Navarro football 2023 preview: Panthers return several All-District senior defenders and will be challenged by tough schedule

(Geronimo) -- The Navarro Panthers bring back a wealth of experience on defense and they’ll face a tough schedule both in district and non-district during the 2023 high school football season.

Practices are taking place for the Panthers with the season less than weeks away. Navarro head coach Rod Blount is in his sixth year at the helm. The Panthers have advanced at least three rounds in the UIL playoffs in each year of Blount’s five seasons as coach.

Navarro will face a gauntlet of a schedule this year and it starts in non-district on August 25th with the Navasota Rattlers at Erwin-Lee Field in Geronimo. Blount says the first four games of the season will test his team during the nondistrict season.

“We’ve got Navasota. They’re a dark horse to win the region. They played well last year and I think they’re returning nine and nine (starters on offense and defense). So, that’s gonna be a tough ballgame,” Blount said. “And then Cuero, we always know what Cuero has and they’re ready to play. Smithville is bringing back a ton. Their lines are gonna be the strongest in a long time. And La Vernia is also ranked high in 4A Division-I again as well. So, they’re gonna get us ready to play. We gotta make sure we stay healthy throughout that season, but it’s gonna for sure get us ready for district play.”

In the Panthers’ district last year, the four qualifying teams from District 13-4A swept through the other districts in the UIL Division-II Bi-District and Area playoff rounds. The Panthers along with Jarrell, Wimberley and Lago Vista all reached the regional semifinals from the district. Lago Vista would eliminate Navarro and Wimberley would take out Jarrell in the semi’s. The Texans then beat the Vikings en route to the state championship where they would fall to Carthage.

For Navarro this year, the defensive unit features a number of returning seniors who were All-District selections as juniors in 2022. Defensive end Landun Taylor, inside linebacker Hayden Toliver and outside linebacker Nicholas Schwarzlose were First Team All-District last year. Linebackers Gabriel Rangel and Jacob Arias, defensive back Diego Chapa and lineman Matthew Richardson are back from the 2022 All-District Second Team.

Blount says his players on defense are putting in the work at practice to be the best in the state.

“Defense is flying to the football right now and we’re really excited about that,” Blount said. “The kids believe in themselves. They know they played really well last year, most of them as juniors and they want to make a statement and they want to be the best defense in the state of Texas.”

On the offensive side of the ball, senior running back Antwoin Mebane is back for the Panther Slot-T attack after earning First Team All-District accolades last season. Mebane averaged 105.7 yards rushing per game in six contests last year. Senior Colton Schuelke is battling young challengers to replace the departing Bryce Nall at quarterback.

Around 100 players are trying out for the football team at Navarro High School this year as the Panthers look to make another deep postseason run in 2023.