Pigskin Preview 2009 Issue

District 11-5A
Desoto Favored to Take District, But It Won’t Come Easy
Maya Golden - Former KLTV Sports Director & Reid Kerr - KLTV New
Desoto was the runaway pick by the district coaches to take the 11-5A crown. After all, they have eight offensive and defensive starters back from a
team that went two rounds deep into the playoffs.
Their sophomore QB is back as well as their leading rusher.
But the other five teams are not giving up the title just yet. All the coaches seemed to agree that Robert E. Lee and John Tyler could easily make a run
at the district championship.
The Mesquite schools haven’t thrown in the towel either. Horn got its first taste at a playoff schedule and Mesquite and North Mesquite have plenty of
talent back this year.
Most of the coaches agree there will be no “easy” nights when district begins in October.
Mesquite Skeeters
The Mesquite Skeeters missed the playoffs last year,
going 5-5 and staying home for the postseason for the
first time since 2003.
Mesquite will rely on their offense to set the tone, since
the team returns eight starters for the 2009 season.
Wide receiver Tim Paris is a player to watch for the
Skeeters. At six-feet-five, Paris is a two-sport threat
for Mesquite.
“He’s been a big-time basketball player for us,”
Mesquite head coach Robbie Robinson said, “but
football really became his main sport last year. He
really became a weapon for us; with his size he can
really go up and get it.”
In the backfield, Mesquite will rely on seniors Greg
Fason and Robert Marshall.
“They split time last year,” Robinson said. “Greg’s also
playing some safety for us, he’s really explosive, a fast
kid.”
“Marshall was a running back, but he’s also played
really well at linebacker. For whichever side of the ball
he’ll play on most of the time, the jury is still out on
that one.”
Mesquite Horn Jaguars
In 2008, Mesquite Horn went where no other Jaguars
team had gone before. They finished the season at
4-7, and playing their first ever playoff game.
“We finished the season with a lot of momentum,”
second year head coach Rodney Webb said. “We not
only made the playoffs for the first time, but we beat
Mesquite and North Mesquite for the first time. Beating
Mesquite in the last week put us in, and also knocked
them out.”
“That victory last year went a long way towards getting
rid of that ‘little brother’ stigma that Horn has had. For
the first time, we were the team on top.”
Webb said the playoff appearance carried over into
the spring and summer.
While the Skeeters are strong with returning players,
the man who takes the snaps will be new.
“Having that many kids with experience playing, that’ll
help out with a new quarterback. Davian Harper will
be our starter.”
On defense, Mesquite will be rebuilding. Mar’Shauwn
Grays is their lone returning starter.
“He’s a really good cover corner,” Robinson said. “He’s
our guy that we put on the big-time receivers.”
As for the rest of his defense, Robinson said there’s
lots of room for effort.
“We’re going to have to do a great job of flying to the
ball. I think we have a chance to be good, but we’ve
got a lot of young kids who have to step up and make
sure things get done.”
Players to Watch
Tim Paris Senior WR
Mar’Shauwn Grays Senior DB
Robert Marshall Senior RB/LB
Greg Fason Senior RB/S
“Our sub-varsity was really successful, so combined,
we had a lot of confidence coming into the off-season.
Our kids have a good work ethic so we had no
problems getting them to work in the off-season.”
The Jaguars will have six returners on offense, led by
quarterback Emory Miller.
“I wouldn’t trade Emory for any quarterback in the
state of Texas,” Webb said. “He’s got everything you
want in a high school quarterback. He’s a leader. It’s a
cliché, but he’s an extension of the coaching staff. He
has full command of the offense on the field, and he
makes good decisions.”
The Jaguars will return running back Travis Brewster,
a senior looking to make up for a rough junior years.
“He just never got on track last year,” Webb said, “He
missed time with injuries.”
Mascot:
Skeeters
Enrollment: 2500
Superintendent: Dr. Linda Henrie
Head Coach: Robbie Robinson
Returning Offensive Starters 8
Returning Defensive Starters 1
Schedule
8/29 Lake Highlands @Frisco 7:30
9/4 Hebron Away 7:30
9/10 Naaman Forest Hanby 7:00
9/18 Southlake Carroll Away 7:30
9/26 Lufkin Away 2:00
10/2 OPEN
10/9 Robert E Lee* Away 7:30
10/16 John Tyler* Hanby 7:30
10/23 Desoto* Away 7:30
10/30 North Mesquite* Memorial 7:30
11/6 Horn* Hanby 7:30
*district games
Webb has high hopes for Brewster, who he said
reminds him of another former 11-5A running back.
“He reminds me a lot of (former John Tyler and now
Oklahoma State tailback) Kendall Hunter. He’s got a
similar build and running style, he can go.”
Horn returns three starters on defense, including junior
defensive ends Jared Tyler and Stephon Sanders.
“We’re going to be young on defense,” Webb admits, “I
think we’ll be better and deeper but young.”
After their first playoff season, Webb is looking forward
to raising the expectations at Horn.
“I don’t feel like last year we expected to win some of
our games,” Webb said, “but this year we will.”
cont,
Mesquite Horn
Players to Watch
Emory Miller Senior QB
Travis Brewster Senior RB
Colton Davis Senior OL
Jared Tyler Junior DE
Stephon Sanders Junior DE
Kyle Boyd Junior LB
North Mesquite
Stallions
The Stallions finished the 2008 regular season at 4-6
for the second straight year, but missed the playoffs.
Desoto Eagles
The Desoto Eagles went 6-6 in 2008, claiming another
playoff spot and a two round postseason run for head
coach Claude Mathis in his first season.
Expectations are high again this year, with the Eagles
picked to win the district by the coaches of 11-5A.
Desoto returns eight starters on each side of the ball,
including running back Marcus Murphy.
Murphy was a threat on the ground and through the air
last season, rushing for 1200 yards and catching more
than five hundred yards worth of passes. Murphy also
led the Eagles with 24 touchdowns scored in 2008.
Junior Ryan Polite returns at quarterback for the
Eagles, after a sophomore year that saw him throw for
almost eighteen hundred yards and 17 touchdowns,
including seven scores to returning wide receiver
Darius Terrell.
On defense, the Eagles will rely on a pair of returning
linebackers in Byron Hudson and Zachary Orr. From
his middle linebacker spot, Orr led the team with 89
solo tackles and 70 assists, with 8 sacks.
Cornerback Vincent Eddie also returns for Desoto on
defense.
District 11-5A
Mascot:
Jaguars
Enrollment: 2250
Superintendent: Dr. Linda Henrie
Head Coach: Rodney Webb
Returning Offensive Starters 6
Returning Defensive Starters 3
Schedule
8/28 Arlington Martin Away 7:30
9/4 Lake Highlands Hanby 7:30
North Mesquite will have four starters returning on
offense, including two pair of outstanding skill position
players.
In the backfield, senior Jamacia Baines and junior
Joe Bergeron will carry the load. Combined, the pair
accounted for seven hundred yards and seven scores
in 2008.
The Stallions also have a pair of receivers back in
senior Ricki Herod and three year starter Michael
Wheeler. Wheeler led the team with four hundred
yards receiving and a pair of touchdowns.
On defense, North Mesquite returns five starters. Sixfoot,
two-hundred and ninety pound defensive tackle
Marcus Bagley returns to anchor the line.
Players To Watch
Ricki Herod Senior WR
Michael Wheeler Senior WR
Marcus Bagley Senior DT
Joe Bergeron Junior RB
Jamarcia Baines Senior RB
Mascot:
Stallions
Enrollment: 2400
Superintendent: Dr. Linda Henrie
Head Coach: Mike Robinson
Returning Offensive Starters 4
Players To Watch
Marcus Murphy Senior RB
Ryan Polite Junior QB
Mascot:
Eagles
Enrollment: 2863
Superintendent: Lloyd Treadwell
Head Coach: Claude Mathis
Returning Offensive Starters 8
Returning Defensive Starters 8
Schedule
8/29 Midland Lee Away 11:00
9/4 Plano Home 7:30
9/11 Berkner Away 7:30
9/18 Duncanville Away 7:30
9/25 Flower Mound Away 7:30
10/2 OPEN
10/9 North Mesquite* Home 7:30
9/11 Wylie Away 7:30
9/18 Ennis Hanby 7:30
9/26 OPEN
10/2 Lewisville Away 7:30
10/9 John Tyler* Hanby 7:30
10/16 North Mesquite* Memorial 7:30
10/23 Robert E Lee* Hanby 7:30
10/30 Desoto* Away 7:30
11/6 Mesquite* Hanby 7:30
*district games
Returning Defensive Starters 5
Schedule
8/28 Rowlett Away 7:30
9/4 North Garland Away 7:30
9/11 Duncanville Home 7:30
9/17 Irving MacArthur Home 7:00
9/25 OPEN
10/2 South Garland Home 7:00
10/9 Desoto* Away 7:30
10/16 Mesquite Horn* Home 7:30
10/23 John Tyler* Away 7:30
10/30 Mesquite* Away 7:30
11/6 Robert E Lee* Home 7:30
*district games
10/16 Robert E Lee* Away 7:30
10/23 Mesquite* Home 7:30
10/30 Mesquite Horn* Home 7:30
11/6 John Tyler* Away 7:30
*district game
District 11-5A
Pre-Season
Coaches’ Poll
1. Desoto
2. Robert E. Lee
3. John Tyler
4. Mesquite
5. North Mesquite
6. Mesquite Horn
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