PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
CLASS 6A
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Senior
WR
Rockwall
CLASS 5A
Braden Hargrove
Senior
DE/DT
Georgetown
CLASS 4A
Ashton Stredick
Senior
RB
Needville
CLASS 3A
La-Jathan Allen
Senior
RB/FS/DB
Paul Pewitt
CLASS 2A
JT Anthony
Senior
RB
Bremond
PRIVATE SCHOOLS
Bryce Steel
Senior
QB
Brazos Christian School
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Dez Forrest
Junior
Running Back
Weatherford
Class 6-A
Weatherford running back Dez Forrest scored nine touchdowns for 476 total yards, in addition to converting two, 2-point conversions and a total of 58 points for the Kangaroos, the fourth most in Texas High School football history and the most since 1941. Dez helped lead his team to an 81-40 win over Granbury.
Chandler Morris
Senior
Quarterback
Highland Park
Class 5-A
The back-to-back state champ Highland Park Scots were led by Chandler Morris, who went off for 23-47 passing, 474 yards and five touchdowns. Morris also had 15 rushes for 180 yards and four touchdowns. He is committed to Arkansas, where his dad is the head coach.
Bo Hogeboom
Senior
Quarterback
Argyle
Class 4-A
Argyle quarterback Bo Hogeboom had a brilliant performance with five touchdowns at 358 yards, helping to secure an on-the-road 42-14 victory over Stephenville.
Brock Aschenbeck
Senior
Running back/Linebacker
Sonora
Class 3-A
Sonora running back/linebacker Brock Aschenbeck is a dual threat! On offense, Brock’s 23 carries generated 306 rushing yards with five touchdowns. On the defensive side of the ball, he made 13 solo tackles, three assisted tackles, two for a loss and one sack.
Kendre Miller
Senior
Running back
Mount Enterprise
Class 2-A
In a 56-20 win over Colmsneil, Mount Enterprise running back Kendre Miller carried just 14 times, but rushed for 412 yards and scored seven touchdowns (scored on five straight carries at one point). He also had 10 tackles and a fumble recovery.
Preston Morway
Senior
Quarterback
Episcopal School of Dallas
Private Schools
Eagles quarterback Preston Morway went 31-52 passing for 477 yards and five touchdowns. Rushing, he had 11 carries at 57 yards for one touchdown, totaling 534 yards and a big win over Trinity Christian.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Danny Walther
Senior
Quarterback
El Paso-Franklin
Class 6-A
It was an emotional game honoring the victims of the El Paso and Odessa shootings.
El Paso Franklin defeated Odessa Permian in a 49-28 win. Franklin quarterback Danny Walther led the charge with 299 passing yards, seven carries and five touchdowns to defeat the Panthers.
Chris Carpenter
Senior
Wide Receiver
Jacksonville
Class 5-A
Jacksonville wide receiver Chris Carpenter (Colorado commit) dominated in this game against Palestine. Carpenter caught 13 passes for 275 yards and two touchdowns. He helped the Indians rally from being down 20 points at the half. He recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff of the second half and later recovered an onside kick. Carpenter ended the game with a game clinching interception to beat Palestine 49-48.
Zachary Carrera
Junior
Running Back/Defensive Back
Hidalgo Early College
Class 4-A
Hidalgo Early College running back/defensive back Zachary Carrera dislocated his finger before the game, but he had it fixed up immediately, and it didn’t get in the way of him executing 28 carries at 391 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 13.96 per carry. Carrera also scored three second half touchdowns after the Pirates were down at the half with a score of 20-14. Carrera helped the team rally back in a 35-20 victory over Lyford.
Zacarrius Haynes
Senior
Running Back/CB
Anderson-Shiro
Class 3-A
Anderson-Shiro’s Zacarrius “Woody” Haynes rushed for six touchdowns and 400 yards on 19 carries, obtaining a 21 per yard carry average. He also played 40 of 54 snaps at corner recording, three pass break-ups and four tackles in a 41-20 win over Leon.
Sebastian Porter
Senior
Running Back
Garrison
Class 2-A
In a 38-32 win over Crockett, Garrison’s Sabastion Porter rushed for 149 yards and two touchdowns. Porter also recorded 20 tackles and an interception return for 30 yards. On special teams, he blocked one field goal and returned a missed Crockett field goal 108 yards for the winning touchdown, all with only 1:22 left in the game.
Josh Johnson
Senior
Quarterback
Second Baptist
Private School
Second Baptist’s Josh Johnson was 19-26 in passing for 275 yards with four touchdowns. Johnson also rushed three times for 30 yards, helping his Eagles dominate the St. John’s Mavericks in a 41-0 victory. Johnson now has eight touchdowns for the season passing.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Eric Rodriguez
Senior
Quarterback
Fort Bend
Class 6-A
Fort Bend Travis quarterback Eric Rodriguez accounted for 506 yards in a 53-49 come-from-behind win over previously unbeaten Spring High School. He completed 27 of 33 for 399 yards, five passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns for a total of seven touchdowns.
Mikey Harrington
Senior
Quarterback
The Colony
Class 5-A
The Colony quarterback Mikey Harrington had an amazing game with 460 yards passing and six touchdowns, including the game winner with :01 on the clock. Harrington helped his Cougars beat out the Byron Nelson Bobcats 55-51.
Markeese Lawrence
Junior
Wide Receiver
Andrews
Class 4-A
Andrews’ wide receiver Markeese Lawrence made 14 catches for 245 yards and five touchdowns in a 44-19 victory over Levelland. Lawrence scored on receptions of 12, 52, 18, 31 and 6 yards. The junior receiver now has a total of seven touchdown catches so far this season.
Coltan Mills
Senior
Linebacker/OL
West Rusk-New London
Class 3-A
In a 48-22 win over the Harmony Eagles, West Rusk-New London linebacker Coltan Mills set a school record with 27 total tackles (19 solos) and also added four tackles for loss. On offense, Mills had nine cut blocks or knockdowns and graded at 94 percent on the offensive line. Mills is part of the Raider character program doing community service in New London.
Kevan Covarrubiaz
Senior
Quarterback
Eldorado
Class 2-A
Eldorado quarterback Kevan Covarrubiaz endured season ending knee injuries his sophomore and junior years but has come back strong this this year with 1,111 yards and ten touchdowns in the first three games of this season. Kevan was 29/41 for 517 yards passing. He connected with eight different receivers, four of which were touchdowns, and he added another score in rushing.
Preston Stone
Senior
Quarterback
Parish Episcopal School-Dallas
Private School
Both teams were undefeated entering the game between Parrish Episcopal School-Dallas and Grace Community-Tyler. Parrish Episcopal quarterback Preston Stone was 20 of 29 passing with 285 yards in a 49-0 win over Grace Community. Stone also carried the ball six times for 67 yards. Preston Stone is a national top quarterback recruit with a total of 46 current offers.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Jaxon Smith-Njigba
Senior
Wide Receiver
Rockwall
Class 6-A
Rockwall wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught ten passes for 201 yards and scored four touchdowns in a 45-38 win over Arlington Martin. Smith-Njigba is an Ohio State commitment.
Aaron Molina
Junior
Quarterback
El Paso-Hanks
Class 5-A
El Paso Hanks quarterback Aaron Molina led the Knights to victory with 512 total yards and six completed passes. Molina’s participation also included six touchdowns passing and one touchdown rushing, resulting in a 61-22 win over the El Paso Tigers.
Jadon Maddux
Senior
Quarterback
Bridgeport
Class 4-A
Bridgeport quarterback Jadon Maddux sealed a homecoming game victory for the Bulls, passing for 573 yards that resulted in seven touchdowns. Maddux is also active in track & field, coming in third place in the 100-meter, as well as the 200-meter, at the 2018 UIL Track Meet.
Jonathon Brooks
Junior
Running Back
Halletville
Class 3-A
Hallettsville running back/defensive back Jonathon Brooks put on a show against Taft with seven carries for 225 total yards and four touchdowns, including a 71-yard interception return for a touchdown. Brooks led Hallettsville to a 67-6 victory over Taft.
Micah Smith
Junior
Quarterback/FS
Hearne
Class 2-A
Micah Smith’s performance against Lexington, a team that the Hearne Eagles had never beat before, was outstanding. He started strong with a touchdown run and two other scores in the first 18 minutes of the game. Smith kept the momentum going, leading Hearne to a 59-6 win over Lexington in the “Battle of the Eagles.’
Devantae Knowlton
Junior
Running Back
Prince of Peace
Private School
Prince of Peace running back Devantae Knowlton had an amazing 347 yards rushing and five touchdowns, helping his Eagles lock in a 52-27 win over Fort Worth Temple Christian.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Christian Pack
Senior
Quarterback
Conroe
Class 6-A
Conroe quarterback Christian Pack totaled 572 yards in a 58-55 win over Klein Cain. Pack carried 25 times for 201 yards and a score. Adding to his week performance, Pack also completed 23 of 37 for 371 yards, with two interceptions and four touchdowns.
Brandon Adame
Junior
Linebacker
Mercedes
Class 5-A
Mercedes linebacker Brandon Adame lead the team in tackling with 21 total tackles, including five for a loss, one sack, two caused fumbles and one fumble recovery, helping his Tigers in a 31-19 win over Edcouch-Elsa. Adame was awarded 2018 District 16-5A II Defensive Newcomer of the Year.
Marcus Morris
Senior
Quarterback
Hamshire-Fannett
Class 4-A
The Hamshire-Fannett area felt the recent effects of Tropical Storm Imelda as the community experienced severe flooding. Many homes in the area were flooded, including Hamshire-Fannett quarterback Marcus Morris’ home. Despite the school stadium being lined with debris from the storm, the Hamshire-Fannett Longhorns still won in a 34-21 victory over Tarkington in the Battle of the Longhorns. Morris was a huge factor in the win, supporting the team with 14 carries, 303 yards and two touchdowns.
Jaxon Willis
Sophomore
Quarterback
Crane
Class 3-A
Crane quarterback Jaxon Willis had an outstanding game against the Stanton Buffaloes – as he was 11/18 (61%) for 570 yards. Willis threw for four touchdowns and rushed for an additional touchdown. The Crane quarterback has passed for 1,497 yards and 12 touchdowns so far this season, helping his Golden Cranes move to 5-0 and rank number 10 in the state for 3A so far this season.
Colton Marshall
Senior
Running Back
Hawley
Class 2-A
Colton Marshall put on a show with 12 rushes and 516 yards, an average of 43 yards per carry. Marshall had a total of seven touchdowns, a tremendous contribution to the Bearcats’ 73-20 win over Windthorst. This is the second time in two weeks that Marshall has been named the Big Country Player of the Week. The season is shaping up to be a big year for the senior as he was also recently crowned Homecoming King.
Bryce Steel
Senior
Quarterback
Brazos Christian
Private School
Brazos Christian quarterback Bryce Steel had an outstanding performance against Northside Homeschool, going 24-26, throwing for 411 yards. Throwing for seven touchdowns, Bryce led his offense in scoring on every possession in a 69-7 homecoming win over the Falcons.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Ken Seals
Senior
Quarterback
Weatherford
Class 6-A
Weatherford beat district rival Haltom 66-52 with the help of quarterback Ken Seals’ 18 of 21 pass attempts (86% completion rate) for 384 yards and five touchdowns. He had 433 combined yards. With this week’s five touchdowns, Seals has become Weatherford High School’s All-Time Touchdown Passing Leader with 51. Seals only has 153 yards to go to become Weatherford High School’s All-Time Yardage Passing Leader with four regular season games remaining.
DJ Freeman
Junior
Quarterback
Pine Tree
Class 5-A
Pine Tree quarterback DJ Freeman led the Pirates to a 56-25 district win over Mount Pleasant as he accounted for 442 total yards; 26 of 39 passing for 315 yards and two touchdowns. Freeman also had eight carries for 127 yards and three touchdowns.
Raymond Acevedo
Senior
Running Back
San Elizario
Class 4-A
San Elizario running back Raymond Acevedo put on a show with 15 carries and 421 rushing yards, averaging over 28 yards per carry and six touchdowns. Raymond Acevedo has already run over 1,000 yards this season.
Clayson Choate
Sophomore
Defensive Back
Orangefield
Class 3-A
Orangefield senior defensive back Clayson Choate pulled off a rare trifecta with touchdowns on offense, defense and special teams. Choate had two kickoff returns for touchdowns and 83 yards rushing for a touchdown. He racked up a total of 324 yards. On defense, Choate had seven tackles including an interception return for a touchdown. The Bobcats remain undefeated (5-0).
Ryan Harris
Sophomore
Quarterback/DB
Beckville
Class 2-A
Beckville quarterback/DB Ryan Harris put on an outstanding performance. Harris rushed for over 130 yards and passed for 91 yards and three touchdowns. He sealed a Beckville Bearcat win over Tenaha in their District 11-2A opener with an interception in the end zone.
Austin Smith
Senior
Quarterback
Houston Christian
Private School
Houston Christian High School quarterback Austin Smith had 20 carries for 202 yards and five touchdowns rushing in the 35-7 win over Dallas St. Marks. Smith also threw for 96 yards.
Smith was the starting quarterback for Katy Taylor High School his Sophomore and Junior year before transferring to Houston Christian.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Hudson Card
Senior
Quarterback
Lake Travis
Class 6-A
Lake Travis quarterback Hudson Clark was 21 of 32 yards and three touchdowns in a 26-25 win. The Texas commit’s performance included a pair of touchdowns in the decisive fourth quarter, throwing the go-ahead score with only four minutes remaining.
Garret Rangel
Sophomore
Quarterback
Lone Star
Class 5-A
Garret Rangel led the Lone Star Rangers to their sixth consecutive win. The sophomore quarterback completed 20 for 21 pass attempts for 338 yards and three touchdowns in a 63-14 win over Independence.
Ashton Stredick
Senior
Running Back
Needville
Class 4-A
San Elizario running back Raymond Acevedo put on a show with 15 carries and 421 rushing yards, averaging over 28 yards per carry and six touchdowns. Raymond Acevedo has already run over 1,000 yards this season.
La-Jathan Allen
Senior
Running Back/DB
Paul Pewitt
Class 3-A
In a 47-21 win, running back La-Jathan Allen carried 29 times for 235 yards and three touchdowns, completing his performance with one catch for three yards for the Paul Pewitt High School Brahmas. Defensively, Allen also recorded twelve tackles, a sack, a TFL, a pass break-up and a forced fumble.
Kolt Shuckers
Sophomore
Quarterback
Lindsay
Class 2-A
Lindsay quarterback Kolt Shuckers, a sophomore, is playing beyond his years. He is leading the Knights who are now 5-2 so far this season. Shuckers was 19 for 28 against Chico, with 466 passing yards and six touchdowns.
Gibby Garza
Senior
Running Back
San Antonio Central Catholic
Private School
San Antonio Central Catholic running back Gibby Garza rushed for 301 yards and four touchdowns on only 14 carries. The Buttons had a 56-27 rout over Houston St. Pius X. Garza averaged 21-5 yards per carry and had two receptions for 30 yards.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Colton Marwill
Junior
Quarterback
Tomball Memorial
Class 6-A
Tomball Memorial’s Colton Marwill was 23 of 33 for 414 yards and seven touchdowns, including the game-winner with 22 seconds left in a 73-70 Tomball Memorial win over Cypress Lakes. Adding to his game performance, Marwill ran for 70 yards and a score.
Kaden Casey
Senior
Quarterback
Whitehouse
Class 5-A
Kaden Casey waited his turn to be starting quarterback for Whitehouse. After battling several injuries, including both knee and shoulder surgeries during his junior year, Casey’s wait was worth it! In the game against Lindale, the quarterback went 10 for 18 passing for 209 yards, ending the game with four touchdowns and zero interceptions. Casey leads Whitehouse with a 5-2 record and 4-0 in district play.
Cooper McCollum
Senior
Quarterback
Wimberley
Class 4-A
Wimberley quarterback Cooper McCollum was 16 of 20 passing for 339 yards and four touchdowns, achieving 293 of the 339 yards in the first half alone. McCollum also had six carries for 39 yards. The Texan senior ended the night with a total of 383 yards and six touchdowns against previously unbeaten Bandera, bringing Wimberley a 6-1 record so far this season.
DJ Brown
Sophomore
Quarterback/S
Leonard
Class 3-A
Leonard quarterback DJ Brown, only a sophomore, had an outstanding performance in a 51-26 home conference win over Blue Ridge. Brown was 33/224 and had five touchdowns.
Erin Patiño
Senior
RB/Secondary Back/Backup QB/Kicker
La Pryor
Class 2-A
La Pryor’s Erin Patiño played an outstanding game in a 53-6 victory against D’Hanis. Patiño had a total of five interceptions, with two being pick sixes. The Bulldogs senior wowed fans when he punted a ball that was tipped by D’Hanis, which he managed to catch behind the line of scrimmage and ran it in for a first down.
Shedeur Sanders
Junior
Quarterback
Trinity Christian-Cedar Hill
Private School
Trinity Christian quarterback Shedeur Sanders led the Tigers to a 51-0 conference win over McKinney Christian Academy. Sanders went 28 for 35 for 380 yards and had five touchdowns.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
Aaron Dumas
Junior
Running Back
El Paso-Americas
Class 6-A
El Paso-Americas running back Aaron Dumas had a phenomenal game with 24 carries at 381 yards. The running back scored a total of four touchdowns, helping the Trailblazers beat Pebble Hills in a 70-28 conference win. Dumas also broke the city record for most rushing touchdowns in a single season (30).
Braden Hargrove
Senior
Defensive End/Defensive Tackle
Georgetown
Class 5-A
Georgetown’s Braden Hargrove put on a defensive show against the Manor High Mustangs, resulting in a 28-14 victory for the Eagles. Some of Hargrove’s game highlights included: one solo tackle, three assisted tackles, one tackle for loss, one forced fumble, one interception return for a touchdown, three blocked punts, and three pancake blocks on special offensive plays.
Tucker Bridwell
Senior
Quarterback
Pampa
Class 4-A
Pampa quarterback Tucker Bridwell played an outstanding game in a key victory over the Hereford Whitefaces to start district. Bridwell finished the game 14/18 for 435 yards and five touchdowns through the air. He added another score on the ground to end the night with six touchdowns.
Jakobie Craver
Senior
Running Back
Daingerfield
Class 3-A
In a 56-35 win over the Waskom Wildcats, Daingerfield running back Jakobie Craver carried 15 times for 262 yards and had four touchdowns. Craver also had 34 kick return yards and one receiving touchdown for 21 yards.
JT Anthony
Senior
Quarterback
Bremond
Class 2-A
As quarterback for Bremond, JT Anthony had an outstanding performance with 41 carries for 373 yards and six touchdowns. Anthony was 3/5 in passing for 71 yards. He also had 10 tackles and two for a loss. Punting out of endurance, the senior punted one for 70 yards to flip the field. In the past two weeks, Anthony has had 12 rushing touchdowns and one passing. The quarterback is on the list with some big names in Bremond’s football history of all-time single game rushing leaders.
Kodi Lee
Senior
Running Back
Texas School for the Deaf
Private School
The Texas School for the Deaf Rangers beat out San Marcos Academy, 21-0. A huge contributor for this victory was running back Kodi Lee. The senior had 39 carries at 270 yards and three touchdowns.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
D.J. Graham
Senior
DB/WR
Keller Central
Class 6-A
Oklahoma commit, D.J. Graham, carried Keller Central to a 21-0 playoff victory against Timber Creek on the Chargers senior night. On Timber Creek’s first possession, Graham scooped up a fumble and scored from 63 yards out. With a 14-0 lead in the fourth quarter, the senior picked off a pass in the end zone and jetted to a 103-yard score, for a final of 21-0. In between, Graham had seven tackles, another interception in the red zone, a 20-yard punt return and two catches on offense.
Conner Kestler
Senior
Quarterback
Calhoun
Class 5-A
Calhoun quarterback Conner Kestler gave a dominating performance as he rushed 25 times for 271 yards and completed five touchdowns in a 57-27 victory against the Southside Cardinals. The quarterback was 3-4-0 passing for 93 yards and one touchdown. Kestler leads a Calhoun offense that has scored at least 55 points in every district game.
Ace Whitehead
Junior
Quarterback
Lampasas
Class 4-A
Lampasas quarterback Ace Whitehead led his Badgers to a 56-35 victory over the Canyon Lake Hawks. Whitehead accounted for 405 total passing/rushing yards and five touchdowns. He also kicked all eight PATs (extra points).
Dawson Hightower
Junior
LB/RB
Whitney
Class 3-A
Whitney’s Dawson Hightower had 16 tackles and a forced fumble in a 26-21 victory over the defending 3A-D1 state champions, Grandview Zebras. With this game, the Whitney Wildcats broke Grandview’s 19-game winning streak and handed them their first loss of the season. Despite being out for three weeks due to a high ankle sprain, Hightower returned and regained his lead in tackles, averaging just under 10 tackles per game.
Carlos DeLeon
Junior
Quarterback
Carlisle
Class 2-A
In a 35-28 win over division rival, Big Sandy, Carlisle quarterback Carlos DeLeon carried 24 times for 227 yards and three touchdowns. DeLeon also completed eight of 12 passes for 134 yards.
William Harris
Senior
WR & Secondary
Lutheran North
Private School
Lutheran North’s William Harris had 256 all-purpose yards in the game against First Baptist Christian Crusaders. He had five touchdowns and ten tackles in a 66-35 win over the Crusaders. Every time Harris touched the football, he scored. The senior left the night with one carry, a 75-yard touchdown, two receptions, 31 yards, two touchdowns, an interception return for touchdown (85 yards) and a punt return for a touchdown (65 yards).