THE PLAYMAKERS: Phenoms on the Field powered by UTMB Health

Jonah Williams -- Galveston Ball

It was a safe guess to assume that Galveston Ball super-star Jonah Williams would have another monster campaign to cap off his high school career.

Fans and critics alike could not deny the transparent impact he had on the field, whether that be on the defense -- where he played virtually every position at one time or another -- on offense as a tactical athlete, or in the special teams return game.

Stat-wise, the five-star Texas-commit contributed nearly 700 all-purpose yards, with a team-leading 15 total scores, two interceptions, and a blocked field goal in 2024.

Unfortunately for Williams and the Tornadoes, he suffered a broken collar bone when returning an interception during the second half of the team's Week 8 match-up against Barbers Hill -- a thrilling game in which the Eagles won 62-60 in quadruple overtime.

While this would sideline Ball's most vital asset for the remainder of the season, the Tors still produced a respectable run, as they reached the Area Round of the postseason.

When the time came to dish out the season accolades, Williams was rightfully recognized as the District 9-5A-D1 MVP, marking the second-straight time he received the award.

As Williams heals up and waits to become a Longhorn in the near future, let it be known that this young man gave everything to his team and hometown in his final year with the program.

Landon Kieselhorst -- Deer Park

The Deer had yet another productive campaign this Fall, under the direction of 24-6A Coach of the Year Austin Flynn.

Although they moved over to a new district (24-6A) in the UIL realignment, Deer Park wasted little time in establishing themselves as contenders -- evidenced by their 8-2 record to enter the postseason as the co-district champs.

Their offense -- which averaged just over 32 points per contest -- was humming for the vast majority of the Fall. This was thanks, in large part, to the leadership of senior signal-caller Landon Kieselhorst, who facilitated the entire process.

The 6-foot-6 QB passed for nearly 2,000 yards with 24 scores, while tacking on 840 more yards and 10 TDs on the ground, which earned him the distinction of being named the District 24-6A Co-MVP.

Kieselhorst had some help, of course.

He was able to function behind a sturdy offensive-line anchored by unanimous first-team, all-district selections Roberto Rodriguez and Rylen Votion. Furthermore, he had reliable targets such as WRs Tre Martinez (first-team) and Aandon Schroeder (second-team) to work with in the passing game.

While Deer Park was eliminated by perennial heavy-weight North Shore in the Bi-District round, the standard that this team embodies on a yearly basis is definitely worth acknowledging.

Malachi Gamble -- Dickinson

From one District 24-6A Co-MVP to another, plenty of props should be given to tailback Malachi Gamble.

In his junior year with Dickinson, Gamble became the focal point of coach John Snelson's offense, as he went on to rush for over 1,500 yards (roughly 139 ypg) and found the end zone on 21 separate occasions.

This would form the catalyst that propelled the Gators to a 7-4 record and a trip to the playoffs, where they narrowly fell to Atascocita in hotly contested 50-45 battle.

Several big names on this offense -- such as Jeremiah Scoby (Bowling Green-signee), Mason Peterson (TCU), and Tyler Thomas (Texas A&M) -- will soon moving on to the collegiate level.

So, the torch is now passed on to Gamble to maintain the consistent level of success audiences have come to expect from Dickinson.

Cameron Mathews -- Dobie

Victories didn't always come easy for the Longhorns in 2024, but they can hang their hat on the fact that they always made games interesting.

While they experienced a slow start in the first half of the regular season, the resilience that Dobie showed in their final four games to secure a playoff berth is nothing short of remarkable.

A key component in the team's come-back relates to their emphasis on the run-game, which revolved around senior Cameron Mathews.

Mathews was, without a doubt, the heart and soul of Longhorns' offense, as he rushed for close to 1,900 yards and 19 touchdowns to secure his second consecutive Distrct 22-6A MVP nod.

While the Dobie stand-out has yet to commit to a college program as of right now, he'll have plenty to choose from -- namely UTSA, Houston Christian, Grambling State, and Utah -- when the time comes.

Chris Stewart -- Shadow Creek

Shadow Creek's performance throughout the regular season could be described as "near-perfection".

After dropping the season opener against eventual State Semifinalist Summer Creek, the Sharks then proceeded to dominate in their subsequent nine contests to claim an undefeated District 22-6A championship.

However, head coach Tyrone Green and company dealt with their fair share of injuries and misfortune, which led to them enduring a 31-28 upset against Fort Bend Elkins in the first round of the postseason.

As difficult of a pill to swallow that must have been, it can still be argued that Shadow Creek featured one of the state's most complete rosters in 2024, when healthy.

That was certainly recognized in the district superlatives.

Among all the stars in the program, the one who stood out most was junior wideout Chris Stewart.

After tallying combining for 1,332 all-purpose yards and 18 total scores, Stewart (Texas-commit) was named the District 22-6A Offensive MVP for his efforts, both on offense and in the special teams department.

With Stewart returning next Fall, alongside players such as Tommy Baker (Defensive MVP), Tristan Willis (Offenisve Newcomer of the Year), DeMarco Jenkins (Co-Defensive Newcomer of the Year), as well as all-district first-teamers Nathan Harris and Deneim Scott, Shadow Creek will still be in good hands.

They'll undoubtedly be eager to avenge their early exit from the playoffs a year from now.