TEXAS
2023
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Johnson had impressed Midland Legacy head coach Clint Hartman with his explosiveness in the limited carries he had during the Rebels’ first four games.
Johnson spent the entirety of his junior campaign as a first-team all-district cornerback for the Rebels.
Hartman made the decision to give Johnson a full workload at running back and the senior rewarded his coach by carrying the ball 19 times for 201 yards and three touchdowns in Legacy’s 39-31 win over Converse Judson.
Johnson also scored a touchdown on a 79-yard kickoff return that pushed Legacy ahead 29-25 in the third quarter. Johnson had two kickoff returns for 116 yards.
His fourth TD of the game, a 5-yard run, was the go-ahead score in the fourth quarter.
Johnson also helped the Rebel defense at corner on second half passing downs and red-zone situations.
Hartman says Johnson is the ultimate team player, as he moved from running back to defensive back as a sophomore to accommodate what was best for the team.
“I knew he was explosive. I didn’t know how good he would be. Judson hadn’t given up a lot of rushing yards all year to anybody. We thought it would be hard to move them and look what happened, 19 carries for 201 yards. Simple math that’s above 10 yards a carry. I’m most proud of a guy that works as hard as he does, he always has been a team player. He gets an accolade and an award like that, it’s well deserved. It made my day when (I learned that he won).”
Del Valle running back Shelton Fuller ran wild in a back-and-forth shootout against Chapin last Friday night. In the Conquistadores’ 56-49 win over the Huskies, Fuller carried the ball 13 times for 331 yards and five touchdowns. He also hauled in a 26-yard reception to give him 357 all-purpose yards in the win. Fuller also made his presence felt on the defensive side of the football with three total tackles, including a crucial tackle for loss. The junior standout has led Del Valle to three consecutive wins as the Conquistadores are off to a 4-1 start to their 2023 season.
“Shelton Fuller has been big for us here at Del Valle High School. Not only is he a standout athlete in football, track and basketball, he also does it in the classroom with a 3.2 GPA. Shelton brings lots of energy and effort every single day and is a great team captain. As a junior, he has received multiple Division I offers and he continues to work hard and be the best leader he can be for our program.”
Mountain View safety/wide receiver Jayden Avila was all over the football field in the Lobos’ shutout win against Santa Teresa last Friday night. The senior started at wide receiver, but it was his performance on defense that truly left a mark, tallying 17 total tackles, 11 solo tackles, three pass break ups, and a 99-yard interception return for a touchdown that kept Mountain View’s shutout intact. Avila has led the Lobos on both sides of the football to back-to-back wins and a 4-1 start to their 2023 season.
“Jayden Avila is a great kid and is well-deserving of the honor. He’s an amazing student, taking honor courses and was part of a national qualifying robotics team. On the field, he’s like having an extra coach on both sides of the ball. He’s our starting free safety, but also starts as a receiver for us. He has a knack for defending passes, but his best attribute is filling lanes and making big stops. Friday night he was all over the place. His 99-yard interception return for a touchdown was a thing of beauty. He got a great jump on the ball, picked it and used his athleticism to finish.”
Tony Salazar is certainly making the most of his first season at Dimmitt. After moving in from Hereford, Salazar had the game of his life five games into his Bobcats tenure.
The senior ran for 396 yards and seven touchdowns on 23 carries as he tried to will his team to victory. Dimmitt head coach Johnny Nino said he didn’t realize at the time Salazar had scored all of the Bobcats’ touchdowns and that it seemed like the RB was gaining “20 or 30 yards” every touch. Salazar finished with a 17.2 yards per carry average.
“Tony had a very good game, but it could not have been done without the offensive line. That’s the best they’ve blocked all year. Tony is such a good runner, sees the field and only needs a little space. He’s real shifty, makes cuts here and there, but he’s also very powerful and it’s hard to bring him down… Aside from him being a great running back, he’s a good, respectable young man.”
Moving J’Koby Williams from running back to quarterback has paid off in a big way for Beckville offensively, and it hasn’t stopped the damage Williams can do on defense and special teams.
Williams, a Texas Tech verbal pledge, was spectacular in all three phases of the game in a Week 5 win over Big Sandy, completing 4 of 8 passes for 160 yards and three touchdowns, rushing for 110 yards and a TD on seven carries and finishing with a tackle for loss, a 55-yard fumble return for a score and an interception in his 15 snaps on defense.
He capped his big night with a 61-yard punt return for a score.
“He’s a special kid. He does a lot of things you can’t coach, and he’s done them since he was a freshman,” Beckville head coach Cody Ross said. “He plays a little less on defense now that he’s moved to quarterback, but he usually gets 10-15 snaps per game on defense depending on who we’re playing and how it’s going. When he gets over there, he creates havoc. You can’t run at him and you can’t run away from him.”
Senior Running back Tabor Tyson helped lead the Lions to a 35-19 victory and 3-2 record last week as he continues to make a major impact offensively. He had 38 carries for 339 yards and 5 touchdowns. He added one reception for 46 yards and one punt return. He also pitched in with 5 tackles.
Tyson leads the state in rushing all classifications UIL/ TAPPS with 1,258 yds rushing. He also leads the state all classification UIL/ TAPPS with 122 points on the season with 20 touchdowns and one 2-point conversion.
“Tabor is an incredible athlete— he is the complete player, he has great vision in the backfield, breakaway speed, and excellent hands in the passing game. But what makes him special is his character and his desire to be great. He is the hardest working kid I’ve ever been around and it’s really cool to see the it paying off for him on Friday Nights.”