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A&M Consolidated
TasteofareaplayoffsoverlasttwoseasonshasConsolveteransexcitedfor2019
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By JEFF PERKINS jeffrey.perkins@theeagle.com
A&M Consolidated’s football team could be in for a season to remember, especially if seniors Devin Price, Brian Darby and Nate Floyd have anything to say about it.
The trio of three-year starters suffered a pair of painful area-round losses the past two seasons, first to Hutto then to Fort Bend Marshall. Nowitstheirlast chance at a deep playoff run, and with a team filled with college-bound talent, they think it’s the Tigers’ time.
“State’s in our mind, but you’ve got to take it one game at a time,” Darby said. “I feel like we can hang with any team in the state. I believe that. It’s just about staying healthy and disciplined.”
The high expectations aren’t new to Consol, though this season may be the most highly anticipated since head coach Lee Fedora took over in 2017. The Tigers spent most of last year in the AP Top 10 before falling to the Buffalos. They made TexasFootball’s Preseason Top 10 in Class 5A Division II earlier this summerforthe second straight year.
It may seem like a lot of fanfare for a team coming offtwo straight area-round exits, but outside of a dismalsecondquarter, Consol was up to the task in the 49-31 loss to FB Marshall. The Buffalos went on to a runner-up finish in 5A Division II, falling to perennialpowerAledointhetitle Eagle photo by Laura McKenzie A&M Consolidated’sBrian Darby,from left,Valen Jones,Gage Pahl,Devin Price and Nate Floyd are keymembersofaTigerteam hopingto venture pastthe area round ofthe playoffsthisseason. game.
Price, Darby and Floyd have been inseparable in their three years as starters, and as Power Five conference re cruits, they also are the face of this year’s Tigers. But the closeness of the trio is a reflection of thebondsoffriendshipand camaraderie of the senior class as a whole. It’s that chemistrythattheybelieve sets the tone for the team and will be the difference in mounting a deep playoff run and competing for a state title.
“We’ve got a different brotherhood on this team than in the past few years,” Floyd said.
Consol’s offense is poised for another high-scoring season despite losing starting quarterback Caden Fedora, now at North Texas. Senior Gage Pahl has the most experience in Lee Fedora’s system among those vying for the starting quarterbackjobwithseniorBryan transfer Kerry Brooks and junior Kyle Willis also in the mix. Pahl had an excellentshowingattheTexas 7-on-7 Championships in June, leading Consol to the DivisionIstatetitle. Hecompleted70of117passesfor822 yards and six touchdowns withone interceptionwhile fillinginforFedorathepast two seasons.
The Tigers have some re-tooling to do on the offensive line with all-state left tackle Reid Francis now at Incarnate Word, but Lee Fedora is pleased with how quickly the unit is gelling in practices. In losses to Huntsville and FB Marshall last season, the Tigers struggled to protect the quarterback, so their title hopes likely depend on how much progress the See CONSOL, Page 18
1 RB Roderick Brown, jr.; 2 DB Khebrian Rumph, sr.; 3 QB Jett Huff, soph.; 4 DB Keshaun Cooper, jr.; 5 DB Grayson Lange, sr.; 6 WR Kennedy Cashion, sr.; 7 QB Carson Dewitt, sr.; 8 LB Michael Medlin, sr.; 9 DB MarkTaplette, sr.; 10 RB Terry Green, jr.; 11 WR Trey Minor, sr.; 12 LB Bubba Carter, jr.; 14 WR Peyton Rusk, sr.; 15 QB Austin Sosa, sr.; 16 DB Caden Brice, sr.; 17 WR Kyle Walsh, soph.; 18 WR Dylan Becton, sr.; 19 P/K Dawson Schremp, soph.; 20 RB Kolbe Cashion, sr.; 21 LB Traevon Thompson, sr.; 22 DB Enrique Fuentes, sr.; 23 WR Trey Winn, sr.; 24 DB Marquis McCray, sr.; 25 DB Aaron Nutall, sr.; 26 DB Mo’Merchant, sr.; 27 WR Dalton Carnes, soph.; 28 DB David Horn, sr.; 29 WR Caden Miller, sr.; 30 DB Byron Johnson, soph.; 31 P/K Jackson Boring, sr.; 32 RB Jacob Halling, sr.; 33 LB Jarrett Jordan, sr.; 34 LB Jaxson Slanker, soph.; 40 LB Kiko Johnson, sr.; 41 LB Brady Self, sr.; 42 WR Kunwar Singh, sr.; 43 DL Christian Monroe, sr.; 44 LB Jackson Borowiec, sr.; 46 DL Grant Hoffman, sr.; 50 OL Devin Simmons, TREYWINN jr.; 52 DL Ashton Jones, sr.; 54 OL Hayden Goodlett, sr.; 55 DL Colton Smith, sr.; 58 OL David Wiens, sr.; 60 OL Gavin Olivares, sr.; 62 OL Tyler Christensen, jr.; 66 DL Ja ylen Davis, sr.; 67 OL Noah Hahn, sr.; 71 OL Dylan Yendrey, sr.; 72 OL Payton Blair, sr.; 73 OL Ever O’Neill, jr.; 74 OL Logan Kasper, jr.; 75 OL Josh Padilla, sr.; 77 OL Cory Hendrix, soph.; 78 OL Landon Melesky, sr.; 79 OL Luke Penick, jr.; 80 WR Traylen Suel, soph.; 81 WR Garrett Hall, sr.; 85 WR Jacob Hamilton, sr.; 86 WR AJ Corcoran, sr.; 88 WR Houst 94 DL on Th Isaac omas, Almar soph.; 91 az, jr.; 99 DL Caleb Sko DL Jo’Vaughn w, soph.; Holmes, jr. PAYTON BLAIR
Trainers: Chelsea Frashure, Ross King
Coaches: head coach Steve Huff, offensive coordinator Stoney Pryor, defensive coordinator Chance Locklear, Kyle Walsh, Dwight Mincher, Trent Vittrup
COUGARS:Ruskbackonoffenseattightend
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he’s been my quarterback until sophomore year,” Cashionsaid. “Junioryear, he was at receiver, and it was kind of weird getting the ball from someone else, butI’mexcitedtogetitfrom him now.”
Senior tight end Peyton Ruskalsoisbackafterearningall-statehonorslastseasonas theCougars’ leading receiver with 40 receptions for 518 yards.
On defense, College Station has to replace a talented secondary that featured a pair of NCAA Division I recruitsinBrandonJoseph and Ryan Stapp as well as Blinn’sJordonBellows, but Huffsaid he is confident in theplayerscomingupfrom the JV squad, including safeties Khebrian Rumph and Aaron Nutall. The Cougars also have returning cornerbacks Mark TapletteandMarquisMcCray.
Alongthe defensive front, Keshaun Cooper, Christian Monroe, Isaac Alvarez, defensive tackle Colton Smith andlinebackersBubbaCarter and Michael Medlin will helpleadtheCougarsunder first-year defensive coordinatorChance Locklear.
“I really liked some of the youngerguys thatwere playingonourJVBlacklast year,” Huff said. “Rather than pull them up [to varsity] andnotplay[them], we wanted them to play every repofeverygamelastyear. We felt like that was great for them, and then coming into spring ball was really, really good.”
Penalties in critical situations provedamajorissue forCollegeStationlastyear. Huffsaid he simplified the offensiveplaybooktomaintain the pace he and the team want.
“I think for us, simple is fast, andwe like that,” Huff said. “We want them to go as fast as we can go, being under control.”
College Station likely could find itself in another tight race for the first two spots in the District 8-5A Division I standings and home-fieldadvantageinthe bi-district playoffs.
TheCougars’ keydistrict matchupswillbeginagainst the defending champions at Lufkin on Oct. 11. The next week College Station will host Magnolia, which the Cougars beat 41-38 in overtime last season. The Bulldogs feature a strong offensive line anchored by center and last year’s district newcomer of the year Travis Moore.
And College Station’s final regular season game could be a big one as the Cougars host Magnolia West, whichwonlastyear’s game 27-21. The Mustangs lost a large graduating class but return talented playmaker Payton Finch at wide receiver.
Despite their daunting district schedule, Huffsaid the Cougars are focused on justonematchup: theopeneragainstRichmondFoster at 6 p.m. Thursday at Katy Legacy Stadium.
“I think [fans are] going to see our brotherhood,” Cashion said. “They’re going to see on the field that we play for each other, that we play to make ourselves better and we pick each other up when we’re down. They’re going to see the pride that we have in each otherandinourschooland in our band and our cheerleaders and our strutters , everyone because we’re all here for each other.”
Good Luck this season!
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