Brazos Christian

(Last year’s result in parentheses) Aug. 27 Hallettsville Sacred Heart (DNP) 7 p.m. Sept. 3 Holy Cross (DNP) 7 p.m. Sept. 10 Austin Savio (DNP) 7 p.m. Sept. 17 #Central Texas Christian (24-28) 7 p.m. Sept. 24 Lutheran High North (DNP) 7 p.m. Oct. 1 at Tomball Homeschool (32-20) 7 p.m. Oct. 8 open Oct. 15 * at Rosehill (21-31) 7 p.m. Oct. 22 *Cypress Chrisitian (12-21) 7 p.m. Oct. 29 *at Legacy Prep (won by forfeit) 7 p.m. Nov. 5 *Northland Christian (54-6) 7 p.m. *TAPPS Division IV District 4 games; #Homecoming

FACTS

Head coach — Ben Hoffmeier (16-15 overall, 16-15 at Brazos Christian) Assistant coaches — Gerald Hancock, Noah Leist, Ryan Rey, Colton Machu, Reed Aicholz, Matt Alvarado, Eric Alvarez, Will Langenbahn, Adam LaStrapes District — TAPPS Division IV District 4 2020 record — 5-5 (1-2) 2020 playoffs — area: Shiner, 10-35 Playoff appearances — 19 Returning lettermen — 20 (9 offensive, 9 defensive starters) Key returners — OL Gre Young, jr. (A-D); QB/DL Levi Hancock, sr. (A-D both ways); RB/LB Harris Powers, sr. (A-D both ways); WR Ryan Burtin, jr. (A-D); DL Johnny Luevano, sr. (A-D); LB Stryker Gay, sr. (A-D) Key losses — DB Isaac White (A-D) All-time record — 159-93 Playoff record — 15-18 (14-16 in 11-man; 1-2 in 6-man)

Playoff appearances (19) —

6-man: 2000-01; 11-man: 200203, 2005-06, 2008-20

Hancock, Brazos Christian primed for big year in 2021

ALEX MILLER

alex.miller@theeagle.com

Levi Hancock said he’s always had one dream: playing college football at Texas A&M.

The Brazos Christian senior will get to fulfill that dream after this season after committing to the Aggies as a preferred walk-on earlier this summer, but he’ll be playing a unique position for the maroon and white — long snapper.

Perfecting the craft of a niche position was the best way for Hancock to make his dream come true.

“Honestly, I started about my eighth grade year, and I realized that probably my best chance at playing Division I football was long snapping, so I started really working at it my freshman year of high school,” Hancock said.

Before enrolling at Brazos Christian as a sophomore, Hancock was homeschooled and played for BVCHEA. While playing for the Mustangs, he was coached by former A&M long snapper Austin Frey, who helped introduce Hancock to the position. Hancock said he began learning it by snapping to his brother and father in the yard.

Long snapping became even more serious for Hancock when he went to the Kohl’s Kicking Camp in Dallas. After attending the first time, Hancock said he knew things could work out if he kept practicing. Hancock is currently the fourth-ranked long snapper in the country,according to Kohl’s.

“It really built a lot of confidence that I could do this,” Hancock said.“The Kohl’s camps were extremely helpful, and I wouldn’t be here without them.”

This summer, Hancock said he attended a snapping camp at A&M and was offered a recruiting visit afterwards. On the visit, Hancock said he was offered the preferred walk-on spot and didn’t have to

MICHAEL MILLER, THE EAGLE Brazos Christian senior quarterback Levi Hancock, right, is back to lead the Eagles’ offense this season.

1 DB/WR Harris Powers, 5-11, 195, sr.; 2 WR/DB Chance Locker, 5-8, 160, soph.; 3 WR/DB Beckett Goodyk, 5-10, 165, sr.; 4 WR/DB Ryan Burtin, 5-8, 160, jr.; 5 QB/DL Levi Hancock, 6-2, 230, sr.; 8 WR/DB Hayden Tillery, 6-2, 180, sr.; 9 PK/P Ashton Hendrick, 5-7, 140, sr.; 11 WR/LB Stryker Gay, 5-9, 175, sr.; 12 WR/DB Jackson Caffey, 5-8, 150, fr.; 13 TE/LB Davis Carroll, 6-1, 190, sr.; 17 DB/WR Cole Skinner, 5-7, 135, fr.; 22 TE/LB Brody Garner, 6-1, 185, fr.; 30 WR/DB Truett Goodyk, 5-9, 135, fr.; 31 RB/PK Collin Thornton, 6-0, 165, jr.; 32 RB/LB Jake Shaddox, 5-9, 145, fr.; 33 WR/DB Tyler Prince, 6-1, 165, jr.; 50 OL/DL Ben Tillery, 5-11, 245, fr.; 51 OL/DL Brayden Mineo, 6-0, 190, fr.; 52 OL/LB Greg Young, 5-9, 200, jr.; 53 OL/DL Christian Funderburk, 6-1, 205, sr.; 55, OL/LB Will Sharpe, 5-9, 190, sr.; 62 OL/DL Weston Fowler, 6-2, 220, sr.; 63 OL/DL Preston Conley, 5-9, 205, sr.; 64 OL/LB Caleb Sebesta, 5-9, 170, fr.; 68 OL/DL Camp Wright, 5-10, 200, sr.; 71 OL/DL Carson Browne, 5-9, 195, soph.; 75 OL/DL Caiden Sandel, 5-8, 210, fr.; 80 WR/ DB Isaiah Perkins, 5-4, 115, fr.; 88 TE/DL Parker Spears, 6-0, 200, soph.

ROSTER

think twice about committing to the Aggies.

“There’s not a lot of kids who at an early age would take to it, but it shows you how laser-focused Levi is that he does a lot of individual work, goes to the Kohl’s camps and has been working at his craft, and it all ends up that he’s one of the best in the nation and he gets to go to his dream school,” Brazos Christian head coach Ben Hoffmeier said.

Hancock is more than a long snapper at Brazos Christian,however,serving as the Eagles’starting quarterback and defensive end.

“The bottom line is you often find yourself saying: Is there anything Levi can’t do?” Hoffmeier said. “He’s a great runner. He’s a guy that’s 230 pounds and runs a 4.6 40. He’s got a rocket arm. We won the state tournament for 7-on-7 at the TAPPS level this year. So he can really do it with his arm and his legs. He’s an incredibly humble leader, and our kids love and respect him. As a quarterback, he makes our offense go, but on top of that, he’s happens to be our best defensive lineman, too, and also one of the best long snappers in the nation.”

As the season approaches,Hancock said the Eagles have high expectations of winning a state championship.He added maturity is pivotal for the team that return 18 of 22 starters from last season.

“In the past two years in the playoffs, we’ve lost some really close games,” Hancock said, “so I think with our maturity level, our motto this year is ‘finishing strong,’ and I think maturity really helps with that.”

The Eagles hope line play will be a strength on both sides of the ball after they dealt with inexperience in those areas during the early part of last season. Seniors Camp Wright and Weston Fowler and junior Greg Young lead a more cohesive group in the trenches, Hoffmeier said.

On offense, the Eagles will look to get the ball in the hands of receivers Ryan Burtin and Hayden Tillery. Defensively, linebacker looks to be the strongest position as Brazos Christian returns starters Stryker Gray, the district’s reigning defensive player of the year, and Harris Powers, who tallied 101 tackles last season.

“I think we’ve just been really hungry as a team, as a group, to get back to that point and finish strong,” Hoffmeier said. “I like our veteran group. Obviously, it starts with having a stud at quarterback, and he’s a great leader. Our kids will follow him anywhere. We’ve got a couple of really good receivers coming back. Our line is our most mature group we’ve ever had. We really like this group we have coming back.”