Sweetwater Red
01-14-2012, 12:15 PM
Player of the Year
KEENON WARD
School: Snyder
Position: Quarterback
Class: Senior
Height: 5-10
Weight: 175
Strength: Athleticism and creativity. A true dual threat quarterback, Ward could hurt you with his arm, but he was at his best when improvising in the open field. The Texas Tech pledge was almost impossible to tackle one-on-one, and his superior speed and field vision made him very difficult to catch once free.
2011 highlight: Ward had a season full of highlights, but his performance in the Tigers' district championship-clinching win over Wylie may have been his best. With 75 yards through the air, it wasn't his best passing game. But he rushed for 271 yards and five touchdowns, including three of 30 or more yards, to lift Snyder to a 34-20 road win.
Coachspeak: "He's just an awesome young man," Snyder coach Chad Rogers said. "Even with all the accolades that he gets, he continues to be humble. The last three years, he's been one of our best practice players, and when your best athlete's one of your best practice players, you've got a chance to be successful. I'm just so proud of the way that he carries himself."
Why he's here: The biggest weapon on an 11-2 Snyder team, Ward finished the regular season with 780 yards and 11 touchdowns passing and an additional 1,769 yards and 23 scores on the ground. And as games got more important, he got even better. In three playoff games, he passed for 302 yards, rushed for 679 and accounted for 11 total touchdowns.
Offensive MVP
PAXTON GRAYER
School: Abilene High
Position: Running back
Class: Senior
Height: 5-9
Weight: 180
Strength: Work ethic. With speed to burn and skill to go with it, Grayer's natural ability trumps most of his peers. But it was his willingness to work that impressed his teammates and coaches most.
"I think he may be one of the hardest working, most humble kids that we've ever been around," AHS coach Steve Warren said. "There's always a tendency when you have the type of year he had to not be humble and not be as hungry as he was, but I think he took the field every week with something to prove and really did a fine job of that."
2011 highlight: Grayer, who had nine 100-yard games and one 200-yard performance, twice tied the AHS school record for total touchdowns with five. But one could argue his best all-around showing came during the Eagles' 49-34 win over District 3-5A rival Midland Lee, when he ran for 115 yards on 12 carries, caught five passes for 142 yards and accounted for four total scores.
Coachspeak: "Going into the season everyone was talking about, 'How are you going to replace the production of Herschel (Sims)?'" Warren said. "And gosh, I thought Paxton did a tremendous job, not only replacing his yardage and touchdowns, but his leadership ability as well. He's just a great kid, and I'm really going to miss him."
Why he's here: The numbers speak for themselves. Counting the Eagles' four playoff games, Grayer ran for 1,592 yards, had nearly 300 yards receiving and found the end zone 29 times.
Defensive MVP
KEVIN VACCARO
School: Brownwood
Position: Defensive back
Class: Senior
Height: 5-10
Weight: 185
Strength: His competitive nature. At 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds, Vaccaro is a little undersized. But that didn't keep him from dominating opponents at the prep level and earning a scholarship offer from the University of Texas. A cornerback by trade, Vaccaro was moved over to safety this past season, and with the way he played, you would have never known that wasn't his natural position.
2011 highlight: With his team playing for its playoff life, Vaccaro spearheaded a shutdown defensive performance in a 27-14 road win against Sweetwater. The Lions held the Mustangs to just 265 yards of offense and forced four turnovers, including two interceptions. And if his defensive contributions weren't enough, Vaccaro added 79 rushing yards on 11 carries and once catch for 25 more yards.
Coachspeak: "He's played 41 games for us in three years, and he's just a leader on and off the field," Brownwood coach Bob Shipley said. "He's an incredibly hard worker. He's always wanting someone to open the weight room for him and he's always studying the game. ... I love the way he competes. He wants to know who the best receiver on the other team is and he wants to guard him."
Why he's here: Despite playing out of position, Vaccaro had an all-state worthy campaign, tallying 99 total tackles, six tackles for loss, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
Newcomer of the Year
LORENZO JOE
School: Cooper
Position: Receiver
Class: Sophomore
Height: 6-1
Weight: 175
Strength: His drive and will to win. With good size and speed, Joe has all the tools necessary to be a good receiver. But it was his desire to succeed and refusal to be denied that set him apart. The favorite target for Cooper quarterback Clayton Nicholas, Joe was on the receiving end of a number of game- and season-changing catches for the 9-4 Cougars. And more than a one of those catches were made because he wanted the ball more than his defender.
2011 highlight: It was "the catch" of the 2011 season for Cooper. With his team down to Arlington Lamar 24-21 in the opening round of the 5A Division II playoffs, Joe caught a 22-yard jump ball from Nicholas with no time left on the clock to lift the Cougars to a 27-24 win. He had four catches for less than 50 yards before that grab, which will forever go down as one of Cooper football's great playoff moments.
Coachspeak: "He's well beyond his years, maturity-wise, and he's got a great competitive spirit about him," Cooper coach Todd Moebes said. "He's extremely coachable and he likes to do the right thing. He's just a good kid. ... Everybody can see that he's talented, and he is, but there's a lot of internal things about Lorenzo that people don't know about that make him special."
Why he's here: As just a second-year high school player, Joe made his mark on the Coogs' season, tallying 47 catches for 740 yards and nine touchdowns. And he showed up big in the playoffs, coming up with the game-winning catch against Lamar and making a 43-yard catch with two minutes left the next week to set up the game-winning score in a 21-14 win over Amarillo High.
Coach of the Year
Joe Gillespie
School: Stephenville
Strength: His ability to motivate. A longtime Stephenville assistant before taking over the program in 2008, Gillespie just has a knack for getting the best out of his players. And that quality is apparent in both his 38-16 career record and the way his athletes talk about him.
"He makes you want to play your hardest for him," Stephenville receiver Brice Gunter said. "He says, 'If you have the chance to make the big play, make the big play.' And he has the confidence in you to do that."
2011 highlight: Depending on who you ask, there are two. Most will point to the Yellow Jackets' season-opening 48-47 win over 4A rival Aledo, and for good reason. Stephenville twice overcame a 17-point deficit to beat the eventual Division II champions, and snapped a five-losing streak against the Bearcats in the process. But for Gillespie, the Yellow Jackets' 56-21 District 8-4A win over Waco High in early November was just as big. That victory, which clinched a share of the district championship for Stephenville and gave the Yellow Jackets the top seed in Division II, came a week after Stephenville lost at home to Hewitt Midway, 51-20, and spurred a four-game winning streak.
"A huge one for us was when we kind of had our backs up against the wall after losing to Waco Midway," Gillespie said. "We had to turn around and play undefeated Waco High for seeding ... and we went out there and ended up winning the ballgame 56-21. That game right there probably stands out more than any game to me."
Playerspeak: "It's a real honor to get to play for somebody like him," quarterback Tyler Jones said. "He really makes you have this desire to come out and compete every day even in if it's against your own team during two-a-days or in practice. He's like a father to all the guys, and he really motivates and teaches us lessons in football and lessons in life. It really goes a long way for us."
Why he's here: Any time your team puts up an 11-3 record with a dramatic win over the eventual state champion mixed in, you're going to draw attention. But to do that despite losing two multiyear defensive starters — Charles Cain and Tyler Floyd — for the season and two major offensive contributors — quarterback Connor Washington and tailback Aiavion Edwards — for large chunks of the year, makes those things even more impressive.
FIRST TEAM
Offense
Clayton Nicholas
Quarterback
Cooper
6-3, 205, senior
Stats: Completed 204 of 332 passes for 2,764 yards and 25 TDs against 16 interceptions.
Paxton Grayer
Running back
Abilene High
5-9, 280, senior
Stats: Ran for 1,181 yards and 17 TDs on 146 carries, caught 15 passes for 238 yards and four TDs and had a kickoff return TD.
Garrett Martin
Running back
Wylie
5-9, 165, junior
Stats: Ran for 1,089 yards and 11 TDs on 153 carries and caught 29 passes for 236 yards and a TD.
Brice Gunter
Receiver
Stephenville
6-3, 185, junior
Stats: Caught 60 passes for 963 yards and 13 TDs. District 8-4A co-offensive player of the year.
Keevan Lucas
Receiver
Abilene High
5-9, 165, junior
Stats: Caught 51 passes for 750 yards and five TDs and also ran for 42 yards on seven carries.
Lorenzo Joe
Receiver
Cooper
6-1, 175, sophomore
Stats: Caught 47 passes for 740 yards and nine TDs.
Greg Davis
Offensive line
Abilene High
6-1, 200, senior
Stats: Graded at 92 percent with 35 knockdowns.
Jose Avila
Offensive line
Brownwood
5-11, 205, senior
Stats: Graded at 92 percent with 62 knockdowns
Bryan Manley
Offensive line
Stephenville
6-5, 275, junior
Stats: Graded at 94 percent with 36 knockdowns and 21 downfield blocks. Allowed just two sacks.
Dylon Adames
Offensive line
Sweetwater
5-10, 185, senior
Stats: Graded at 91 percent without allowing a sack.
Malcolm Jackson
Offensive line
Sweetwater
5-10, 230, senior
Stats: Graded at 92 percent without allowing a sack.
Keenon Ward
Utility
Snyder
5-10, 175, senior
Stats: Completed 58 of 117 passes for 780 yards and 11 TDs and ran for 1,769 yards and 23 TDs on 181 carries.
Matthew McCrane
Kicker
Brownwood
5-11, 165, junior
Stats: Hit 31 of 32 extra points, seven of nine field goals and had 19 touchbacks.
Defense
Mack Monson
Defensive line
Brownwood
6-2, 190, junior
Stats: 107 total tackles, eight TFL, four hurries and four sacks.
Garrison Railsback
Defensive line
Cooper
6-2, 225, senior
Stats: 31 solo tackles, 20 assists, 11 TFL and seven sacks.
Mateo Gonzales
Defensive line
Sweetwater
Stats: 43 solo tackles, 32 assists, 16 TFL and three sacks.
Tyler Lackey
Linebacker
Abilene High
5-10, 170, junior
Stats: 55 solo tackles, 41 assists, eight TFL, six hurries, two sacks, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.
Padyn Giebler
Linebacker
Stephenville
6-0, 215, senior
Stats: 68 solo tackles, 61 assists, 30 TFL, nine sacks, one blocked kick and one forced fumble. District 8-4A co-defensive player of the year.
Garrett Kemp
Linebacker
Brownwood
5-10, 215, senior
Stats: 115 total tackles, four TFL, five hurries, four sacks, five forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Holton Westbrook
Linebacker
Stephenville
6-0, 205, senior
Stats: 65 solo tackles, 48 assists, 24 TFL, three sacks, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and one defensive TD.
Xavier Johnson
Defensive back
Abilene High
5-11, 190, junior
Stats: 27 solo tackles, 50 assists, one TFL, four interceptions, seven pass breakups, seven forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two blocked kicks.
Kevin Vaccaro
Defensive back
Brownwood
5-10, 185, senior
Stats: 99 total tackles, six TFL, three interceptions, three hurries, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
Zach Childress
Defensive back
Wylie
6-3, 175, senior
Stats: 73 solo tackles, 22 assists, seven TFL, one interception, three blocked kicks, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and one defensive TD.
Mookie Carlisle
Defensive back
Stephenville
6-1, 185, sophomore
Stats: 31 solo tackles, 55 assists, three TFL, six interceptions, five pass breakups, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Josh Bowman
Utility
Cooper
6-1, 185, senior
Stats: Two interceptions, one returned for a TD. Also returned six punts for a 19.8 yard average and 15 kickoffs for a 23.8 yard average and one TD.
Devin Roberson
Punter
Big Spring
5-11, 170, sophomore
Stats: Punted 45 times for a 40.4 yard average, pinning eight inside the 20-yard line.
SECOND TEAM
Offense
Tyler Jones
Quarterback
Stephenville
6-2, 195, junior
Stats: Passed for 2,603 yards and 26 TDs and ran for 531 yards and six TDs.
Stehl Ratliff
Running back
Brownwood
6-0, 205, senior
Stats: Ran for 897 yards and 16 TDs on 175 carries and caught 33 passes for 362 yards two TDs.
Witt Westbrook
Running back
Stephenville
5-10, 190, junior
Stats: Ran for 822 yards and 10 TDs and had 109 yards and four TDs receiving.
Richard Bloomer
Receiver
Wylie
6-5, 205, senior
Stats: Caught 37 passes for 607 yards and three TDs despite missing two games on offense.
Toby Rodgers
Receiver
Big Spring
5-11, 175, senior
Stats: Caught 35 passes for 688 yards and five TDs.
Hunter Bernays
Receiver
Stephenville
6-2, 180, senior
Stats: Caught 35 passes for 599 yards and five TDs.
Chris Garza
Offensive line
Snyder
6-0, 210, senior
Stats: Graded at 85 percent or better in eight games and had 12 drive blocks and six pins.
Adam Moncibias
Offensive line
Snyder
5-9, 170, senior
Stats: Graded at 85 percent or better in five games.
Chantz Anderson
Offensive line
Abilene High
6-1, 235, junior
Stats: First-team all-District 3-5A.
Jordan Stevenson
Offensive line
Cooper
6-0, 270, senior
Stats: First-team all-District 3-5A.
Riley Olson
Offensive line
Wylie
6-3, 300, junior
Stats: Graded at 82.1 percent with 33 pancakes and 36 knockdowns.
Gilberto Martinez
Kicker
Snyder
5-7, 150, senior
Stats: Made 25 of 33 extra points and had 44 kickoffs for a 47.4 yard average.
Defense
Jake McMillon
Defensive line
Abilene High
6-3, 225, sophomore
Stats: 47 total tackles, 12 TFL, six sacks, two hurries, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and two defensive TDs.
Chris Nunez
Defensive line
Big Spring
6-3, 260, junior
Stats: 67 total tackles, four TFL and one sack.
Darius Biggers
Defensive line
Snyder
6-0, 225, senior
Stats: 29 solo tackles, 33 assists, seven TFL and 3½ sacks.
Ethan Horton
Linebacker
Brownwood
6-2, 215, senior
Stats: 67 total tackles, 10 TFL, six hurries, eight sacks, four forced fumbles, two interceptions and one defensive TD.
Josh Sandoval
Linebacker
Sndyer
5-7, 140, senior
Stats: 39 solo tackles, 25 assists, 22 TFL, 8½ sacks and one blocked kick.
Max Papajohn
Linebacker
Big Spring
5-10, 180, junior
Stats: 103 total tackles, five TFL and two sacks.
Kyler Billingsley
Linebacker
Snyder
5-10, 160, senior
Stats: 42 solo tackles, 21 assists, six TFL, three sacks, three interceptions and one defensive TD.
Braden Coverdale
Defensive back
Stephenville
6-1, 190, senior
Stats: 33 solo tackles, 76 assists, four TFL, five interceptions, one forced fumble and two defensive TDs.
Conlan Aguirre
Defensive back
Abilene High
5-6, 140, junior
Stats: 28 total tackles, four interceptions, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Nick Nemir
Defensive back
Sweetwater
5-10, 160, junior
Stats: 23 solo tackles, 24 assists and two interceptions.
Kelvin James
Defensive back
Wylie
6-0, 170, junior
Stats: 37 solo tackles, two assists, one TFL, three interceptions, seven pass breakups and two fumble recoveries.
Clayton Nicholas
Punter
Cooper
6-3, 205, senior
Stats: Punted 33 times for a 38.6 yard average.
HONORABLE MENTION
Offense
Quarterback — Evin Abbe, Abilene High; Matt McLeod, Wylie; Taylor Jones, Sweetwater.
Running back — Brandon Davis, Snyder.
Defense
Defensive line — Ty Parker, Wylie; Diamond Bailey, Big Spring.
Linebacker — Dylan West, Wylie; Cole Townsend, Wylie; Domino Donaldson, Snyder; Felix Martinez, Snyder; Sam Nemir, Sweetwater.
KEENON WARD
School: Snyder
Position: Quarterback
Class: Senior
Height: 5-10
Weight: 175
Strength: Athleticism and creativity. A true dual threat quarterback, Ward could hurt you with his arm, but he was at his best when improvising in the open field. The Texas Tech pledge was almost impossible to tackle one-on-one, and his superior speed and field vision made him very difficult to catch once free.
2011 highlight: Ward had a season full of highlights, but his performance in the Tigers' district championship-clinching win over Wylie may have been his best. With 75 yards through the air, it wasn't his best passing game. But he rushed for 271 yards and five touchdowns, including three of 30 or more yards, to lift Snyder to a 34-20 road win.
Coachspeak: "He's just an awesome young man," Snyder coach Chad Rogers said. "Even with all the accolades that he gets, he continues to be humble. The last three years, he's been one of our best practice players, and when your best athlete's one of your best practice players, you've got a chance to be successful. I'm just so proud of the way that he carries himself."
Why he's here: The biggest weapon on an 11-2 Snyder team, Ward finished the regular season with 780 yards and 11 touchdowns passing and an additional 1,769 yards and 23 scores on the ground. And as games got more important, he got even better. In three playoff games, he passed for 302 yards, rushed for 679 and accounted for 11 total touchdowns.
Offensive MVP
PAXTON GRAYER
School: Abilene High
Position: Running back
Class: Senior
Height: 5-9
Weight: 180
Strength: Work ethic. With speed to burn and skill to go with it, Grayer's natural ability trumps most of his peers. But it was his willingness to work that impressed his teammates and coaches most.
"I think he may be one of the hardest working, most humble kids that we've ever been around," AHS coach Steve Warren said. "There's always a tendency when you have the type of year he had to not be humble and not be as hungry as he was, but I think he took the field every week with something to prove and really did a fine job of that."
2011 highlight: Grayer, who had nine 100-yard games and one 200-yard performance, twice tied the AHS school record for total touchdowns with five. But one could argue his best all-around showing came during the Eagles' 49-34 win over District 3-5A rival Midland Lee, when he ran for 115 yards on 12 carries, caught five passes for 142 yards and accounted for four total scores.
Coachspeak: "Going into the season everyone was talking about, 'How are you going to replace the production of Herschel (Sims)?'" Warren said. "And gosh, I thought Paxton did a tremendous job, not only replacing his yardage and touchdowns, but his leadership ability as well. He's just a great kid, and I'm really going to miss him."
Why he's here: The numbers speak for themselves. Counting the Eagles' four playoff games, Grayer ran for 1,592 yards, had nearly 300 yards receiving and found the end zone 29 times.
Defensive MVP
KEVIN VACCARO
School: Brownwood
Position: Defensive back
Class: Senior
Height: 5-10
Weight: 185
Strength: His competitive nature. At 5-foot-10 and 185 pounds, Vaccaro is a little undersized. But that didn't keep him from dominating opponents at the prep level and earning a scholarship offer from the University of Texas. A cornerback by trade, Vaccaro was moved over to safety this past season, and with the way he played, you would have never known that wasn't his natural position.
2011 highlight: With his team playing for its playoff life, Vaccaro spearheaded a shutdown defensive performance in a 27-14 road win against Sweetwater. The Lions held the Mustangs to just 265 yards of offense and forced four turnovers, including two interceptions. And if his defensive contributions weren't enough, Vaccaro added 79 rushing yards on 11 carries and once catch for 25 more yards.
Coachspeak: "He's played 41 games for us in three years, and he's just a leader on and off the field," Brownwood coach Bob Shipley said. "He's an incredibly hard worker. He's always wanting someone to open the weight room for him and he's always studying the game. ... I love the way he competes. He wants to know who the best receiver on the other team is and he wants to guard him."
Why he's here: Despite playing out of position, Vaccaro had an all-state worthy campaign, tallying 99 total tackles, six tackles for loss, three interceptions, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
Newcomer of the Year
LORENZO JOE
School: Cooper
Position: Receiver
Class: Sophomore
Height: 6-1
Weight: 175
Strength: His drive and will to win. With good size and speed, Joe has all the tools necessary to be a good receiver. But it was his desire to succeed and refusal to be denied that set him apart. The favorite target for Cooper quarterback Clayton Nicholas, Joe was on the receiving end of a number of game- and season-changing catches for the 9-4 Cougars. And more than a one of those catches were made because he wanted the ball more than his defender.
2011 highlight: It was "the catch" of the 2011 season for Cooper. With his team down to Arlington Lamar 24-21 in the opening round of the 5A Division II playoffs, Joe caught a 22-yard jump ball from Nicholas with no time left on the clock to lift the Cougars to a 27-24 win. He had four catches for less than 50 yards before that grab, which will forever go down as one of Cooper football's great playoff moments.
Coachspeak: "He's well beyond his years, maturity-wise, and he's got a great competitive spirit about him," Cooper coach Todd Moebes said. "He's extremely coachable and he likes to do the right thing. He's just a good kid. ... Everybody can see that he's talented, and he is, but there's a lot of internal things about Lorenzo that people don't know about that make him special."
Why he's here: As just a second-year high school player, Joe made his mark on the Coogs' season, tallying 47 catches for 740 yards and nine touchdowns. And he showed up big in the playoffs, coming up with the game-winning catch against Lamar and making a 43-yard catch with two minutes left the next week to set up the game-winning score in a 21-14 win over Amarillo High.
Coach of the Year
Joe Gillespie
School: Stephenville
Strength: His ability to motivate. A longtime Stephenville assistant before taking over the program in 2008, Gillespie just has a knack for getting the best out of his players. And that quality is apparent in both his 38-16 career record and the way his athletes talk about him.
"He makes you want to play your hardest for him," Stephenville receiver Brice Gunter said. "He says, 'If you have the chance to make the big play, make the big play.' And he has the confidence in you to do that."
2011 highlight: Depending on who you ask, there are two. Most will point to the Yellow Jackets' season-opening 48-47 win over 4A rival Aledo, and for good reason. Stephenville twice overcame a 17-point deficit to beat the eventual Division II champions, and snapped a five-losing streak against the Bearcats in the process. But for Gillespie, the Yellow Jackets' 56-21 District 8-4A win over Waco High in early November was just as big. That victory, which clinched a share of the district championship for Stephenville and gave the Yellow Jackets the top seed in Division II, came a week after Stephenville lost at home to Hewitt Midway, 51-20, and spurred a four-game winning streak.
"A huge one for us was when we kind of had our backs up against the wall after losing to Waco Midway," Gillespie said. "We had to turn around and play undefeated Waco High for seeding ... and we went out there and ended up winning the ballgame 56-21. That game right there probably stands out more than any game to me."
Playerspeak: "It's a real honor to get to play for somebody like him," quarterback Tyler Jones said. "He really makes you have this desire to come out and compete every day even in if it's against your own team during two-a-days or in practice. He's like a father to all the guys, and he really motivates and teaches us lessons in football and lessons in life. It really goes a long way for us."
Why he's here: Any time your team puts up an 11-3 record with a dramatic win over the eventual state champion mixed in, you're going to draw attention. But to do that despite losing two multiyear defensive starters — Charles Cain and Tyler Floyd — for the season and two major offensive contributors — quarterback Connor Washington and tailback Aiavion Edwards — for large chunks of the year, makes those things even more impressive.
FIRST TEAM
Offense
Clayton Nicholas
Quarterback
Cooper
6-3, 205, senior
Stats: Completed 204 of 332 passes for 2,764 yards and 25 TDs against 16 interceptions.
Paxton Grayer
Running back
Abilene High
5-9, 280, senior
Stats: Ran for 1,181 yards and 17 TDs on 146 carries, caught 15 passes for 238 yards and four TDs and had a kickoff return TD.
Garrett Martin
Running back
Wylie
5-9, 165, junior
Stats: Ran for 1,089 yards and 11 TDs on 153 carries and caught 29 passes for 236 yards and a TD.
Brice Gunter
Receiver
Stephenville
6-3, 185, junior
Stats: Caught 60 passes for 963 yards and 13 TDs. District 8-4A co-offensive player of the year.
Keevan Lucas
Receiver
Abilene High
5-9, 165, junior
Stats: Caught 51 passes for 750 yards and five TDs and also ran for 42 yards on seven carries.
Lorenzo Joe
Receiver
Cooper
6-1, 175, sophomore
Stats: Caught 47 passes for 740 yards and nine TDs.
Greg Davis
Offensive line
Abilene High
6-1, 200, senior
Stats: Graded at 92 percent with 35 knockdowns.
Jose Avila
Offensive line
Brownwood
5-11, 205, senior
Stats: Graded at 92 percent with 62 knockdowns
Bryan Manley
Offensive line
Stephenville
6-5, 275, junior
Stats: Graded at 94 percent with 36 knockdowns and 21 downfield blocks. Allowed just two sacks.
Dylon Adames
Offensive line
Sweetwater
5-10, 185, senior
Stats: Graded at 91 percent without allowing a sack.
Malcolm Jackson
Offensive line
Sweetwater
5-10, 230, senior
Stats: Graded at 92 percent without allowing a sack.
Keenon Ward
Utility
Snyder
5-10, 175, senior
Stats: Completed 58 of 117 passes for 780 yards and 11 TDs and ran for 1,769 yards and 23 TDs on 181 carries.
Matthew McCrane
Kicker
Brownwood
5-11, 165, junior
Stats: Hit 31 of 32 extra points, seven of nine field goals and had 19 touchbacks.
Defense
Mack Monson
Defensive line
Brownwood
6-2, 190, junior
Stats: 107 total tackles, eight TFL, four hurries and four sacks.
Garrison Railsback
Defensive line
Cooper
6-2, 225, senior
Stats: 31 solo tackles, 20 assists, 11 TFL and seven sacks.
Mateo Gonzales
Defensive line
Sweetwater
Stats: 43 solo tackles, 32 assists, 16 TFL and three sacks.
Tyler Lackey
Linebacker
Abilene High
5-10, 170, junior
Stats: 55 solo tackles, 41 assists, eight TFL, six hurries, two sacks, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.
Padyn Giebler
Linebacker
Stephenville
6-0, 215, senior
Stats: 68 solo tackles, 61 assists, 30 TFL, nine sacks, one blocked kick and one forced fumble. District 8-4A co-defensive player of the year.
Garrett Kemp
Linebacker
Brownwood
5-10, 215, senior
Stats: 115 total tackles, four TFL, five hurries, four sacks, five forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Holton Westbrook
Linebacker
Stephenville
6-0, 205, senior
Stats: 65 solo tackles, 48 assists, 24 TFL, three sacks, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and one defensive TD.
Xavier Johnson
Defensive back
Abilene High
5-11, 190, junior
Stats: 27 solo tackles, 50 assists, one TFL, four interceptions, seven pass breakups, seven forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and two blocked kicks.
Kevin Vaccaro
Defensive back
Brownwood
5-10, 185, senior
Stats: 99 total tackles, six TFL, three interceptions, three hurries, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
Zach Childress
Defensive back
Wylie
6-3, 175, senior
Stats: 73 solo tackles, 22 assists, seven TFL, one interception, three blocked kicks, two forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and one defensive TD.
Mookie Carlisle
Defensive back
Stephenville
6-1, 185, sophomore
Stats: 31 solo tackles, 55 assists, three TFL, six interceptions, five pass breakups, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Josh Bowman
Utility
Cooper
6-1, 185, senior
Stats: Two interceptions, one returned for a TD. Also returned six punts for a 19.8 yard average and 15 kickoffs for a 23.8 yard average and one TD.
Devin Roberson
Punter
Big Spring
5-11, 170, sophomore
Stats: Punted 45 times for a 40.4 yard average, pinning eight inside the 20-yard line.
SECOND TEAM
Offense
Tyler Jones
Quarterback
Stephenville
6-2, 195, junior
Stats: Passed for 2,603 yards and 26 TDs and ran for 531 yards and six TDs.
Stehl Ratliff
Running back
Brownwood
6-0, 205, senior
Stats: Ran for 897 yards and 16 TDs on 175 carries and caught 33 passes for 362 yards two TDs.
Witt Westbrook
Running back
Stephenville
5-10, 190, junior
Stats: Ran for 822 yards and 10 TDs and had 109 yards and four TDs receiving.
Richard Bloomer
Receiver
Wylie
6-5, 205, senior
Stats: Caught 37 passes for 607 yards and three TDs despite missing two games on offense.
Toby Rodgers
Receiver
Big Spring
5-11, 175, senior
Stats: Caught 35 passes for 688 yards and five TDs.
Hunter Bernays
Receiver
Stephenville
6-2, 180, senior
Stats: Caught 35 passes for 599 yards and five TDs.
Chris Garza
Offensive line
Snyder
6-0, 210, senior
Stats: Graded at 85 percent or better in eight games and had 12 drive blocks and six pins.
Adam Moncibias
Offensive line
Snyder
5-9, 170, senior
Stats: Graded at 85 percent or better in five games.
Chantz Anderson
Offensive line
Abilene High
6-1, 235, junior
Stats: First-team all-District 3-5A.
Jordan Stevenson
Offensive line
Cooper
6-0, 270, senior
Stats: First-team all-District 3-5A.
Riley Olson
Offensive line
Wylie
6-3, 300, junior
Stats: Graded at 82.1 percent with 33 pancakes and 36 knockdowns.
Gilberto Martinez
Kicker
Snyder
5-7, 150, senior
Stats: Made 25 of 33 extra points and had 44 kickoffs for a 47.4 yard average.
Defense
Jake McMillon
Defensive line
Abilene High
6-3, 225, sophomore
Stats: 47 total tackles, 12 TFL, six sacks, two hurries, one forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and two defensive TDs.
Chris Nunez
Defensive line
Big Spring
6-3, 260, junior
Stats: 67 total tackles, four TFL and one sack.
Darius Biggers
Defensive line
Snyder
6-0, 225, senior
Stats: 29 solo tackles, 33 assists, seven TFL and 3½ sacks.
Ethan Horton
Linebacker
Brownwood
6-2, 215, senior
Stats: 67 total tackles, 10 TFL, six hurries, eight sacks, four forced fumbles, two interceptions and one defensive TD.
Josh Sandoval
Linebacker
Sndyer
5-7, 140, senior
Stats: 39 solo tackles, 25 assists, 22 TFL, 8½ sacks and one blocked kick.
Max Papajohn
Linebacker
Big Spring
5-10, 180, junior
Stats: 103 total tackles, five TFL and two sacks.
Kyler Billingsley
Linebacker
Snyder
5-10, 160, senior
Stats: 42 solo tackles, 21 assists, six TFL, three sacks, three interceptions and one defensive TD.
Braden Coverdale
Defensive back
Stephenville
6-1, 190, senior
Stats: 33 solo tackles, 76 assists, four TFL, five interceptions, one forced fumble and two defensive TDs.
Conlan Aguirre
Defensive back
Abilene High
5-6, 140, junior
Stats: 28 total tackles, four interceptions, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Nick Nemir
Defensive back
Sweetwater
5-10, 160, junior
Stats: 23 solo tackles, 24 assists and two interceptions.
Kelvin James
Defensive back
Wylie
6-0, 170, junior
Stats: 37 solo tackles, two assists, one TFL, three interceptions, seven pass breakups and two fumble recoveries.
Clayton Nicholas
Punter
Cooper
6-3, 205, senior
Stats: Punted 33 times for a 38.6 yard average.
HONORABLE MENTION
Offense
Quarterback — Evin Abbe, Abilene High; Matt McLeod, Wylie; Taylor Jones, Sweetwater.
Running back — Brandon Davis, Snyder.
Defense
Defensive line — Ty Parker, Wylie; Diamond Bailey, Big Spring.
Linebacker — Dylan West, Wylie; Cole Townsend, Wylie; Domino Donaldson, Snyder; Felix Martinez, Snyder; Sam Nemir, Sweetwater.