PRESEASON PREDICTIONS
Katy Tigers
Jordan Warriors
Tompkins Falcons
Taylor Mustangs
Cinco Ranch Cougars
Paetow Panthers
Mayde Creek Rams
Morton Ranch Mavericks
Seven Lakes Spartans
(Bold Denotes Playoffs)
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VYPE's PRESEASON AWARDS
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Tremayne Hill , Katy
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Andrew Marsh, Jordan
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Jeremiah Smith, Kat
BREAKOUT PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Kosi Okpala, Mayde Creek
ON THE CUSP: Cinco Ranch Cougars
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Katy Jordan Warriors
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
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Tompkins Falcons
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
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Katy Taylor Mustangs
Doug Brown (VYPE)
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Cinco Ranch Cougars
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
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Mayde Creek Rams
Doug Brown (VYPE)
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It’s nearly been four years since Katy hoisted the UIL State Championship trophy, but that hasn’t stopped them from consistently being one of the perennial contenders in Houston. Fresh off the heels of their fourth-consecutive undefeated district championship, the Tigers (10-2) will be eager to make a statement after being knocked out of the playoffs by Cy-Fair in last year’s Area Round. Coach Gary Joseph brings back a bevy of weapons to utilize on the gridiron, beginning with first-team, all-district selection Tremayne Hill. The rising junior running back accumulated 1,386 rushing yards in 2023, which included a whopping 18 scores on the ground. Joining him in the backfield will be senior quarterback Gunner Nelson, who maintained a 137.6 QB rating a year ago, and threw for an equally impressive 17-2 TD-to-INT ratio to get third-team honors. Meanwhile, the receiving corps will be led by the talents of Israel Olotu-Judah (6 TDs) and Cade McCall (2 TDs). Defensively, the Tigers should be stout as always. First-teamer Jeremiah Smith (Jr. LB) will look to take on a larger role after being named the District 19-6A Newcomer of the Year, while Adam Carter (Sr. DL) headlines the men in the trenches, and also plays a key position in special teams as the team’s kicker. Rest assured, this group should be more than capable of making a run for the program’s 10th State Title.
Jordan is coming off a year in which they finished fourth in the district prior to making an appearance in the 2023 playoffs, ending up with a final record of 7-4. The reason we predict that they will experience an improvement in the district hierarchy is primarily due to the fact that the Warriors hold the distinction of bringing back the majority of last season’s roster. Unanimous first-team, all-district WR Andrew Marsh is back after racking up 1,158 receiving yards this past Fall, with 15 TDs to boot. The senior wideout is the school’s most high-profile prospect in school history. He will likely be catching passes from fellow senior Dominic Cangolosi, who looks to take over as the Jordan signal-caller, following the departure of last year’s starter Colin Willets. Leading the rushing attack will be Florida-commit Chad Gasper, who earned first-team honors for his 11 scores on the ground. He will split touches with junior Tanner West. On the other side of the ball, district second-teamer Brayden Coffie is back to headline the linebacking crew, while senior Zion Jones will be a standout for the Warriors’ secondary. Following an early elimination in last year’s postseason, courtesy of Hightower, Jordan will be eager to make a statement this Fall. DE Jimmy-Phrisco Alo-Suliafu returns to full-strength and could be a special difference-maker.
After claiming second-place in the district, Tompkins narrowly fell to Ridge Point in a 49-44 shootout to open the playoffs. While they may have lost some key pieces over the offseason – namely District 19-6A MVP Wyatt Young and Offensive Player of the Year Caleb Blocker – the Falcons should be more than capable of continuing to be a contender within this tough district. Coach Todd McVey will be tasked with optimizing this new-look roster as he turns to the handful of returning starters that remain. Fortunately, the Tompkins offensive line should remain stalwart as usual with seniors Erbin Birkhoff (first-team, all-district) and Deacon Parrish (second-team) back in the trenches. In terms of skill-position players, Adebisi Bello (Sr. WR) will likely lead the receiving corps, while Ronnie Quinn (Sr. RB) should see more action in the running game. There are some gaps to address on the defensive side, however, players such as Josh Davis (Sr. LB), Preston Smith (Sr. LB), Kendree Madriz (Sr. LB) and Ryan Machado (Jr. LB) round out an impressive focal point to build around.
Among the numerous surprises that ensued last Fall, none were more remarkable than how well Taylor performed. Under the direction of coach Chad Simmons, the Mustangs proceeded to edge out the likes of Jordan and Cinco Ranch in the district standings to place third, before subsequently reaching the playoffs for the first time since 2020. The offense may need some work in 2024, following the graduation of key pieces. Jeremy McCullough (Sr. WR), Javion Garrett (Jr. RB) and return-specialist Kameron Green will have their chance to shine in the spotlight. Defense will certainly be Taylor’s strength in 2024, as they bring back first-team LB Landon Saurage, as well as third-team, all-district selections Nicholas Elko (Sr. DL) and Dimitri Long (Sr. LB). Despite the shortcomings they might face, the Mustangs have proven their resiliency, which is unlikely to falter anytime soon.
Despite finishing the year above .500, Cinco Ranch only just missed out on the postseason last Fall, due to a three-way tie between themselves, Taylor and Jordan, in which they had the head-to-head disadvantage. Now, the Cougars will look to remedy that unfortunate situation. Similarly to several other programs in the district, head coach Chris Dudley will have some gaps to fill on the gridiron this time around, but fans should still remain optimistic. Cinco Ranch has the luxury of having not one, but two capable halfbacks among their ranks, with senior Tessiah Young (681 all-purpose yards, 9 TDs) and junior Marcus Gadlin (638 all-purpose yards, 5 TDs) coming off second-team, all-district honors. Meanwhile, Scott Eckel and Drew Tureau will more than likely be the top targets for incoming junior quarterback Davis Roup, who put up some respectable numbers (1,694 passing yards, 17 TDs, 107.6 QB-rating) a year ago. Others to watch on defense include Luke Mathiasmeier (Sr. LB), Superior Hill (Sr, DB), Daniel Scarabino (Jr. DB) and Carson Wald (Sr. DB).
Paetow is not far removed from their State title-form in 2021 when they were still in Class 5A-DI. While the Panthers have experienced numerous trials and tribulations since joining the 6A, they always seem to feature some next-level talent – most recently being the now-graduated Loghan Thomas (Notre Dame). While coach David Hicks may have finished eighth in the district a year ago, we don’t expect a similar result to occur in 2024. As it was last Fall, defense is still going to be Paetow’s strong-suit with the return of first-team honoree Carmello Brooks (Sr. DL) and third-teamer Nichola Elko (Sr. DL) in the three-point stance. Meanwhile, the secondary will be anchored by superstar DB Deyjhon Pettaway, who officially committed to Texas A&M in January after receiving first-team, all-district honors. Offensively, a few question marks remain, however, the running back duo of Terrence Johnson and Javaughn Waldron, as well as the performance of senior WR Camelleon Hawkins bodes well for Paetow.
Mayde Creek finished 2023 with a record of 3-7 (2-6 in district), ending up in the No. 7 spot of the district standings. While last year’s result might have seemed somewhat underwhelming, that is still a vast improvement for a team that hasn’t won a district game since 2020. Given that fact, the potential for the Rams continues to improve, as former Duncanville quarterbacks coach Mike Arogbonlo takes the reins of the program. The brightest star for Mayde Creek in 2024 will undoubtedly be junior LB Kosi Okpala, whose value as a collegiate prospect rises through each rep he takes, indicated by some of the offers (Alabama, Houston, Baylor, Duke, and Kansas) he currently possesses. Junior RB Christian Bradford (536 all-purpose yards, 4 TDs), Chad Nelson (So. WR-258 yards, 2 TDs) and Daylin Robinson (Sr. WR-254 yards, 3 TDs) should provide some spark for the offense, while Johnaton Haywood (Sr. LB), Ansel Carter Jr. (Sr. DB) and Carleil Beard (Jr. LB) provide support for the aforementioned Okpala on defense.
After snapping a five-year playoff drought in 2022, Morton Ranch experienced a bit of bad luck as they wound up finishing sixth overall in the district, ending up 2-8 on the year. While the entirety of last year’s stars who earned district accolades have since graduated, the addition of Nick Cavallo as the new head coach could possibly turn things around for the Mavericks. Incoming seniors Charles Fleming (DL) and Kevin Schneider-Young (LB) will look to anchor a new-look defense. Offensively, Tyler Williams (Jr. WR) and Tyler Gimore (Jr. RB) could also be some names to remember.
Seven Lakes finished dead-last in District 19-6A for the second-consecutive season, which is an unfortunate drop-off for the team after they reached the postseason in 2021. Their growing pains continue to be an issue, however, there were still some bright spots that could indicate a resurgence this time around. As junior QB Shaan Patel continues to work on his game, expect incoming junior RB Edgar Varela to play a bigger role with an increased amount of touches from the backfield. Carter Hatten (Sr. WR) and Peter Noonan (Jr. WR) aim to be the top targets for Patel. On defense, Amani Hooks, John-Paul Johnson and Justin Fowler will likely be the key contributors for coach Jimmy Hamon.