District 8-5A DII
Corsicana
Ennis
Kaufman
Sulphur Springs
Royse City
North Forney
Greenville
Forney
Terrell
Is 8-5A DII The Biggest Toss Up This Year?
Full disclosure: By the end of the 2019 regular season the predictions listed above will more than likely be completely wrong and this will not age well. Thus is life in prognosticating high school football.
With former Southlake Carroll head coach Hal Wasson patrolling the sidelines in 2019 and coming off a 9-3 record a year ago, Corsicana seems like a certain lock to make the playoffs. Eleven starters and just 16 lettermen overall return to the Tigers, so there could be some early humps to get over. Outside of wide receiver Drew Denbow, the skills position is a bit unproven but if any coach in the area knows how to work with roster turnover, it's Wasson, who was 125-25 that includes a state title in 11 seasons with Carroll.
Ennis could easily be looking like district champs by the time the regular season ends as 26 lettermen, which includes 12 starters, return. Seven of those starters come on the defensive side of the ball, which could prove to be the catalyst for the team's success this year. DeRyous Stokes and Clayton Jenkins anchor the defensive line, Dane Vernor is the leader in the linebacker group and Dee Johnson - only a sophomore - spearheads the secondary. Athlete Dyllan Santos will be the playmaker at quarterback this year after finding some footing in the position late last year.
Kaufman finished second in district last year and might see a little slide in the standings this year. Only nine starters are back from a 7-3 team with only 13 lettermen returning. Only three of those starters are on the offensive side of the ball, which means Kaufman will have to find out who its go-to playmakers are very quickly. Defense has a little more stability to work with, which will be important to allow the offense to find its groove, led by defensive tackle Angel Juarez and linebacker Billy Pullen.
Sulphur Springs is another team that made the playoffs last year but doesn't have a lot of returning starters - just eight - from that squad. Nineteen lettermen are back for coach Greg Owens, who will have to retool the offense with a new quarterback. Once again, defense will most likely be Sulphur Springs' calling card as the offense learns to gel with one another.
VYPE Preseason Awards
MVP: ATH Dyllan Santos, Ennis
Offensive MVP: WR Drew Denbow, Corsicana
Defensive MVP: LB Kylan Wade, Sulphur Springs
Breakout Player of the Year: RB Bryce Martinez, Royse City
Sleeper Team: Royse City
