CLASS 3A All-Big Country

[wildstangs]

January 21, 2004

Coach of the Year — David Flowers, Merkel

OFFENSE
Player of the Year — Case Keenum, Abilene Wylie

LINEMEN
TYLER CRUMP, Abilene Wylie, Jr., 6-2, 320. Two-time all-district, graded 82.7 percent, 87 pancakes, 28 knockdowns

RYAN ESCOBAR, Ballinger, Sr., 6-0, 240. 21 pins, 20 cuts, 12 knockdowns, graded best offensive lineman on the team.

RICKY McNATT, Snyder, Jr., 6-2, 265. All-district first team. 12 Pins, graded over 80 percent six times. Led the way for an
offense that has rushed for 2,279 yards on 386 attempts.

BRYSON OLIVER, Sweetwater, Sr., 5-10, 190. Two-year starter for team that averaged more than 300 yards rushing per game in both years. Graded out at 92 percent. Had 22 cut-blocks and eight double-team pancake blocks.

ERIC WILSON, Abilene Wylie, Sr., 6-3, 250. Three-year starter and a two-time all-district selection who graded out at 88.2 percent this season. Had 69 pancake blocks and 45 knockdowns.

GARRETT CARPENTER, Clyde, Sr., 6-5, 270. Graded out at 85.7 percent, 45 pancake blocks, all-district.

BRADLEY GRISSOM, Clyde, Sr., 5-9, 180. Graded out at 74.2 percent, 22 pancake blocks, all-district.

ENDS/RECEIVERS
JUSTIN BOYD, Snyder, Sr., 6-1, 145. 28-672-8 receiving. Set a school wide receiver record with 31 knockdowns.

GILES MONTGOMERY, Sweetwater, Sr., 6-4, 240. Blocking TE that graded out at 95 percent and had 16 pancake blocks. 9-177-1 receiving. All-district first team.

JOHN KING, Ballinger, Sr., 6-0, 175. 29-559-10 receiving. Unanimous all-district both ways. "Best all-around athlete on the team."

AARON PHILPOT, Abilene Wylie, Sr., 6-0, 175. 25-390-1 receiving

QUARTERBACK
CASE KEENUM, Abilene Wylie, So., 6-0, 175. District Newcomer of the Year. 145-257-2,032-12 for 56.4 completion percentage. 96-420-12 rushing.

TRAVIS McGEE, Ballinger, Sr., 6-3, 190/ 69-184-1,159-14 passing

RUNNING BACKS
CODY LAWSON, Abilene Wylie, Sr., 5-9, 180. District 6-3A Offensive MVP. 226-1,295-9 rushing. 35-433-3 receiving.

ANTONIO POSEY, Ballinger, Sr., 5-10, 205. MVP of District 6-3A for last two years. 179-1,125-12 rushing, 6.3 average. (career 4,331 yards rushing, 56 TDs).

WESTON FRANCO, Comanche, Sr., 5-9, 178. 174-1,148-12 rushing.

MALCOME WELLS, Snyder, Sr., 5-11, 185. 147-1,041-15 rushing. All-district first team running back.

RILEY LAMBERT, Merkel, Jr., 5-11, 175. 117-1,000-14, threw for 352 yards, 4 TDs, 7-71-1 receiving, District 3-3A most valuable player.

KICKER
AARON PHILPOT, Abilene Wylie, Sr., 6-0, 175. 31-of-34 on PATs. 5-of-8 on FGs with a long of 40 yards. 32-of-53 kickoffs went for touchbacks.

DEFENSE

Player of the Year — Michael Straley, Sweetwater

LINEMEN
GILES MONTGOMERY, Sweetwater, Sr., 6-4, 240. Graded out at 96.4 percent, 97 tackles, 7 for loss, 10 sacks, 5 batted passes, 1 safety, 3 caused fumbles, all-district. Also was all-district at tight end (11-235-2 receiving)

BRANDON HEAD, Merkel, Sr., 6-3, 250. 105 tackles (50 unassisted), 19 tackles for loss or no gain, 12 sacks, 18 hurries, 2 caused fumbles, 5 fumble recoveries, 1 batted pass, all-district.

JUSTIN HEAD, Merkel, Sr., 6-3, 240. 111 tackles (53 unassisted), 18 tackles for loss or no gain, 13 sacks, 15 hurries, 2 caused fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 2 batted passes, all-district.

J.R. GALVAN, Ballinger, Sr., 5-7, 200. 82 tackles, 9 for loss, 8 sacks.

ERIC WILSON, Abilene Wylie, Sr., 6-3, 250. 48 solo tackles, 58 assists, 9 for losses, 4 sacks, 29 hurries, 2 batted passes, all-district.

CHRIS COBB, Merkel, Sr., 5-11, 170. 83 tackles (35 unassisted), 17 for loss or no gain, 12 sacks, 9 hurries, caused 2 fumbles, recovered 3 fumbles, 4 batted passes, all-district.

JOSH GRIFFITH, Breckenridge, Sr., 6-0, 210. Four-year starter. Team leader and role model for young team. Member of District 5-3A all-district squad.

LINEBACKERS
MICHAEL STRALEY, Sweetwater, Sr., 5-9, 165. Led team with 124 unassisted tackles. 7 sacks, 4 tackles for loss, 5 caused fumbles, 1 INT. Two-time all-district selection. He led defense that held opponents to 178 yards and 12 points per game.

CHRISTOPHER HART, Merkel, Sr., 6-1, 185. 128 tackles (62 unassisted), 28 tackles for loss or no gain, all-district. Led defense that held opponents to an average of 160 yards and 10 points per game.

SAMMY PRIETO, Merkel, Sr., 5-10, 178. 135 total tackles (65 unassisted), 27 for loss or no gain, 4 broken-up passes, 1 INT, 1 fumble recovery, 6 hurries, all-district.

DERRICK FUCHS, Ballinger, Sr., 6-1, 190. 135 tackles, 8 for loss, 4 sacks. Best defensive player on the team.

BOBBY OWEN, Abilene Wylie, Sr., 5-11, 185. 81 tackles (65 assisted), 9 for losses, 1 sack, 1 INT, 2 batted passes, 4 hurries.

NICK LAFAVE, Abilene Wylie, Sr., 5-9, 185. 87 tackles (58 assisted), 7 for losses, 2 sacks, 4 hurries.

ISAAC RAMON, Snyder, Sr., 5-7, 165. 97 Tackles (35 assisted), 14 for loss, 3 sacks, 4 fumble recoveries, 7 forced fumbles, 1 INT. District 3-3A defensive player of the year 2003.

NICK ROSE, Clyde, Sr., 6-1, 200. 95 tackles (44 assisted), 1 fumble recovery, 3 batted passes, all-district.

SCOTT WILKERSON, Clyde, Jr., 6-0, 190. 94 tackles (43 assisted), 2 caused fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 9 batted passes, 2 sacks.

DEFENSIVE BACKS
LANCE MILLER, Abilene Wylie, Sr., 5-9, 185. 72 tackles (19 assisted), 3 for loss, 5 interceptions, 3 blocked passes, all-district.

RILEY LAMBERT, Merkel, Jr., 5-11, 175. 65 tackles, 31 unassisted, 8 broken up passes, 7 INTs, including one for a 40-yard TD return.

MARCUS VILLARREAL, Snyder, Sr., 5-10, 155. All-state honorable mention last year. Didn’t have many balls thrown to his side of the field this year, allowing just 6 completed passes and no TDs. 19 tackles, 7 deflected passes, 3 INTs, 1 fumble recovery, all-district.

SETH HATLEY, Sweetwater, Sr., 5-9, 155. 55 tackles, 4 interceptions, 9 broken up passes, 3 batted passes, 1 INT for TD, 1 fumble caused and recovered, all-district

PUNTER
RUSS VANICEK, Ballinger, Sr., 6-1, 180. 39 punts for 41.5 average. Set up numerous opportunities for team with punts.

CHRIS COBB, Merkel, Sr., 5-11, 170, 47 punts for 40.1 average.

SELECTION PROCESS

Local and area athletes from Class 3A schools who were nominated for consideration on the Associated Press Sports Editors All-State team were automatically considered as All-Big Country nominees, as were ALL athletes whose coaches sent All-Big Country nominations directly to the Reporter-News.

The sports department then selected players from that lengthy list to be honored on the All-Big Country team based upon regular season and playoff statistics, leadership qualities and other intangible athletic attributes recognized during the season by the Reporter-News and/or the athletes’ coaches that contributed to both individual and team success.

[wildstangs]

Here is the article that goes along with it.

All Big Country 3A: Merkel coach gets top nod; Wylie, Sweetwater athletes honored
By Joshua Parrott / Reporter-News Staff Writer
January 21, 2004

Merkel High School football coach David Flowers remembers where he was the last time the Badgers made a playoff appearance — sitting in a fourth-grade classroom.

What the fourth-year head coach can’t remember, however, is ever being a part of a more memorable season in which Merkel advanced to the postseason for the first time since 1963.

"We were close to making the playoffs the last two years, but we couldn’t just seem to get over that hump until this season," said Flowers, the 2003 Abilene Reporter-News All-Big Country Class 3A Coach of the Year. "In the spring of last year, we adopted the slogan "get it done," meaning get it done in practice, on the field and in the classroom — whatever it would take to get to the playoffs."

Flowers, who led the Badgers to the third round of the playoffs before losing to Kennedale, 26-10, in the Class 3A Division II Region I semifinals, said this was the most diverse group of seniors he had coached since arriving in Merkel in 2000.

"It was a unique class," Flowers said. "We had 24 seniors, which is the largest group of seniors I’ve ever had here. It was a real pleasure to see their success."

While Flowers and the Merkel community embraced their most successful season since the Kennedy Administration, Wylie High School football coach Hugh Sandifer entered the 2003 season with only two returning starters and three candidates to start at quarterback. After an intense competition, sophomore Case Keenum won the starting nod.

After leading his Bulldogs to a 9-5 season that included a seven-game winning streak, the 6-foot-2 (and still growing) Keenum is the All-Big Country Class 3A Offensive Player of the Year.

Keenum — who was also named the District 6-3A Newcomer of the Year — said he understood his opportunity to start at quarterback for one of the state’s largest Class 3A schools was serious.

"I took it as a responsibility," Keenum said. "I just wanted to win and try my best."

The multi-talented athlete who also plays basketball, baseball and runs track completed 145-of-257 passes for 2,032 yards and 12 touchdowns and added another 12 touchdowns on the ground along with 420 yards rushing.

Sandifer said he wasn’t surprised Keenum received various postseason honors after such an impressive sophomore season.

"We knew when he was a freshman that he was a talented player, and that he would develop and really work at it because of his upbringing in football," Sandifer said. "He’s a very gifted athlete, but the biggest attribute for him is how hard he works and how humble he is. A lot of kids aren’t able to do that at that age."

Keenum — who won’t turn 16 until Feb. 17 — said he doesn’t mind asking for rides to and from school or giving credit where necessary.

"I think it comes down to the seniors, the receivers that ran awesome routes and the offensive line that made unbelievable blocks," Keenum said. "The guys offer rides before I even have to ask them. Everybody poured their life into this team, and it paid off in the end."

On the defensive side of the ball, Sweetwater High School linebacker Michael Straley led the Mustangs to another postseason appearance, lasting until the fourth round of the playoffs before losing in the Class 3A Division II Region I quarterfinals to Vernon High School, 6-3.

The 5-foot-9, 165-pound Straley led Sweetwater with 124 unassisted tackles, recorded seven sacks and caused five fumbles for a defense that held opponents to only 178 yards of total offense and 12 points per game.

His numbers on the field and leadership in the locker room make Straley more than deserving of being named the All-Big Country Class 3A Defensive Player of the Year.

Straley said he hasn’t always had to deal with being one of the smaller players on the field. Once he was one of the big boys.

"When I was younger, I was one of the bigger ones," Straley said. "Then everyone that was smaller than me caught up with me, and I never really got much bigger."

But the scrappy linebacker never let his size become an issue, lettering three years for Sweetwater and establishing himself as one of the area’s best middle linebackers in recent memory.

Straley said his most memorable game from his senior season was Sweetwater’s 12-0 shutout win over Merkel, in which the Mustangs held the Badgers to 95 yards of total offense.

Sweetwater coach Kent Jackson said Straley’s instincts and heart are immeasurable as is the amount of pressure he shouldered in leading the Sweetwater defense.

Jackson said Straley’s work ethic and on-field performance has left an impression only matched by his crushing hits on the field.

"Pound for pound, Michael is the best linebacker I’ve ever had and gotten more out of himself than any other kid I’ve ever seen," Jackson said. "He’s a blue-collar type of kid. Physically, he’s developed and become the best he could with what he could control. He refused to let anything slow him down."