DISTRICT 12-4A-DI
PRESEASON PREDICTIONS (Playoff Teams in Bold)
El Campo Ricebirds
Bay City Black Cats
Stafford Spartans
Navasota Rattlers
Brazosport Exporters
Iowa Colony Pioneers
Needville Blue Jays
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THE GALLERY
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MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Oliver Miles, El Campo
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OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jada Andrews, Bay City
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DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Frankedric Powell, Navasota
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BREAKOUT PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Kamare Shorts, Stafford
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ON THE CUSP
Iowa Colony Pioneers
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El Campo hasn't lost a district matchup since the 2019-20 season and it doesn’t appear that will change this Fall. Fresh off the heels of an appearance in the Class 4A-DI Area Round, the Ricebirds welcome former New Caney coach Travis Reeves to take over the future of the program. Senior QB/FS Oliver Miles is back to command the offense and expects another big year after committing to Texas Tech. Look for seniors Stephen Normnan (RB) and Jake Samaripa (WR/DB) to be heavy contributors a swell.
Bay City put up some impressive numbers to take second place (4-2), followed by a trip to round two of UIL playoffs last Fall. The Black Cats have the luxury of bringing back a slew of returning starters in senior DL Carlon Jones. Jones is going to be vital on the defense after racking up over 100 tackles with 13 sacks in 2022. Speedy RB Jada Andrews is key to the offensive success after he racked up nearly 2,000 all-purpose yards a year ago.
The Stafford Spartans are coming off a strong season which saw them finish with an overall record of 7-5 and advance to the Area Round. Stafford’s strength lies in the run game with senior RB Jamaal Wiley combining for nearly 1,000 yards and 13 total scores to power the offense. Kamare Shorts (Sr. QB) is learning the game and senior RB Terrance Woods should get some touches as well. Defensively, the Spartans are fairly young, but veterans Erik Woods (Sr. DT) and Darius Sims (Jr. DB) should lead the charge.
Navasota is one of the dark horses in District 12-4A. After claiming the No. 4 spot a year ago, the Rattlers will be led by dual-threat senior QB/FS Hudson Minor and do-it-all LB Frankedric Powell. Others to watch include seniors Noah Silcox (DE) and Jamall Thomas (RB), as well as junior WR Cam Ross.
Brazosport has the potential to be a true contender down the line with another year of experience under their belts. Coach Richard Sincere enters his first year in the head coaching spot and will depend on the efforts of defensive mainstays Manny Williams (Jr.DB) and Kaiden Shoemake (Jr.LB) to anchor the team against some tough competition.
The Iowa Colony Pioneers enter their second year since the program was established, so growing pains are to be expected. However, some strong performances were displayed last season, which should make the team optimistic moving forward.
Needville has teetered near the bottom of the district standings over the past couple of years, but the past success could be an indication that they might experience an upswing soon. Some bright spots on the Blue Jays will include juniors Da’Shawn Burton (RB), Jaireon Simmons (LB) and WR-turned-QB Keilan Sweeny.