Led by Rice-commit Cindy Tchouangwa and Colorado School of Mines-commit Presley Powell, Tompkins has some firepower back.
Other players to take note of include first-team, all- district pick Tendai Titley, second teamer Brooklynn Merrell and honorable- mention picks Erica Dellesky and Skylar Skrabanek.
Keys to success in 2022 include “offensive execution, tempo and serving,” according to coach Allison Merrell, who enters her 10th year (183- 106) leading Tompkins.
Elkins' Tyson Craft
Senior running back Tyson Craft knows the history. Now, he wants his name added to the list.
Craft enters his senior season with a massive chip on his shoulder, a ton of confidence and a simple philosophy when the football is in his hands.
He wants the ball.
"If you are going to be the man of a team, who everyone is looking to make a play, you have to do what you have to do with it," Craft said.
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
Craft has already established himself as one of Elkins' most productive offensive weapons. The running back was the 2024 District Newcomer of the Year and has piled up more than 1,800 rushing yards during his career.
But statistics aren't what motivate him most. It's the doubters.
"A lot of people doubt me and count me out," Craft said. "That really motivates me and puts something in my heart. My goal is to be one of the best running backs around here and eventually in the NFL. I have to show them every day on the field."
That confidence comes with versatility. Craft models his game after former NFL star Reggie Bush, a player known for his explosiveness, speed and ability to impact a game from anywhere on the field.
"I'm fast and shifty," Craft said. "I'm an every-down back who is versatile. Punt return, in the slot. I want the ball."
And Craft believes his game has continued to evolve. One of the biggest areas of improvement has been his ability to contribute as a receiver.
"I feel like I've become a much better route runner," he said. "I don't feel like anyone can guard me out of the backfield."
That confidence will be important as Elkins looks to build on last year's playoff appearance. Craft believes the foundation for another postseason run has been built away from the lights.
The Knights put in the work throughout the summer, but they also spent time together away from football, strengthening the relationships that can become so important during a long season.
The featured standouts of the 2026–27 Elkins Knights football team.Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
"The great teams have great chemistry and enjoy being around each other," Craft said. “We really bonded as a team this offseason.”
There's another Elkins tradition that Craft isn't about to give up. The night before a game, the team moms prepare a “team dinner” - chicken pasta.
"I love that," Craft said. "It gets me fueled up. It’s just another way to get with the guys and hang out… laugh and make memories.”
Those little things are part of what makes a football season memorable. But Craft knows the biggest moments will ultimately come on Friday nights.
He has already started thinking about what comes next, too.
"I'm looking for a school that will let me get on the field quickly," he said. "Also a school that gets me prepared for a career being in front of the camera—the sports media field."
It's an interesting second dream for a player whose first dream is to play on Sundays. And if Craft gets his way, he'll have plenty of football stories to tell.
His own destination remains unwritten, but Craft isn't waiting around for someone else to write it for him. He plans to do it himself, one carry, one catch and one big play at a time.
"I want the ball."
For an Elkins running back with something to prove, that's more than a statement. It's a mindset.
A second-team all-district selection a season ago, Nwawueze led the Lions with six sacks and nine tackles for loss while recording 30 tackles overall. But the numbers only tell part of his development.
“Analyzing plays and improving my get-off has allowed me to step up my game,” Nwawueze said. “There’s a lot you can gain by paying attention to the details — how the tackle lines up across from you, which pass-rush moves to use to get past the block, and being aware of the option plays.”
Farrah Sheeren (VYPE)
His growth as a teammate, though, has come from somewhere a little less tangible.
“I feel like, as a player, I’ve been able to develop my confidence and mental strength over the years,” he said. “That’s not something you can do on your own, so I credit a lot of that to the examples set by the leaders before me. For me, I feel like I can relate to anyone and be approachable. That helps with communication, and you can see that dynamic show up on the field.”
It’s an outlook that traces back to his earliest varsity experiences.
“My love for football comes from my teammates, for real,” Nwawueze said. “Going from JV to varsity, I realized I wasn’t the fastest guy out there. But I also learned that I didn’t necessarily have to be. I got my first sack in my first varsity game, and everyone was celebrating. It was a good moment, and it’s moments like that with my teammates that keep me going.”
That same sense of togetherness now carries into a Lions team that has already shown what progress can look like.
Alief Taylor improved from 1-9 in 2024 to 4-6 last fall, and that momentum has continued into 2026. With a fresh slate of district opponents — including teams from Spring Branch ISD and Houston ISD, in addition to their Alief rivals — the Lions are looking to take another step forward.
The featured standouts of the 2026–27 Alief Taylor Lions football team.Dana Strange (VYPE)
For Nwawueze, the difference may ultimately come down to something the numbers can’t capture.
“Honestly, it’s going to be our mentality that separates us from the teams we face,” he said. “From a skill standpoint, we’re on a level playing field. So, how we approach each game and work through the preparation — that’s what should determine how far we go.”
Beyond football, Nwawueze plans to pursue a career as a physical therapist, beginning certification training through Patient Care after graduation. For now, though, his focus remains on one more season — and on helping the Lions discover just how far their progress can take them.
Hightower's Carson White (Oklahoma State commit)
“My dad has been coaching high school ball in Texas for as long as I can remember, so my history with football started early on,” White said. “Being around it with him, watching my older brothers do it, and now getting to live it with my dad back at Hightower again — it’s a dream come true.”
Matt Powell (VYPE)
The résumé White brings with him speaks for itself. He steered Iowa Colony to a 12-2 record and a second consecutive Region III Final appearance, throwing for roughly 2,000 yards and 32 touchdowns while adding nearly 700 rushing yards and 15 more scores. That dual-threat showing landed White on the first-team all-district list while reinforcing his place among the area’s premier signal-callers.
Now, he joins a Hightower roster that believes it has more to show this fall. Under head coach Cornelius Anthony, the Hurricanes went 7-4 and finished third in the district before Manvel ended their postseason in the opening round. Hightower already boasts plenty of talent, and White’s arrival only raises the stakes.
The featured standouts of the 2026–27 Hightower Hurricanes football team.Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
“I think everybody knows I can play ball, so to me, there’s really no difference between playing 5A or 6A,” White said. “I feel like I can play with the best of the best, no matter who I’m up against. That’s really what I’m looking to prove.”
That confidence comes with a different level of perspective than the one White carried as a freshman.
“I’ve had to learn how to manage the game more effectively,” he said. “During my freshman year, I wasn’t as poised. I was just kind of ballin’ at that point. But now, I feel like I have more control over everything, including the emotions that come with the flow of the game.”
The lessons haven’t all come easily.
“Overcoming adversity and taking it head on without letting it derail my life or my vision of the game takes a lot,” White said. “It takes a level head to balance who you are as a player and as a person. But it’s necessary because the sport is short-lived, so you gotta make the most of it and not harp on the hard times.”
White’s approach may prove just as valuable as the numbers he put up at Iowa Colony. Hightower presents a new offense and set of challenges, but not a new purpose. He knows what he can do. Now, he gets to prove it on one of Texas high school football’s biggest stages, with his father helping guide the way.
Beyond football, White is still a young man with his own quirks — including a particularly strong aversion to vegetables.
“I know we as athletes are supposed to eat right for the most part, but I don’t like vegetables at all,” White said with a laugh. “I gag when I eat them — especially cabbage. But my mom makes this salmon and rice that never fails, and I can’t say no to a good burger.”
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