DISTRICT 10-4A-DII will feature the talents of Brookshire Royal, West Columbia, and Sweeny among others
PRESEASON PREDICTIONS
Brookshire Royal Falcons
West Columbia Roughnecks
Sweeny Bulldogs
La Marque Cougars
Katy HSI Wildcats
Wharton Tigers
Sugar Land HSI Mustangs
(Bold Denotes Playoffs)
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VYPE's PRESEASON AWARDS
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Cayden Jones, Sweeny
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Zakai Anderson, Brookshire-Royal
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Ryder Burrow, West Columbia
BREAKOUT PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Kamar Chavez-Brown, Brookshire-Royal
ON THE CUSP: Katy Harmony School of Innovation Wildctas
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Brookshire-Royal finished third overall in last year’s district standings before making their 2023 playoff debut, marking back-to-back appearances for coach Theadis Reagins and company. Given that their postseason was cut short in the opening round by Hamshire-Fannett, the Falcons will be eager to correct that early-exit stigma. They bring back the talents of senior QB Ashton “Penny” Robinson, who is coming off second-team honors and currently holds offers from Sam Houston State and Arkansas State. He’ll be joined by first-team WR/DB Noah Lasker, as well as second-teamer Zakai Anderson (Sr.RB), who most recently combined for nearly 1,400 all-purpose yards with eight scores. Don’t forget about sophomore wideout Kamar Chavez-Brown (second-team), as he put up a respectable performance in his first year of varsity ball. On the defensive end, some additional names to remember include second-team honorees Tyler Lavallier (Jr. DL), Chazren Barley (Sr. DB) and Malik Hooker (Jr. LB).
This past Fall saw West Columbia take second in the district, prior to clinching their third-consecutive postseason appearance. In his second year as head coach, Ernest Peña will see to it that the team’s playoff-streak will extend to four in a row. Furthermore, with perennial power Bellville now moving over to District 11-4A-DII, the Roughnecks will have a legitimate shot at securing their first district title since 2011. In terms of what Columbia’s strength will be in 2024, look no further than their ironclad defense, headlined by first-team, all-district selections Ryder Burrow (Sr. LB) and Mudassir Abdullah (Jr. DB/WR), as well as incoming junior linebacker Braden Gilliam, who was named to the second-team. The Roughnecks’ offense might need some patching up following the graduation of some key players. However, this new class of skill position athletes should be able to thrive behind an offensive line anchored by second-teamers Pierce White(Sr. OL) and Billy Williams (Jr. OL).
Sweeny was just on the outside of the playoff picture a year ago, despite ending the season with an even 5-5 record. That is still a vast improvement from their 1-9 finish in 2022, and we expect the Bulldogs to continue that trend this Fall, under the direction of coach Jay Seibert. There will be some big shoes to fill on offense, following the departure of first-team QB Ace Seibert. But, with senior RB/LB Cayden Jones still in the mix, Sweeny should still be able to light up the scoreboard. Jones registered over 1,200 all-purpose yards last Fall, which included 15 touchdowns, earning himself first-team, all-district honors, as he now eyes a potential candidacy for District MVP. The Bulldogs may experience some growing pains, with a relatively young group of skill-position players taking to the field, but a playoff spot could very well be in their future.
La Marque has been on the fringes of postseason contention in the two years since Wade Oliphant began coaching for his alma mater, most recently finishing sixth in the district with a record of 3-7. In year three, fans can expect the Cougars to inch even closer to that goal, as Oliphant’s culture becomes further ingrained in the program. Anthony Miles enters the final stretch of his high school career as La Marque’s signal-caller, with second-team WR Ashon Crear likely being his greatest weapon in the passing game. Additionally, sophomore OL Cavin Rhoads Jr. is coming off an impressive performance in 2023, which saw him receive second-team honors as well. Following the graduation of Dylan Thomas first-team DB) and Kai Janice (first-team DL), there are some gaps to fill for a La Marque defense that has already had its fair share of struggles. However, there is optimism that the Cougars could reach the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
After claiming the TCAL championship last Fall, Katy Harmony School of Innovation makes its debut on the public school scene, with the intention of making a name for themselves within District 10-4A-DII. While the program is only three years old, there is still plenty of potential for the budding organization. Coached by Richard Carnley, the Wildcats will feature a healthy mixture of talent, beginning with dual-threat senior Charles Cole behind-center. Junior RB/LB James Robinson should improve on a solid outing he had a year ago, now that he should be the lead-back for HSI. Meanwhile, Kaiden Bankas (Sr. WR) and Avery Buggs (Jr. WR) will lead the receiving corps. Defensively, Sebastian Mussett (Jr. LB), Oluwarogba Debo (Jr.LB), Hector Perez (Sr. DL) and Jason Ukonu (So. DB) will be names to remember.
Wharton is currently in the midst of a four-year playoff-drought, but that is subject to change at some point in time. Coach Alvin Dotson returns in an effort to right the ship with a handful of starters back to see that goal come to fruition. Brandon Sims Jr. (Jr. RB) will likely be the focal point of the offense, as he gets a heavier work-load in the backfield. While the role of starting QB is up for grabs, Jacorric Allen (Sr.WR) and Trae Benoit (Jr. WR) could possibly be serviceable outlets for whoever claims the spot. Return-specialist Jacorious Wiley (first-team,all-district) is another threat worth acknowledging.
As the newest program on this list, Sugar Land Harmony School of Innovation still has some growing to do, which naturally comes with the territory. They most recently competed in the TCAL, so traversing over to public school competition will take some getting used to. After going 1-5 a year ago, coach Cody Dean and his staff will undoubtedly be looking to make a respectable introduction against their new district counterparts.