The Cavaliers bring back some firepower led by Mallory Madison (280 kills) and Cassidy Copeland (267 kills). Copeland also led College Park in the middle with 99 blocks a year ago. Defensively, Morgan Madison had a great debut season as a freshman with 496 digs, sister Mallory had 357.
They will be the two defensive stalwarts in 2022 as well. They will have to find a setter to get the offense moving and feed it to Mallory along with Peyton Sedlacek on the outside as well.
PRESEASON RANKINGS
Lamar Texans
Heights Bulldogs
Westside Wolves
Westbury Rebels
Bellaire Cardinals
Sam Houston Tigers
Chavez Lobos
VYPE PRESEASON AWARDS
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Kenneth Rosenthal, Lamar
OFFENSIVE MVP: Jahbari Kuykendall, Westside
DEFENSIVE MVP: Carson Skotak, Lamar
BREAKOUT PLAYER OF THE YEAR:Allen Rainey, Heights
SLEEPER TEAM:Bellaire
LAMAR TEXANS
The Texans have been a consistent winning staple in inner city Houston with 11 district championships over the last 12 years. Coach Tom Nolan established Lamar as a city power, and coach Michael Lindsey has carried on the tradition of success. This season should be no different as the Texans return 12 starters (6/6) from an 8-3 team. There is a wealth of offensive talent in senior 6-foot-1, 195-pound QB Kenneth Rosenthal (1,275 yards, 11 TDs passing; 404 yards, 7 TDs rushing), junior 6-foot, 205-pound RB Jordan Reaves (170 yards, 3 TDs), senior RB Kelton Weathers (292 yards, 2 TDs rushing; 194 yards, TD receiving) and junior WR Tristen Brown (333 yards, 4 TDs). The defense is just as potent, particularly up front with senior LB Carson Skotak (64 tackles,9 tackles for loss, 4 sacks) and senior 6-1, 285-pound DT Jarvis Butler (32 tackles, 12 tackles for loss).
HEIGHTS BULLDOGS
The Bulldogs have made the playoffs 11 consecutive seasons and this year are likely to make it a sweet dozen. Coach Stephen Dixon’s team returns 14 starters (7/7) from a 4-7 team. All those four wins came during district play after Heights started last season 0-5. Senior 6-foot-3, 190-pound ATH Allen Rainey (10-15 passing, 65 yards last season; 244 yards, 5 TDs rushing), who will primarily play quarterback this season, will be the Bulldogs’ go-to on offense. He is effective wherever you put him on the field. He just needs the ball in his hands. Offensively, Heights is a force physically with junior 6-foot-1, 330-pound OL Frank Moss Jr. and senior 6-3, 240-pound TE Chance Hollins. The defense will likely be the Bulldogs’ strength early on behind playmakers like senior LB David Nico (71 tackles, 5 tackles for loss) and senior DL Hezekiah Adams (33 tackles, 3 tackles for loss, 2 sacks).
WESTSIDE WOLVES
Westside is another Houston ISD team with a lengthy postseason streak. The Wolves have made the playoffs each of the last 11 seasons. Westside returns 10 starters (6 defense) from a 6-3 team. The offense will be paced by senior RB Jahbari Kuykendall (1,603 yards, 14 TDs) and senior QB Thaddeus Watson (1,039 yards, 16 TDs passing). They make for a dynamic 1-2 punch. The defense is dominant up front behind senior 6-foot-3, 260-pound DL Jayden Gaines (4 tackles for loss, 2 sacks), senior DE Gerry Spencer (8 sacks) and junior DT Chris Garcia (2 tackles for loss). Concerns for the Wolves are at WR, OL and DB.
WESTBURY REBELS
The Rebels snapped an eight-season playoff drought last year and hope to ride that momentum into this season. Fifteen starters (8 offense) return from a 4-7 team. The offense is led by do-it-all senior Rickey Golightly Jr. (494 yards, 4 TDs passing; 307 yards, 4 TDs rushing; 25 tackles), who plays quarterback and linebacker, and senior RB Anthony Bravo Jr. (624 yards, 7 TDs rushing). The defensive front is spurred by senior DL Terry Warren Jr., and the secondary is perhaps the team’s positional strength behind senior DB Jomaal Carroll (55 tackles) and senior 6-foot-2, 150-pound DB Kahmar Pratt (44 tackles, 2 INTs).
BELLAIRE CARDINALS
Bellaire returns 17 starters (9 offense) from a 3-7 team. Senior Elan Goetz (112 receiving yards; 3 passes defensed; 182 kick return yards) is the headliner, a dazzling playmaker for the Cardinals at receiver, defensive back and on special teams. Junior WR Josh Burrell (254 yards, 2 TDs) is also an impressive talent. There is more quality two-way playmaking for Bellaire, especially in the trenches with senior Kevin Henry, senior Eduardo Poblano, junior Jordan Wright and senior Andrew Guerra.
SAM HOUSTON TIGERS
The Tigers have not made the playoffs since 2003. In the last 10 years, they’ve won eight games total. However, last year’s two wins were the most the Tigers had in the previous three seasons combined and was the first time they won more than one game in a season since 2012. Coach Charles Brown III seemingly has Sam Houston on the right track. Eleven starters (6 offense) return from a 2-8 team. The marquee talent is RB Howard Smith (1,149 yards, 11 TDs). The Tigers also have a pair of precocious sophomore talents in QB Trevan Williams and 6-foot-1, 160-pound WR Sincere Lewis. Defensively, the Tigers lean on senior stalwarts in the secondary in DBs Saul Skipper and Jamarcus Toliver.
CHAVEZ LOBOS
Chavez has made the playoffs just once since 2010. The Lobos have won just five games total over the last two seasons. But there is a new era as coach Rafael Hernandez, formerly the offensive coordinator, takes over as the Lobos’ third head coach in three years. He will lead a team that returns 11 starters (6 offense) from a 2-8 team. The offense will be ignited by senior 5-11, 165-pound QB Kamren Sanders (708 yards, 8 TDs passing; 209 yards, 2 TDs rushing) and 6-foot-1, 190-pound WR Davien Jernigan. Defensively, junior LB Clinton Simmons (76 tackles, 8 tackles for loss, INT) is the headliner.
PRESEASON RANKINGS
Jersey Village Falcons
Stratford Spartans
Cy-Fair Bobcats
Memorial Mustangs
Cypress Creek Cougars
Cypress Ridge Rams
Northbrook Raiders
Spring Woods Tigers
VYPE PRESEASON AWARDS
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER:Rashon Estes, Jersey Village
OFFENSIVE MVP: Nash Rankin, Stratford
DEFENSIVE MVP: Cooper King, Stratford
BREAKOUT PLAYER OF THE YEAR:Trey Owens, Cy-Fair
SLEEPER TEAM:Cypress Creek
JERSEY VILLAGE FALCONS
The Falcons return 17 starters (10 offense) from an undefeated district champion that went 11-1 and finished as an Area finalist. Coach David Snokhaus enters his 26th year at the helm of the program and will have plenty of talent in year No. 27. Pacing the spread offense is junior QB Adam Tran (2,062 yards, 16 TDs), senior WR Arbrie Carter (558 yards, 5 TDs receiving; 144 yards, 4 TDs rushing) and senior RB Rashon Estes (1,322 yards, 20 TDs; 252 yards, 2 TDs receiving). Senior OL Reagan Gill (SMU-commit, 6-foot-5, 310) and Mateo Ortiz (6-foot-2, 305) are three-year and two-year starters, respectively. Stirring Jersey Village’s 4-2-5 defense are senior 6-foot-2, 190-pound OLB Freddie Hudson (60 tackles, 2 INTs, 2 sacks), senior DB Chris Noble (51 tackles, 6 INTs), senior DB Darius Johnson (7 INTs), senior LB Francisco Zamaripa (45 tackles) and junior 6-foot-1, 230-pound DE Malik Slone (4 sacks). Snokhaus said experience is a strength but concerns are depth and health.
STRATFORD SPARTANS
Stratford is on the rise, returning 13 starters (7 offense) from a 10-2 team that lost to Katy in the Area playoffs. It was the first time the Spartans won at least 10 games since 2015. The offense has the chance to be special. Senior Nash Rankin (2,742 yards, 26 TDs; 200 yards, 6 TDs rushing) is back to call the shots. His primary target will be sophomore
WR Luke Rives (1,021 yards, 9 TDs), who broke some program receiving records last year. Senior 6-foot-4, 235-pound TE and Baylor-commit Hawkins Polley (426 yards, 5 TDs) and senior WR Jake Brand (561 yards, 3 TDs) add to what will be a lethal receiving corps. Senior 6-foot-4, 245-pound OL Hudson Perroni is catching more and more attention on the recruiting radar. Senior 5-foot-11, 220-pound LB Cooper King (95 total tackles, 6 sacks) and senior 6-foot-2, 235-pound DL Hunter Jones (10 tackles for a loss) make for a dynamic pass-rushing duo.
CY-FAIR BOBCATS
After going 10-2 and winning a district title in 2020, Cy-Fair had a bit of a reloading season in 2021 with only six starters back. Despite a considerable number of sophomores seeing varsity time, the Bobcats still went 7-4 last year and won a playoff game. As a result of the youth movement, 15 starters are back, including nine on defense. Offensively, sophomore 6-foot-4, 200-pound QB Trey Owens (1,677 yards, 15 TDs) leads the pack, and he’ll have a pair of strong WRs in junior 6-foot-2, 185-pound Owen Carter (493 yards, 6 TDs) and senior Kyle Chambers (481 yards, 4 TDs). Defensively is where Cy-Fair will star, however, thanks to a plethora of playmakers led by senior DE Ethan Anderson (13 tackles for loss, 5 sacks), junior 6-foot-2, 195-pound DE Cole Link (11 tackles for loss, 5 sacks) and sophomore 6-foot-3, 240-pound DL Landon Rink (9 tackles for loss, 4 sacks). The run game and secondary will be initial points of concern for Cy-Fair.
MEMORIAL MUSTANGS
Memorial had a solid year last season and returns 10 starters (5/5) from a 7-5 Area finalist. The offense starts with junior 6-foot-2, 195-pound QB Chase Goodwin (1,301 yards, 13 TDs), who will be taking snaps full time for the first time. He’s a Columbia-commit. Senior WR Kyle Siblik (772 yards, 16.1 yards per catch, 8 TDs) and senior RB Ethan Spears (524 yards, 12 TDs) are big-time weapons on the perimeter and in the backfield. Those three could be a potent trio, even more so with senior 6-foot-5, 320-pound OL Max Wang and junior Jack Ramsey steadying the front. Memorial’s defensive anchors are senior LB Grayson Lincecum (106 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 3 sacks) and senior DB Tyler Frankenfield (45 tackles, 2 INTs). Junior Luke Boehm is a potential breakout star who can make plays on either side of the ball.
CYPRESS CREEK COUGARS
Cypress Creek saw the opposite end of the spectrum last year. After going 4-6 and making it to the playoffs in 2020, the Cougars went 4-6 and saw themselves on the outside looking in last season. The Cougars return 16 starters (8/8). They will have the offensive juice, after averaging 34.3 points last year behind the prolific performances of junior QB Brad Jackson (2,791 yards, 29 TDs), junior RB Dominic Ramirez (650 yards, 6 TDs rushing; 517 yards, 5 TDs receiving) and sophomore WRs Jamon Richardson (449 yards, 14 yards per catch, 4 TDs) and Rashod Richardson (220 yards, 12.2 yards per catch, 5 TDs). Defense is where Cy Creek needs to get going after surrendering 41.6 points per game last season. There’s got to be more help around junior stalwarts Gavaun Washington (DE) and Keshawn Lamont (DB). Junior LB Deon Washington and senior LB Geramiah Smith could be the answer.
CYPRESS RIDGE RAMS
The Rams have a lot of question marks as 10 starters (5/5) return from a 2-8 campaign but there are intriguing pieces. The offensive line is in good hands with junior Jeremy Barajas, 6-foot-3, 360-pound junior Braylon Williams and 6-foot-7, 340-pound freshman Reginald Lee. The Rams’ top skill player is senior RB Joe Gaines III (333 yards, 2 TDs), who also has the versatility to be effective in the slot. No one is set yet at quarterback. On the defensive side, 6-foot-3, 210-pound senior LB Emiliano Soldevilla (54 tackles, 1 sack) might be the most athletic player on the team and is a special teams dynamo because of his penchant for blocking kicks.
NORTHBROOK RAIDERS
“We may not be able to compete physically with some other schools, but we’re always going to put our best out there,” third-year coach Andres Gomez said. “The scoreboard does not define who we are. It defines where we are.” And despite going winless for the second straight year, Gomez is confident the Raiders are making progress. Northbrook had four games last year where it was within a touchdown in the fourth quarter. It lost another game in double OT. There’s promise. In all, 13 starters (8 offense) are back, including senior LB Angel Reyes, senior WR Marquell Hannah, junior LB Dade Delva, senior OL Charley Belloso, junior DE Julian Cruz, junior QB Brandon Dillard, junior WR Daniel Espinoza and junior WR NJ Swinney. Gomez expects to be better overall on defense, and the skill positions on offense will be more experienced. Concerns are depth and size in the trenches on both sides of the ball.
SPRING WOODS TIGERS
The Tigers graduated 24 lettermen and return just 13 from a 4-6 team last season. Ten starters (5/5) are back. There is experience on both sides of the ball along the lines. Offensively, senior 6-foot-1, 280-pound OL Isaac Gutierrez, junior 6-foot-4, 220-pound OL Jairo Martinez and senior 6-foot-3, 23-pound OL Isaiah Dunbar are formidable up front. There will be a new QB following the graduation of three-year starter Isaiah McKnight. Junior Derek Loflin could prove to be a consistent contributor out of the backfield. He has the versatility to also be a factor on defense if need be. Speaking of defense, senior tackle Matt Emerson is the rock. Also keep an eye on junior DB Michael Davila and junior RB Roderick Bunton.
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