injuredinmelee
12-13-2005, 09:51 AM
Bulldogs, Mustangs nab 4-3A honors
Wylie's Keenum is district MVP
By Jason Weddle / Reporter-News Staff Writer
December 13, 2005
He started for three seasons, won a state championship and earned a Division-I scholarship. But Wylie quarterback Case Keenum's high school football career wasn't made complete until Monday, when he was named the District 4-3A Most Valuable Player.
Being named the district's MVP doesn't ease the sting of Wylie's first playoff loss in two years for Keenum, but the award is just another memento that will remind him of his Bulldog teammates forever.
''The entire year was great,'' Keenum said. ''We had an awesome team on and off the field and there were bonds that were formed that will live on forever. It wasn't the perfect way to end my senior season, but it was pretty dang close.''
Wylie and Sweetwater dominated the all-district voting, filling 21 of the 29 slots on the district's first team.
Keenum was joined in the superlative category by teammate Jared Robertson (Defensive MVP), Snyder's Matt Reigh (Offensive MVP), Curtis Kevil of Clyde (Offensive Newcomer of the Year) and Sweetwater's Rufus McCann (Defensive Newcomer of the Year).
Keenum, Reigh and Robertson were all unanimous selections by the district's coaches.
''It's an honor,'' Keenum said. ''We had a close district and a lot of the guys played hard. It was a really competitive district race, and I think that brought out the best in all of us.''
Wylie's Britton Barbee and Gary Edwards were joined by Sweetwater's Brittan Pittman as the only first-team selections on both offense and defense.
''It's a really big honor for me, especially out of our district,'' Pittman said. ''Knowing that the coaches thought I was good and believed in me is just a great honor.''
Barbee was the only player to be a unanimous selection on both sides of the ball.
''It's a big honor because we have the toughest district in the state,'' he said. ''I really don't know what to say, it's just a big honor.''
Sweetwater, the team that made the deepest playoff run from the district, led the way with 12 first-team selections, not including McCann's Defensive Newcomer of the Year honor.
''We're proud of all those kids,'' Sweetwater coach Kent Jackson said. ''Any time you can set yourself apart to earn another coach's vote in this district, it's an honor.''
The Mustangs fell a game short of playing for a state championship, losing 32-19 to Tatum on Saturday. Sweetwater offensive tackle Taylor Jones, noseguard Casey Toland, defensive end Russell Clayton and linebacker Justin Adames were all unanimous first-team selections, along with kicker Parker Morrow.
Wylie, which made the district's second longest playoff run, was also second in All-District selections with nine. Those nine didn't count Keenum or Robertson, as winners of individual awards aren't placed on the all-district teams.
Guard Sam Eidson joined Barbee as Wylie's unanimous first-team selections.
Snyder, the district's other playoff team, had two first-team selections on each side of the ball. Running back D'White Wells and offensive guard Chase Ashworth were Snyder's offensive first-team players, while teammates Tyler Driggers and Chris Smith represented the Tigers' Black Curtain Defense.
Clyde and Merkel each had a pair of first-team selections.
The Badgers were represented by linebacker Tanner Pape and punter Trevor Hood. Russell Liles and Curtis Brown represented Clyde on the first-team.
''It means a lot,'' Liles said. ''It is quite an honor to get it, especially with all the athletes in this district.''
Jackson, Wylie coach Hugh Sandifer and Snyder coach Chad Rogers all shared Coach of the Year honors after their teams finished in a three-way tie for the district crown.
2005 All-District 4-3A Football
MVP: Case Keenum, Sr., QB, Wylie
Offensive MVP: Matt Reigh, Sr., QB, Snyder
Defensive MVP: Jared Robertson, Sr., Wylie
Offensive Newcomer: Curtis Kevil, So., Clyde
Defensive Newcomer: Rufus McCann, Fr., Sweetwater
Coach of the Year: Chad Rogers, Snyder; Kent Jackson, Sweetwater; Hugh Sandifer, Wylie
FIRST TEAM
Offense
Quarterback: Sonny Birdwell, Sr., Sweetwater
Fullback: Auston Davis, So., Sweetwater
Running backs: D'White Wells, Sr., Snyder; Joseph Banyard, Jr., Sweetwater; Gary Edwards, Jr., Wylie
Flanker: Russell Liles, Sr., Clyde
Receiver: Brittan Pittman, Sr., Sweetwater
Tight end: Matt Smith, Jr., Wylie
Center: Luis Gonzales, Sr., Wylie
Guards: Sam Eidson, Sr., Wylie; Brandan Fangman, Sr., Sweetwater; Chase Ashworth, Sr., Snyder
Tackles: Taylor Jones, Sr., Sweetwater; Brittan Barbee, Sr., Wylie
Defense
Noseguard: Casey Toland, Sr., Sweetwater
Tackles: Brittan Barbee, Sr., Wylie; Tyler Driggers, Jr., Snyder
Ends: Russell Clayton, Sr., Sweetwater; Curtis Brown, Sr., Clyde
Linebackers: Justin Adames, Jr., Sweetwater; Chris Smith, Sr., Snyder; Tanner Pape, Sr., Merkel; Jacob Jennings, Sr., Wylie
Cornerbacks: Justin Rodriguez, Jr., Sweetwater; Gary Edwards, Jr., Wylie
Strong safety: Austin Sayre, Sr., Wylie
Free safety: Brittan Pittman, Sr., Sweetwater
Kicker: Parker Morrow, Sr., Sweetwater
Punter: Trevor Hood, Sr., Merkel
SECOND TEAM
Offense
Quarterback: Jacob Agnew, Sr., Clyde
Fullback: Zack Maxey, Sr., Merkel
Running backs: Will Clay, So., Snyder; Scotty Shipman, Sr., Merkel; Skye Green, Jr., Sweetwtater
Flanker: Josh Davis, Sr., Wylie
Receiver: Dustyn Williams, Sr., Snyder
Tight end: Russell Clayton, Sr., Sweetwater
Center: Lance Clark, Sr., Sweetwater
Guards: Nathan Chastain, Jr., Clyde
Tackles: Clynt Moyers, Jr., Clyde; John Birks, Sr., Snyder
Defense
Noseguard: Nathan Chastain, Jr., Clyde
Tackles: Brandon Bugarin, Fr., Sweetwater; Jared Akers, Jr., Clyde
Ends: Brandan Fangman, Sr., Sweetwater; Alberto Florez, Jr., Snyder
Linebackers: Wes Liles, So. Clyde; Zack Maxey, Sr., Merkel; Joseph Banyard, Jr., Sweetwater; Zac Taylor, Sr., Wylie
Cornerbacks: Jeremy Torrez, Sr., Snyder; Russell Liles, Sr., Clyde
Strong safety: Eric Martinez, Sr., Snyder
Free safety: Mario Gonzales, Sr., Merkel
Kicker: Steven Stroh, Sr., Clyde
Punter: Steven Stroh, Sr., Clyde
Contact sports writer Jason Weddle at weddlej@reporternews.com or 676-6771
Wylie's Keenum is district MVP
By Jason Weddle / Reporter-News Staff Writer
December 13, 2005
He started for three seasons, won a state championship and earned a Division-I scholarship. But Wylie quarterback Case Keenum's high school football career wasn't made complete until Monday, when he was named the District 4-3A Most Valuable Player.
Being named the district's MVP doesn't ease the sting of Wylie's first playoff loss in two years for Keenum, but the award is just another memento that will remind him of his Bulldog teammates forever.
''The entire year was great,'' Keenum said. ''We had an awesome team on and off the field and there were bonds that were formed that will live on forever. It wasn't the perfect way to end my senior season, but it was pretty dang close.''
Wylie and Sweetwater dominated the all-district voting, filling 21 of the 29 slots on the district's first team.
Keenum was joined in the superlative category by teammate Jared Robertson (Defensive MVP), Snyder's Matt Reigh (Offensive MVP), Curtis Kevil of Clyde (Offensive Newcomer of the Year) and Sweetwater's Rufus McCann (Defensive Newcomer of the Year).
Keenum, Reigh and Robertson were all unanimous selections by the district's coaches.
''It's an honor,'' Keenum said. ''We had a close district and a lot of the guys played hard. It was a really competitive district race, and I think that brought out the best in all of us.''
Wylie's Britton Barbee and Gary Edwards were joined by Sweetwater's Brittan Pittman as the only first-team selections on both offense and defense.
''It's a really big honor for me, especially out of our district,'' Pittman said. ''Knowing that the coaches thought I was good and believed in me is just a great honor.''
Barbee was the only player to be a unanimous selection on both sides of the ball.
''It's a big honor because we have the toughest district in the state,'' he said. ''I really don't know what to say, it's just a big honor.''
Sweetwater, the team that made the deepest playoff run from the district, led the way with 12 first-team selections, not including McCann's Defensive Newcomer of the Year honor.
''We're proud of all those kids,'' Sweetwater coach Kent Jackson said. ''Any time you can set yourself apart to earn another coach's vote in this district, it's an honor.''
The Mustangs fell a game short of playing for a state championship, losing 32-19 to Tatum on Saturday. Sweetwater offensive tackle Taylor Jones, noseguard Casey Toland, defensive end Russell Clayton and linebacker Justin Adames were all unanimous first-team selections, along with kicker Parker Morrow.
Wylie, which made the district's second longest playoff run, was also second in All-District selections with nine. Those nine didn't count Keenum or Robertson, as winners of individual awards aren't placed on the all-district teams.
Guard Sam Eidson joined Barbee as Wylie's unanimous first-team selections.
Snyder, the district's other playoff team, had two first-team selections on each side of the ball. Running back D'White Wells and offensive guard Chase Ashworth were Snyder's offensive first-team players, while teammates Tyler Driggers and Chris Smith represented the Tigers' Black Curtain Defense.
Clyde and Merkel each had a pair of first-team selections.
The Badgers were represented by linebacker Tanner Pape and punter Trevor Hood. Russell Liles and Curtis Brown represented Clyde on the first-team.
''It means a lot,'' Liles said. ''It is quite an honor to get it, especially with all the athletes in this district.''
Jackson, Wylie coach Hugh Sandifer and Snyder coach Chad Rogers all shared Coach of the Year honors after their teams finished in a three-way tie for the district crown.
2005 All-District 4-3A Football
MVP: Case Keenum, Sr., QB, Wylie
Offensive MVP: Matt Reigh, Sr., QB, Snyder
Defensive MVP: Jared Robertson, Sr., Wylie
Offensive Newcomer: Curtis Kevil, So., Clyde
Defensive Newcomer: Rufus McCann, Fr., Sweetwater
Coach of the Year: Chad Rogers, Snyder; Kent Jackson, Sweetwater; Hugh Sandifer, Wylie
FIRST TEAM
Offense
Quarterback: Sonny Birdwell, Sr., Sweetwater
Fullback: Auston Davis, So., Sweetwater
Running backs: D'White Wells, Sr., Snyder; Joseph Banyard, Jr., Sweetwater; Gary Edwards, Jr., Wylie
Flanker: Russell Liles, Sr., Clyde
Receiver: Brittan Pittman, Sr., Sweetwater
Tight end: Matt Smith, Jr., Wylie
Center: Luis Gonzales, Sr., Wylie
Guards: Sam Eidson, Sr., Wylie; Brandan Fangman, Sr., Sweetwater; Chase Ashworth, Sr., Snyder
Tackles: Taylor Jones, Sr., Sweetwater; Brittan Barbee, Sr., Wylie
Defense
Noseguard: Casey Toland, Sr., Sweetwater
Tackles: Brittan Barbee, Sr., Wylie; Tyler Driggers, Jr., Snyder
Ends: Russell Clayton, Sr., Sweetwater; Curtis Brown, Sr., Clyde
Linebackers: Justin Adames, Jr., Sweetwater; Chris Smith, Sr., Snyder; Tanner Pape, Sr., Merkel; Jacob Jennings, Sr., Wylie
Cornerbacks: Justin Rodriguez, Jr., Sweetwater; Gary Edwards, Jr., Wylie
Strong safety: Austin Sayre, Sr., Wylie
Free safety: Brittan Pittman, Sr., Sweetwater
Kicker: Parker Morrow, Sr., Sweetwater
Punter: Trevor Hood, Sr., Merkel
SECOND TEAM
Offense
Quarterback: Jacob Agnew, Sr., Clyde
Fullback: Zack Maxey, Sr., Merkel
Running backs: Will Clay, So., Snyder; Scotty Shipman, Sr., Merkel; Skye Green, Jr., Sweetwtater
Flanker: Josh Davis, Sr., Wylie
Receiver: Dustyn Williams, Sr., Snyder
Tight end: Russell Clayton, Sr., Sweetwater
Center: Lance Clark, Sr., Sweetwater
Guards: Nathan Chastain, Jr., Clyde
Tackles: Clynt Moyers, Jr., Clyde; John Birks, Sr., Snyder
Defense
Noseguard: Nathan Chastain, Jr., Clyde
Tackles: Brandon Bugarin, Fr., Sweetwater; Jared Akers, Jr., Clyde
Ends: Brandan Fangman, Sr., Sweetwater; Alberto Florez, Jr., Snyder
Linebackers: Wes Liles, So. Clyde; Zack Maxey, Sr., Merkel; Joseph Banyard, Jr., Sweetwater; Zac Taylor, Sr., Wylie
Cornerbacks: Jeremy Torrez, Sr., Snyder; Russell Liles, Sr., Clyde
Strong safety: Eric Martinez, Sr., Snyder
Free safety: Mario Gonzales, Sr., Merkel
Kicker: Steven Stroh, Sr., Clyde
Punter: Steven Stroh, Sr., Clyde
Contact sports writer Jason Weddle at weddlej@reporternews.com or 676-6771