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| Preview Guide 2007 |
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By Christopher Lyke
Texas HS Football Chief Editor
Unlike some out in the open winds of making the coffee for the world taste and digest, realistic outlooks on a district could be seen perfectly clear when you blend the morning drink just right instead of mixing it with stale doughnuts. In this district, the realistic favorite, until they are knocked down on the wrong side of the bed or awaken to a delayed alarm clock, should be the West Orange-Stark Mustangs. With only three cups of coffee available and four teams in the room, this district race could get very interesting.
West Orange-Stark has not lost a district game since dropping to Class 3A in 2004 and they have lost only once to the three teams that should be in the district race with them in the past decade. You would have to go back to 2001 to find that result as Jasper knocked off the Mustangs 42-26 in a pre-district contest. The current trend of the Mustangs 3A District dominance should be realistically safe. After all, the Mustangs do bring back the district's top prospect and playmaker in DePauldrick Garrett. Garrett will be looking to improve on a 2006 season that saw him collect 1,300+ yards and 17 touchdowns on the ground. Garrett will be joined by junior quarterback Octavious Hypolite and receiver Ronnie Dennis in the skill position areas. Up front, the Mustangs should be solid once again as Tim Matherne and Brandon Allensworth do their damage up front. On the defensive side of the ball, Seth Thomas should be looking to step out of the shadows of his own brother in the Mustang backfield. Aside from Thomas, the Mustangs should witness the rise of linebacker Josh Lynch.
With the return of Thomas Brooks to the Jasper sideline, the expectations and goals for the Bulldogs are going to be tough and challenging live up to. A second place finish in district play for the Bulldogs is certainly a realistic item on the breakfast menu. With plenty of depth, experience and talent surrounding Brooks, Jasper could end up as one of the state's biggest surprises. On a side note, Brooks has never missed the playoffs as a head coach. Offensively, expect the Bulldogs to force the issue through its running game as Brandon McQueen and Donte Rollins return in the backfield. Up front with Michael Crowell, Christian Goff and Cliff Mitchell, the Bulldogs will be expecting plenty of holes to open up for the rushers and plenty of doors to shut down on the defensive side. A.J. and Malcolm Bronson are expected to play a very big role on both sides of the ball but look for the defense to be their specialty.
Third place should be a very intense battle between the Silsbee Tigers and Kirbyville Wildcats. Silsbee, with plenty of depth and experience up front on both sides of the ball just may have a slight edge over the Wildcats. As Daniel Poulas and Blake Moss man the trenches, the Tigers will be bringing in sophomore Jeremy Johnson to bring home the bacon at the quarterback spot. Johnson's top targets in scrambling the eggs of opposing defenses will be Donovan Harris, Brooks Allen and Mikel Willis. Defensively, the Tigers expect to see big seasons out of DE Josh Skinner and LB Brandon Watts. Watts is quietly becoming of the best kept secrets in all of Southeast Texas. His agression at linebacker and the will of his other fellow defensive players will be the difference between the Tigers having a cold cup of coffee and a hot cup of cocoa come mid-November.
Kirbyville, after a third place district finish in 2006, expects better things in the 2007 season. One of the things the Tigers are banking on for better tastes at the breakfast buffet is the spicy appeal of its offense. Outside of DePauldrick Garrett at West Orange-Stark, the Tigers have what is likely the best offensive talent in the district in Pierce Rhodes. Rhodes will be looking to add the syrup to Kirbyville's playoff chances after a nearly 1,900 yard offensive output in 2006. Junior QB Aaron Hazelwood is looking to include the butter when it comes to the Wildcat passing game. Other than Pierce Rhodes, Randy Musgrove is assumed to be the Tigers top target. The experience of Chris Samuel and Ryan Jones up front shuld give the Wildcats plenty of space for Rhodes to manuver. The difference for Kirbyville and the ultimate fine line between Kirbyville making a run at the top and being left out in the cold will be on defense. Big step up performances by Broderick Jackson, Pierce Rhodes and Desmond Evert is what will be needed for coach Jack Alvarez to see a successful season. Kirbyville has the talent and make up to suprise the world with a district championship. If they stay away from the press clippings, message board chatter and the hype, then the focus will be there.
If the pieces fall right and one of the district's four breakfast plates falls empty in the buffet line, look for Orangefield to add the juices to an already crowded district playoff table. Blake Morrison's Bobcats could be the ultimate spoiler to the rest of the district. If Orangefield has any hope of competing for a playoff spot, Jerrod Helton will have to rely on plenty of step up performances in the skill areas including his own to to succeed.
Breakfast anyone? |
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827 |
9-3 |
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Team Radio |
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Pos |
Name |
HT |
WT |
40 |
YR |
QB |
Jeremy Johnson |
6'1 |
170 |
--- |
So |
RB |
Chris Castle |
5'10 |
175 |
--- |
Jr |
WR |
Donovan Harris |
6'1 |
170 |
--- |
Sr |
OL |
Daniel Poulas |
6'4 |
315 |
--- |
Sr |
C |
Blake Moss |
5'10 |
190 |
--- |
Sr |
DE |
Josh Skinner |
6'5 |
225 |
--- |
Sr |
LB |
Brandon Watts |
6'0 |
170 |
--- |
Sr |
LB |
Josh James |
5'10 |
172 |
--- |
Jr |
P |
Martin Fontenot |
5'10 |
150 |
--- |
Sr |
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819 |
2-8 |
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Team Radio |
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Pos |
Name |
HT |
WT |
40 |
YR |
RB |
Brandon McQueen |
5'10 |
220 |
4.6 |
Sr |
RB/DE |
Donte Rollins |
6'1 |
215 |
4.6 |
Jr |
RB/LB |
A.J. Bronson |
5'10 |
200 |
4.7 |
Jr |
WR/DB |
Malcolm Bronson |
5'10 |
165 |
4.5 |
Sr |
WR/DB |
William Brooks |
5'10 |
170 |
4.5 |
Sr |
OL/DL |
Christian Goff |
6'0 |
260 |
4.9 |
Sr |
OL/DE |
Cliff Mitchell |
6'4 |
255 |
4.9 |
Sr |
OT/DE |
Michael Crowell |
6'3 |
230 |
4.6 |
Jr |
OL/DL |
Trae Horn |
6'0 |
220 |
4.7 |
Sr |
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775 |
11-1 |
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Team Radio |
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Pos |
Name |
HT |
WT |
40 |
YR |
QB |
Octavious Hypolite |
6'0 |
175 |
4.6 |
Jr |
RB |
DePauldrick Garrett |
5'9 |
185 |
4.6 |
Sr |
WR |
Ronnie Dennis |
5'10 |
170 |
4.5 |
Sr |
OL |
Tim Matherne |
6'2 |
250 |
5.2 |
Sr |
OL |
Brandon Allensworth |
6'3 |
190 |
--- |
Sr |
DL |
Mario Rose |
5'8 |
170 |
--- |
Sr |
LB |
Josh Lynch |
5'9 |
165 |
4.6 |
Jr |
DB |
Seth Thomas |
5'9 |
180 |
4.5 |
Sr |
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754.5 |
6-4 |
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Team Radio |
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Pos |
Name |
HT |
WT |
40 |
YR |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
--- |
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706 |
3-7 |
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Team Radio |
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Pos |
Name |
HT |
WT |
40 |
YR |
QB |
Elliott Deshotel |
6'0 |
170 |
--- |
Sr |
RB |
Trey Burrell |
6'1 |
195 |
--- |
Jr |
OL |
Cody Sanders |
6'0 |
230 |
--- |
Sr |
OL |
Jake Roby |
6'4 |
245 |
--- |
Sr |
LB |
David Daniels |
5'10 |
165 |
--- |
Sr |
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581 |
3-7 |
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Team Radio |
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Pos |
Name |
HT |
WT |
40 |
YR |
OL |
Derrick Moss |
5'10 |
250 |
--- |
Sr |
DL |
Jake Koehl |
6'2 |
190 |
--- |
Jr |
DB |
Cameron Burrell |
6'0 |
170 |
--- |
Jr |
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473 |
4-6 |
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Team Radio |
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Pos |
Name |
HT |
WT |
40 |
YR |
QB |
Jerrod Helton |
5'10 |
180 |
4.7 |
Sr |
RB |
Shea Mayo |
5'8 |
165 |
4.6 |
Sr |
TE |
Jeremy Granger |
6'3 |
210 |
4.7 |
Sr |
OL |
Ben Dixson |
6'2 |
305 |
5.3 |
Sr |
LB |
Jacob Felts |
6'0 |
180 |
4.8 |
So |
DB |
Jace Statum |
5'7 |
160 |
4.5 |
So |
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453.5 |
8-4 |
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Team Radio |
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Pos |
Name |
HT |
WT |
40 |
YR |
QB |
Aaron Hazelwood |
--- |
--- |
--- |
Jr |
RB |
Pierce Rhodes |
5'10 |
180 |
--- |
Sr |
WR |
Randy Musgrove |
5'11 |
180 |
--- |
Jr |
OL |
Chris Samuel |
6'1 |
290 |
--- |
Sr |
OL |
Dre Jackson |
5'11 |
260 |
--- |
Sr |
RB/DB |
Broderick Jackson |
5'11 |
185 |
--- |
Jr |
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| Bridge CIty Cardinals |
Larry Ward Stadium
300 Bower Dr.
Bridge City, TX 77611 |
Surface: Grass
Capacity: 8,500 (est.)
Directions To Stadium |
| Hamshire-Fannett Longhorns |
Longhorn Stadium
12552 2nd St.
Hamshire, TX 77622 |
Surface: Grass
Capacity: 2,200 (est.)
Directions To Stadium |
| Hardin-Jefferson Hawks |
Hawk Stadium
R.S. Briggs Memorial Circle
Sour Lake, TX 77659 |
Surface: Grass
Capacity: 5,500 (est.)
Directions To Stadium |
| Jasper Bulldogs |
Bulldog Field
211 Park Lane
Jasper, TX 75951 |
Surface: Grass
Capacity: 5,000 (est.)
Directions To Stadium |
| Kirbyville Wildcats |
Wildcat Stadium
Elizabeth Ave & E Stadium Dr.
Kirbyville, TX 75956 |
Surface: Grass
Capacity: 3,500 (est.)
Directions To Stadium |
| Orangefield Bobcats |
F.L. McClain Stadium
FM 105 & Granger St.
Orangefield, TX 77630 |
Surface: Grass
Capacity: 5,300 (est.)
Directions To Stadium |
| Silsbee Tigers |
Tiger Stadium
1575 US-96 North
Silsbee, TX 77656 |
Surface: Grass
Capacity: 9,300 (est.)
Directions To Stadium |
| West Orange-Stark Mustangs |
Dan R. Hooks Stadium
1400 Newton St.
Orange, TX 77630 |
Surface: Grass
Capacity: 9,500 (est.)
Directions To Stadium |
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Preview Guide Line Up |
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| Projected Finish |
1 |
W Orange-Stark |
2 |
Jasper |
3 |
Silsbee |
4 |
Kirbyville |
5 |
Orangefield |
6 |
Hamshire-Fannett |
7 |
Hardin-Jefferson |
8 |
Bridge City |
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| Pre-Season Awards |
District Darkhorse |
Jasper |
District MVP |
DePauldrick Garrett
West Orange-Stark |
Offensive MVP |
Pierce Rhodes
Kirbyville |
Defensive MVP
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Seth Thomas
West Orange-Stark |
Diamond In The Rough |
Jeremy Johnson
Silsbee |
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| 2006 Records |
| Silsbee |
9-3 |
| Jasper |
2-8 |
| W Orange-Stark |
11-1 |
| Bridge City |
6-4 |
| Hardin-Jeffrsn |
3-7 |
| Hamshire-Fann. |
3-7 |
| Orangefield |
4-6 |
| Kirbyville |
8-4 |
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| Recruiting Key |
THSF Top 200 Player |
Top 2008 Prospect |
Top 2009 Prospect |
Top 2010 Prospect |
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| Preview Sponsor |
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