Tuesday, aug. 27, 2024
TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM
“TannerRoofingdoesveryhigh-qualitywork andisverydependable.”-OdisP.ofBelton
One constant in history of football is change
Coaches weigh in on evolution of game
By JON BROOKS TELEGRAM ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
From roots that date back hundreds of years, football has grown into the nation’s most popular sport.
Its evolution has taken it through myriad changes that have included everything from the introduction of the forward pass to the creation of the neutral zone in the early days, to more recent alterations such as rule changes designed with safety in mind to the rise of technology and its impact on the game.
Those revisions can be seen on the local high school level, where coaches have to adjust strategies on a routine basis when trying to maintain or build a program.
“I was from a generation where we practiced from 6 to 9 in the morning, the skill kids would come back from 1 to 3, and then we’d practice from 5 to 8 in the afternoon. It was truly two-a-days,” said ninth-year Temple head coach Scott Stewart, who played at Sam Houston State in the mid-1990s.
Those days of multiple grueling practices per day in the ramp-up to the season are no longer.
“And again, the rules are the rules, the parameters are the parameters, but I’ll tell you that’s changed,” Stewart continued. “Nobody gave a rip about how hot it was. Nobody gave a rip if anybody got water. And I’m not saying that’s the right way. I’m just saying that’s the way it was.”
Stewart is among a handful of area coaches who recalled some of the most significant changes they’ve seen since their playing days, with many of them citing safety rules, social media and the proliferation of 7-on-7 as common themes that have widely altered the landscape.
“I think the biggest change I’ve seen is we don’t have as much time as we used to before the first game. Two-a-days are pretty much gone,” Belton head coach Brett Sniffin said, echoing Stewart’s sentiment. “You don’t have as much time to do things over and over again, so you have to be really efficient in the way you practice, and I think even simpler, so the kids are still able to play fast.”
Many of the limits to practices have been to increase safety measures and protect against injuries. Each coach agreed those have been positive, wheth-
“I think if you get them to buy in and trust you — you being the coaches and head coach — and if you trust them and work as a team, that hasn’t changed. Those teams will still rise to the top, and then the teams with some talent that can’t do that won’t make it. To me, that’s all stayed the same.”
Belton head coach Brett Sniffin
er it’s stricter rules on hitting and tackling or more precise times during which teams are allowed to conduct workouts (or not).
“I think the game has become safer,” Lake Belton head coach Brian Cope said, citing as an example the now-outlawed technique of wide receivers being able to cut-block defensive backs at the line of scrimmage. “Those are things that you can’t do any more. I also think that the wet bulb rules and making sure you’re good there has always been good.”
The wet bulb globe thermometer is a heat modification policy that measures acceptable heat/humidity levels for practices and contests and gives recommended activity and rest-break guidelines. It is designed to protect players and coaches from dangerous levels of heat exposure.
Staying organized and maximizing the available time is important when allotting practice activities, according to many of the coaches. But as Cope and others pointed out, not all of the recent changes have resulted in less time with players.
“Also in the summer time, coaches used to have a week or two of open weight rooms, and the rest of the time was off,” Cope said. “Now because of giving the strength and conditioning back to the coaches, I think that has been a good situation to allow us to work out our kids in the summer. So that kind of puts you ahead a little bit.”
The popularity of 7-on-7 leagues also have had a wide-ranging effect on the game, leading to more sped-up offenses
Please see CHANGES, Page 18
Ray Swindle/Special to the Telegram Temple assistant coach Chris Pilot instructs player during a morning workout. More teams are practicing earlier in the day to avoid the August heat.
Temple’s Jackson proves success isn’t all about size
By GREG WILLE TELEGRAM SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
At 5-foot-7 and 163 pounds, Temple senior Lezlie Jackson does not stand out physically among his larger teammates — notably fellow starting defenders Jamarion Carlton and Jason Bradford, two statuesque juniors who most likely will play major college football.
However, the phrase “he plays bigger than his size” was created for athletes such as Jackson, a strong, energetic playmaker who enters his second season as a starting cornerback and third year as a vital weapon on Wildcats special teams.
“Since I’m small, a lot of people expect me to be weak and not be able to handle adversity. But I like taking all that in, because I love showing them what I can do,” Jackson said during Temple’s photo day, sporting a blue home jersey with a new number this season: 0. “There’s nothing you can’t do when you put your mind to it.”
Wildcats head coach Scott Stewart appreciates Jackson not only for his onfield abilities but also for always giving maximum effort regardless of the situation.
“I’ve said for a long time that production gets you on the field and keeps you on the field. Lezlie is one who fits in that category, but he also fits just pure, unadulterated effort,” Stewart said. “It’s that selfless, no-self-preservation effort. Players like Lez who are smart and renowned for hustle, their want-to, drive and will are just out of this world. He’s such a great kid.”
As a prime example, Stewart said Jackson frequently shows up prominently on highlight videos compiled by Temple’s staff to teach and motivate players.
“We have these ‘Be the Standard’ clips — (Temple) plays that are above and beyond. We present it to the kids like, ‘This is what it takes to play at Temple High School. Can you match that?’” Stewart explained. “This spring I showed them what we’re looking for, and what pops off the screen? There’s Lez. There’s Lez. So 15 times in a row we’re going to show the same kid? At some point they’re going to say, ‘OK, this is rigged.’”
Jackson is especially charged up for his final season wearing Temple’s bluefront, white-back pants. That’s because the Wildcats went a disappointing 1-9
last year, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2012.
Temple’s defense allowed 38.9 points and 477.3 yards per game while permitting 25 touchdowns of 30-plus yards. After making numerous mistakes against a slew of skilled quarterbacks and receivers, cornerbacks Jackson and Bradford expect that hard-earned experience to prepare them for this season.
“I wanted vengeance (after 2023). Being 1-9, not everybody is on your side. They think you’re losers. So now this year, I want to come back 10 times harder and show everybody what we can really do,” said Jackson, who made 49 tackles, had two interceptions and broke up 11 passes.
“I think it was good. It brings that fire
savored the opportunity to play with his older brother, Steve Jackson III, who transferred from Troy for his senior year and became a first-team All-District 126A cornerback.
Lezlie Jackson blazed onto the varsity scene by blocking two punts at College Station, one of which Christian Tutson returned 31 yards for a touchdown. Jackson struck again on special teams in last year’s season-opening win at McKinney Boyd, grabbing an errant punt snap and cashing it in for a short-range TD.
“They put me on special teams as a sophomore, and I loved it,” Jackson said, smiling. “They called me a special teams demon.”
However, football isn’t Jackson’s best or favorite sport. That is baseball, in which he’s a hard-hitting leadoff batter and sturdy shortstop. Jackson was voted 12-6A offensive MVP as a junior, blasting three home runs as Temple garnered its first playoff berth since 2018. In early August, Jackson helped his summer squad reach the Nike RBI World Series quarterfinals in Vero Beach, Fla.
“I do love baseball. That’s my main sport and I want to go as far as I can,” he said. “But when it’s football time, it’s football time. I’m just ready to work.” New defensive coordinator Thomas Rocco praised Jackson’s versatility, saying he also can play Temple’s nickelback position.
“This guy’s just a magnet for the ball,” Rocco said.
And Jackson is ready to prove his coaches right.
back and makes us want to work and play harder. You learn to remain confident.”
In his varsity debut in 2022, Jackson
“This is my last year. We have to step up and lead the team,” he said. “We have the capability to do something great. I’m excited to go through it and leave it all on the field.”
Ray Swindle/Special to the Telegram
Temple senior cornerback and special teams ace Lezlie Jackson is 5-foot-7 and 163 pounds but makes a big impact on the field for the Wildcats.
FOOTBALL 2024
Sherwood progresses into a leader for Belton
By JON BROOKS
TELEGRAM ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
BELTON — Kegan Sherwood has come a long way since his days as an error-prone freshman still finding his footing in Belton’s football program.
A halftime message from a coach was the first step in changing that. Now — three years down the road — Sherwood is a seasoned leader who “looks the part,” according to Tigers head coach Brett Sniffin, and his play on the field backs that up.
“He brings experience for one. He started and played last year and I think was our second- or third-leading tackler, so he really brought a lot to us,” Sniffin said of Sherwood, who totaled 64 tackles (two for losses) and one interception in his first full varsity season in 2023. His tackles ranked second on a 10-win playoff team and earned him a spot as a second-team all-district defensive back.
“He’s a vocal leader. He gets people lined up and knows the whole defense — gets those young people straight,” Sniffin continued.
It’s thanks to some strong leaders — both coaches and players — from whom Sherwood learned that he reached this point, and he’s dead-set on returning the favor.
“I communicate, and I raise my guys up,” the senior said. “I think it makes it a little bit easier if we’re all on the same page. I try to be the loudest guy on the field and see if my guys can be louder than me. That’s always the expectation, is I want them to follow what I’m doing, so I always try to make sure I’m doing the right thing.”
In most cases, Sherwood does. If not, he’ll be the first to admit it. Each year since that freshman campaign, he has improved, and he’s seen the Tigers do the same.
Belton won six games his initial year, nine the next and 10 last season, marking its first double-digit win total since 2009.
It was seniors such as Bryan Henry, Seth Morgan and Wriley Madden who Sherwood looked up to back then. They showed him the work ethic and effort it takes in order to reach one’s potential. Then it was players such as Wyatt Butler — the Tigers’ leading tackler each of
the last two seasons — who Sherwood observed and emulated as he grew into a varsity contributor.
With Butler now gone, Sherwood is part of a group set to continue the trend.
“My freshman year, we had a good group of guys,” he said. “Those were some really good defensive and offensive guys to learn from and kind of get me up to speed on varsity football. So when I’m out here practicing, I try to be that guy for these younger guys.”
A brief chat from then-Belton assistant coach Jeremy Engelke — who is now at Temple — also played a key role in Sherwood’s development.
“My very first game, halftime rolls around and I had made a couple of errors in the first half and he kind of walked up to me and was just like, ‘Hey, it’s time to go. You need to step up for your team,’” Sherwood recalled.
“And in that moment, I kind of realized that I had a group of people that believe in me. And that definitely made it a lot easier to kind of lock in and get going.”
Sherwood has been going ever since, putting in the time on the practice field and in the weight room. He’s also made a point of being coachable, and the Tigers are better for it.
“At the end of the year, it’s not my goal to be the one with the most tackles. I want my teammates to be up there with me,” said Sherwood, who has played football since the age of 8. “One person never wins a whole game, and we pride ourselves in spreading it out, getting everybody involved. I have high hopes this year just because our leaders have done a really good job of getting these young guys up to speed.”
Consider Sherwood firmly among that group, thanks in part to his humility and willingness to put the team first.
“I was super nervous. I had no clue what I was getting myself into,” Sherwood recalled of his first few weeks on varsity. “You can ask the coaches, the first couple of games, the first half, I was really shaky. But it’s just all about getting into your groove. From there, I just stopped setting expectations for myself. I was kind of just like, the expectation is to win and I’m going to do whatever it takes to get there.”
n jbrooks@tdtnews.com
Ray Swindle/Special to the Telegram Belton senior defensive back Kegan Sherwood is entering his second season as a varsity starter. His 64 tackles last season ranked second for the Tigers.
Lake’s Mascarenas has faith on, off the field
By WILL HOPKINS TELEGRAM SPORTS WRITER
During the 2024 season, just like the last, senior Eli Mascarenas will be counted on to produce for Lake Belton.
The quarterback passed for 2,519 yards and 31 touchdowns as a junior, and Broncos head coach Brian Cope believes Mascarenas’ second year as the starter will be even better.
“He’s got some ‘it’ to himself,” Cope said. “He wants to win. He’s growing. A lot of times it’s tough to play (Class 5A Division I or 6A) football as a junior quarterback. He’s done some really good things in spring football, in the summer and now going into fall camp.
“There’s not many times that I can trick him on a quarterback question. I’m coaching quarterbacks this year so it’s been a lot of fun for him and I to continue to develop our relationship, and I expect him to have a great year.”
Mascarenas won the starting job as a junior after a position battle and thinks of last season as a stepping stone to better things this time around.
“I learned last season that you’ve got to learn from your mistakes and not let them get the best of you,” he said. “When you make a mistake, you’ve just got to forget about it and just move on because if you spiral down that path then you’ll never do good.”
There was no competition for the starting spot this season after Mascarenas showed last year that he could handle running the offense as the Broncos posted an 8-3 record.
In addition to his arm, Mascarenas’ talent has also showed up in the running game as he racked up 264 yards on the ground last season and is Lake’s top returning rusher. Bringing together the senior’s skill set is his ability to make the right decisions and take care of the ball.
“He gets the ball out quick, makes the right reads and makes sure to be smart with the football,” wide receiver Davion Peters said.
Mascarenas is often quiet. So when he chooses to speak, those around him listen. His leadership, like his play on the field, has stepped up since he took over as QB1.
Ray Swindle/Special to the Telegram
Lake Belton senior Eli Mascarenas begins his second year as the starting quarterback for the Broncos. Last season, he threw for 2,519 yards and 31 scores.
across. He’s done a good job there. I know he talks to kids in school all the time about things that have to happen, and so I’m really, really proud of him for that.”
Mascarenas wasn’t without mistakes in his first campaign as a starter. He threw seven interceptions last season, including a pair in Lake’s bi-district playoff loss against Denton Ryan. He’s determined not to let the tough conclusion affect him this season.
His faith has been shaped by experiences throughout his life, but one story from a Bible camp when he was a 9-year-old
“I learned last season that you’ve got to learn from your mistakes and not let them get the best of you. When you make a mistake, you’ve just got to forget about it and just move on because if you spiral down that path then you’ll never do good.”
Lake Belton quarterback Eli Mascarenas
stands out to him.
“This girl, she had really bad scoliosis,” Mascarenas said. “We’ve seen X-rays and her spine literally looked like an S. We all prayed for her and the next morning, her spine was completely straight. Live miracle. Ever since then there’s just been a connection. You see miracles like that happen in your life, anything can happen.”
Mascarenas takes time every day to pray and read the Bible, even reading and discussing with his dad. Come football season, his faith helps him deal with the pressure of leading Lake’s high-powered offense.
“It definitely helps with calming down the nerves,” he said. “If you focus on him, he gives you the strength and the will and the might to do whatever you need. It’s all possible through him.”
With a new season on the horizon and the Broncos seeking their first district title and playoff victory on the gridiron, Mascarenas will once again draw plenty of attention. The quarterback is unlikely to be fazed, though, thanks to his quick thinking on the field and his faith off of it.
n whopkins@tdtnews.com
“Everybody respects him,” Cope said. “He’s going to get his point across at the time where he needs to get his point
“You’ve just got to let it go,” he said. Mascarenas believes part of what has helped him move forward is his faith that God is with him every step of the way. Faith plays a huge role in how the quarterback approaches the game, and he believes he can accomplish anything with the strength that God has granted him.
QB Hossfeld takes the reins of Salado offense
By TIM WAITS TELEGRAM SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
SALADO — When it came to choosing senior captains for the 2024 football season, one name was obvious among the Salado Eagles’ players and coaching staff.
Lincoln Hossfeld will be the the starting quarterback this fall, but he’s not a returning starter. Nevertheless, his skills off the field mean as much to those around the Salado field house as anything he does on the field.
“Lincoln scored 97 percent of the votes,” first-year Salado head coach Ricky Beaty said. “That’s the most anybody has ever had since we’ve had leadership councils. That speaks volumes about the respect he has here.”
Hossfeld played middle linebacker much of last season before he was needed to fill gaps on the offensive side. The quarterback position is all his now, and he is ready to lead on the field as well as off.
“It’s an honor, and I truly appreciate everyone in Salado,” Hossfeld said of being awarded captain status. “But it’s not just me. To me, leadership is an all-around thing and it comes out in many different ways. It’s building up the younger players and talking to people one-on-one and making sure everybody is getting their reps in.
“Everybody on the field can be a leader in different ways. I practice with younger players throughout the team. I want them to improve and be able to keep up. They are doing pretty good.”
With Beaty implementing the transition to a new coaching staff, it is incumbent on Hossfeld and other senior leaders to see it through. It’s a role that Hossfield relishes.
“The transition has been amazing,” he said. “Everybody has bought in on being a disciplined team and building up the chemistry. It’s all-around better, taking what was lacking and improving the atmosphere.”
Of course, Hossfeld very much wants to be part of the group that turns Salado into a consistent winner and playoff contender again. The Eagles were just 5-16 over the last two years. Many of those games were close, but Salado lacked what it needed to get over the hump.
Hossfeld points to a game from his sophomore year that leads him to believe the Eagles are on the cusp of being
“To me, leadership is an all-around thing and it comes out in many different ways. It’s building up the younger players and talking to people one-on-one and making sure everybody is getting their reps in.”
a strong contender again. Salado lost to highly touted Cuero 13-7 in overtime of the teams’ bi-district playoff game.
“I could tell from that game that we could be pretty good, and we’re much better now,” he said.
Hossfeld is the youngest of four boys in his family, has been part of the fabric of Salado life since second grade and enjoys spending time with his family. He has also been part of the Eagles’ wrestling and soccer teams.
Salado figures to be a more aggressive offensive team, with Hossfeld as the catalyst, as it chases a playoff berth in Class 4A Division II.
“Our quarterback has to be a tough runner and deal the ball around,” Beaty said. “The quarterback is a distributor, either in the running game or the passing game. He’ll have to do that. He’s getting a grip on our offense and is doing very well. He has to be able to ad lib and make good decisions on plays.”
Although Hossfeld vacated his position as middle linebacker, he kept the same mentality. Instead of being the quarterback of the defense, he’s now the quarterback of the offense.
“I do think like a linebacker as a quarterback,” he said. “It helps to sometimes step back and take a look at the situation.
“The big dynamic is the running game and making the right decisions. I’m good at making something out of very little.
I’m trying to be right with everything. If something isn’t, I’ll study the film and correct it.”
Just as his coach is optimistic about the season, Hossfeld matches that enthusiasm even though the Eagles are projected to finish in the middle of the District 134A-II pack.
“This year, I think we can be undefeated,” he said.
Spoken like a true leader.
Ray Swindle/Special to the Telegram Salado senior Lincoln Hossfeld is a team captain and the starting quarterback for Salado, which embarks on its first season under head coach Ricky Beaty.
Salado quarterback Lincoln Hossfeld
Temple offense wants to pick up pace in 2024
By GREG WILLE TELEGRAM SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
In 2014, then-Temple senior quarterback Chad President did his best at practice every day to make things difficult for Wildcats first-year defensive coordinator Scott Stewart.
With President and head coach Mike Spradlin’s high-tempo offense constantly challenging Stewart’s defenders in workouts, Temple went 13-2 and advanced to the Class 5A Division I state championship game.
Now the roles have changed. Stewart is Temple’s ninth-year head coach, seeking a major response after the Wildcats last year skidded to a 1-9 record that halted their streak of 10 consecutive playoff appearances.
Meanwhile, President enters his first season as Temple’s offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, hungry to help his alma mater win big again.
“We really don’t (talk about last year’s struggle). One time this offseason, midFebruary, I brought it up. ‘This is why we’ve got to do this,’” President said. “Then I told some coaches, ‘This is the last time we’re talking about that.’ Because these kids know how the coaches (last year) felt, how the community and school building felt. They want to change it, so now let’s talk about how we’re going to change it.”
President’s track record suggests his presence and leadership will benefit the Wildcats. With President serving as Rockwall-Heath’s QBs coach under Spradlin in 2020 and 2021 and as District 12-6A rival Hewitt Midway’s offensive coordinator last year, his teams went 30 against Temple while scoring 47 points per game.
When Stewart had the opportunity to hire President last December, he seized it. Now Stewart believes the 27-year-old President will greatly impact the Wildcats’ student-athletes and offense.
“It’s his energy. Chad’s a champion of anything he does. His coaching is at a championship level. He’s a championship-level father,” Stewart said. “What he demands from his coaches and kids is impressive at such a young age. Chad’s not a rah-rah guy. He’s genuine. He’s as real as real gets.”
President said living in Temple allows him to enjoy more time with his daughter, Mia, an active 9-year-old who attends
Ray
Scott Elementary.
President’s offensive staff includes three Temple teammates from 2014 in Davion Curtis (receivers), Cole Martin (QBs/ kickers) and Franc McCauley (linemen).
Temple’s mission for President’s shotgun-spread offense is to create a fastpaced, potent attack that challenges defenses on the ground and through the air.
“It’s going to be high-tempo, and we’re trying to catch the defense off guard,” President said. “If we can run the ball and get good yardage, that allows us to go fast. There will be times we slow it down.”
With then-junior Kade Stewart and then-senior Damarion Willis sharing quarterback duties last season, Temple averaged 380.3 yards per game but threw more interceptions (15) than touchdown passes (12).
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound Stewart — the head coach’s son — gained strength and nearly 20 pounds during the offseason. The left-hander seeks improved consistency after going 56-of-115 passing for 842 yards, six TDs and eight interceptions.
“Kade’s worked really hard,” Scott Stewart said. “He’s a resilient kid and this
town, school and football team mean a lot to him.”
Temple’s head coach is adamant about ongoing competition at all positions, and junior transfer Champ Mayo (6-3, 180) is pushing Kade Stewart at QB.
“Kade’s practice habits are what I’m in love with. He comes ready to get better every day. Champ is cool, calm and collected. He doesn’t really get rattled,” President said. “It’s a competition all the way until before our first game.”
President described versatile junior receiver Ramauhn Brown as Temple’s “Swiss Army knife,” similar to former Wildcat Mikal Harrison-Pilot.
“You’ll see Ramauhn at receiver. You’ll see him at QB,” President said. “He can be one of the best receivers to come through here.”
Fast senior receiver Christian Tutson (26 catches, 589 yards, five TDs) aims for his third straight productive season. Seniors Jack Flentge and Tr’Darion Taylor and juniors Preston Thomas and Rodney Nelson provide depth at receiver.
A starting safety the last two seasons, speedy O’Ryan Peoples moves to running back for his senior campaign.
“O’Ryan’s explosive with the ball in his
Temple
Wildcats
Coach: Scott Stewart
2023 record: 1-9
District: 12-6A
Venue: Wildcat Stadium
Offensive players to watch: WR Christian Tutson, RB O’Ryan Peoples, QB Kade Stewart, OT Kirk Gildon, OT Terrance Black, WR/QB Ramauhn Brown, WR Preston Thomas
hands. He brings a different dynamic,” said President, whose running backs include skilled transfers in senior Antonio Guajardo (Killeen Ellison) and junior Cavalli Bivins (Academy).
Temple’s line features returning starters in senior right tackle Kirk Gildon (6-6, 285), senior left tackle Terrance Black and junior left guard Isaiah Guerra. Junior Patrick Douglas succeeds stalwart Endrei Sauls at center, with sophomore Bradley Fillmore playing right guard. President said the Wildcats have challenged Gildon and Black to play with more physicality and aggression.
Swindle/Special to the Telegram Christian Tutson (left), Kade Stewart, O’Ryan Peoples and Kirk Gildon will be key players for a Temple offense that averaged 380.3 yards per game last year. The Wildcats open the season Friday at home against a team from Monterrey, Mexico.
Temple defense ready to improve with new DC
By GREG WILLE TELEGRAM SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
Scott Stewart has built a long, successful football career on coaching defense at a high level. But in 2023, the Temple head coach saw the Wildcats allow 43.9 points and 477.3 yards per game while permitting 25 touchdowns of 30 yards or longer.
Although Temple used four sophomores on its primary starting defense, Stewart declined to use youth as an excuse for the unit’s subpar performance.
“Everybody’s like, ‘Well, you were young last year.’ Heck, it came out of my mouth. But how can I look at these kids and tell them excuses are for losers and then talk about how young we are?” Stewart said in mid-August. “By Week 7, you’re not young anymore. At some point we’ve got to stop talking about that. What’s the reason (for last year’s defensive struggles) and what do you do about it?”
Shortly after the Wildcats finished 1-9 last November, Temple ISD announced that Stewart — 64-32 with seven playoff berths as head coach — no longer would serve as athletic director. Longtime assistant athletic director Steve Prentiss was promoted to AD, a change Stewart not only supported but has relished.
Meanwhile, Stewart decided to hire a new defensive coordinator. In mid-January, Temple found its guy in energetic Thomas Rocco, who possesses two decades of coaching experience at Texas college programs.
“Coach Rocco is hyper-positive. Our kids and coaches have adapted to that really well. I’m trying to take some pages out of his book,” Stewart said. “He is all about, ‘Keep it simple and play fast.’ There’s a lot of adjustments, but the kids build off it in a way where it doesn’t seem like a lot.”
Rocco played defensive back at Colorado’s Fort Lewis College. After serving as Tyler Junior College’s head coach from 2019-21, he coached Sam Houston State’s cornerbacks and special teams the last two seasons. In his first high school job, Rocco has switched Temple’s base alignment from a 4-2-5 to a 3-3-5.
“We have adapted what we’re doing defensively to our personnel, and it’s the first time this group of guys has coached together. We’ve got to bridge the gap,” said Rocco, who brought in assistants Alex Sultz and Jaylon Bowden from Sam Houston. “We’re happy to be here. It’s a good place.”
De’Avonte
Clint Cole, one of six Temple assistants who played for the Wildcats’ Class 5A Division I state runner-up team in 2014.
Headlining Temple’s revamped defense is junior Jamarion Carlton, a 6-foot-5, 235-pound outside linebacker/end who’s a top national recruit in the 2026 class.
He collected 6½ sacks as a sophomore and returned an interception for a touchdown. The football and basketball standout should attract substantially more blocking attention this season.
“Jamarion Carlton is special, and not just on the field. His humility is impressive,” Rocco said. “If you challenge Jamarion, you just bring out more of the best in him. He’s one of the most talented players I’ve ever seen. As an 11th-grade edge guy, he’s in a class of his own.”
According to Stewart, Carlton’s focus should remain on turning his vast potential into greater production.
“My words to Jamarion are, ‘You’re going to get unbelievable opportunities. You’ve got a lot of God-given ability and big-time attributes, but you have not yet had a big-
time season,’” Stewart said. “He’s very mature for his age. My job is to make sure he understands he hasn’t arrived yet.”
Temple has another four-star prospect in 6-3, 190-pound junior cornerback Jason Bradford, who should benefit from hard-earned experience as a sophomore starter.
“Being forged by the fire, JB’s got experience most junior cornerbacks don’t
Please see TEMPLE, Page 17
Temple
Wildcats
Defensive players to watch: LB/DE Jamarion Carlton, CB Lezlie Jackson, CB Jason Bradford, DL Demontrae Wheelock, FS De’Avonte Carr, DE Dai’Shawn Hamilton, LB Mikah Boldon, SS Houston Martin
Another newcomer is cornerbacks coach
Ray Swindle/Special to the Telegram
Jason Bradford (left),
Carr, Demontrae Westbrook and Jamarion Carlton will try to help the Temple defense improve under new coordinator Thomas Rocco. The Wildcats allowed 477.3 yards per game last season.
Belton offense wants to get up to speed quickly
By JON BROOKS
TELEGRAM ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
Belton’s wins have increased each year since head coach Brett Sniffin took over in 2020, leading to last season’s 10-2 standard that marked the program’s first double-digit win total since 2009.
Gone are 31 seniors from that group, leaving plenty of holes for the Tigers to fill with newcomers looking to make their mark while continuing the program’s winning ways.
“We’ve got so many young kids. We just want to get them some experience so that they get some time under their belt,” Sniffin said. “We want to win the games, obviously. But at the same time, we have to get those kids ready and the whole team ready. And obviously when we get to district, we want to win championships and we want to move far in the playoffs and give kids a great experience playing football.”
A plus for Belton, which returns five starters on offense, is the retention the players have shown from spring as well as their willingness to learn. Though they’ll be younger, the Tigers also will be bigger up front, which they hope leads to a more physical attack.
“This year, we’re bigger on the offensive line and we’ve got a good group of running backs that we feel like can carry the load and really be physical. So we just want to try to take advantage of our size,” said offensive coordinator Barry Campbell, whose group could start four to five sophomores in the trenches, including returner Beckett Butler as well as Ben Gutierrez, among others. Senior Jeremiah Houston also is competing for a spot and figures to see time.
Along with the change in personnel comes a switch in schemes for Belton, which utilized a spread offense recently in order to complement its bevy of skill talent. With a bigger front, a deep backfield and a new quarterback for the third straight year, the Tigers instead will base out of a pro-style offense that uses a fullback and tight end, and mostly functions under center.
“The mentality of running under center is a little bit different than it is when you’re in the shotgun,” Campbell said. “We want to be able to keep the pressure on the defense throughout the game on stuff that we’re doing formation-wise, and with motions, and again attacking the
Belton Tigers
Coach: Brett Sniffin
2023 record: 10-2
District: 10-5A-II
Venue: Tiger Field
Offensive players to watch: RB Shaun Snapp, WR Rayshaun Peoples, OL
Beckett Butler, FB Marlon Bluntson, QB/WR Josiah Martinez, QB/WR Will Shepard, QB/WR Graham Chambley
defense downhill can wear it down, so we’re trying to take advantage of that.”
Third-year starter Shaun Snapp returns at running back, with fellow senior Marlon Bluntson shifting from line to fullback. Also likely to see carries will be juniors Devin Horton and Gino Zecca, both of whom have varsity experience.
“I would say our run game is a strength. We have Shaun Snapp coming back. He’s a dog, and he puts in work. We also have a good fullback who puts in work, too,” senior tight end Collin Sallee said.
Snapp said a key is simply keeping up the daily grind.
“Right now, the offense, honestly, is working to get better because we have a younger team this year. So really, the goal is to get them ready and prepared,” he said. “Everybody’s been working hard in the offseason and now, too. I think everybody’s going to do good this season.”
Bluntson agreed, saying he likes the direction in which the new-look offense is pointed.
“I think our new scheme is going to be a big improvement and a big change,” he said. “Our practices have been looking really good lately. I feel like everything we’ve worked towards, I’m actually seeing the progress. I think everybody’s putting in work, so I’m ready to see that on the field.”
Belton averaged 340.5 yards per game last year and brings back third-year player Rayshaun Peoples to help at receiver, along with senior Cole Haisler — who, along with Zecca, will miss some early games because of injury. Sophomore Gavin Ross likely will see reps there, too, along with senior Josiah Martinez and sophomore Will Shepard when they aren’t at quarterback.
“The standard is to reach even higher
Ray Swindle/Special to the Telegram Shaun Snapp (left), Collin Sallee, Marlon Bluntson and Josiah Martinez will be offensive leaders for Belton, which opens the season Thursday at home.
Physicality is a focal point of Belton defense
By JON BROOKS TELEGRAM ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
Belton prides itself on being a hardnosed, physical team, one capable of slowing down the running game of its opponents. It’s a formula the Tigers executed well during their streak to two straight district championships, which culminated in last year’s 10-win campaign highlighted by a second straight trip to the second round of the Class 5A Division II playoffs.
As it works in plenty of new faces this year — the Tigers return four starters on defense — the unit aims to keep that same mentality.
“Defensively, that’s where our more-experienced players are,” head coach Brett Sniffin said. “So far, they’ve been talking loud and providing leadership, so we need more of that from them.”
Among the Tigers returning on that side of the ball is senior defensive back Kegan Sherwood, whose 64 tackles ranked second on the team last fall.
Sherwood’s leadership will be counted
Belton Tigers
Defensive players to watch: DB Kegan Sherwood, DL Damien Tiumalu, DL Ethan Ash, LB Sebastian Magana, DL J-Anthony Balderas, DB Jahari James, DB Azian Wilson
on to anchor Belton’s secondary while senior linemen Damien Tiumalu and Ethan Ash bring back experience up front, as well as senior linebacker Sebastian Magana.
“That’s the big thing I’ve noticed is they’re all eager to learn,” defensive coordinator Christopher Harbin said of his veterans and newcomers. “There’s not a whole lot of ego. They’re coming in here to work. Like Coach Sniffin always says, we’re a lunch-pail team. We’re not always going to be the most athletic, but we’re going to work hard and hopefully it translates. So that’s what we’re kind of
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Ray Swindle/Special to the Telegram
Sebastian Magana (left), Kegan Sherwood, Ethan Ash and Damien Tiumalu are part of a Belton defense that prides itself on physicality.
Lake offense fills gaps with talented returners
By WILL HOPKINS TELEGRAM SPORTS WRITER
The biggest question surrounding the Lake Belton offense this offseason was about a player who isn’t with the Broncos anymore. Star wide receiver Micah Hudson is now at Texas Tech after making 66 catches for 1,278 yards receiving and 18 touchdowns as Lake went 8-3 last season and advanced to the first round of the playoffs for the second consecutive year.
Davion Peters, who had 19 receptions for 385 yards and five TDs is the team’s returning leader in both categories. It will be up to him and the other receivers to make up for the loss of production in the passing game, and head coach Brian Cope believes they are up to the task.
“We might not be 20, 20, 20, 70 (yards receiving). We might be 45 across the board, which I think is going to be good,” Cope said. “It’s going to make us more dynamic. It’s going to help us play at a faster pace.”
Joining Peters out wide will be Zach Dodd, a camp standout, Tyrrence Taylor and Christian Onchweri. Xavier Wells and Braxtan Cope could crossover from defense and also see snaps at receiver.
Senior quarterback Eli Mascarenas is excited by the changes that may come with a more balanced receiving corps.
“I think without (Hudson), we’ll spread the ball around more instead of only having one target,” Mascarenas said. “I think that’ll open up the offense and make us, honestly, better.”
Mascarenas is one of eight returning starters on offense and will look to build on a junior season in which he threw for for 2,519 yards and 31 touchdowns. The quarterback is also the Broncos’ leading returning rusher after running for 264 yards, though Cope wants Lake to be better about choosing when Mascarenas uses his legs.
“I think we’ve got to be smart when we use that dual threat,” Cope said. “It’s important that we’re smart when we use him to run the football, but he does understand what we’re trying to do when we ask him to do that.”
The only head coach in Lake’s history hopes a pair of senior running backs — Kellen Scarborough and Tekoa Martin — can take the load off Mascarenas in the run game. Scarborough and Martin battled through camp to decide who
Ray Swindle/Special to the Telegram
Brett Harmon (left), Davion Peters and Caleb Loper are anchors for a Lake Belton offense that averaged 400.4 yards per game last year. The Broncos open the season Friday at home against College Station A&M Consolidated.
will take over the starting role and could shoulder a lot of the responsibility for helping the Lake offense flourish.
Cope believes the running game will be key to helping the Broncos achieve their goals.
“I think for us to win the games that we need to take another step. We’ve got to be able to run the football better,” Cope said.
“That’s been a big point of emphasis for us all throughout. We can have all these great schemes but if we can’t run down hill and run inside zone really, really well, we’re not going to get to where we want to get to.”
The Broncos will be bolstered by their offensive line, which has a talented and experienced core in place.
Senior Tucker Schwartz, a move-in from Alabama and an Air Force Academy commitment, joins four senior returning starters. Caleb Loper and Brett Harmon bring three years of starting experience to the trenches, and Tate Lisenbe and Diego
Velazquez also return.
“In the past, we’ve had older guys that are leading,” Loper said. “This year is a really good opportunity for me to step up and really be a good leader as a senior. Other people are looking up to you, so you’ve got to set the expectation high.”
Helping to strengthen the offense will be a new philosophy brought in by offensive coordinator Brandin Byrd — in his fourth season as a coach in Belton ISD — whose past experience with Cope allowed him to fit right in. Players also feel their new coordinator has been a good addition.
“He checks in before practice and actual football,” Peters said. “He’s more than just a coach to us. He’s like a brother or an uncle to some of us.”
Byrd’s approach hasn’t brought many changes to the scheme but has given the unit a new mindset.
“We’re still going to run the ball, throw the ball and still be as fast as we can
Lake Belton Broncos
Coach: Brian Cope
2023 record: 8-3
District: 8-5A-I
Venue: Tiger Field
Offensive players to watch: QB Eli Mascarenas, WR Davion Peters, OL Brett Harmon, OL Caleb Loper, RB Kellen Scarborough, RB Tekoa Martin, WR Zach Dodd, WR Christian Onchweri
be,” Harmon said. “This offseason, we preached on being more mentally tough and more physically dominant. I feel like we’ve done a pretty good job so far.” Lake hopes Byrd’s style combined with an experienced unit will help it take the next step.
n whopkins@tdtnews.com
Competition helps fuel defense for Lake Belton
By WILL HOPKINS TELEGRAM SPORTS WRITER
In their first two years of UIL sanctioned competition, the Lake Belton Broncos jumped out to a successful start by posting eight wins in both seasons. There is still plenty for the young program to accomplish, though, and Lake’s players know it. The Broncos haven’t secured any trophies for a district title or playoff victory.
That’s something this year’s team wants to rectify, and some players have their sights set even higher.
“10-0, nothing less,” senior safety Joshua Mallard said about what a successful season would mean for him.
Last year, the Lake defense allowed 334.1 yards per game, with an average of more than 200 of those coming on the ground. The Broncos look to improve on that as they chase their lofty goals.
The defense will have plenty of new faces throughout with just five returning starters, and depth will be key to filling some of those holes. Lake head coach Brian Cope thinks his team has more than enough talent to replace its departures and that the battles for open positions will make each individual better.
“We’re going to make some tough choices,” Cope said. “At the end of the day, we have a varsity team of 65 (players), 50 of which are seniors. They’re going to fight to try to get on that field.”
Cope’s sentiment is shared by many of his players. Senior cornerback Xavier Wells agrees that the competition has helped sharpen the defense.
“I see dedication and people who want it,” Wells said. “Everybody wants it as bad as everybody else. If your teammate knows you want it, then everyone’s going to go compete at the high expectation. I see great things happening with our defense.”
The task of replacing a variety of starters and stars may sound daunting but, according to senior defensive lineman Jeremiah Battreall, the formula for filling those gaps is simple.
“We can just play as a team honestly,” he said. “There ain’t really much to it.”
Battreall will anchor the Broncos’ defensive front after tallying five sacks among 12 tackles for loss last season, and the group around him has drawn plenty of excitement.
Cope believes the depth of talent along the defensive line can help Lake reach new heights.
Battreall will be joined by Logan Martinez, Bosco Onchweri and Zion Williams, all seniors whom Cope expects to play key roles. Juniors Evan Lazott and Caleb Chandler will get reps on the interior as well.
Linebacker Garrett Roland also caused problems in the backfield last year with six sacks, but the senior will be asked to evolve in his role this year.
“This year, I’ll be more in coverage,” Roland said. “Now I have to do it all. I couldn’t just rush the QB like I did last year, and it’s just going to be different. I have to learn new things.”
Lake’s secondary returns plenty of talent, despite the graduation of cornerback Selman Bridges, who’s now at Arkansas. Wells, junior Ayden Mitchell and seniors Michael Frazier and Bryce Davis should all see the field.
Mallard was last year’s second-leading tackler and will play a key role again at the safety position. He has been a staple of the defense for three years.
“He is a lot of fun to coach,” Cope said. “He has a great energy. He’s positive, all about it.”
Mallard’s role also is set to change once again as he’ll fill the role of boundary safety, following last year’s switch from outside linebacker. Junior Braxtan Cope and senior Adam Constancio also will see
the field at safety.
Another change is the Broncos’ schedule as they are set to take on a new group of district foes. Lake will begin District 8-5A-I play in Week 5 against Leander Rouse — the same program it faced in last year’s season opener — before squaring off against five first-time opponents to close the regular season. The Broncos aren’t taking anything for granted.
“It’s going to be interesting,” Roland said. “I think it will be fun to play Austin teams this time instead of Dallas teams. We’ll see how it goes.”
Lake Belton
Broncos
Defensive players to watch: DB Joshua Mallard, LB Garrett Roland, DB Xavier Wells, DL Jeremiah Battreall, DL Zion Williams, DB Braxtan Cope, DL Logan Martinez, DL Bosco Onchweri
If the Broncos’ goal of bringing home some hardware is to become reality, the questions throughout the defense will need to be answered. There is plenty of belief that the unit is up to the task, thanks to the depth and competition that was showcased in camp.
n whopkins@tdtnews.com
Ray Swindle/Special to the Telegram
Jeremiah Battreall (left), Xavier Wells, Joshua Mallard and Garrett Roland are key players for a Lake Belton defense that wants to help the Broncos reach the playoffs for the third consecutive season.
Beaty strives to get Salado back in spotlight
By TIM WAITS TELEGRAM SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
SALADO — It’s the first time Ricky Beaty has had the title of head coach, but he’s no stranger to the profession.
The years he spent coaching at his hometown Wimberley, Weatherford and Georgetown ultimately prepared him to take the reins at Salado, where he seeks to put the Eagles back in the spotlight after they compiled just five victories over the last two seasons.
It has been a baptism by fire.
“I was drinking out of a firehose for a while,” said Beaty, who was the offensive coordinator at Georgetown before replacing retired Salado native Tom Westerberg as the Eagles’ head coach. “We want to attack the culture and set standards we expect them to be and where we need to be. We want to put our thumb down on every school stan
ogy is all new, though the learning curve isn’t as steep. They are simply finding more avenues to move the football with an emphasis on the running game.
“We want to establish the running game with an emphasis on physicality, which gives us an opportunity to throw the ball. We want to use the whole field,” said the 36-year-old Beaty, who brought in several assistants to inject new energy. “On defense, we want to stop the run and be hard to prepare for and not get beat deep.”
Salado will have every opportunity to do so with skilled rushers and receivers fronted by a veteran front line.
Senior Lincoln Hossfeld (5-foot-9, 195 pounds) takes the reins at quarterback and has talented skill players with whom to work. Wideout Brendan Wilson (5-10, 160) has big-play capabilities coming off a season of racking up 543 yards receiving and six touchdowns. The same goes for Korbin Konarik (6-2,170) on the perimeter as well as slot receiver Luke
Salado has similarly built senior rushers in Javier Miranda (5-8, 180) and Jackson
Turk (5-9, 180).
Those running backs will have the privilege to operate behind senior tackles Ethan Van De Plas (6-4, 230) and Daniel Flas (6-7, 285) and strong guard Tyler Blackwell (6-1, 250). Brooks McLane (5-9, 230), Robert Grant (5-10, 235) and Michael Valdez (5-9, 250) are in the mix up front. Senior Brady Heber (6-2, 210) is listed at tight end, as is sophomore Landon Noske (6-2, 185). Townes Sather should handle the kicking duties. Defensively, the Eagles give multiple looks to opposing offenses. They are led by twin juniors Damonte and Devonte Foster. Damonte (6-0, 180) is an active outside linebacker while Devonte (6-0, 170) is a safety and backup quarterback. Senior Brodie Landon (5-11, 205) is a leader on the defensive line, and junior Brayden Dildine (5-8, 155) is a solid cornerback.
After a couple of subpar seasons, Sala
Salado Eagles
Coach: Ricky Beaty 2023 record: 2-8
District: 13-4A-II
Venue: Eagle Stadium
Players to watch: QB Lincoln Hossfeld, WR Brendan Wilson, WR Korbin Konarik, LB Damonte Foster, DB Devonte Foster, DL Brodie Landon
Geronimo Navarro and Gonzales. Beaty doesn’t really see it that way.
“I think we stack up better than we have been,” said Beaty, who made stops at Troup, Hardin-Simmons, Wimberley and Weatherford before spending the last eight years at Georgetown. “My impression is that we will be tons better than people give us credit for.”
Salado has a more familiar non-district schedule with games against Troy, Lampasas, Giddings and Academy before embarking on a district slate that also includes Jarrell and Smithville.
Gatesville aims to continue postseason streak
By WILL HOPKINS TELEGRAM SPORTS WRITER
GATESVILLE — The Gatesville Hornets enter their third season under the guidance of Aaron Hunter, who must fill some gaps left by departing standouts but has one player who should ease the transition.
Rayshon Smith will once again be the star of the Hornets offense that won’t step away from its run-heavy approach. The senior running back accounted for 48.6 percent of his team’s offense last season and could surpass 3,000 yards rushing for his career early this season.
“I think what’s changed Ray this year is his mentality,” said Hunter, who guided the Hornets to a 7-5 record and the second round of the playoffs last season.
“I think he’s really flipped a switch this year. You could see a difference in him between Week 4 and 5 during last year’s season, and he took that season over.
“His work ethic, his buy in, how he’s become a better teammate and just everything about him, he’s grown up. I’m excit-
ed to see him go enjoy some success this year because he’s definitely earned it.”
Also returning is leading receiver Amos Phillips, who hauled in 15 passes for 191 yards in his sophomore campaign.
Smith and Phillips will bring a steady presence and leadership to an offense with plenty of new starters, including along the offensive line where third-year starter Gabe Pollard is the lone holdover.
Another change will come at the quarterback position as Gehrig Keeton takes over for Jacob Newkirk. Keeton didn’t throw a pass last year, but Hunter believes the junior’s experience pitching in Gatesville’s run to the baseball regional quarterfinals will come in handy when he steps on the gridiron.
“He had some big, big, big pressure playoff moments on the mound, and he handled those well,” Hunter said. “Gehrig’s up here all the time. He’s in the weight room all the time. If there’s film to watch, he’s going to watch it. He’s the type of kid you want at quarterback.”
Another player who could make some plays for the Hornets is Cy Burns, who
will back up Smith. Burns helped lead Gatesville’s junior varsity squad to a 10-0 record in 2023 and will look to give the varsity squad a boost when his number is called.
“Cy is probably more natural at running the I-formation than Rayshon is to be honest with you,” Hunter said. “He’s a quick-twitch guy. He’s downhill. He’s not as big as Ray, but he had some very explosive plays last year. I think he’s going to shock some people this year because he gets to the hole real fast and once he gets into the secondary, he’s got the speed to take it to the house.”
Gatesville’s defense also has holes to fill, including one left by four-year starter Lawson Mooney at safety. Phillips will be tasked with taking over that role. Hunter will look to players who contributed on last year’s undefeated JV team for other reinforcements.
Dutch Nielson will anchor the defensive line. Gatesville’s sacks leader from last season has earned the praise of teammates and coaches alike with his approach to the offseason.
Gatesville Hornets
Coach: Aaron Hunter
2023 record: 7-5
District: 12-4A-II
Venue: McKamie Stadium
Players to watch: QB Gehrig Keeton, RB Rayshon Smith, RB Cy Burns, WR/ DB Amos Phillips, OL Gabe Pollard, TE/DE Dutch Nielson
“Dutch is a unanimous team captain,” Hunter said. “We do captain votes at the end of the spring. He was a captain as a junior and I think every single person in our locker room — varsity and JV — voted for him as a captain. Dutch has worked really hard. He’s our strongest, fastest, most powerful kid.”
The goal for Hunter and the Eagles is a playoff run and to update the record books by setting a program high with a fifth straight postseason berth.
n whopkins@tdtnews.com
Haire, Jarrell working hard to find their stride
By TIM WAITS TELEGRAM SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
JARRELL — August around the Jarrell football camp has been a process of getting to know one another as much as it has been a sharpening of skills for the upcoming season.
Coaches are getting to know players. Players are getting to know coaches. New schemes, new coaches, new philosophies and new personnel mark the beginning of the 2024 season.
An abrupt coaching retirement and a mid-June transition to an entirely new offensive strategy will do that for a program. How well all parties are able to adjust is the key to the Cougars’ prospects.
“It’s a learning curve for them,” said Jarrell head coach Alan Haire, who left Killeen Chaparral and took over the Cougars after Marty Murr retired late in the spring. “They understand that we’ve got a lot of work to do and they’ve got that going for them. A lot of people are having to get up and go to work.”
Haire brought seven members of his coaching staff from Chaparral to — among other things — implement the run-heavy Slot-T offense that he employed at pre-
Tigers
Continued from Page 11
“There’s been a lot of teaching and a lot of details to be worked on. We will be known as a mentally tough team. We want to instill mentally tough players who play for each other. If we can get that accomplished, we’ll be competitive.”
Jarrell head coach Alan Haire
vious head coaching stops in Lago Vista, his native Salado and Chaparral. It’s not the simplest scheme to install on the fly, but he believes the talent exists to pull it off.
“We return talent that has made backto-back playoff appearances, so we have the kind of people who can put that in play,” Haire said. “I told them, ‘This is your team. It will be our team if you can trust me.’”
Quarterback Nico Rodriguez will have to adjust to not throwing the ball very often, coming off a season in which he passed for 2,487 yards and 27 touchdowns. The new scheme also requires Ja-
cob Crathers to convert from wide receiver to being one of the Cougars’ primary rushers along with Jaysen Hobbs.
Jarrell will have stalwart senior tackle Dylan Lester (6-foot-5, 320 pounds) to be the anchor on the offensive line along with center Bryan Tibbetts, Matthew Yows and Zander Hess to provide openings in the tightly packed alignment.
Defensively, Jarrell will show multiple looks with an attacking style that is in the process of finding the right parts for the right places.
Ross Vrabel and Hayden Dotson look to be part of the Cougars’ linebacker corps, with strong players such as Jordan Gadison, Chance Sherrill and David Trejo working in the trenches.
While familiarity with each other is a bit of a challenge from the outset for the Cougars, they are quite familiar with their District 13-4A-II opponents. In fact, Haire was the former head coach at two of the league opponents — Lago Vista and Salado.
Jarrell went 3-8 and reached the playoffs last season but may find the sledding a bit tougher, with 2022 state runner-up Wimberley pegged as the heavy favorite followed by Lago Vista, Geronimo Navarro and Gonzales.
Jarrell Cougars
Coach: Alan Haire
2023 record: 3-8
District: 13-4A-II
Venue: Cougar Field
Players to watch: QB Nico Rodriguez, RB Jacob Crathers, OL Dylan Lester, LB Hayden Dotson, LB Ross Vrabel, DL David Trejo, DL Jordan Gadison looking for now.”
Though Harbin has seven starters to replace from last year’s mix that allowed 312.6 yards per game, the coach feels the recipe is there.
“We don’t have a ton of seniors who are starters and stuff like that, but the ones who are back are vocal. They’ve been here,” he said. “Most of them have been three-year varsity players, and that’s really big. They buy in and I lean on them a lot with, ‘You know what the expectation is. You know what we do.’ And they can get it to the other kids coming up.”
Tiumalu, Ash and J-Anthony Balderas, another senior, are a few players expected to set the tone in the trenches for the unit’s revamped scheme, which Harbin called a version of a 4-2-5.
“We’re going to an even front instead
“We don’t have a ton of seniors who are starters and stuff like that, but the ones who are back are vocal. They’ve been here. Most of them have been three-year varsity players, and that’s really big. They buy in and I lean on them a lot with, ‘You know what the expectation is. You know what we do.’ And they can get it to the other kids coming up.”
of an odd front, but we ran it last year at different times,” he said. “It was a package for us last year, and now we’re kind of going to it full time. It translates to the kids well.”
Magana, a third-year varsity player, has liked what he’s seen so far from the team’s new faces, and he expects his teammates to set the tone up front.
“It’s going to be hard to get through our run defense this year,” Magana said. “I feel like that’s one of the main things the defense is really good at. We have a lot of young guys, but we just have to see if they can take the next step and play some
Belton defensive coordinator Christopher Harbin
big-boy football. I believe that they can accomplish it.”
Magana will be joined by sophomore Javid Planz, among others, at linebacker. The Tigers’ secondary will include junior Khy Griffin — who played at Copperas Cove last year — along with sophomores Jahari James and Azian Wilkinson to accompany Sherwood, among others.
Though Belton will be youthful, its shift into the smaller District 10-5A-II, which features six teams, will allow for a bit more time for seasoning before league play begins.
“We’re going to have to play. It’s not
“We have a lot of work to do to compete with them,” Haire said. “We are fortunate to have some playoff experience to use as momentum to move us in the right direction.”
In the meantime, the Cougars will attempt to catch lightning in a bottle as they grow accustomed to one another.
“There’s been a lot of teaching and a lot of details to be worked on,” said Haire, who said he has 18 seniors and 110 players who came out for the program on the first day. “We will be known as a mentally tough team. We want to instill mentally tough players who play for each other. If we can get that accomplished, we’ll be competitive.”
a cupcake district by any means. All six teams are good,” Harbin said. “Even if (teams’) records may not show it in the past, they make up for it in athleticism, so there are no call-it-in games. But I think we’ll be fine. It’s just a matter of us coming along and getting our young guys ready.”
As Sherwood sees it, the senior is confident his group will figure it out.
“Our goal is to win. We’re coming out here and we’re competing, scrimmaging, every day with team-on-team. We’re just trying to get these guys up to speed,” he said. “Those first five games, it’s not a tryout. We’re going out there to win. At the end of the day, that’s just our competitive mindset. It’s not like, ‘Oh, we’re going to fill it out and see where you fit.’ Like, we have a scrimmage for that, and it’s straight business after that. The main goal is we’re going to go out there and play and have fun and win.”
n jbrooks@tdtnews.com
Belton
Continued from Page 10
than we have in the past couple years, and that’s the goal moving forward into every year,” said Martinez, who backed up Reese Rumfield at quarterback last year and is in the mix there again along with Shepard and sophomore Graham Chambley.
Temple
Continued from Page 9
have,” Rocco said. “His willingness to get better and be a good teammate sticks out.”
Playmaking senior Lezlie Jackson joins Bradford as a returning starter at cornerback, while senior De’Avonte Carr returns at free safety after an injury-plagued junior season. Junior Houston Martin, who became a starting outside linebacker last year, and senior Ethan Sauls join Carr as starting safeties.
Senior Adrian Scott and junior Mikah Boldon complement Carlton in the linebacker corps. Rocco described senior
“Graham’s been leading the charge as we’ve come into fall practice, and he’s really doing a great job,” Campbell said while adding that Martinez and Shepard will see the field elsewhere when they aren’t under center. “The big change for this group is the footwork is a lot different when you’re under center as opposed to shotgun, so that’s been the biggest adjustment for our guys at quarterback.”
n jbrooks@tdtnews.com
lineman Demontrae Wheelock as “the most violent kid when he puts his hands on people.” The new DC also likes the emergence of senior end Dai’Shawn Hamilton and 300-pound junior nose guard Q’Terrius White.
In a quest to help Temple’s defense regain its successful form, Stewart is trusting new coaches to shake up things and generate a much-improved product.
“I’ve said it to anybody who’ll listen. The best lessons you’ll learn are probably the hardest ones. There were hard lessons learned (in 2023),” Stewart said.
“I wanted fresh perspective. It’s been an adjustment with the way I do things, but I wanted to bring those guys in and turn them loose.”
Changes
Continued from Page 3
and sometimes more aggressive playcalling. A few coaches agreed that it has partly sapped the game of its physicality while at the same time adding more skill talent.
“Most teams used to huddle up. Now, it’s probably 70-30 that they don’t,” Cope said, while his Belton ISD counterpart Sniffin also weighed in.
“You’ll see highlight-reel catches that you used to only see in the pros. You’ll see that in a JV game now,” Sniffin said. “Kids can make some ridiculous catches and some great throws. But at the same time, I think when it comes to being physical up front and stopping the run game and getting a yard or two when you run the ball, I think that’s taken a step back where people aren’t as physical as they used to be. But the skill level as far as catching and throwing is just ridiculous.”
The rise of technology and social media also has had a profound impact, both in ways in which practices have been tweaked and in ways in which programs and athletes promote themselves.
Stewart and Sniffin each mentioned the fact that many players simply spend less time outdoors during the offseason, which, in turn, leads to changes in conditioning procedures as athletes adjust to being in the heat once the season rolls around.
“You have to really protect them to get them back into shape,” Sniffin said. “If you’re lucky, half your team has already taken care of that and done what they’re supposed to, but there’s always going to be kids that you have to work back into shape, for sure.”
Troy head coach Tommy Brashear feels the changes are a reflection of society as a whole.
“The mentality to me has changed a little bit. I think kids used to have a more physical or tough mentality,” the Trojans’ second-year leader said. “Just the society changes we’ve had in my 25 years, I feel like have kind of changed that mentality and how people think about these things.
“And some of that is for the better. Some I think is for the worse. It’s a lot safer game I think, since when I was younger. I don’t think it’s as physical of a game, and that’s been a bit on purpose, too, because of injuries and things like that.”
As far as teaching fundamentals in lieu of new tackling rules, most coaches have had to pivot from the ways they were once taught as players.
“Teaching the way we tackle — the guys that read this that are my age, older and probably a little bit younger than me — you know, head across the bow is no longer a thing. It’s a no-no. And that’s all I was taught. That’s all any of us were taught forever,” Stewart said.
“And so, we call it the strike zone,” he continued, motioning his hands near his chest and abdomen to mimic a baseball strike zone. “You tackle in the strike zone because if you go above the strike zone or below the strike zone, you’re going to get in trouble for illegal hits. So we focus on our hit point on when we try to tackle ball-carriers. And again that’s something that from the beginning of time until a few years ago didn’t exist. You go up high — that was part of the game. So I agree with that one whole-heartedly. I think it’s helped protect a lot of kids.”
Social media also can benefit players, helping them connect with potential recruiters and aiding programs in disseminating information to parents and fans.
“I think when I was growing up, ev-
eryone read the newspaper and now it’s all on social media, so you have to make sure you have a presence there,” Cope said. “At the end of the day, we want to make sure we’re using technology for the better.”
And coaches agreed the best way to manage distractions that social media sometimes can present is by building and maintaining relationships with their players.
“I think if you get them to buy in and trust you — you being the coaches and the head coach — and if you trust them and work as a team, that hasn’t changed. Those teams will still rise to the top, and then the teams with some talent that can’t do that won’t make it. To me, that’s all stayed the same,” Sniffin said.
As fans glance at the future of the sport, it is certain that it will continue to evolve.
Whatever those changes bring, however, the core principles of the game will still remain.
“It still comes down to blocking and tackling in all of it,” Cope said. “So there are a lot of similarities to it but there are a lot of great differences that have continued to grow this great game.”
n jbrooks@tdtnews.com
WEEK 1
Thursday, Aug. 29
Non-district
Pflugerville Hendrickson at Belton
Cameron Yoe at La Grange
Buckholts at Austin Texas School for the Deaf
Friday, Aug. 30
Non-district
Nuevo Leon at Temple
Killeen Ellison at Copperas Cove
Cedar Park at Harker Heights
Cedar Park Vista Ridge at Killeen
Killeen Shoemaker at Round Rock
College Station A&M Consolidated at Lake Belton
Killeen Chaparral at Kyle Lehman
Fredericksburg at Lampasas
Gatesville at Taylor
Giddings at Jarrell
Troy at Salado
Academy at Waco Connally
Smithville at Rockdale
Groesbeck at Rogers
Bruceville-Eddy at Meridian
Moody at Itasca
Florence at Rosebud-Lott
Holland at Burton
Bosqueville at Bartlett
Granger at Johnson City LBJ
Austin Brentwood at Central Texas
Christian
WEEK 2
Thursday, Sept. 5
Non-district
Manor at Harker Heights
Round Rock McNeil at Lake Belton
Manor New Tech at Killeen Chaparral
Friday, Sept. 6
Non-district
Round Rock at Temple
Leander Glenn at Copperas Cove
Killeen at Killeen Ellison
Nuevo Leon at Killeen Shoemaker
Georgetown at Belton
Lampasas at Salado
Glen Rose at Gatesville
Marble Falls at Jarrell
Lexington at Academy
Sealy at Cameron Yoe
Rockdale at Hempstead
Troy at Hillsboro
Schulenburg at Rogers
Bartlett at Bruceville-Eddy
Hico at Moody
Rosebud-Lott at Thrall
Valley Mills at Holland
Granger at Thorndale
Gustine at Buckholts
Central Texas Christian at Florence
WEEK 3
Thursday, Sept. 12
Non-district
Lake Belton at Killeen
Killeen Shoemaker vs. Killeen Ellison at UMHB
Belton at Georgetown East View
Friday, Sept. 13
Non-district
Temple at San Antonio Reagan
Copperas Cove at Georgetown
Dripping Springs at Harker Heights
Lampasas at Killeen Chaparral
Gatesville at Mexia
Jarrell at Caldwell
2024 Area Composite Schedule
Salado at Giddings
Burnet at Academy
Cameron Yoe at Maypearl
Lexington at Rockdale
Rogers at Troy
Santo at Bruceville-Eddy
Moody at Bremond
Rosebud-Lott at Dawson
Holland at Granger
Mart at Bartlett
Central Texas Christian at Waco Live
Oak
Idle: Buckholts
WEEK 4
Thursday, Sept. 19
Non-district
Waco University at Killeen Shoemaker
Friday, Sept. 20
Non-district
Austin at Temple
Copperas Cove at Austin Del Valle
Harker Heights at Midlothian
Killeen at Brenham
Belton at San Angelo Central
Red Oak at Killeen Ellison
Wimberley at Lampasas
McGregor at Gatesville
Jarrell at Llano
Salado at Academy
Lorena at Cameron Yoe
Rockdale at Giddings
Thrall at Troy
Rogers at Whitney
Bruceville-Eddy at Normangee
Milano at Moody
Bosqueville at Rosebud-Lott
Florence at Holland
Hill County Homeschool at Buckholts
Houston St. Francis at Central Texas
Christian
Idle: Lake Belton, Killeen Chaparral, Bartlett, Granger
WEEK 5
Thursday, Sept. 26
District 12-6A
Temple at Killeen Shoemaker
Non-district
Lampasas at Waco University
Friday, Sept. 27
District 12-6A
Hewitt Midway at Harker Heights
Killeen at Copperas Cove
District 8-5A-I
Lake Belton at Leander Rouse
Cedar Park at Killeen Chaparral
District 13-4A-II
Jarrell at Smithville
Salado at Lago Vista
District 13-2A-II
Granger at Bartlett
Non-district
Cuero at Belton
Gatesville at Burnet
Academy at Whitney
Cameron Yoe at Mexia
Groesbeck at Rockdale
Troy at Maypearl
Rogers at Centerville
Bruceville-Eddy at Jewett Leon
Corsicana Mildred at Moody
Rosebud-Lott at Normangee
Holland at Crawford
Buckholts at Morgan
Magnolia Legacy at Central Texas
Saturday, Sept. 28
Non-district
Killeen Ellison vs. Odessa in Abilene
WEEK 6
Thursday, Oct. 3
Non-district
Lorena at Lampasas
Friday, Oct. 4
District 12-6A
Copperas Cove at Bryan
Harker Heights at Killeen
Killeen Shoemaker at Hewitt Midway
District 8-5A-I
Georgetown East View at Lake Belton
Killeen Chaparral at Georgetown District 13-4A-II
Lago Vista at Jarrell
Geronimo Navarro at Salado District 13-2A-II
Bartlett at McDade
Milano at Granger
Non-district
Columbus at Rogers
Buckholts at Evant
Tomball Rosehill at Central Texas
Christian
Idle: Temple, Belton, Killeen Ellison, Gatesville, Academy, Cameron Yoe, Rockdale, Troy, Bruceville-Eddy, Moody, Rosebud-Lott, Holland
WEEK 7
Thursday, Oct. 10
District 12-6A
Killeen at Killeen Shoemaker
District 10-5A-II
Belton at Killeen Ellison
Friday, Oct. 11
District 12-6A
Hewitt Midway at Temple
Bryan at Harker Heights
District 8-5A-I
Lake Belton at Leander Glenn
Leander at Killeen Chaparral District 4-4A-I
Brownwood at Lampasas District 12-4A-II
Waco La Vega at Gatesville District 13-4A-II
Jarrell at Geronimo Navarro
Salado at Wimberley
District 11-3A-I
Academy at Rockdale
McGregor at Cameron Yoe
Franklin at Troy
District 13-3A-II
Blanco at Rogers
District 13-2A-I
Moody at Bruceville-Eddy
Riesel at Rosebud-Lott
District 14-2A-I
Harper at Holland
District 13-2A-II
Snook at Bartlett
Granger at Iola
Non-district
Idle: Copperas Cove, Buckholts, Central Texas Christian
WEEK 8
Thursday, Oct. 17
Non-district
McLennan County Homeschool at Buckholts
Friday, Oct. 18
District 12-6A
Harker Heights at Copperas Cove
Killeen Shoemaker at Bryan
District 8-5A-I
Lake Belton at Leander
Leander Rouse at Killeen Chaparral
District 10-5A-II
Waco University at Belton
Killeen Ellison at Waco
District 4-4A-I
Lampasas at Burnet
District 12-4A-II
Lorena at Gatesville
District 13-4A-II
Wimberley at Jarrell
District 11-3A-I
Franklin at Academy
Troy at Cameron Yoe
Rockdale at McGregor
District 13-3A-II
Rogers at Comfort
District 13-2A-I
Marlin at Bruceville-Eddy
Rosebud-Lott at Moody
District 14-2A-I
Johnson City LBJ at Holland
District 13-2A-II
Bartlett at Burton
Granger at Somerville
TAPPS District 2-IV
Central Texas Christian at Bryan
Brazos
Idle: Salado
Non-district
WEEK 9
Thursday, Oct. 24
TAPPS District 2-IV
Conroe Covenant at Central Texas
Christian
Friday, Oct. 25
District 12-6A
Bryan at Temple
Copperas Cove at Killeen Shoemaker
Killeen at Hewitt Midway
District 8-5A-I
Cedar Park at Lake Belton
Killeen Chaparral at Georgetown East View
District 10-5A-II
Belton at Bryan Rudder
Brenham at Killeen Ellison
District 4-4A-I
Stephenville at Lampasas
District 12-4A-II
Gatesville at China Spring
District 13-4A-II
Jarrell at Salado
District 11-3A-I
Academy at Troy
Cameron Yoe at Rockdale
District 13-2A-I
Bruceville-Eddy at Rosebud-Lott
Moody at Crawford
District 14-2A-I
Holland at Mason
District 13-2A-II
Somerville at Bartlett
McDade at Granger
District 16-1A-II
Buckholts at Calvert
Non-district
Idle: Harker Heights, Rogers
WEEK 10
Thursday, Oct. 31
District 10-5A-II
Friday, Nov. 1
District 12-6A
Temple at Copperas Cove
Killeen Shoemaker at Harker Heights
District 8-5A-I
Lake Belton at Georgetown
Leander Glenn at Killeen Chaparral
District 10-5A-II
Belton at Waco
District 4-4A-I
Lampasas at Marble Falls District 12-4A-II
Robinson at Gatesville District 13-4A-II
Salado at Gonzales
District 11-3A-I
Academy at McGregor
Franklin at Cameron Yoe
Troy at Rockdale District 13-3A-II
Thrall at Rogers District 13-2A-I
Crawford at Bruceville-Eddy
Riesel at Moody
Marlin at Rosebud-Lott District 14-2A-I
San Saba at Holland District 13-2A-II
Milano at Bartlett
Granger at Snook District 16-1A-II
Buckholts at Cherokee
TAPPS District 2-IV
Hallettsville Sacred Heart at Central Texas Christian Non-district
Idle: Killeen, Jarrell WEEK 11
Thursday, Nov. 7
District 12-6A
Harker Heights at Temple Copperas Cove at Hewitt Midway
Bryan at Killeen District 10-5A-II
Brenham at Belton
Friday, Nov. 8 District 8-5A-I
Killeen Chaparral at Lake Belton District 10-5A-II
Killeen Ellison at Waco University District 12-4A-II
Gatesville at Waco Connally District 13-4A-II
Gonzales at Jarrell
Smithville at Salado District 11-3A-I
Cameron Yoe at Academy
Rockdale at Franklin
McGregor at Troy District 13-3A-II
Rogers at Lexington District 13-2A-I
Bruceville-Eddy at Riesel
Moody at Marlin
Rosebud-Lott at Crawford District 14-2A-I
Holland at Thorndale District 13-2A-II
Bartlett at Iola
Burton at Granger District 16-1A-II
Pawnee at Buckholts
TAPPS District 2-IV
Central Texas Christian at Shiner St. Paul Non-district
Christian
Temple at Killeen
Bryan Rudder at Killeen Ellison
Idle: Killeen Shoemaker, Lampasas
