M ONDAY, A UG . 22, 2022 TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM C LASS 1 A , 2 A , 3 A
“I was kind of scared that I wouldn’t get better. There was that thought in the back of my mind like, ‘What if something goes wrong?’” he said last week. “So whenever I was doing chemo, I would do little LEGO car sets. Every chemo I went to, I would do a little LEGO car set. I have them all on a shelf in my room right now.”Before the miniature automobiles had to become his temporary hobby, Layton was in the midst of preparing for the 2021 football season with his Trojans teammates.That ended on the second day of the school year when his mother took him to the emergency room because of a lump on the left side of his neck.
Troy’s Layton beats cancer to play again
Page
2 / TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM MONDAY, August 22, 2022FOOTBALL 2022
“It wasn’t the same as being at school, but at least I had some grades in the grade book,” he said. Layton got the school work done, but any kind of physical activity was laborious. Worn out once the chemo sessions ended and considerably heavier because of the mix of medications, he wasn’t sure if he’d ever get back on the football field.
“My initial reaction was that I couldn’t believe I had cancer. It was scary. I had felt perfectly fine except my neck was swollen on one side.” What followed was a two-week string of tests and a biopsy that determined it was Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a diagnosis that rocked his family and football team.
ByERIC DRENNAN TELEGRAM SPORTS EDITOR TROY — There was a long stretch of weeks last fall and winter when Nakoda Layton needed something, anything, to occupy his mind and keep his thoughts from dwelling on what was happening to him.Stuck at the hospital for hours at a time, a long thin tube in his left bicep delivering chemotherapy drugs that robbed him of his hair the same way cancer stole his football season and entire junior year of in-class learning at Troy, the easy-going teenager who enjoys working with his hands found solace in some of the smallest of things — LEGO bricks.
Ray Swindle/Special to the Telegram Troy defensive end Nakoda Layton was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma a year ago. After chemotherapy and radiation, he’s back for his senior season.
“I noticed in March (of 2021) that I had a little lump in my neck. I thought it was just a strain from basketball. I didn’t think any more of it until August when it got really swollen,” he said. “My mom was concerned and took me to the ER. They did some tests, and we found out within two hours that it was cancer.
“I knew he had something on his neck, and I remember his mom letting me know, ‘Hey. They found this spot on Koda. They’re doing a biopsy, and I’m hoping it’s OK,’” Troy head coach Stephen Hermesmeyer recalled. “The next thing I hear is that it’s not good. It was an eye-opening experience for all of us.“A broken bone is nothing like what that kid went through. You can fix a broken bone. There was no guarantee they would fix what he was dealing with.”
Next came two lengthy cycles of chemotherapy that killed the cancer cells but caused Layton to go bald, followed by radiation treatments to try to shrink the cells.“They told me nine days into the chemo that I would start losing my hair. I woke up that morning and there was a bunch of hair on my pillow,” he said. “I had straight hair before. Now it’s kind of curly. I used to have a nice mullet, but the back grows slowerBecausenow.”Hodgkin’s lymphoma affects the body’s ability to fight germs, Layton was held out of school to reduce the risk of infection. He said school counselors collected assignments from his teachers every few weeks and gave them to his younger brother for delivery home throughout the school year.
Please see LAYTON, 3
“A broken bone is nothing like what that kid went through. You can fix a broken bone. There was no guarantee they would fix what he was dealing with.”
— Troy coach Stephen Hermesmeyer
MONDAY, August 22, 2022 TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM / 3FOOTBALL 2022
Following 12 months of worrying about what the future might hold, all of Layton’s favorite things in life are finally in line again.Just like those miniature cars on his shelf at home.
n edrennan@tdtnews.com Layton Continued from 2 201 North Main Belton, TX 76513 254-933-5243 • bellcountymuseum.org Visit the Bell County Museum! Good Luck Central Texas Teams!BESTTHE 2021 AWARD Admission is Free • Discover Bell County history. • Explore the Gault Archaeological Site. • Take in our 1904 Carnegie Library. Best of Luck this Year! 254.773.9890 www.gdctexas.com3103SWHKDodgenLoop,Temple Since 1998 Floor Coverings • Window Coverings Upholstery • Wallpaper • Countertops KITCHEN & BATH REMODELS One Destination for all your Home Design Projects Is your bath or kitchen a little outdated? GDC is here to help you update your home!
“I’m not a fan of needles, so I had a PICC line (periphally inserted central catheter, a long thin tube inserted in the arm and positioned in a large vein) instead of a port for chemo. As long as I had that PICC line, I couldn’t do anything physical because it would pop out,” he explained. “Once the chemo ended, I could finally try to do something again. When I wasn’t too tired, I’d try to find anything to work on, on my truck.“We have a little bench set with weights set outside at home. I could barely lift the bar because I was weak from the chemo, even though I had put on so many pounds.”Somewise words from his coach helped put his mind at ease. “They had him on all kinds of medications, and he gained a bunch of weight. He told me he was worried about it,” Hermesmeyer said. “I told him, ‘The best thing to do right now is whatever the doctors tell you to do. If you’re adding weight to beat this, who cares? At the end of the day, you just want to win.’”Layton did just that. Now cancer-free, back at school with his friends and feeling better after losing some of the weight, he has the same outlook on life that he always had.
“It was probably tougher on my parents than me. They worried about me constantly,” he said. “I don’t think I’m different now. I know people see me a little differently, but I’m OK with it. “I’m just really glad I’m able to play football this year.” His story will come full-circle Friday night when the senior lines up at defensive end against Whitney in Troy’s season opener — almost exactly one year after that first trip to the emergency room.
LITTLE RIVER-ACADEMY — Scout
Mraz-Brazeal connection a boost for Bees
Ray Swindle/Special to the Telegram Academy quarterback Kasey Mraz (right) and wide receiver Scout Brazeal connected 74 times last season for 1,404 yards and 18 touchdowns.
That’s enough to cause bouts of insomnia for defensive coordinators on the Bees’Mrazschedule.emerged as Academy’s quarterback as a sophomore last season, and he connected with Brazeal early and often.
Please see DUO, Page 6 Sting ‘em Bees! BumbleBeeServices R.J.White, 202254-982-4081OwnerHwy95-Academy The Healthy Hive Proudly SupportsThe Hive T h e A c a d e m yThe Academy Bumblebees!Bumblebees! Jenn Potts, Owner 103 N. Hwy 95, Little River-Academy 254-718-0060
Of course, they had an excellent cast to go with them en route to an 11-2 record, marking the first time since 1962 that the Bees posted a 10-plus win season. Mraz amassed an area-high 2,926 yards passing with 34 touchdowns. Brazeal accounted for an area-best 1,404 yards receiving and 18Academytouchdowns.coach
Brazeal and Kasey Mraz aren’t in the same class and didn’t necessarily grow up tossing a football to each other all of the time.Nevertheless, the pair was central in Academy’s sudden rise to its first double-digit win campaign in almost 60 years last season. Having that synchronized duo back in the lineup is one of the primary reasons why the Bumblebees are way ahead of the curve going into“We2022.know each other so well and the trust has grown,” said Brazeal, a senior. “The chemistry just builds and builds and builds. We started practice the way we ended last year. It’s like we never left.”
Chris Lancaster likens Brazeal to the Los Angeles Rams’ grinder of a wide receiver Cooper Kupp in style and“Hissubstance.growth as a football player is related to his work in the weight room,” Lancaster said. “He is solid muscle. And I can’t imagine how much he runs on the footballLancasterfield.”credits some of Mraz’s rise to his older brother Kollin, who formerly played as a gunslinger-type quarterback during his time with the Bees before an injury forced a move to receiver.“Ithink that whole group that was sophomores and now junior group played youth football in Academy together,” Lancaster said. “Now you’re seeing the fruit from what was planted. Kasey is a part of that.” Mraz also credits his brother with helping him develop his skills.
“I took a lot from him,” said Mraz, who added that the repetition from summer 7on-7 football upped his skill level and connection with Brazeal. “(Kollin) wanted me to be great and he made the suggestions for what I’m supposed to do.”Mraz and Brazeal are aware of what was accomplished last season and the goals before them as they prepare for an often brutal schedule both in non-district and in District 11-3A-I. Just being in sync doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy.
4 / TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM MONDAY, August 22, 2022FOOTBALL 2022
By TIM WAITS TELEGRAM SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
Franklin and Lorena enter the league as defending state champions along with traditionally strong Cameron Yoe and
“We’re on the same page,” Mraz said. “We put in the hours and the time and made a connection in football terms. It wasn’t handed to us.”
MONDAY, August 22, 2022 TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM / 5FOOTBALL 2022 254-778-3663 Wings Pizza N Things 2112 SW HK Dodgen Loop Temple www.wingsintemple.com BUMBLE BURGERS Good Luck Bees 102 N. State Hwy Like254-360-001395usonFacebook “Sting ’em Bees!” Gen-KoCabinetsQuality 5804 E US 190 • 254-983-5771 Academy Paint & Body 2002 State Hwy 95 • www.academypaintandbody.com254-982-0047Academy G O O D L U C K B E E S !GOOD LUCK BEES! 254.773.9890 • www.gdctexas.com 3103 SW HK Dodgen Loop, Temple Good Luck to all of our area teams! Good Luck to all of our area teams! GOOD LUCK TO ALL AREA TEAMS!! GO BEES! BumblebeeBEES!Services 202 State Hwy 95 Academy TX 76554 254-982-4081 Go AcademyGo Academy Academy High School
Cameron Yoe receiver and defensive back Trayjen Wilcox grew up dreaming of playing for the Yoemen and wants to pass down his passion for the program.Please see WILCOX, Page 22
Ray Swindle/Special to the Telegram
“I love the younger kids. I want to give them the same thing I had when I was watching the Yoemen growing up,” he said.Wilcox, whose cousin Javeon is a senior at Lake Belton and a verbal commitment to TCU, has a pretty good grasp on what needs to be done on the field, too, and his role is expected to increase during his finalAfteryear.playing receiver and cornerback
Although Lancaster would prefer to keep Mraz and Brazeal fresh to play offense, he knows both are more than capable in the defensive secondary when necessary.“These are the kind of kids who will go in no matter what we need at the time,” Lancaster said. “They will do whatever we ask of them. At the end of the day, we are going to put our best 11 on the field.”
ByJOSHUA WEAVER TELEGRAM ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
The others are former Yoemen from teams that put Yoe back on the map about a decade ago during a run of five state championship game appearances in six seasons, including three straight state titles. Among them, Wilcox mentioned Aaron Sims, Sicory Smith, and the late, great Traion Smith. Wilcox remembers looking up to them when they were players and how they each embraced their younger fans. Now that he’s the one at whom elementaryaged youths gaze on Friday nights, Wilcox is adamant that they feel the same acceptance he felt as an aspiring Yoeman.
Of course, Mraz and Brazeal aren’t doing it all by themselves. Brayden Bartlett will provide the power running game to free the passing lanes for Mraz, who has other high-end receiving options. Alex Lawton and Zane Clark are reliable targets, and tight end Luke Tomasek is an able receiver when not protecting Mraz.
Rockdale to go with always-testy McGregor and Troy.
“We know we have a super-hard district,” Brazeal said. “That made us want to push even harder in the offseason. People always have their expectations, but we just have to take it day by day. The goals are even higher this year. Winning is all we care about.”
CLEM’S CASH NOT VALID WITH ANY OTHER SPECIALS MUST PRESENT COUPON. ONE PER CUSTOMER PER VISIT. OFFER EXPIRES 12/31/2022 Valid only at Temple & Belton CLEMBBQ.COMLocations. (minimum $30 purchase)(minimum $30 purchase) CL SH $5$5.00.00 OFFOFF
No doubt Mraz and Brazeal will be nearby every time they are called upon to make the big play or do the dirty work.
6 / TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM MONDAY, August 22, 2022FOOTBALL 2022
Duo Continued from 4
Wilcox enjoys carrying on Yoemen tradition
CAMERON — One way to tell that Trayjen Wilcox gets it is in the way he speaks about those who’ve helped him and how he wants to pass down what he’s gained toWilcox,others. a senior receiver and defensive back for Cameron Yoe, easily identifies those most important to his path. Number one on the list by a significant margin is his mom, Naomi Llanas, who holds down two jobs so that Wilcox can enjoy being a teenager playing football in small town, Texas. “She does it all for me. She never misses a game or any of my events. She’s my biggest role model. She’s my everything,” WilcoxAnothersaid.is his dad, Tra, a former standout for the Yoemen who by all accounts holds the school record for career interceptions. And while they don’t live together, Trayjen said the father-son bond is tight.“He was my first coach, really, and my first mentor,” Wilcox said.
At 6-foot-1, 202 pounds, Bennett is a slightly undersized right guard who uses his speed to get below and stay in front of rushing defenders to protect the quarterback and open creases for the running backs.“What takes a bigger toll on me is not being as big as some of the other players,” Bennett said. “Being quicker, I can get more leverage. It’s unbelievable how much faster and bigger everyone is.”
Well, tradition and toughness. When asked to describe his team, Cargill had one“Toughness,”word. the senior said. “We want to beat a team in the fourth quarter, wear them out throughout the game.”
Ray Swindle/Special to the Telegram
Rogers’ Bennett leads on both sides of ball
ByJON BROOKS TELEGRAM SPORTS WRITER HOLLAND — The Hornets pride themselves on their toughness — placing hands in turf, putting pads on pads. In general, Holland’s approach mostly makes for some standard, old-fashioned football.It’sasimple process that has worked well in Holland, where the adages of blocking and tackling are stressed daily and a run-heavy style has yielded steady results the past few years. The Hornets averaged 10 wins a year the past five seasons, including nine playoff victories during that time. But it goes without saying that it all starts up front, which is where Holland brings back the bulk of its experience this fall. That includes the trio of Gabriel Fonseca, Joe Chaffin and Colton Cargill, who will work together to anchor their team’s defensive line, among other duties, and hopefully set the tone for another playoff year in Holland.
Defensively, Bennett is an astute inside linebacker and leader who detects and reacts instinctively to what the opposition presents. Bennett said the defense is adjusting well to the terminology of new defensive coordinator Austin Zundt. It’s the kind of skill expected from a serious student of the game.
Physical D-line fits mold of Holland program
Ray Swindle/Special to the Telegram
“Gavin is everything you would want in a football player,” Rogers head coach Charlie Roten said. “He’s a model for both the older and younger players. He’s played guard and linebacker the last two
MONDAY, August 22, 2022 TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM / 7FOOTBALL 2022
“I think we have to keep tradition going,” said Fonseca, a senior. “If we play all as one and we all do what we need to do — practice together, play as one team — I think we’ll go far.”
At 6-foot-1 and 202 pounds, Rogers senior Gavin Bennett uses his quickness and leverage as a blocker on offense and his instincts to make tackles as a linebacker.
BENNETT,
Please see LINE, Page 25
“I feel like that does fit Holland,” the junior said. “That’s what we want to be is a smash-mouth team that just plays tough andHolland’sstrong.”mantra is well-earned, rooted in a decade of hard-nosed football. Now entering his 11th year on the Hornets’
Holland seniors Colton Cargill (left) and Gabriel Fonseca (center) and junior Joe Chaffin are a hard-nosed bunch along the Hornets’ defensive line.
By TIM WAITS TELEGRAM SPORTS CORRESPONDENT ROGERS — Given the relatively small number of returning seniors the traditionrich Rogers Eagles have this season, there may be no more appropriate player to lead the group than Gavin Bennett. The two-way veteran has been an inspirational figure for the relatively small band of brothers also known as the Eagles’ seniors, who had some struggles at the beginning of their football careers but are now at the forefront of their team’s efforts to make a playoff run. Everybody in Rogers knows everybody, and they all know who Bennett is. Everybody who has to play against him also knows him all too well.
Tradition is a word that surfaced more than once when the trio talked on a recent early August afternoon.
Please see Page 23
Chaffin echoed those sentiments.
Bennett, now in his third year as a varsity starter, has confounded opponents on both sides of the ball, though not from a common pair of positions.
Ray Swindle/Special to the Telegram Academy produced its best season in 60 years in 2021 by advancing to the third round of the Class 3A Division I playoffs, and the Bumblebees want to keep their foot on the gas pedal in 2022.
: Chris Lancaster 2021 record: 11-2 District: 11-3A-I Venue: John Glover Stadium Players to watch: QB Kasey Mraz, WR Scout Brazeal, OL Caden Berry, OL Jake Jones, LB Tyler Burnett, LB Lane Ward, DB Alex Lawton, DL Clayton Lawson ACADEMY,
By TIM WAITS TELEGRAM SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
CoachBumblebeesBumblebeesAcademyAcademy
Lancaster considers workaday tight end Luke Tomasek (6-1, 205) to be perhaps the best allaround football player because of the versatility he brings as a blocker and receiver. Along with Brazeal on the perimeter, the Bees feature converted tailback Zane Clark at inside receiver and Alex Lawton as another wideout. Lawton also serves as the backup quarterback.TheBees’ offensive line is a unit that has grown in chemistry, size and ability. Caden Berry (60, 240) is a third-year varsity starter as a junior center. He will be flanked by guards Orlando Feregrino (6-0, 275) on the right and Chase Adkinson (6-0, 240) on the left. At the tackle spots, Jake Jones (6-3, 245) is a veteran junior on the right and Adam Caddell (6-0, 230) on the left.
Page 25 100 N. Main Street, Temple 817-726-9612 We make Custom Mums! Monday - Friday 10am-6pm Saturday 10am-4pm Furniture • Antiques • Estate Sales Good Luck to all Our Teams! allcountysurveying.com • 254.778.2272
8 / TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM MONDAY, August 22, 2022FOOTBALL 2022
“We do whatever works for our kids,” Lancaster said. “My best strength is adapting during the
Academy stays focused on continuing rise
While the Bees are accomplished in the aerial game, balance is a key, and the running game is there to provide it. Senior Brayden Bartlett (5-foot-10, 170 pounds) is a strong straight-ahead rusher, and freshman Carvalli Nealy (6-0, 180) already is a capable option to spell Bartlett.
Please see
Coming off their best season in 60 years and with most of the principal players returning, it’s presumed expectations are through the roof for the Academy Bumblebees.Optimismcertainly is high, but the battle within the Bees’ camp is to not put the cart before the horse.“Our theme is ‘locked in,’” said Academy head coach Chris Lancaster, who begins his third year leading the Bees. “We want the players, coaches, fan base and the administration that we’ve got to be locked in. We had the opportunity with a young team to go 11-2.“We did good things. Our schemes were sound. The kids began to buy in to the mission of doing things the Bee way.”
“We have a good combination of good athletes, leadership and a youthful bunch,” Lancaster said. The Bees were boosted last year by their highly prolific offense that posted a program record 418 points and a stingy defense that limited opponents to 281. With few personnel changes, naturally there won’t be many philosophicalCertainlychanges.not with the return of junior quarterback Kasey Mraz and his favorite senior target Scout Brazeal. Mraz threw for just less than 3,000 yards and 34 touchdowns, most of which went to Brazeal, who had 74 receptions for 1,404 yards and 18 touchdowns.“We are so far ahead offensively,” Lancaster said. “We picked up where we left off.”
Even with the prospect of returning eight starters on offense and nine on defense, the Bees can still fly under the radar because of having the two reigning Class 3A state champions — Lorena and Franklin — in their District 113A-I to divert some attention from Academy’s junior-laden team. And the Bees will still carry several sophomores and freshmen on the varsity roster.
LITTLE RIVER-ACADEMY
Ray Swindle/Special to the Telegram
GoGo Yoemen!Yoemen! 254-778-3663 Wings Pizza N Things 2112 SW HK Dodgen Loop Temple www.wingsintemple.com Good Luck to all of our area teams! Good Luck to all of our area teams! Cameron High School
Yoe dropped its first four games last season but rebounded with the start of district and went 4-2 to finish third and advance to the playoffs in which the setback
Please
“If you’re going to win a championship at any level, you have to play great defense. And, so, that’s how we go about building our team,” added Rhoades, who led Yoe to three state championships in five trips over seven seasons before leaving in 2016 for Gregory-Portland. “We did some things that we think will help us improve defensively.” One of those things was the return to the 3-4 formation, a switch that two-way players Landen Greene and Trayjen Wilcox said has invigorated the defensive troops now led by first-year coordinator Matt“WeLuddeke.brought in that new defense last year and I think people were just kind of lost to it, couldn’t learn it as well,” said Greene, an outside linebacker who will see some time at running back and also does the kicking. “But, going back to our roots this year, I think everybody will be a lot more comfortable.”
MONDAY, August 22, 2022 TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM / 9FOOTBALL 2022
changes to bring success
ByJOSHUA WEAVER TELEGRAM ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR CAMERON — The second season of head coach Rick Rhoades’ second stint with Cameron Yoe might resemble the Yoemen as they appeared during his first go-round — on defense, at least. A move from a familiar, program-engrained 3-4 approach to a 4-2-5 alignment didn’t pan out as planned, and a year after allowing an average of 32 points per game — 41.4 in seven losses — retracing the roots of defenses past took precedence in the offseason as the Yoemen aim to contend in District 11-3A-I and return to the playoffs.
After struggling on the defensive side of the ball last season, Cameron Yoe is returning to to the 3-4 alignment that helped it win three state titles. Ray Swindle/Special to the Telegram
Yoe banking on
YoeCameronYoemenYoemenYoe
Cameron Coach: Rick Rhoades 2021 record: 4-7 District: 11-3A-I Venue: Yoe Field Players to watch: QB Braylan Drake, WR/DB Trayjen Wilcox, WR/DB Kason Goolsby, WR/DB Ja’Quorius Hardman, RB Kardarius Bradley, LB/RB Landen Greene, DL Keshon Johnson
The Yoemen lost their first four games last season before turning the corner in district play and advancing to the Class 3A Division I playoffs.
see YOE, Page 24
“I think one of the things that I was, for the lack of a better word, disappointed with is we’ve always played great defense here in Cameron, and that wasn’t necessarily the case last year,” said Rhoades, whose Yoemen allowed no fewer than 28 points in defeats and had second-half leads over Class 3A Division I bi-district opponent Hallettsville of 31-21 and 38-35 in an eventual 42-38 loss.
10 / TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM MONDAY, August 22, 2022FOOTBALL 2022
The 2017 season was certainly special for Rockdale, which finished 13-3 and beat Brock 45-29 in the 3A Division I state championship game. With nine returning starters on both sides of the ball in 2022, Campsey has an experienced squad ready to begin to climb the mountain to such lofty heights again.Veterans dot the lineup throughout, but especially at the skill positions.
RockdaleRockdaleTigersTigers Coach: Jacob Campsey 2021 record: 5-6 District: 11-3A-I Venue: Tiger Stadium Players to watch: QB Blaydn Barcak, LB Cruz San Miguel, LB Cade Pantaleon, WR Wyatt Windham, WR/DB Robert Owens, OL/DL Lane Rickman, WR/DB Gerren Marrero, RB Kemar Spencer Rockdale High School GoGo Tigers!Tigers! 2116 W Avenue H Te m ple, TX 76504 Office: (254) https://agents.far773-8872mers.co m / m reid2 m reid2@far m ersagent.co mProud to Support Our Hometown Teams! 2116 W Avenue H Te m ple, TX 76504 Office: (254) https://agents.far773-8872mers.co m / m reid2 m reid2@far m ersagent.co m ReidScott $5.00 OFF! 1 UPS SHIPMENT OF YOUR CHOICE Must present coupon for discount. One use only. Valid until 6/30/2023 254-778-7600O1610 S. 31st St., Temple Let us expertly wrap, pack and ship your gifts for time-saving convenience and peace of mind. • Domestic & International Shipping • Packing • Mailing Supplies • Notary Service • Mailbox Rentalc THEBEST 2020 AWARDPACK-N-MAIL Personalized Shipping Service
Rockdale visits Yoe for the Battle of the Bell on Oct. 21. Homecoming is the following week against Academy. “We are providing our kids with some different opportunities and experiences they have not been a part of,” Campsey said. “We are looking forward to some tremendous battles. We are going to do what we can, work as hard as we can and go get after it.”
ByBRIAN COATS TELEGRAM SPORTS CORRESPONDENT ROCKDALE — When the University Interscholastic League released its realigned districts last February, District 11-3A-I drew much attention. With the two Class 3A state champions from last year — Lorena and Franklin — now in the same league, the latest “district of doom” was set.That possible distinction is not just because of the 2021 winners, though. All seven teams made the playoffs in the last two years, and there are others — such as rival Cameron Yoe and Rockdale — that know something about winning state titles asAtwell.Rockdale, head coach Jacob Campsey said the Tigers are embracing the challenge.“Our kids feel there is a standard to uphold and, frankly, a standard to get back to,” he said. “Yes, we are in one of the toughest 3A districts in the state, but our kids are excited.”
Junior Blaydn Barcak returns under center after a solid sophomore season in which he threw for 1,702 yards and 18 touchdowns to go with 493 yards rushing and six scores on the ground. The quarterback’s primary targets will be wide receivers Robert Owens (team-high 40 receptions, 771 yards, eight TDs), Wyatt Windham and Gerren Marrero. Rockdale qualified for the 7-on-7 state tournament over the summer, which only increased the amount of repetitions Barcak and his teammates got together.
Rockdale embraces challenge of 11-3A-I
“At the skill positions, I feel like we might be ahead of the curve,” Campsey said. “So far in the fall, it has been fantastic, honestly. The kids have come in really ready to build on that and ready to work.”Inthe trenches, offensive and defensive lineman Lane Rickman has appeared in more varsity games than anyone else on the roster. Linebacker Cruz San Miguel joins Barcak and Marrero as juniors who gained valuable experience last year as sophomores.Asifthedistrict slate was not challenging enough, Rockdale opens the season Friday at Teague. The Tigers and Lions have recent history, splitting playoff games in 2015 and 2017. Rockdale also has a non-district matchup with Tuscola Jim Ned, another perennial 3A playoff team, Sept. 16 at a neutral-site. Sandwiched between the Teague and Jim Ned games are contests at home against Taylor and Lexington. The Tigers have an open date Sept. 23 before the district schedule begins Sept. 30 against Franklin.
Venue:
“As the year went on, I feel like we got better and better,” he said. “We progressed. We just couldn’t get over the hump.” Indeed, the lessons learned by the Trojans during an 0-5 start helped them win two of their last five games — it would have been three victories if not for a Rockdale score in the final seconds of a heartbreaking defeat — and the year’s worth of knowledge gained in Hermesmeyer’s system along with a productive offseason have hopes on the rise at Troy.
2021
TrojansTrojansTroyTroy
Miller, OL Steven DeLamora, QB Ethan Sorenson Good Luck to all of our area teams! Good Luck to all of our area teams! M itchel DavisMitchel Davis GO Wildcats!GO 254 778 254-778-88268826 254.773.9890 • www.gdctexas.com 3103 SW HK Dodgen Loop, Temple 254-770-0996 www.jirasekrealty.com 254-778-3663 Wings Pizza N Things 2112 SW HK Dodgen Loop Temple www.wingsintemple.comSmoke’m Trojans 213 N Central Ave • Troy 254-938-3021 UNCLE SMOKEHOUSE Cal’s Troy High School
:
Offensively, the Trojans will try to make those plays out of their wing-T set that churned out 2,157 yards rushing last season, and they’ll look for more consistent production through the air than the 753 Ray Swindle/Special to the Telegram
RB/LB Cooper Valle, DL Elijah Sunder-
MONDAY, August 22, 2022 TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM / 11FOOTBALL 2022
Coach: Stephen Hermesmeyer record 2-8 District 11-3A-I Trojan Stadium Players to watch: RB/LB Korey Gibson, man, Gage
TROY, Page 21
:
ByERIC DRENNAN TELEGRAM SPORTS EDITOR TROY — As can happen in a different system under a new head coach, the Troy Trojans absorbed some punches throughout a 2-8 campaign last year in their first season under Stephen Hermesmeyer.
RB/DB Cannon Negron, OL
“We had a good offseason, and the kids are familiar with the program and the system. We’re already off to a smoother start in Year 2,” Hermesmeyer said. “The kids know the coaches and the terminology. They understand what we’re doing a little bit“We’rebetter. hoping that stops them from having to think so much and lets them cut loose and react and go make plays.”
Please
Troy struggled to put teams away in its first season in a new system, but the Trojans believe their year’s worth of experience will give them a boost in 2022.see
Troy ready for next step under Hermesmeyer
CORRESPONDENT
“It will be by committee on offense,” Roten said. “Our philosophy is that if you need to rest, it’s onTheoffense.”defense will have some subtle philosophical changes under new coordinator Austin Zundt. The Eagles will run a fourman front with a strong corps of options along the line. Jackson Dolgener and Kohring lead the way at defensive end, with help from Eric Tatum (6-1, 187), Keyton Johns (6-1, 200), Baldemar Arzola (5-11, 177) and Richter. Michael Jenkins (6-4, 328) will work with RJ Dolgener at tackle along with Reyna and Kyler Caldwell (6-2, 166).
Junior Cooper Sisneroz takes over at quarterback. He was the junior varsity signal-caller last year but was promoted to varsity during the season. “Cooper is a good runner. He’s football fast, as coaches say,” Roten said. “He is the best runner we’ve ever had at that position. The option will be a big part of what we do.”
Rogers reloads with junior-heavy roster
With new players in most of the skill positions, Rogers will rely on its strength along the offensive and defensive lines as the Eagles chase another spot in the postseason.
Bennett is back for his third varsity season at inside linebacker and is flanked by Lisenbe. On the
While the skill positions may be untested, there is no lack of prospects.
“The strength of our team is up front on the offensive and defensive lines,” Roten said of the four returning starters in those slots. “If you have to pick the strength of your team, that’s where you would like it to be.”
OL/LB Gavin Bennett, SB/LB Jackson Landeros, RB/DB Garrett Wolfe, RB/LB Brice LisenbePlease see ROGERS, Page 21 Affordable After School Care, Summer Programs & Sports Leagues “We’rehereforyourkids!” TTPJVMMN=√=NRNR=pçìíÜ=ORíÜI=qÉãéäÉ=√=êïóÅâáÇëKçêÖ Servin Central Texas youth since 1965g Supporting our Central Texas Teams 1818 W. Avenue M • 254-791-TROY Closed Sundays Tr o y ’s A u t o c a r e & E x h a u s t S h o &p p DEALER All Repairs • Preventative MaintenanceAll • Preventative Maintenance Tires • State InspectionTires • State (8769)
“This team is probably as unknown as we have had since I’ve been here,” said Roten, who begins his sixth season leading the Eagles. “I knew we would be pretty good the last few years even if I didn’t say it. This year, there are just so many question marks.” Those aren’t necessarily negatives — just unknowns. With a new quarterback and a junior-laden roster, the Eagles have the personnel. The chemistry is a work in progress while relying on a veteran line.
The Dolgener brothers — sophomore center Jackson (6-foot-2, 243 pounds) and senior left tackle RJ (6-2, 265) — provide much of the bulk of the offensive line. They are joined by senior guards Jaime Reyna (5-7, 233) and Gavin Bennett (6-1, 202), while juniors Josh Kohring (6-3, 220) and Nestor Solis (6-1, 265) vie for time at right tackle.
RogersRogersEaglesEagles
12 / TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM MONDAY, August 22, 2022FOOTBALL 2022
Coach: Charlie Roten 2021 record: 7-4 District: 13-3A-II Venue: Merk Field Players to watch: OL/DL Jackson Dolgener, OL/DL RJ Dolgener, QB Cooper Sisneroz,
The Eagles may not have the breakaway threat at running back they had in Christian Riley last year, but they still have players who can produce. Seniors Garrett Wolfe and Brice Lisenbe will see time in the backfield along with junior Abe Hernandez. Rogers has a bevy of options on the perimeter in rangy outside receivers Hayden Couch (6-2, 155), Sam Richter (6-6, 176) and Jacob McCormick (6-0, 172). The Eagles also have a sleeve of slot-backs in Zach Davis, Bryce Watson, Karsen Gomez, Jackson Landeros and freshman Kole Stephens.
Ray Swindle/Special to the Telegram
By TIM WAITS TELEGRAM SPORTS ROGERS — Before most seasons, Rogers head coach Charlie Roten has a pretty good idea of how he believes his team will do even if he plays his cards close to theRotenvest.may not be bluffing this time.Make no mistake, he believes the Eagles will be very good and very competitive. They just have new faces in new positions, making it more difficult to pinpoint anything more specific this time.
MONDAY, August 22, 2022 TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM / 13FOOTBALL 2022 407 W. Mesquite, Rogers 254-534-3985 GO EAGLES GO!! Romo Construction Justin Randle, Owner 214-548-1133 GO - FIGHT - WIN! GO EAGLES! Denim Denimjaysboutique.comDenimBoutiqueJay’sRandle,Owner 254-778-3663 Wings Pizza N Things 2112 SW HK Dodgen Loop Temple www.wingsintemple.com 254-642-3885 Good Luck Rogers Eagles 262388 254.773.9890 • www.gdctexas.com 3103 SW HK Dodgen Loop, Temple SAUSAGEGREEN’SHOUSE GO OD LUCK EAGLES!GOOD 872 FM 437 Burlington, Texas 76519 254.985.2206 AUTO 24-HOURREPAIRTOWING SERVICE Good Luck to all of our area teams! Good Luck to all of our area teams! Rogers High School Go Eagles!Go Eagles!
“Our kids’ attitudes, excitement level and want-to have been awesome,” he said. “You can’t ask for more than that. They are giving us all they got, and I love coming to work every day.”
Bruceville-Eddy relishes role of underdog
Another player to watch is running back and linebacker Chad Pate. Nuner said he is good at breaking tackles and was “coming downhill and making plays” in a recent preseasonBruceville-Eddyscrimmage.opens the season Friday night on the road against Hico. The first time the Eagles will take the field in front of their home crowd will be Sept. 2 against Florence.Theykick off league play Sept. 23 at Riesel, and playoff stalwarts Crawford, Marlin and Bosqueville await farther down on the district schedule. Overall, Nuner is excited to line up his team against those squads and see what happens.
14 / TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM MONDAY, August 22, 2022FOOTBALL 2022
Ashton Rosas, who played middle linebacker last year as a sophomore, is slated to open the season at quarterback. That should allow Nuner and the Bruceville-Eddy coaching staff the opportunity to expand the playbook.“We are getting back to a spread offense,” Nuner said. “(Rosas) has been throwing really well. Our quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator (Nuner’s son, Brady) worked with him a lot in the spring and summer during 7-on-7 and sport-specific workouts. He’s looking good.”Three returning starters on the offensive line will look to give Rosas enough time to find open targets. Nicholaus Squyres and Carson Carter are returning junior starters up front, and Alijah Bell is a senior. Nuner said all three players are strong and“Asmart.lotof people make fun of offensive linemen for being a bunch of dummies,” Nuner said jokingly. “My experience is that they are often the smartest ones on the team. With Bell, we’ve been real impressed with the leadership he has shown to the younger kids. He has taken them under his wing.”
CoachBruceville-EddyBruceville-EddyEaglesEagles : Jeff Nuner 2021 record: 2-8 District: 8-2A-I Venue: Eagle Field Players to watch: QB/LB Ashton Rosas, RB/LB Chad Pate, OL/DL Carson Carter, RB/DB Nick Boaz, OL/DL James Simons, WR/DB Tyrrell Horne, OL/DL Alijah Bell, WR/DB Christopher Bailey, OL/DL Nicholaus Squyres, WR/DB Jordan Commander Bruceville-Eddy High School Go Eagles!Eagles!Go Br WORK HARD. PLAY HARD. Visit us at one of our Temple locations: Monday-Friday 8am-6pm • Saturday 8am-3pm 4304 W. Adams | 8638 W. Adams | 401 S. 31st St. Locally owned and operated by the McGoldrick Family since 1999. From our team to yours, have a great season. THEBEST 2021 AWARD
To reach the postseason for the first time since 2019, some players who gained valuable varsity experience during last year’s 2-8 campaign will need to take the next step. The Eagles return eight offensive starters and seven on the defensive side of the ball. “We were young last year, and we are still going to be young this year,” Nuner said. “But we are young with a year of experience.”Therewill be familiar faces on the gridiron for the Eagles, but some of those faces will be in different positions.
ByBRIAN COATS TELEGRAM SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
BRUCEVILLE-EDDY — About a week ago, Bruceville-Eddy coach Jeff Nuner thumbed through Dave Campbell’s Texas Football magazine trying to recall how many returning starters he put down on the questionnaire that the publication sends to every program in the state. That’s when he noticed something for the first time. The Eagles were picked last in 8-2A-I.Thatmight bother some, but Nuner said it will serve as motivation for his eager squad.“Ikind of like being the underdog,” the third-year Eagles coach said. “I honestly think we can fight for a playoff spot. I really do.”
Holland advanced to the third round of the Class 2A Division I playoffs last year and will try to get several young players up to speed for another deep push. Brad Talbert 2021 record 10-3 District 13-2A-I Hornet Field Players to watch: QB Desi Cantu, RB Christian Michalek, WR Trey Grinnan, OL Tre’vay Brown, OL Tyler Foster, DL Gabriel Fonseca, DL Colton Cargill, DL Joe Chaffin, LB Javier Hernandez Swindle/Special
ByJON BROOKS TELEGRAM SPORTS WRITER HOLLAND — Playoff success is nothing new in Holland. In fact, it’s more the norm.The Hornets have won nine postseason games since 2017, including advancing to the third round last year before falling to Centerville.Buttheglitz of that late-fall success starts in one place — on the practice field during these hot, grimy August days when many coaches are still searching for answers and trying to build a sturdy foundation for the upcoming season.
“We have a bunch of young guys coming in. We have to help them get to where they need to be at so we can go far,” senior lineman Gabriel Fonseca said. The Hornets still return a healthy number of starters, with five on offense and six on defense. Most of those will populate the lines. Joining Fonseca with experience up front will be players such as seniors Colton Cargill and Tre’vay Brown and juniors Joe Chaffin and Tyler Foster, amongThat’sothers.goodnews for a team that had the area’s stingiest defense last year — allowing just 222 yards per game — and one that prides itself on its physicality and
Please see HOLLAND, Page 24 HornetsHollandHollandHornets Coach:
MONDAY, August 22, 2022 TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM / 15FOOTBALL 2022
Ray Swindle/Special to the
Much like last August when the Hornets replaced a bevy of starters on both sides of the ball, they again have some holes to fill and will rely on young players in a few of those spots. But if all goes as planned, they will find themselves in the same destination — somewhere deep in the playoffs.
Venue:
Holland aims for another postseason run
“Just knowing basic assignments — you know, the fundamentals of tackling, the fundamentals of blocking,” said Talbert, who enters his 11th year in charge.
The Hornets have won nine playoff games since the start of 2017 — under the direction of Brad Talbert, who begins his 11th season in charge.
:
Ray
to the Telegram
For Holland head coach Brad Talbert, it starts with the basics.
“We’re just trying to keep it simple and then hopefully by the first district game, we’re working on our strength every day and working on our conditioning and just keeping it simple.”
all of them
Telegram
:
254-778-3663 Wings Pizza N Things 2112 SW HK Dodgen Loop Temple www.wingsintemple.com Holland High School “GO HORNETS!” 142 S. Dalton 254-527-4433Bartlett Good Luck to all of our area teams! Good Luck to all of our area teams!
Hurst, who came to Moody following four years on the staff at defending Class 3A Division I state champion Lorena, will look to an experienced senior class to provide“Weleadership.havealot of older kids that want to succeed and want to do things the right way,” he said. “The attitudes have been really, really positive.”
Still, Hurst remains optimistic the Bearcats could surprise some folks.
at Moody BearcatsBearcatsMoodyMoody Coach: Matt Hurst 2021 record: 2-8 District: 8-2A-I Venue: Bearcat Stadium Players to watch: QB Ryder Hohhertz, WR/DB Cooper Staton, WR/DB Tucker Staton, RB/DL Ethan Hohhertz, OL/DL Cole Alton, OL/DL Jacob McNiel, OL/DL Adonis Harrison 254.773.9890 • www.gdctexas.com 3103 SW HK Dodgen Loop, Temple 254-778-3663 Wings Pizza N Things 2112 SW HK Dodgen Loop Temple www.wingsintemple.com GoGo BearcatsBearcats!! Moody High School Mon.-Sat. 10:30am - 8:00pm Closed Sundays 254-778-4131 2801 W. Ave. M Temple, TX 76504 Cottle Rylander II Bruce Lanphear WELCOME TO RYLANDER’S BEST HAMBURGERS! We are a locally owned family restaurant with over 52 years of service to the Temple, TX community. We offer fresh food made to order in a relaxing friendly atmosphere. Enjoy a delicious filling burger, various sandwiches or a variety of yummy shakes. We offer several tasty items to sa sfy your taste buds. Phone orders are welcome. Thank you for your business Cottle Rylander II and Bruce Lanphear M itchel DavisMitchel Davis Proudly Suppor tsProudly Su orts the Wildcats!e 254-778-8826254-778-8826
16 / TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM MONDAY, August 22, 2022FOOTBALL 2022 Hurst sets out to build
On offense, quarterback Ryder Hohhertz and wide receiver Cooper Staton are two of the talented seniors on whom Hurst will rely. Hohhertz is a dual-threat QB who amassed 1,605 yards passing and 573 rushing as a junior. Staton was just shy of 1,000 yards receiving last season, coming in at 925 with eight touchdown catches. Defensively, the secondary should be a strength. Staton and his brother, Tucker Staton, will be lined up in coverage most of the time, while Ricky Aguilar is a returning linebacker. It was tough sledding for the Bearcats the last few years. They went 2-8 in 2021, and the high-water mark over the last four seasons was a 3-7 campaign in 2019. In the latest round of realignment, the UIL placed Moody in District 8-2A-I, which includes perennial playoff teams Crawford and Bosqueville as well as Marlin, which went deep into the playoffs last year.
“I don’t want our program to be about individuals,” said first-year head coach Matt Hurst, a former running back at Mary Hardin-Baylor. “It really is ‘we over me’ and ‘us over you.’ We have a great core group that is already showing a lot of buyin for that philosophy.”
TELEGRAM
“Everybody in this district is tough,” he said. “Still, it is about us. Every school in our district is probably saying the same thing, but I really believe it is true. If we start focusing on what other teams have or what they can do, then we are losing focus. There are some really good teams out there. Those games are going to get here and we will be ready to go.” program
ByBRIAN COATS SPORTS CORRESPONDENT MOODY — A coaching cliché heard often is, “It’s not about the name on the back of the jersey. It is about the name on theClichéfront.”or not, it is that idea that serves as a driving force for the Moody Bearcats as they prepare for the 2022 season.
Since taking over for Lonnie Judd, who left to become the athletic director at Robinson, Hurst has been busy. Over the summer, he had to assemble a staff, which was no small task in the uncertain job market that has created teacher and coaching shortages.
As fall practice progressed, the players learned new systems and new terminology. Hurst said the coaches installed new things in small, digestible chunks. “It is a daily process,” he said. “We are asking, ‘Can we be better today than we were the day before?’ So far, we have seen that.”The right direction would be a playoff berth, which is something Moody has not experienced since 2016. To get there, Hurst wants to see a fly-to-the-ball style of defense and an offense that adapts to players’“Westrengths.wantto be known as a team that is physical, tough and multiple on both sides of the ball,” Hurst said. “We want to be known for getting after it. We have had really good support from parents and the community. Everyone wants to do whatever it takes to get this thing moving in the right direction.”
“He is a vocal leader, and he also leads by example,” Hicks said. “He is very disruptive, especially on defense. We’ve had to rotate JV kids going against him in practice.”The graduation of quarterback Zane Zeinert, who passed for 2,537 yards and 21 touchdowns last season, paves the way for Jamarquis Johnson to transition from wide receiver to quarterback. With offers from UTSA and Texas Tech, Johnson — who had 39 catches for 785 yards and five scores along with 476 yards rushing and six more TDs last season — has the speed to be a dual-threat signalcaller.Johnson also is part of an experienced secondary. He will line up at one cornerback slot and another speedster, Breon Lewis, will line up on the other side.
“A lot of our question marks were answered in February and March,” he said. “The kids have been committed and putting in the work before we even got to August. Often the responsibility for the motivation and rah-rahs falls on the coaches, but the kids have taken that upon themselves. The energy is there every day.”Rosebud-Lott opens the season at home Friday against Jewett Leon then travels to Wortham, two teams they played in recent seasons. A new opponent — Goldthwaite — rounds out the non-district schedule before the Cougars head to Crawford to open District 8-2A-I play.
RB/DB
MONDAY, August 22, 2022 TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM / 17FOOTBALL 2022
At 6-foot-5, 300 pounds with a 5-second 40-yard dash, he will be a handful for opposing linemen.
Coach: Brandon Hicks 2021 record: 6-5 District: 8-2A-I Venue: Cougar Field Players to watch: QB/DB Jamarquis Johnson, OL/LB Daniel Rodriguez, OL/DL Easton Fulton, WR/DB Breon Lewis, Preston Hering, Moses Fox, RB/LB Yahir Mendoza
OL/DL
ByBRIAN COATS TELEGRAM SPORTS CORRESPONDENT TRAVIS
At linebacker, team captain Daniel Rodriguez will be looked to for leadership and production as well. Hicks had been encouraged by his team’s hard work even before fall practice started.
“It is exciting to go to practice every day,” said Hicks, who coached at George West prior to arriving at Rosebud-Lott. “Our kids have goal sheets taped to their lockers, and they want to meet those goals. Reaching new levels is definitely part of the culture now.”
—
The pieces appear to be in place to keep the progression going as a pair of college football recruits leads the Cougars. Easton Fulton, a Sam Houston State commitment, anchors the offensive and defensive lines.
Kyle Finan and Clayton Doskocil are both returning starters at safety.
Rosebud-Lott has pieces to continue
Rosebud-Lott High Schoolott GoGo Cougars!Cougars!Ros GOOD LUCK TO ALL AREA TEAMS!! Good TexasCentralLuckTeams! 254-933-5243 Building new homes in Bell County Since 1987 254-760-1493 jubileehomes.net Proudly Supports the “Cougar Fight Never Dies” Rosebud-Lott Cougars
“Our back four are very athletic and very talented,” Hicks said. “They allow us to commit more to the run. In practice we have been throwing a lot of sets at them — unbalanced, tight ends, etcetera. We have not been able to trick them yet.”
“We are in an eight-team district, which means you can’t afford any down weeks,” Hicks said. “You have to come in week-in and week-out and be prepared no matter who you are playing. It is going to be a battle, and my kids are excited about it.”
Rosebud-LottRosebud-LottclimbCougarsCougars
In 2019, Rosebud-Lott went 0-10 and made a coaching change. Brandon Hicks and a new staff came in, and the Cougars went 3-6 in the COVID-impacted 2020Lastcampaign.year,they made the playoffs and finished with a winning record (6-5). Given the multi-year, upward trajectory, expectations at Rosebud-Lott are high entering the 2022 season.
It’s a significant jump from Kozma’s first year in charge, when the Bulldogs had 19 or 20 players suited out.
Also back from last year are receivers Shamar Wilson and Connor Kozma and lineman Alonso Castaneda, among others.Being a smaller school — Bartlett remains in District 13-2A-II this season — most, if not all, of the Bulldogs will play both ways. Kozma said rotations are key to keeping players fresh.
“We’re looking forward to truly not just getting better because we’ve gotten a little better each year,” Kozma said. “But, I think this year, we’re going to rip the band-aid off and make a true statement for us.”With eight starters returning on each side of the ball and having lost just six seniors from last year, the Bulldogs bring back an experienced group, including an offensive line that returns four players who started as freshmen in 2021.
18 / TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM MONDAY, August 22, 2022FOOTBALL 2022
ByJON BROOKS TELEGRAM SPORTS WRITER BARTLETT — It’s been a turbulent building process the last few years in Bartlett, but things seem to be pointing up for the Bulldogs this fall. As has been the case each season since head coach Brian Kozma took over in 2019, the number of players in Bartlett’s program has increased. This time it’s up to 34, a group that includes about 15 freshmen this year.
hopes, participation going up BulldogsBulldogsBartlettBartlett Coach: Brian Kozma 2021 record: 3-7 District: 13-2A-II Venue: Bulldog Stadium Players to watch: QB Bryson Bass, TE Khalil Gadison, RB Rodolfo Rodriguez, WR Shamar Wilson, OL Alonso Castaneda, WR Connor Kozma, OL David Gallegos Please see BARTLETT, Page 19 Bartlett High School “GO DOGS!” 142 S. Dalton 254-527-4433Bartlett GoGo Bulldogs!Bulldogs! GO TIGERS! “Se Habla Español” Now Offering 24 Hour Dropbox at 37th Street & Belton Locations 2703 S. 254-770-0355Temple37th,116 S. Main, 254-778-2408TempleDowntown 175 E. Lake, Belton (Behind 254-613-5638CVS) Dry Cleaning, Laundry, Alteration Specialist THEBEST 2021 AWARD THREE LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU
“They say it takes a program three to five years to build and they’re not lying. It does take that long,” said Kozma, who led the Bulldogs to three wins last year, their most since 2016. “We’ve focused a lot on our junior high — and, of course, our seniors — but I think the dividends of investing in our junior high program and in the younger ones is really starting to pay off.”
With the help of some of those younger players, Bartlett now hopes to take that next step, which involves punching its first playoff ticket since 2013.
“I think all of our skill kids are good,” Kozma said. “I think our receivers are good. I think our quarterback is good. The offensive line, it’s the second year they’re going to be together and they’re only gettingBartlettbetter.”averaged 221.7 yards per game last year and scored more points (134) than any season since it went 4-6 in 2016. Given his players’ strengths, Kozma expects this year’s team to most often feature a spread look. “I’m really looking at what we can do and what I know our kids can do and try to stay true to that,” Kozma said. “When I first came in, it was the slot-T. But with the kids we have now, it’s spread with a tight end.”Some seniors on whom the Bulldogs will rely this year are quarterback Bryson Bass, tight end Khalil Gadison and tailback Rodolfo Rodriguez, whose 257 yards rushing are the most among Bartlett’s returning players.
“We just want to stay healthy and stay focused and take it one week at a time,” he said.First on tap as an object of that focus will be a road game at Frost on Friday before the Bulldogs open their home slate against Axtell on Sept. 2. Bartlett’s league slate kicks off Oct. 7
Bartlett’s
“Now we’re practicing at 6:30 in the morning and I’m looking out there and no one’s late, everybody’s here, so I’m excited because I think that’s our true direction. We have a strong class coming through, truly supportive parents, so I’m really excited about where we’re at today and the direction we’ve finally taken off to.” n jbrooks@tdtnews.com
“That was my goal when I took over,” said Brosch, who expects to suit 21 players on the varsity and 22 on the JV when the Lions open the season Friday against Hubbard.Class 2A all-state honoree McClelland (78 carries, 852 yards, 11 touchdowns in 2021) will be in the middle of it all and his contributions as both a running back and a linebacker will be supplemented by newcomer Chase Edwards, a junior who spent his sophomore season at Pflugerville Weiss.Tucker (6-2, 185) is tasked with replacing Johnny Ryder as the team’s signalcaller. Ryder threw for 20 TDs and ran for 13 more a year ago.
Coach: Steven Brosch 2021 record: 11-1 District: 13-2A-II
Bartlett
Venue: Lion Stadium Players to watch: RB/LB DJ McClelland, QB/DB Nate Tucker, RB/LB Chase Edwards, WR Trey Herrera, TE Tripp Wilke, OL Daryl Stefek, OL Jordan Rhoades McClelland Tucker against Milano, followed by Chilton, Iola and Bremond before closing the year at rival Granger on Nov. 4. The Bulldogs still have much to do before that point, however, and simply want to enjoy the process in the meantime.
ByJOSHUA GRANGER — The dry summer hasn’t spared the practice field on which the Granger Lions train. Cracks have formed throughout the uneven grass expanse nestled between homes, the school’s softball field and a weight room. As a truck zoomed by on a nearby road spewing black exhaust, dust stirred up from the field as the Lions ran sprints to close out a recent session. In its own way, it provided a picturesque backdrop for how Granger goes about its business.
Scrappy, skilled Granger not slowingGrangerGrangerdownLionsLions
Tough, scrappy and with a fair share of talent, the Lions have a streak of seven consecutive playoff qualifications in tow as they head into the 2022 season, the third under Granger native Stephen Brosch.Since 2015, and through three head coaching changes, Granger averaged eight wins and three times advanced to the third round of the postseason — including 2021 when the Lions won a district title and went“We11-1.really don’t have the size and athleticism to go out there and just win, so we have to have that work ethic and the coaches have that mindset, too, and implement that into our game so that we can be successful,” 6-foot, 200-pound senior running back and middle linebacker DJ McClelland said. For the first time in seven years, Granger has enough athletes to field a junior varsity squad. Brosch said it took some hallway recruiting and an influx of transfers into the suddenly growing district to check off an item on his wish list.
“Those two powerhouses are going to be fun to compete with,” Brosch said. Milano, Iola and rival Bartlett round out theGrangerdistrict.also plays Thorndale, Holland, Goldthwaite and Bruni in non-district. n jweaver@tdtnews.com
“The mentality of this school, this community, we’re small but we back each other up. We’re here for one another,” senior quarterback and safety Nate Tucker said. “We don’t have the size but we’ll be scrappy and we’re going to be tough with us little guys getting after it.”
playoff run last season ended against Burton, which was a league foe until February when the UIL released its biennial realignment and reclassification. District 13-2A-II now includes Chilton and Bremond, two squads that won a combined 17 games a year ago.
MONDAY, August 22, 2022 TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM / 19FOOTBALL 2022
WEAVER TELEGRAM ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
“I’m getting the hang of things as we go through practice each day and get those reps. I’m looking forward to it and want to help the team as best I can.”
“I’m looking forward to it because the three years have been pretty tough,” Kozma said. “We’ve had to go through a lot of adversity to get to where we’re at.
Continued
from 18 GoGo Lions!Lions! Granger High School 512-352-8500 Good Luck Granger Lions 232800 “GO LIONS” 142 S. Dalton 254-527-4433Bartlett “GO LIONS!” VINTAGE ARTS COFFEEHOUSE & BISTRO 103 E. Davilla 737-787-7627St.
“We’ve been practicing really well, getting after it and putting in the work. I’m actually a lot more confident this year than I have been in previous years,” McClelland said. “You’re always going to strive to get the biggest accomplishment, state, but I can see us going pretty good this year. The mentality is changing around here. We have people buying in and workers in the weight room, so I’m expecting bigGranger’sthings.”
“I guess I have some pretty big shoes to fill but it’s definitely coming to me as time goes on,” said Tucker, who played receiver last season and also is a baseball player.
The Lions return five offensive linemen with starting experience in Daryl Stefek, Jordan Rhoades, Marcus Martinez, Michael Seluky and Brooks Terry. Brosch said receiver Trey Herrera, a move-in from Hutto, is “going to be a deep threat option that we have,” and tight end Tripp Wilke is another asset.
ByCLAY WHITTINGTON TELEGRAM SPORTS CORRESPONDENT BUCKHOLTS
Buckholts returns all six of its starters both offensively and defensively, including senior leaders Chevo Luciano at quarterback, Ivan Baez at running back, and linemen R.J. Vega and Fabian Baez.
“Physically, I’m confident in their abilities. Now, they just have to buy into the process and believe in themselves.”
With the routine staff turnover, the Badgers have not carried the same head coach through an offseason since James Shelton was at the helm for the 2018 and 2019 seasons. Kilgore did not serve as head coach last year, but he believes his familiarity with the program will be crucial.
Buckholts seeks continuity with KilgoreBuckholtsBuckholtsBadgersBadgers
— Despite entering his first season as the Buckholts head coach, Jason Kilgore is familiar with where the program hasAsbeen.anassistant last year, he saw the team win its season opener before benefiting from a forfeit to account for its only other victory. Kilgore is aware the Badgers have not advanced to the playoffs since 2017, and they still reside in a district with two of the state’s most tradition-rich six-man programs.Kilgorealso knows he is the fourth person to oversee the Badgers since his seniors started high school. While it might sound like a difficult situation, Kilgore is excited about where the program is going.
Kilgore was hired as the head coach to replace Edison Govea, who departed following last season’s 2-7 showing but left behind a roster full of experience.
“We have so many good things to build on,” he said. “We’ve got four seniors this year and five returning all-district players, so there are positives. We’ve got great team chemistry, and a good atmosphere is building.“Asawhole, we are all pretty encouraged about the future.”
Along with talent and dedication, Buckholts has something it has not recently possessed — consistency.
20 / TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM MONDAY, August 22, 2022FOOTBALL 2022
“We are trying to change the culture right now,” Kilgore said. “We want those senior guys to understand their importance not only to the underclassmen but also at the middle school level. Those young kids look up to them, and they need to be good leaders and stewards in the classroom.
“This is their first year to have some continuity,” Kilgore said. “They’ve already got a good idea of their roles and positions. That gives them a little more clarity as far as the mental aspect and how to prepare.
The Badgers kick off the new season Friday at Holy Trinity Catholic for the first of seven non-district games before the league opener Oct. 21 at Calvert.
GOOD LUCK TO ALL AREA TEAMS!! Go Badgers Buckholts High School Wishing Every Player Good Luck in the Game Double T Construction,onstruction, Inc.Inc. • Residential • Commercial • Quality Remodeling • Custom Cabinets • Locally Owned • 43 ExperienceYears www.doubletconstructioninctx.com/254-939-1934
Although Kilgore is attempting to produce immediate success, his ultimate goal is to reverse the Badgers’ recent fortunes for years to come. While the senior quartet will be gone after this season, he is confident its presence will be felt in the future.
“And these guys are helping this community build a winning culture all the way around.”Atripto the playoffs, though, will necessitate surviving a difficult District 11-1AII schedule that includes the Dime Box Longhorns, Oglesby Tigers and Calvert Trojans. During the past two seasons, the Tigers and Trojans combined for a 31-13 record. Buckholts was 5-13 in that same span. The Longhorns did not play last year but were 5-3 in 2020.
Coach: Jason Kilgore 2021 record: 2-7 District: 11-1A-II Venue: Jim Hauk Field Players to watch: QB Chevo Luciano, RB Ivan Baez, OL/DL R.J. Vega, OL/DL Fabian Baez
“The senior class didn’t win a game in seventh grade and have come a long way,” Roten said. “It’s a smaller group, but they’ve stuck with it. They are a tightknit bunch of guys. We’ll be OK.”
Rogers Continued from 12 GoWildcats! Blue front, white back magic supportingProudlyallareateamsforover60years 1202 South 31st Street, Temple | 254-773-5772
n edrennan@tdtnews.com
Rogers is coming off back-to-back sevenwin seasons and enters District 13-3A-II as one of the favorites against Lexington, Buffalo, Elkhart, Clifton and Florence. “It will be more competitive,” Roten said. “I can see a number of teams who could win district.”
MONDAY, August 22, 2022 TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM / 21FOOTBALL 2022
Ray Swindle/Special to the
“I feel like I’ve got five or six good running backs that can be effective, and I’ve told them that we’ll be running back by committee this year,” Hermesmeyer said. “Most of those guys also play defense. My chance to get them a breather is on the offensive side because a bunch of them start on Seniordefense.”Morgan Williams and junior Trooper Tomlin are expected to be two of the receivers targeted in the passing game, along with junior wingback Cannon Negron.The passes they catch will likely be from the arm of junior quarterback Ethan Sorenson, who had a leg up in the competition with junior Maverick Williams and senior Haegen Welch through the first half of fall Hermesmeyercamp. believes the offense’s biggest question mark is along the line, where seniors Gage Miller and Steven DeLamora are the only returning starters.
“We’re hoping to get him back, even in a cast, so he can play defense because he’s our best cover guy,” Hermesmeyer said.
“We will have more shotgun stuff this year. But we still want to control the ball by running it, and we want to limit opponents’ possessions,” Hermesmeyer said.
With the departure of leading rusher Steven Jackson for Temple, seniors Korey Gibson (590 yards rushing last year) and Cooper Valle (269) headline a deep group of running backs that will share carries.
“If we can get a win or two right out of the gate and get some confidence, it would be huge for us.”
Troy be Landeros and Stephens. cornerbacks include Davis, Wolfe, Cooper Schiller and Sergio Reyna, and the safeties package features Watson, Gomez and McCormick.
Telegram
Only 10 seniors suit up for the Eagles.
The
Regardless of who lines up on offense or defense, Hermesmeyer expects the Trojans to be more competitive this season. He already saw a stronger work ethic throughout the offseason and is a witness every day to the camaraderie shared by this year’s group.
The goal of the Troy Trojans this season is to find a way to secure one of the four coveted playoff berths from rugged District 11-3A-I. yards they totaled a year ago.
“We have to get better up front pretty quickly,” he Defensively,said.the Trojans return six starters — senior Elijah Sunderman and junior Grady Falcon along the line, Gibson, Valle and junior Andrew Mitchell at linebacker, and Negron in the secondary.
“We want to make the playoffs out of this district somehow. I don’t know how we’re going to do it, but we want to be one of those four teams that get out,” Hermesmeyer said. “We know what we have facing us, so we’re going to figure out what we need to do to win certain games and give ourselves a chance to get out.
The coaching staff also is hopeful of soon having the services of sophomore Reed Ketcham, who broke his hand just before the start of fall camp.
Those two things — plus more knowledge of how to match the players’ skill sets with the schemes — would make any coach more optimistic about what lies ahead.“This year, the guys are used to the things that we started implementing last year. Our team cohesiveness is better. I think our team has bonded better, and part of that starts with them showing up at summer strength and conditioning,” Hermesmeyer said. “Last summer, there might be 20 kids showing up. This summer, we had 85 or 90 kids here almost every day. I think we had 79 kids in the football program last year, and we have 103 right now.”
The Trojans hope it all adds up to the one thing for which every program in tough District 11-3A-I is gunning — a coveted playoff berth.
Continued from 11 outside will
Wilcox Continued from 6 NOW REGISTERING 2022-2023 Over 17 sports - No tryouts necessary • Serves an area of Central Texas comprising three counties • Average Class Size: 20 • 100% Graduation • All Faiths are Welcome • Average SAT: 1137 Average GPA: 87.41 • Tuition Assistance Available • Award Winning Drama and Forensics Department Come Experience the Spirit Within! enter to win $1,000 scholarship TO HTCHS https://holytrinitychs.org/enter-to-win Holy Trinity Catholic High School seeks to form the Christian Leaders of Tomorrow; we strive to develop the intellect, educate the heart, and form the character of each student by giving witness to Gospel values. MISSION STATEMENT Guided by the Holy Spirit in a Catholic environment Holy Trinity seeks to empower every student to graduate with superior academic knowledge, maturity, and confidence founded in Christian values for the achievement of life long success. viSION STATEMENT Faith • Excellence • Service www.holytrinitychs.org 6608 W. Adams Avenue, Temple | (254) 771-0787 Renee Morales, Director of Admissions | morales@holytrinitychs.org
On offense, Wilcox will catch passes from first-year starter Braylan Drake. The former pee-wee teammates spent hours over the summer getting on the same page, and Wilcox said he’s looking forward to game day connections.
Head coach Rick Rhoades said toward the end of 2021 that Wilcox saw more playing time on defense, and a strong offseason would lead to more two-way responsibilities.“He’sagood kid. Smart kid,” Rhoades said. “Trayjen has really had a good spring and a 7-on-7 session, and he’s going to play a lot of football for us on both sides.”
The evenings spent running routes were just the beginning of how Wilcox attacked the summer months.
on the junior varsity, his first season with the big club was mostly spent on offense and special teams. He caught 23 passes for 475 yards (a 20.7 per reception average) and six touchdowns, highlighted by a breakout game against Caldwell in which he posted 137 yards and two scores on just three catches.
“I literally love everything about the Yoemen — the Yoe pride, the culture,” he said. n jweaver@tdtnews.com
22 / TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM MONDAY, August 22, 2022FOOTBALL 2022
“I ran a lot of routes with my quarterback, almost every day,” said Wilcox, who is 5-foot-9 and 150 pounds. “Anywhere I could go to play football, to better my game, that’s where I was at.”
On the defensive side, Wilcox said he is excited to get back to playing more in the secondary, and new defensive coordinator Matt Luddeke has reinvigorated the Yoemen’s approach — a return to the 3-4 base — after what was considered a down year in“When2021. we heard we were going back to the old defense, we were like, ‘Oh, yeah, we like that,’” Wilcox said. “This year I feel like everything is clicking and smooth. I feel different about this year.”Nomatter the year, though, nothing changes about the way Wilcox views the opportunity to dress in Yoe gear.
1100 East 6th Avenue Belton, Texas 254-939-034376513 Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor Firestone Building Materials Preferred Contractor Providing the Highest Standards of Solutions for your Roofing Needs Residential & RoofiCommercialng
“It was a pretty severe injury,” he said. “I got blessed with an awesome trainer in Waco who really helped me speed up the process.”Bennett is joined by fellow seniors Jackson Landeros, Zach Davis, Brice Lisenbe, Bryan Thuy, Garrett Wolfe, Jaime Reyna, RJ Dolgener, Kyler Caldwell and Hayden Couch in the group of Eagles making their final flight this season. They’ve grown up together and been through many wars through the years. Like any senior group, the Eagles want to make the most of the last tour of duty.
Several, including Bennett, literally will be in the trenches of the Eagles’ strong interior line. The tradition and significance of wearing the black and gold is not lost on Bennett and his buddies.
“You want the kids coming up to look up to you and maybe want to be like you,” he said. “Also, in the crowd, the fans, some who used to play, are looking at you and thinking they see a little of themselves in you.”
MONDAY, August 22, 2022 TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM / 23FOOTBALL 2022 years. He plays extremely hard and does all of the things you talk about within a program. You just hope the younger guys seeWhenthat.”Roten arrived in Rogers, the current seniors were seventh-graders and went through a winless season at the junior high level. Since reaching high school, they have seen that ledger change significantly with the help of the classes around them. The Eagles were 25-12 over the last three years. Bennett and his classmates have every intention of maintaining and improving on that trend. It has certainly kept them close. “Us being small keeps us close together,” said Bennett, whose leadership style is more as a quiet model than a vociferous drill sergeant. “As seniors, we know we play important roles. “As players, we are soft-spoken. We try to get a lot out of a little.” It hasn’t been all smooth sailing for Bennett. A badly torn labrum prior to his junior year threatened to impact his athletic career. However, he recovered ahead of schedule and played an integral part of the Eagles’ 7-4 campaign and second-place district finish.
Bennett Continued from 7 Ray Swindle/Special to the Telegram Rogers advanced to the playoffs in four of its first five seasons under Charlie Roten, who wants to give his small senior group another taste of the postseason.
“Last year, we could have argued that we were the toughest 3A district in the state of Texas. There’s no argument anymore. It is the toughest 3A district in the state of Texas,” Rhoades said. “But my philosophy is, if you’re going to be the best, you have to beat the best, and the truth of the matter is whoever comes out of our district, they are going to be playoff ready.” mental toughness.
Keshon Johnson will lead the defensive line, Jaraves Crittendon and Braylon Jones will help fill out the linebacker group, and Ja’Quorius Hardman — who’ll also play receiver — and Aiden Contreras will join Goolsby and Wilcox in the secondary.
Date Opponent PLACE TIME UMHB TICKET 254.295.4455OFFICE all home games are played at CRUSADER STADIUM cruathletics.com 9/03 MUHLENBERG COLLEGE belton, tx 6:00 pm 9/10 UNIV. OF WIS.-wHITEWATER WHITEWATER, wi 12:00 pm 9/17 SOUTHWESTERN UNIV. BELTON, tx 6:00 pm 9/24 hARDIN-SIMMONS UNIV. abilene, tx 6:00 pm 10/01 AUSTIN COLLEGE belton, tx 2:00 pm 10/08 EAST TEXAS BAPTIST MARSHALL, tx 1:00 pm 10/15 TEXAS LUTHERAN UNIV. SEGUIN, tx 1:00 pm 10/22 sul ross state univ. BELTON, tx 1:00 pm 11/05 HOWARD PAYNE UNIV. bROWNWOOD, tx 1:00 pm 11/12 MCMURRY UNIV. belton, tx 1:00 pM
Some of those aforementioned young players will be counted on to fill the void, including returning starting quarterback Desi Cantu, a junior, as well as sophomore running back Christian Michalek and junior wideout Trey Grinnan.
“The intensity at practice has gotten a lot higher since last year,” Greene said. “Everybody has the drive. You can have a really good team, with a lot of talent, with no want and not be as good as the team with the big heart. I think we have that this Wilcoxyear.”(23 catches, 475 yards, six touchdowns) and Kason Goolsby (45482-3) return as the Yoemen’s top receiving threats for new starting quarterback Braylan Drake. Drake, a junior, backed up Ryan Muniz last season and completed seven of 12 passes for 92 yards with one TD. Kardarius Bradley, whom Rhoades said is, “one of the faster kids in our program,” is penciled in as the starting running back. His paths will be carved by an offensive line that returns three starters in Colby Wilson, Mason Leifeste and Ja’Kobe Bailey.
Yoe’s non-district slate is hefty with Lago Vista, Yoakum, Waco Connally and Bellville. That sets the table for 11-3A-I, which features two defending state titlists in Lorena and Franklin, rival Rockdale, and upward-trending Academy, Troy and McGregor.It’sasimilar lineup as 2021, except Franklin replaced Caldwell.
Holland must replace its top three rushers who combined for 2,172 yards last season out of its run-first offense, but that doesn’t mean the cupboard is bare.
24 / TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM MONDAY, August 22, 2022FOOTBALL 2022 against Hallettsville left it 4-7 overall.
Getting more action as the season progressed, Michalek played in eight games as a freshman and his 323 yards rushing are the most for a Holland returner. Not to mention, Cantu now has 13 games as the starting signal-caller under his belt.
Holland Continued
n jweaver@tdtnews.com Yoe Continued from 9
“We have a lot of guys back on the line this year, so we’re pretty much starting from where we left off last year,” Cargill said. “People are learning faster, quicker.”
“We have several kids that were young last year that contributed,” Talbert said. “We have some finesse on this team, some skills, so I don’t know if we’ll have that slot-T mentality. Like I said, we have to do what we do and try to find what works best and make it better.”
Chaffin, a defensive tackle who doubles as a fullback, thinks the offense will be in good hands. “I feel like we’ll be able to run the ball and be a good, strong team,” he said. “But then again, we have those good, young, strong athletes who can catch the ball and move in space and I feel like they’ll help us,Astoo.”far as the district landscape is concerned, the Hornets shift from 12-2A-I into 13-2A-I, which includes Flatonia, Weimar, Schulenburg, Hearne, Thorndale and Thrall. The last three of those were in Holland’s league last year. “There’s some good teams in there but I feel like we’re all grouped real close together,” Talbert said. “We have to make fewer mistakes and it goes back to what I was saying — we have to block and tackle. If we can get that across, we’re usually OK. We just have to do those things.” n jbrooks@tdtnews.com from 15
“We have a lot of key players and leaders. We are more in our groove and just kind of rolling now,” Wilcox said.
The group of defensive ends features Clayton Lawson and Levi Thomas. The tackles will be led by Dylan Edelbrock, Isaiah Rodriguez and Kaleb Quilty, all rotating in along with established offensive linemen who are capable of playing on the defensive side as well.
Line Continued
Holland also will bring back other upperclassmen up front such as Tre’vay Brown and Tyler Foster, both starters on the offensive line last year, and senior Javier Hernandez, the leading returning tackler, among others. And now that they’re each upperclassmen, it’s their turn to teach others as well.
sideline, head coach Brad Talbert has led the program to the most sustained playoff success it has seen. Of the school’s 15 postseason wins, 11 have come since TalbertThearrived.Hornets
“The kids know we ‘rah-rah’ when we need to but we really want to see it happen rather than talk about it,” Talbert said. “We have to execute. Anybody can talk. It just takes a little bit and after they start figuring it out, hopefully we start finding some things that our kids can do and try to make those things better. Sometimes it takes a couple of weeks. I’m sure this is going to be the same process.”
With three campuses nestled in Central Texas, Temple College serves as a foundation for excellence and a catalyst to success for all. Temple College is “Your Community’s College” and through innovation and continued excellence, we are building for the future! We are Your Community’s College!
There are numerous question marks on the defensive side in August, but they are positive questions as numerous players vie for numerous positions. In the Bees’ 4-3 set, the linebacker corps is led by converted lineman Tyler Burnett (6-0, 205), with returner Lane Ward (5-10, 170) on the weak side, freshman Payton Wilson (6-2, 170) on the strong side and Cartier Nealy also jockeying for time.
templejc.edu/apply
“The younger guys are going to do what we do,” Fonseca said. “So as long as we follow the rules, try to set a good example, they’ll do the same. That’s all it is. We’re one big family here and we do everything together.” Chaffin agreed. “We just need to be there to show the young ones what to do. That way when we go on, they do the same thing to the people coming behind them,” he said. n jbrooks@tdtnews.com from 7 course of a game.”
defeated Jewett Leon and Shelbyville last season before falling to Centerville in the third round, marking the second time in the last three seasons they reached that point.
The only certainty at one of the safety positions is Lawton, with Brandon Bass, Kolton Schreier and Daniel Brackett in the mix. The two cornerback slots are a battle between returner Trey Vargas, Jareese White, Josh Mann and Vincent Williams.Lancaster has concerns with special teams after the loss of reliable kicker Blake Bundy, though Lucas Sanderson is capable.Mostof the elements are there for the Bees to make another long playoff run. In their mind, the key is to lock out distractions and lock in on each other. from 8
MONDAY, August 22, 2022 TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM / 25FOOTBALL 2022
The Hornets employed the area’s stingiest defense last year, yielding only 123 yards rushing per game while their offense averaged 261 yards rushing per game. While most of the players who gained those yards have graduated, the opposite is true on the other side, where Fonseca, Chaffin and Cargill have spent a collective seven years on varsity. And they, too, learned from those before them.“Last year’s seniors were real good. They taught us a lot. They taught us how
to grow up, how to mature, how to handle things well, just how to play the sport,” FonsecaStandingsaid.near his teammate, Chaffin chipped in, too. “I feel like the whole senior group last year kind of showed us, ‘That’s what a Holland Hornet is,’” he said. “We work hard, go to practice every day and just playCargillfootball.”added that their prior experience will only help fuel the learning process this“Afall.lotof us have had varsity reps, so the learning is a lot quicker and we’ve been able to move at a faster pace and be more efficient,” he said.
Academy Continued
WEEK 1 Thursday, Aug. 26 Non-district Harker Heights at Killeen Ellison Friday, Aug. Non-district26 Lake Belton at Leander Rouse Pflugerville Hendrickson at Belton Georgetown at Copperas Cove Killeen at Killeen Chaparral San Angelo Central at Killeen Shoemaker Lampasas at CentralBuckholtsGrangerBartlettJewettMoodyBruceville-EddyBurtonWhitneyRockdaleCameronRogersLlanoGatesvilleFredericksburgElginatSaladoatTayloratJarrellatAcademyYoeatLagoVistaatTeagueatTroyatHollandatHicoatAxtellLeonatRosebud-LottatFrostatHubbardatHolyTrinityCatholicTexasChristianatAustin
2022 Area Composite Schedule
Saturday, Oct. 1 Non-district Salado vs. Hitchcock at Bryan Idle: Lampasas, Jarrell, Cameron Yoe, Rogers, Holland, Bartlett, Granger WEEK 7 Friday, Oct. 7 District 12-6A Temple at Hewitt Midway Copperas Cove at Pflugerville Weiss Harker Heights at Hutto District 4-5A-I Lake Belton at Killeen Killeen Ellison at Cleburne District 11-5A-II Leander Rouse at Belton Elgin at Killeen Chaparral District 13-4A-I Lampasas at Burnet District 11-4A-II Salado at Robinson Waco Connally at Gatesville District 13-4A-II Jarrell at Wimberley District 11-3A-I Academy at Cameron Yoe Rockdale at Troy District 13-3A-II Clifton at Rogers District 8-2A-I Rosebud-Lott at Bruceville-Eddy Moody at Bosqueville District 13-2A-I Thrall at Holland District 13-2A-II
Idle:HolyMilanoRoundBartlettGoldthwaiteMoodyatRosebud-LottatMeridianRockConcordiaatBuckholtsatCentralTexasChristianTrinityCatholicatBynumKilleenEllison
WEEK 8
Lago Vista at Jarrell District 11-3A-I Franklin at Academy Troy at Cameron Yoe Rockdale at McGregor District 13-3A-II Rogers at Elkhart District 8-2A-I Crawford at Bruceville-Eddy Moody at Rosebud-Lott District 13-2A-I Flatonia at Holland District 13-2A-II Bartlett at Granger District 11-1A-II Oglesby at Buckholts TAPPS District 2-IV
WEEK 5 Thursday, Sept. 22 District 12-6A Harker Heights at Pflugerville Weiss District 11-5A-II Waco University at Killeen Chaparral Non-district Bartlett vs. Woodsboro at Yoakum Granger vs. Bruni at Kenedy Friday, Sept. 23 District 12-6A Temple at Bryan District 4-5A-I Lake Belton at Waco Granbury at Killeen Killeen Ellison at Killeen Shoemaker District 11-5A-II Pflugerville at Belton District 11-3A-I Academy at Troy Cameron Yoe at Lorena District 8-2A-I Bruceville-Eddy at Riesel Valley Mills at Moody Rosebud-Lott at Crawford District 13-2A-I Holland at Weimar Non-district Wimberley at Lampasas Salado at Boerne Godley at Gatesville Jarrell at Taylor Rogers at Johnson City LBJ Prairie Lea at Buckholts Magnolia Legacy at Central Texas Christian San Antonio Lutheran at Holy Trinity CatholicIdle:Copperas Cove, Rockdale WEEK 6 Friday, Sept. 30 District 12-6A Pflugerville Weiss at Temple Bryan at Copperas Cove Hewitt Midway at Harker Heights District 4-5A-I Cleburne at Lake Belton Killeen at Midlothian Waco at Killeen Ellison Killeen Shoemaker at Red Oak District 11-5A-II Belton at Elgin Killeen Chaparral at Pflugerville District 11-3A-I Lorena at Academy Franklin at Rockdale Troy at McGregor District 8-2A-I Bosqueville at Bruceville-Eddy Moody at Marlin Riesel at Rosebud-Lott Non-district Gatesville at Mineral Wells Mount Calm at Buckholts Central Texas Christian at Austin St. DominicHolySavioTrinity Catholic at San Antonio Castle Hills
26 / TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM MONDAY, August 22, 2022FOOTBALL 2022
Brentwood Saturday, Aug. 27 Non-district Temple at McKinney WEEK 2 Thursday, Sept. 1 Non-district Killeen Ellison at Pflugerville Hendrickson Friday, Sept. Non-district2 Willis at Temple Buda Johnson at Lake Belton Belton at GeorgetownBrenhamEastView at Copperas Cove Harker Heights at Smithson Valley Round Rock Stony Point at Killeen Killeen Chaparral at Killeen Shoemaker Lampasas at Austin Northeast Salado at Bryan Rudder Glen Rose at Gatesville Giddings at Jarrell Lago Vista at Academy Yoakum at Cameron Yoe Taylor at Rockdale Troy at TexasThorndaleAxtellRosebud-LottHicoFlorenceValleySchulenburgLexingtonatRogersMillsatHollandatBruceville-EddyatMoodyatWorthamatBartlettatGrangerWindHomsechoolat Buckholts Central Texas Christian at Dallas Shelton Waco Vanguard at Holy Trinity Catholic WEEK 3 Friday, Sept. 9 District 4-5A-I Lake Belton at Red Oak Killeen at MidlothianCleburneatKilleen Shoemaker Non-district Temple at College Station Huntsville at Belton Copperas Cove at Manor Round Rock Cedar Ridge at Harker Heights Killeen Chaparral at Marble Falls Lampasas at Georgetown East View Salado at Hewitt Midway Gatesville at McGregor Jarrell at Caldwell Academy at Hillsboro Waco Connally at Cameron Yoe Lexington at Rockdale Rogers at Troy Holland at Bruceville-EddyGrangeratMalakoff Cross Roads Hubbard at
Milano at Bartlett Granger at Iola TAPPS Six-man District 3-II Round Rock Christian at Holy Trinity Catholic Non-district Taylor St. Mary’s at Buckholts Plano John Paul at Central Texas Christian Idle: Killeen Shoemaker
Hallettsville Sacred Heart at Central Texas Christian TAPPS Six-man District 3-II Holy Trinity Catholic at Marble Falls Faith Idle: Killeen Chaparral, Gatesville
Bruceville-Eddy at Valley Mills Crawford at Rosebud-LottMoodyatBosqueville District 13-2A-I Holland at Thorndale District 13-2A-II Chilton at Bartlett Bremond at Granger
Thursday, Oct. 13 District 11-5A-II Killeen Chaparral at Leander Rouse Friday, Oct. 14 District 12-6A Hutto at Temple Hewitt Midway at Copperas Cove District 4-5A-I Granbury at Lake Belton Killeen at Killeen Ellison Waco at Killeen Shoemaker District 11-5A-II Belton at Pflugerville Connally District 13-4A-I Taylor at Lampasas District 11-4A-II Gatesville at Salado District 13-4A-II Jarrell at Geronimo Navarro District 11-3A-I Cameron Yoe at McGregor Lorena at Rockdale Troy at Franklin District 13-3A-II Florence at Rogers District 8-2A-I
WEEK 4 Friday, Sept. 16 District 4-5A-I Killeen Shoemaker at Lake Belton Red Oak at Killeen Ellison Non-district Arlington Martin at Temple Belton at San Angelo Central Waco University at Copperas Cove Harker Heights at Odessa Permian Bryan Rudder at Killeen Chaparral Pflugerville Connally at Lampasas Academy at Salado Gatesville at Mexia Hillsboro at Jarrell Cameron Yoe at Bellville Rockdale at Tuscola Jim Ned Troy at Early Rogers at Palmer Holland at Bremond Bartlett at Itasca Granger at Goldthwaite Buckholts at Waco Eagle Christian Bryan Brazos at Central Texas Christian Centex Homeschool at Holy Trinity CatholicIdle:Killeen, Bruceville-Eddy, Moody, Rosebud-Lott
Idle: Harker Heights, Academy, Buckholts, Central Texas Christian, Holy Trinity Catholic WEEK 9 Thursday, Oct. 20 District 4-5A-I Red Oak at Killeen Friday, Oct. 21 District 12-6A Temple at Harker Heights Copperas Cove at Hutto District 4-5A-I Lake Belton at Midlothian Killeen Ellison at Granbury Killeen Shoemaker at Cleburne District 11-5A-II Pflugerville Connally at Killeen Chaparral District 13-4A-I Lampasas at San Antonio Davenport District 11-4A-II Salado at Waco Connally Madisonville at Gatesville District 13-4A-II Austin Achieve at Jarrell District 11-3A-I McGregor at Academy Rockdale at Cameron Yoe District 13-3A-II Rogers at Buffalo District 8-2A-I Marlin at Bruceville-Eddy Moody at Riesel Valley Mills at Rosebud-Lott District 13-2A-I Hearne at Holland District 13-2A-II Bartlett at Iola Granger at Chilton District 11-1A-II Buckholts at Calvert TAPPS District 2-IV Central Texas Christian at Shiner St. Paul TAPPS Six-man District 3-II Holy Trinity Catholic at Waco Live Oak Idle: Belton, Troy WEEK 10 Friday, Oct. 28 District 12-6A Harker Heights at Copperas Cove District 4-5A-I Killeen at Killeen Shoemaker Midlothian at Killeen Ellison District 11-5A-II Killeen Chaparral at Belton District 13-4A-I Lampasas at Marble Falls District 11-4A-II Gatesville at Robinson District 13-4A-II Jarrell at Manor New Tech District 11-3A-I Academy at Rockdale Cameron Yoe at Franklin Lorena at Troy District 13-3A-II Lexington at Rogers District 8-2A-I Bruceville-Eddy at Moody Rosebud-Lott at Marlin District 13-2A-I Holland at Schulenburg District 13-2A-II Bremond at Bartlett Granger at Milano District 11-1A-II Dime Box at Buckholts TAPPS District 2-IV New Braunfels Christian at Central Texas Christian TAPPS Six-man District 3-II Round Rock Concordia at Holy Trinity CatholicIdle:Temple, Lake Belton, Salado WEEK 11 Friday, Nov. 4 District 12-6A Copperas Cove at Temple Bryan at Harker Heights District 4-5A-I Killeen Ellison at Lake Belton Waco at Killeen Killeen Shoemaker at Granbury District 11-5A-II Belton at Waco University District 13-4A-I Fischer Canyon Lake at Lampasas District 11-4A-II Madisonville at Salado District 13-4A-II
Ryder
Blaydn Barcak, Rockdale113-195-8170218 Hohhertz, Moody152-259-13160513
MONDAY, August 22, 2022 TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM / 27FOOTBALL 2022 2021 Area Season In Review Class 6A Division I Bi-district — Duncanville 63, Belton 7; DeSoto 65, Harker Heights 28 Class 6A Division II Bi-district — Temple 28, Waxahachie 14Area — Rockwall-Heath 45, Temple 33 Class 4A Division I Bi-district — Pleasanton 28, Lampasas 27 Class 4A Division II Bi-district — Carthage 35, Gatesville 0; Rusk 49, Salado 42 Class 3A Division I Bi-district — Academy 28, Yoakum 22; Hallettsville 42, Cameron Yoe 38; Columbus 42, Rockdale 21 Area — Academy 42, Winnie East ChambersRegional33semifinals — Diboll 37, Academy 34 Class 3A Division II Bi-district — El Maton Tidehaven 42, Rogers 29 Class 2A Division I Bi-district — Holland 40, Jewett Leon 7; Centerville 34, Rosebud-Lott 7 Area — Holland 27, Shelbyville 16 Regional semifinals — Centerville 28, Holland 0 Class 2A Division II Bi-district — Granger 41, Miles 10 Area — Granger 56, Yorktown 48 Regional semifinals — Burton 57, Granger 27 Statistical Leaders Playoff Scores Team TeamRushPassTotalAvg.Offense Bartlett13069112217221.7Gatesville148011942674243.0Moody113217482880288.0Troy21577532910291.0Holland33944713865297.3Belton134419373281298.3Rockdale169618393535321.4Academy131929784297330.5Rogers261310913704336.7CTCS25798613440344.0Granger281816144432369.3CameronTemple246320644527377.3LakeRosebud-Lott186125624423402.1Salado40506804730430.0Belton177418413615401.7Yoe179323474140376.4 Team TeamRushPassTotalAvg.Defense CameronGatesville245417924246386.0Rogers239617624158378.0Rockdale206617263792344.7Temple211319754088340.7LakeAcademy281112694080313.9Belton198612213207291.6Granger158813532941245.1Holland160712852892222.5Belton156413422906322.9Yoe260118104411401.0 Yards PlayerAtt.YardsAvg.TDsRushing Samari Howard, Temple25417176.820 Ethan Allerkamp, CTCS23714896.312 Aidan Wilson, Salado15711627.411 Phaibian Bynaum, Yoe16510756.517 Wesley Brown, Gatesville21210214.823 Christian Riley, Rogers8293311.49 Steve Jackson, Troy1199277.813 DJ McClelland, Granger7885210.911 Clayton Baggerly, Holland1478505.84 David Thang, Holy Trinity958148.64 Donnie Cantwell, Granger7178411.011 Zaylin Blackwood, Holy Trinity6377112.214 Seth Reavis, Salado7272310.07 Dawson Haney, Holland6769110.35 Johnny Ryder, Granger1426824.813 JC Chaney, Holland1196315.34 Elijah Warner, Belton1406284.52 Alec Gonzalez, CTCS686129.012 Korey Gibson, Troy1205904.95 Davioun Scott, Rockdale865806.72 Caden Strickland, Salado715758.16 Ryder Hohhertz, Moody1385734.211 Yards PlayerComp.-Att.-Int.YardsTDsPassing Kasey Mraz, Academy209-288-8292634 Zane Zeinert, Rosebud-Lott147-263-14253721 Ryan Muniz, Cameron Yoe142-229-9220225 Jace Martin, Holy Trinity138-226-4180228
Devan Williams, Temple3577622.211
Tucker Staton, Mody3642511.84 Kobe Mitchell, Rockdale2442317.65
Yards
Scout Brazeal, Academy74140419.018
Trayjen Wilcox, Cameron Yoe2347520.76 Mikal Harrison-Pilot, Temple2846116.56 DJ McClelland, Granger2945915.84
2020/21AWARD WINNER Over 60 HDTVs • DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket Longhorn Network • Daily Specials! 2112 SW HK Dodgen Loop, Temple 254-778-3663 • wingsintemple.com Wings Pizza N Things Temple’s Home for Sports!
Jase Carr, Troy48-93-37086 PlayerRec.YardsAvg.TDsReceiving
Wesley
Breon Lewis, Rosebud-Lott3787223.610
Jamarquis Johnson, R-Lott3978520.15
Reese Rumfield, Temple95-190-7176824
Darion Franklin, Academy6987812.712
Cooper Staton, Moody7892511.98
Connor Crews, Lake Belton102-164-4179716
Riley Dolgener, Rogers58-116-2102213 Brown, Gatesville87-180-69765
Robert Owens, Rockdale4077119.38 Seth Morgan, Belton5069413.97
Pharrell Hemphill, Cameron Yoe2765624.312
Micah Hudson, Lake Belton4582418.36
Bryan Henry, Belton3651014.26
Jaidyn Sanchez, Yoe3544312.73
Zaylin Blackwood, Holy Trinity2641516.08
Kason Goolsby, Cameron Yoe4548210.73
Daud Khan, Lake Belton1836020.04
Ty Brown, Belton115-212-16160419
Johnny Ryder, Granger108-196-7154420
28 / TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM MONDAY, August 22, 2022FOOTBALL 2022
