaime Fernandez |
6'0 |
220 |
5.0 |
Sr |
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2428.6 |
NEW |
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Pos |
Name |
Ht |
Wt |
40 |
Yr |
OL |
Will Montgomery |
6'4 |
265 |
-- |
Sr |
OL |
Carl Simunek |
6'9 |
300 |
-- |
Sr |
RB |
Shane Morales |
5'9 |
170 |
-- |
Sr |
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2207 |
1-9 |
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Pos |
Name |
Ht |
Wt |
40 |
Yr |
WR |
Blake Cyr |
5'10 |
175 |
4.7 |
Sr |
LB |
Ryan Buster |
6'0 |
215 |
4.8 |
Sr |
LB |
Chase Daniel |
6'3 |
215 |
4.7 |
Jr |
DB |
Kendrick Wilks |
5'10 |
170 |
4.7 |
Sr |
DL |
Paul Brown |
6'2 |
210 |
4.9 |
Sr |
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| Projected Finish |
1 |
Lufkin |
2 |
The Woodlands |
3 |
Conroe |
4 |
Magnolia |
5 |
College Park |
6 |
Conroe Oak Ridge |
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| Pre-Season Awards |
District Darkhorse |
Magnolia |
District MVP |
Jeremy Claybon
Lufkin |
Offensive MVP |
Brett Parsons
The Woodlands |
Defensive MVP |
Taylor Skaufel
The Woodlands |
Diamond In The Rough |
Blake Cyr
Conroe Oak Ridge |
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| 2005 Records |
| The Woodlands |
7-4 |
| Conroe |
5-5 |
| Magnolia |
2-8 |
| Lufkin |
14-1 |
| TW College Park |
New |
| Conroe Oak Ridge |
1-9 |
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| Recruiting Key |
| THSF Top 200 Player |
| Top '07 Prospect |
| Top '08 Prospect |
| Top '09 Prospect |
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