On Wednesday night, the Touchdown Club of Houston honored private school football's best of the best at its eighth annual awards dinner.
Second Baptist School's Joshua Johnson was named the TD Club of Houston's Private School Offensive Player of the Year, while Dylan Cordell was named the TD Club of Houston's Private School Lineman of the Year.
"The Touchdown Club of Houston does a great job bringing recognition to deserving student-athletes from private schools," Second Baptist School Athletic Director Mike Walker said. "I am extremely proud of the six finalists from our school. They are incredible football players, but also incredible young men. Thanks to Neil and the committee for the hard work they put into nominating award winners."
The Second Baptist School, which went 12-1 this season, had six representatives at the dinner as finalists.
"It was great," Second Baptist School Head Coach Terry Pirtle said. "This is the product of having a good team and good players."
Along with Cordell and Johnson, Nate Dyman and Jonathan Gooden were finalists for the Defensive Player of the Year.
"This is indicative of the type of young men at SBS," Second Baptist School Defensive Coordinator Keith Page said. "Guys that go out and do their job and focus on what is best for the team and not what's best for them individually."
David Nunez was up for Specialist of the Year and Jaylon Coleman, who finished with over 1,000 yards receiving and 19 touchdowns, was a finalist for Iron Man of the Year.
"Jaylon made one of the biggest transformations skill-wise these last two years," Pirtle said. "He transformed into a great route runner, catching the ball and making plays his senior year. In his sophomore year, his skills weren't as developed as they are now. That's what we want to see in our program: athletes who continually grow and develop, and he really developed this year. What a testimony to his hard work and dedication to the sport. He's a D1 talent either as a safety or wide receiver.
"David is a hard worker. He has done a tremendous job of punting and kicking the last two years for us."
Cordell just became the second Second Baptist School player to win the Lineman of the Year Award. The only other winner was Vic Curne in 2017.
"It was a great honor to represent my school by winning this award," Cordell said. "It shows that all the hard work put in during the summer and during the season paid off."
For Johnson, who set the Second Baptist School record for passing touchdowns in a single season with 38, becomes the first-ever Eagles player to win the Offensive Player of the Year Award.
Johnson joins company such as St. Pius X's Grant Gunnell (Arizona), Episcopal's Jaylen Waddle (Alabama) and St. Pius X's Kohl Stewart (Minnesota Twins) as winners.
"It means a lot. It just shows how important it is to put in the work because I believe if you do so, it pays off," Johnson said.
Paetow 5-star senior defensive end David "DJ" Hicks Jr., middle, smiles as his parents look on Wednesday after Hicks verbally committed to play for Texas A&M.Dennis Silva II | VYPE Media
