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Friday, August 1, 2008
Clash of the Titans
Collin County, TX
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Photo(s) By: Louis DeLuca
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District 9-4A may look a little different in 2008, but it again will showcase one of the area’s best collections of quarterbacks.
Realignment has brought all four Frisco high schools together, with Wakeland making the move up to Class 4A and Liberty kicking off its first varsity season. McKinney Boyd has moved up to Class 5A, leaving McKinney High and McKinney North only one crosstown rival to deal with. More dramatic changes include playoff teams Little Elm and Lake Dallas moving to another district, but don’t expect life to get easier in 9-4A. The district’s newest tenants, Sherman and Denison, will join the fray as heavy playoff favorites.
The Collin County schools will attempt to counter their new rivals with four of the area’s most exciting quarterbacks: Centennial’s Ryan Mossakowski, Wakeland’s Will Secord, Frisco’s Gavin Gray and McKinney’s Zach Lee. All are capable of lighting up opponents for more than 2,000 yards in 2008.
District 9-4A
Frisco Raccoons
Coach: Vance Gibson
2007 Record: 6-5, DII bi-district qualifiers
Returning Lettermen: 10
Returning Starters: 2 Off./2 Def.
Players to watch: QB Gavin Gray, WR/DB Alphonse Coleman, RB Josh Hill, LB Justin Mitchell, OL Andy Cunningham, OL Scott Kilburn, OL Kris Kearney, LB Josh Sears
Outlook: The Raccoons lost 18 starters to graduation but will return key players from last year’s playoff team. Gray (6-2, 197) is back after passing for 2,266 yards and 17 TDs last year. He’ll be happy to look downfield and spot Coleman (6-4, 180) who hauled in 60 receptions for 1,021 yards and 11 TDs in 2007. Hill will likely garner the most carries after rushing for more than 500 yards and 4 TDs. Kearney, Kilburn and Cunningham will anchor the offensive line. Sears returns as a defensive starter, along with Coleman.
Frisco Centennial Titans
Coach: Mark Howard
2007 Record: 1-9
Returning Lettermen: 15
Returning Starters: 5 Off./7 Def.
Players to watch: QB Ryan Mossakowski, WR Bryan Singer, RB Aaron Kirkpatrick, DL Aaron Moore,
Outlook: The Titans’ expectations for improvement center around their top three offensive skill players. Mossakowski’s passing will keep defensive coordinators up at night and college scouts flocking to Centennial games. He’ll have two returning targets prepared to help him. All-district pick Singer had 62 catches for 900 yards and 7 TDs in 2007. Kirkpatrick caught 41 passes for almost 400 yards and a TD. Moore (6-5, 255, 4.9) is projected as one of the district’s better defenders.
Frisco Liberty Redhawks
Coach: Joe McBride
2007 Record: First Varsity Season
Returning Lettermen: N/A
Returning Starters: N/A
Players to watch: QB Matt Clark, WR Malcolm Hill, OT Errick Barrios, DL Kelly Reed, OT Chris Surprenant, OLB Jostin Flake, WR/LB Kyson Flake, DL Spencer McDuffy, OL Basit Khan, DB A.J. Deslandes, OL Jose Villareal
Outlook: Liberty players, coaches and boosters have been waiting for the school’s first varsity football season and they have reason for optimism. The Liberty junior varsity team went 9-1 in 2007. Clark (5-11, 180, 4.6) produced almost 2,000 yards of total offense and 23 TDs at the JV level. His favorite targets will be Hill (5-11, 175, 4.5) and Flake (6-0, 195, 4.6). Barrios (6-3, 270) and Surprenant (6-2, 270) provide good size on the offense line. McDuffy (6-0, 210, 4.9) will anchor the D-line.
Frisco Wakeland Wolverines
Coach: Marty Secord
2007 Record: 9-2, Class 3A DI bi-district qualifier
Returning Lettermen: 23
Returning Starters: 5 Off./7 Def.
Players to watch: QB Will Secord, RB Phillip Floyd, WR Jaime Harris, OL Michael Wolverton, LB Ryan Collins, LB Kellen Wright, RB Michael Jackson, WR Rodriques Hayes, DB Trent Smiley, OL David Garcia, DE Carter Ferguson, K Brennon Satre, LB Zach Zeigler
Outlook: Wakeland not only faces the challenge of repeating the success of last season, but also must contend with a move up to Class 4A competition. Much of the crew who led the Wolverines to the playoffs in just their second varsity season are return in 2008. Secord (6-2, 204, 4.6) has committed to Arkansas after passing for more than 2,000 yards and 24 TDs as a junior. The speedy Floyd (5-4, 186, 4.4) is also back after rushing for almost 1,000 yards and 17 TDs. Harris provides receiving experience having scored five TDs among his 12 catches. Wakeland’s linebacking corps is solid with Collins (6-2, 195, 4.6) and Wright (5-8, 186, 4.9).
McKinney Lions
Coach: Bobby Reyes
2007 Record: 3-7
Returning Lettermen: 24
Returning Starters: 7 Off./8 Def.
Players to watch: QB Zach Lee, WR Matt Lipka, WR Jared Farley, WR Quinn Benson, WR Brandon White, WR Dario Jackson, RB Brett Heldt, RB Reggie Robinson, OG Tyler Peterson, C Nate Leonard, LB Ryan Hughes, CB Prescott Mack, K Charles Gonsalves, S Jarred Johnson, DE Jordan Kilwine, DE Michael Riancho,
Outlook: A deep group of returning starters on both sides of the ball has the Lions eyeing a district title. Lee (6-3, 195) is back as triggerman of the McKinney offense, having passed for 1,900 yards and 17 TDs last season. Lee’s numbers should increase courtesy of an experienced receiving corps that includes third-team All-Stater Lipka (50 rec., 938 yards, 13 TDs). Robinson and Heldt will handle rushing duties. The Lions also return 8 starters on defense including Hughes who posted 90 tackles and four sacks in 2007.
McKinney North Bulldogs
Coach: Shawn Pratt
2007 Record: 5-5
Returning Lettermen: 25
Returning Starters: 1 Off./6 Def.
Players to watch: OL Colton Duncan, QB Vince Stanko, QB/RB Josh Matthews, TE Aaron Matthews, WR Chris Allen, OL Trent Bloedel, OLB Tony Brown, DT Terrance Hicks
Outlook: The Bulldogs will be a younger team in 2008, but still feel good about improving on last season’s .500 record. The offense will run behind its lone returning starter in Duncan (6-3, 300). Stanko returns having thrown for 800 yards and eight TDs in part-time duty, but he may compete with Josh Matthews for playing time. Brown (6-0, 190, 4.7) could make an impact on defense as a junior.
VYPE Predicts 9-4A
1. McKinney
2. Denison
3. Sherman
4. Frisco
5. Frisco Wakeland
6. Frisco Centennial
7. McKinney North
8. Frisco Liberty
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