Texas Football

Welcome to the 2011 Texas High School Football Season.

I'd like to first thank anyone and everyone who will read my blog each week. I do appreciate your feedback and feel free to email me anytime. I will always return an email. My email address is either smoaky@smoaky.com or smoaky@1660espn.com.

I can't go any further without mentioning something very ironic to open the 2011 season. As most of you know, Cameron Yoe and Lexington each played for a Class 2-A State Championship in 2010. Yoe in the final seconds to Daingerfield and Lexington was beaten by Idalou.

So, fast forward almost nine-months later.

Cameron Yoe and Lexington opened with two teams that were winless in 2010, Connally and Smithville.

Well, hello upset city.

I remember a game broadcast I did at the end of last season, Connally lost at China Spring, they couldn't stop anything on defense but I really liked some of their young skill players and wondered if they'd turn the corner in 2011.

One week doesn't make a season, but the Cadets stunned Cameron Yoe, 28-21 and for a team that was 0-10, they are on Cloud 9 this week.

Same can be said for Smithville, 0-10 in 2010 and playing perennial power Lexington who beat Smithville 60-0 a year ago. Well, how about Smithville 27, Lexington 21 this time around?

Isn't high school football about the kids and how they respond and learn from wins, losses and adversity?

You bet it is.

In East Texas, both Daingerfield and Carthage, 3-time state champions, opened with victories.

Daingerfield under first-year head coach Aric Sardinea beat Arp, 32-26. Scott Surratt remains the head coach at Carthage, all he's ever done is win, his team won again against Jacksonville in impressive style, 43-12.

Former Daingerfield head coach Barry Bowman took his magic (44-3 record and 3-State Championships) to Paris where the Wildcats have not been able to get over the hump in years. Paris hasn't won more than seven games in any one season since Allen Wilson's state championship team in 1988.

Well, not sure what happens as the season progresses but the Wildcats opened with a 47-18 win against Gainesville.

Back to Central Texas…

The Mart Panthers have won seven state championships, including their most recent a year ago against Goldthwaite. Like a lot of the great tradition-rich programs in Texas, Mart will always lose really good players, but they’re a tradition-rich program because they literally reload. They have reloaded, ask Chilton after the Panthers thumped them to start the season, 47-6.

You'll see two lists of Player of the Week nominees for East and Central Texas later in this blog.

It didn't take me long to decide the offensive player of the week in Central Texas. Waco High running back Darrell Harris took the second play from scrimmage against Austin High 70-yards and what a night he would have as the Lions outlasted Austin High, 52-35. Harris finished with 516-yards in total offense, 346-yards of that on the ground on 25-carries. Harris also added 53-yards receiving and 117 return yards, overall, 6-TD's.

I was involved in the Round Rock at Midway broadcast on Friday and there's been a lot of talk about transfer quarterback Jordan Darling from Lakota West High School in Ohio. Darling was very sharp in his first-ever start in Texas (15-21 for 262-yards and 2-TD's), but I was most impressed with Midway junior receiver Hunter Jarmon.

I've seen some pretty good receivers during my 31-years covering high school football in Texas, but he appears to be among the best as he caught 7-passes for 150-yards and 1-TD. The 52-yard touchdown reception was spectacular as Jarmon reached over the top of a defender to grab the pass and walked into the end, but it was the catches he made in traffic, over the middle that impressed me. You don't always see that at the high school level.

And, I can’t finish up this week’s blog without mentioning Stephenville and their dramatic 48-47 victory against 2-time defending state champion Aledo.

Stephenville is one of the favorites along with Midway and even Waco High to win District 8-4A. Based on the opening weekend of the season, that district will be more than entertaining.

I hope you'll enjoy whatever I can try and bring to your high school appetite each week.

I don't know if I cover high school football any better than anyone else, but I do know we have something in common. We all love Texas high school football, and another season has begun.

Thank you.

East & Central Texas Top 10's (Includes both East and Central Texas)

Class 5-A:

1. Longview (1-0) Beat Marshall 30-0

2. DeSoto (1-0) Beat Leander 43-3

3. Lufkin (1-0) Beat John Tyler 34-31

4. The Woodlands (1-0) Beat Prepa Tech Monterrey 56-32

5. Copperas Cove (0-1) Lost to Southlake Carroll 38-31

6. A&M Conolidated (0-1) Lost to Klein Oak 17-9

7. Mesquite Horn (0-1) Lost to Coppell 20-7

8. Tyler Lee (0-1) Lost to Euless Trinity 30-7

9. Belton (1-0) Beat Richmond Foster 24-20

10. North Mesquite (1-0) Beat Rowlett 41-14

Class 4-A:

1. Stephenville (1-0) Beat Aledo 48-47

2. John Tyler (0-1) Lost to Lufkin 34-31

3. Waco Midway (1-0) Beat Round Rock 31-14

4. Sherman (1-0) Beat The Colony 28-20

5. Corsicana (1-0) Beat Whitehouse 54-35

6. Waco High (1-0) Beat Austin High 52-35

7. Sulphur Springs (0-1) Lost to Denton Ryan 25-9

8. Killeen (1-0) Beat Killeen Ellison 28-14

9. Marshall (0-1) Lost to Longview 30-0

10. Whitehouse (0-1) Lost to Corsicana 54-35

Class 3-A:

1. Chapel Hill (1-0)(Beat Palestine Westwood 74-23)

2. Carthage (1-0)(Beat Jacksonville 43-12)

3. Henderson (1-0)(Beat Mount Pleasant 47-28)

4. Gilmer (1-0)(Beat Atlanta 42-21)

5. Lindale (1-0)(Beat Spring Hill 56-7)

6. Waco La Vega (1-0)(Beat Prosper 33-21)

7. Lorena (1-0)(Beat West 53-0)

8. China Spring (1-0)(Beat Mexia 20-9)

9. Paris (1-0)(Beat Gainesville 47-18)

10. Liberty-Eylau (1-0)(Beat Paul Pewitt 28-21)

Class 2-A:

1. Tatum (1-0)(Beat Diboll 20-0)

2. Daingerfield (1-0)(Beat Arp 32-25)

3. New Boston (1-0)(Beat DeKalb 48-6)

4. Crockett (0-0)(Did Not Play)

5. Rogers (1-0) (Beat Groesbeck 61-35)

6. Paul Pewitt (0-1) (Lost to Liberty-Eylau 28-21)

7. McGregor (1-0) (Beat Rosebud-Lott 52-0)

8. Newton (0-0) (Did Not Play)

9. Arp (0-1) (Lost to Daingerfield 32-25)

10. White Oak (1-0) (Beat Frankston 49-40)

Class 1-A:

1. Mart (1-0)(Beat Chilton 47-6)

2. Garrison (1-0)(Beat Hemphill 35-14)

3. Goldthwaite (1-0)(Beat Thrall 33-0)

4. Clarksville (1-0)(Beat Hughes Springs 29-28)

5. Alto (1-0)(Beat Groveton 35-13)

6. Tenaha (1-0)(Beat Joaquin 57-22)

7. Lovelady (1-0)(Beat New Waverly 34-14)

8. Mount Enterprise (1-0)(Beat Cushing 50-33)

9. Carlisle (1-0)(Beat Union Hill 52-0)

10. Honey Grove (1-0)(Beat Cooper 33-13)

CENTRAL TEXAS OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINATIONS:

Darrell Harris, RB, Waco, 25-346 rushing yards. 506 all-purpose. Six TDs. Beat Austin High, 52-35. City record set by Jay Johnson, Waco High, 379-yards against Austin Crockett in 1991.

Cameron Washington, RB, Corsicana, 25-carries for 212-yards, 4-TD (8, 15, 40, 60), beat Whitehouse, 54-35.

Fisher Simpson, QB, Lorena, 17-31 passing for 178-yards, 2-TD's, 5-carries for 39-yards, 1-TD, 53-0 shutout of West.

Kaleb Hardy, QB, Florence, 17-21 passing for 246-yards, 2-TD's, 1-Int, 16-carries for 75-yards, 1-TD (Game-Winner w/:03 remaining), beat Bruceville-Eddy.

Andre Welch, RB, Fairfield, 28-carries for 236yds, 3-TD's, 42-7 win against Ferris.

Dillon Hightower, QB, Whitney, 9-15 passing for 212 yards 3 tds and 10 rushes for 128 yards and 2-TD, 48-0 win against FW Polytechnic.

Dillon Beirms, RB, Abbott, 17-carries for 179-yards, 4-TD's, Beat Kopperl, 51-26.

Jeremy Pustejovsky, Abbott, 18-Tackles, 1-TFL, Beat Kopperl, 51-26.

Bodezypha Farmer (Bodee) (Boe-Dee-Zie-Pha), 27-carries for 185-yards, 1-TD, 2-2XP, led Troy to 22-21 upset of 7th-Ranked Grandview.

Zach Allen, QB, Temple, 19-39 passing for 311-yards, 3-TD's, 1-TD (40) run during loss to Pflugerville Connally.

Cody Weir, RB, Rogers, 18-carries for 201-yards, 4-TDs, Beat Groesbeck, 61-35.

Preston Parsons, RB, Moody, 21-carries for 214-yards, 4-TD's, Beat Holland, 24-9.

Troy Allison, QB, McGregor: 17-26-0, 238, 2 TDs; TD rushing

Carson Earp, QB, Robinson: 27-49-1, 338, 4 TDs

Jacob White, QB, Bremond: 267 passing yards, 2 TDs; 75 rushing yards, 2 TDs

Zach Thiele, QB, Clifton: 11-27-0, 138, TD

Cole Hill, QB, Hubbard: 13-21, 124, 2 TDs

Donam Johnson, QB, Hubbard: 7-74, 2 TDs

Seth Toten, QB, Mart: 9-15-0, 110, TD

Jordan Darling, QB, Midway: 15-21-0, 262, 2 TDs

A.J. McFarlane, QB, Valley Mills: 13-100, 3 TDs rushing

Jake King, RB, Bruceville-Eddy: 157 yards rushing, 2 TDs

Cody Franklin, RB, Clifton: 15-89, TD

Hunter Hancock, RB, China Spring: 25-116, 2 TDs; 1-16 rec.

Hunter Fritcher, RB, Crawford: 189 yards, 4 TDs rushing

Matt Barnes, RB, Groesbeck: 25-167, 2 TDs

Michael Graves, RB, Groesbeck: 9-90, TD; 74-yard kickoff return TD; 13 tackles on defense

Marcus Irons, RB, McGregor: 10-90, 2 TDs

B.J. Kelly, RB, Midway: 13-91, 2 TDs; 1-18, TD receiving

Corey Schroeder, RB, Riesel: 16-110, TD

Jake Beebe, RB, Valley Mills: 7-130, TD

Hunter Lowe, WR, Lorena: 4-81; 7-54 rushing, TD

Hunter Jarmon,WR, Midway: 7-150, TD

Courtney Washington, WR, Midway: 5-90

Alex Rogers, WR, Robinson: 7-79, 2 TDs

T.Q. Echols, WR, Whitney: 6-125, 3 TDs

Shay Smith, Aquilla: 147 rushing yards, 2 TDs

Jose Dominguez, RB, Buffalo, 17-carries for 325-yards and 3-TD's (Long 89) in a 49-27 win against Bremond.

Martin Rodriguez (Senior WR), Cameron Yoe – 6 catches for 62 yards and 1 Touchdown. He also kicked three extra points accounting for 9 of 21 points. Lost to Connally, 28-21.

CJ Rodriguez, QB, Harker Heights, 10-17 passing 115 yds 20 rushes 119 yds 3 TD's lost to Georgetown 33-28

Leonard Williams, Sr., WR/RB, Mart, 12-carries for 113-yards, 3-catches for 47-yards, 2-2XP. Beat Chilton, 47-6.

Keith Reineke, WR, McGregor, 9-catches for 161-yards, 2-TD's, 3-carries for 28-yards, beat Rosebud Lott, 52-0.

Jacob White. QB, Bremond. 23 of 44 passing for 267 yards. 2-TD and 75 yards rushing with 2 more TD's, lost to Buffalo, 49-27.

CENTRAL TEXAS DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINATIONS:

Shane Leggott, Reicher: 15 tackles, 3 TFL, sack

Dakota Holder, S, West, had 13 tackles in the game vs. Lorena. If you can I would like to put him up this week on defense at safety for player of the week nominee.

Lester Walker, Waco High, 16-Tackles (10-Solo), 1 1/2 TFL, 1/2 Sack, 52-35 win against Austin High.

Somari Wright, LB, Cameron Yoe, 6 Unassisted tackles, 3 first contacts, 14 assisted tackles, and 1 tackle for a loss (24 total tackles). Lost to Connally, 28-21.

Leonard Williams, Sr., Mart, 9-Tackles, 1-FR. Beat Chilton, 47-6.

Terrell Pride, Sr., LB, Mart, 10-Tackles, 1-CF, 2-FR, 51-yard Interception return for a TD, 47-6 win against Chilton.

Justin Acker, LB, Killeen, 16-Tackles, 1-CF, 1-FR, 1-QB Pressure, Beat Ellison, 28-14.

Logan Shelton - Middle Linebacker, Corsicana Mildred, 21-Tackles (15-Solo), 1-CF, 2-PBU, 1-Interception for a TD during a 42-7 win against Teague.

CENTRAL TEXAS SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINATIONS:

D'Nerian Thomas, Fr., Mart, 89-Yard KR for a TD. Beat Chilton, 47-6.

Jake Bronowski, A&M Consolidated, 7-Punts for 238-yards in a 17-9 loss to Klein Oak.

Sebastian Corrales, Gatesville, 2 for2 on extra points and 100% on Field Goals of 36 and a new school record 44 yards in a 41-20 loss to Brownwood.

Michael Milburn, Axtell, 2-PR for a TD (69, 64), 1-KR for a TD (74) and had one TD called back during Longhorns 52-0 rout of Dawson.

Hunter Turner, Dublin, 6-KR for 137-yards, Lost to Hico, 61-0.

Fabian Pentoja, Dublin, 4 punts 41 yd avg, Lost to Hico, 61-0.

EAST TEXAS OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINATIONS:

Alex Allen, Daingerfield: Alex Allen completed 18 of 28 passes for 215 yards and two touchdowns and also rushed for one score in the Tigers’ 32-26 win over Arp.

Austin Craig, QB, Mabank, 11-16 passing for 250-yards and 2-TD's, 9-carries for 37-yards and 2-TD's in 27-24 victory against Wills Point. 375-yards of total offense.

Derrick Daniels, Gladewater: Daniels rushed for 88 yards and a touchdown and passes for 168 yards and two scores in the Bears’ 27-7 win over Canton.

James Ellis, QB, Big Sandy, 12-carries for 238-yards 2-TD's, 7-12 passing for 72-yards and 1-TD, 51-10 victory over Quinlan Boles.

Eric Hawkins, Longview, 4-catches for 130 yards and a TD in their 30-0 win over Longview.

Kylan Jackson, QB, Waskom, 11-carries for 180-yards, 3-TD's, 1-2XP, 2-4 passing for 42-yards, 29-26 victory against Maud.

Montravious James, QB, Mount Pleasant, He accounted for 444 of Mount Pleasant’s 446 yards in a loss to Henderson. He completed 30 of 47 passes for 379 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 65 yards and three scores.

Shock Linwood, RB, Linden-Kildare, 31-carries for 255-yards, 2-TD's (95, 61), completed 7-14 passes for 100-yards, 1-2XP, lost to Hooks, 28-14

Edward Pope, WR, Carthage, 10 catches for 166 yards and two touchdowns in win over Jacksonville.

Clay Price Sr. Lindale, 7 carries 153 yards 3 TD's (71,43,19), 9-13 passing 171 yards 1TD (44), Beat Spring Hill 56-7.

Fred Ross, John Tyler, 4-catches for 112 yards and two rushes for 87 yards. He had two TD catches of 89 and 18 yards, while dashing in on a run of 73 yards against Lufkin.

Avery Saenz, QB, Chapel Hill, 12-15 passing for 395-yards, 7-TD's (58, 23, 38, 58, 69, 28, 39), 74-23 win against Palestine Westwood.

Garrett Smallwood, Van, completed 14 of 27 passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns, plus ran for another pair of scores.

Jacorian Smith, RB, Pittsburg, Smith carried 15 times for 203 yards and scored three times in a 42-0 win over Jefferson.

Luke Turner, Gilmer, Completed 16 of 20 for 226 yards and two TDs in the team’s 42-21 win over Atlanta. He also had 86 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 15 attempts.

Jamarcus Walker, Lufkin: Walker carried 34 times for 189 yards and scored four touchdowns in the Panthers’ 34-31 win over John Tyler.

Josh Warbington, QB, Hallsville, 7-10 passing for 191-yards and 2-TD (68, 67), 4-carries for 128-yards, 2-TD's (74, 49), 41-10 win over Pleasant Grove.

Clay White, Jr., RB, Leverett's Chapel. 11-carries for 244-yards and 5-TD's, 4-catches for 9-yards, 1-TD, Beat Karnack, 60-12. This was also White's first game back from an ACL injury in 2010.

Caleb Williams, RB, T.K. Gorman, 20 carries, 166 yards, 3-TD.

Jeffrey Wilson, Soph., RB, Elkhart, 8-carries for 194-yards and 2-TD's, 38-6 victory against Leon.

EAST TEXAS DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINATIONS:

Corey Bartley, SS, Longview, 9-tackles, along with a sack and blocked punt in the win over Marshall.

Brandoyn Bell, Chapel Hill, Recorded 9-tackles (one for loss) and one sack in the Bulldogs’ win over Westwood.

E.J. Hawthorne, 10 tackles and a pass breakup in the win over Canton.

Hunter Hopkins, Van, Returned an Interception 51 yards for a TD less than five minutes into the second half.

Jesse Roach, Overton, 8-tackles and led the Mustangs defense in their win over Cayuga.

Hunter Stinson, Grace Community, 8-Tackles, 2-TFL, 2-CF as Grace topped Winnsboro 43-18.

Michael Green, DT, Big Sandy, 12-Tackles, 1-Sack, 3-TFL, 1-CF, 51-10 win against Quinlan Boles.

George Bauman, LB, Big Sandy, 14-Tackles, 1-Sack, 3-TFL, 51-10 win against Quinlan Boles.

Britt Ezell, S, Tyler Lee, 7-Tackles, 1-TFL, 30-7 loss to Euless Trinity.

Logan Shelton - Middle Linebacker, Corsicana Mildred, 21-Tackles (15-Solo), 1-CF, 2-PBU, 1-Interception for a TD during a 42-7 win against

Teague.

Josh Trumble, Sr, LB, Redwater, 6 solo tackles, 3 assists, 4-TFL in a 40-2 win over West Rusk.

Jason Haley, LB, Liberty-Eylau, 16-Tackles, including 4th-Down stop with 33-seconds left to seal win against Paul Pewitt.

Tanner Wright, LB, Paul Pewitt, 11-Tackles and an interception during 28-21 loss to Liberty-Eylau.

EAST TEXAS SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINATIONS:

Konnor Atkins, All Saints, Blocked punt in the third quarter changed the game’s momentum as the Trojans rallied from 2-TD's down to beat Carrollton Christian 40-34.

Lamarcus Brown, Henderson, returned a kick 90-yards for a TD in Lions win against Mount Pleasant.

Keke Hicks, Palestine Westwood, 85-yard TD in 74-23 loss to Chapel Hill.

Ben Hollas, Spring Hill: Averaged 37.6 yards on eight punts with a long of 50 yards, returned a kickoff 31 yards, in the Panthers’ 56-7 loss

to Lindale.

Austin Martel, Robert E. Lee, Averaged 41 yards on three punts in Lee’s 30-7 loss to Euless Trinity.

T.J. Pannell, Commerce, 91-yard KR for the TD, 39-25 victory over Farmersville.

Matt Sellers, Liberty-Eylau, 2-Kick returns for 145-yards in 28-21 win against Paul Pewitt.

David Smoak is the Program Director for ESPN Radio-Central Texas and the owner of Smoaky.com.