GAMES
RANKINGS
The reigning UIL 3A-D1 State Champions -- Columbus Cardinals
DISTRICT 12-3A-DI: Columbus boasts a State Title; Hitchcock looks to rebound
DISTRICT 12-3A-D1
PRESEASON PREDICTIONS
Columbus Cardinals
Hitchcock Bulldogs
Hallettsville Brahmas
Yoakum Bulldogs
Hempstead Bobcats
(Bold Denotes Playoffs)
...VYPE PRESEASON AWARDS
Most Valuable Player: Braylon Fisher, Columbus
Offensive Player of the Year: Mycole Pegoda, Hallettsville
Defensive Player of the Year: Rylan Carruthers, Columbus
Breakout Player of the Year: Cam’ron Taylor, Hitchcock
On the Cusp: Yoakum Bulldogs
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Columbus is coming off a historical season. The Cardinals rolled to a 15-1 record and captured the Class 3A Division I State Championship with a dominating 48-14 victory over Malakof. Columbus, led by seventh-year coach Matt Schobel (72-13) will have to replace some key players, including Adam Schobel, John Schobel, and Grayson Rigdon, but only dressed eight seniors in the title game. WR Braylon Fisher, who has offers from TCU, Houston, Vanderbilt and UTSA, led the team with 1,338 receiving yards and 16 scores in 2024. The entire starting offensive line is back, including Kenyon Hemphill-Woods, who has offers from Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Houston, Kansas State, Illinois and UTSA, and Christopher Quinn. The Cardinals linebacker corps is back and strong with Brody Vinclarek, Rylan Carruthers and Brody Tribe returning after combining for 415 tackles between the trio. Carruthers accounted for 165 tackles of that number. Other players to watch include WR/DB Brennan Hicks, QB/DB Jack Schobel and FB/DL Sean Sutton.
Hitchcock reached the Regional Semifinals a year ago after going 10-2. The Bulldogs will have a new look on offense with only three starters returning. Defensively, Hitchcock should be pretty sound with eight starters back in the mix, including District 12-3A-DI Defensive Lineman of the Year Demarcus Blackmon. Clear Lake transfer Terrell Stinson Jr. will play a huge role this season at DB and WR. The Bulldogs also return the district’s reigning Newcomer of the Year in Cam’ron Taylor, who is listed as RB, WR and OLB. Other key defensive returners include first-team, all-district pick Brian Harris and second-teamers Jaiden Freeman and Averett Lacy. The Bulldogs also return Jamarion Cooper, who was second-team, all-district on offense and defense from his running back and middle linebacker positions. Craig Smith enters year No. 14 at the helm and just eight wins shy of coaching career victory No. 100. Keys to success will be good defensive play and the young skill guys improving on a weekly basis.
Hallettsville went 3-8 a year ago and reached the Bi-District round of the playoffs. Third-year coach Levi Montgomery returns 10 starters to a squad that is seeking a 14th-straight playoff appearance in 2025. What will be a young Brahmas team will lean on young players developing quickly. Key returners for Hallettsville include Matthew Montgomery, who racked up 118 tackles, four tackles for loss, six QB pressures and three pass break-ups on the way to a first-team, all-district selection. Offensively, Mycole Pegoda is back after rushing for 1,130 yards and 16 scores, while passing for another 620 yards and four touchdowns. He was first-team, all-district as well. Finally, first-team, all-district OL Kyle Svetlik is back after registering 21 pancakes a year ago.
Yoakum posted an 8-5 mark in 2024 and reached the second round of the playoffs where they ran into eventual State Champion and district foe Columbus. The Bulldogs return some key pieces for 2025 including first-team, all-district lineman Oliver Ortiz and second-teamer OL Jaydon Johnson. Defensively, first-team, all-district free safety Cayson Gamez and second-team free safeties Bradley and Brenten Jacob and cornerback Tayten Crawford are set to return. Hempstead went 0-10 in 2024. The Bobcats return second-team, all-district running back Dawayne Crawford and second-team, all-district LB and RB Jleon Watts.
THE SUPER 60: Houston’s Top Prospects for 2027
With the Texas High School Football season quickly approaching, the VYPE team conducted a deep dive into the top Houston prospects in the class of 2027.
Without further ado, here is the 'Super 60' list of Houston's top prospects in 2027.
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No. 1 - Kennedy Brown, Kingwood, Offensive Lineman
No. 2 - Landen Williams-Callis, Randle, Running Back
No. 3 - Kaden McCarty, Cy Falls, Defensive End
No. 4 - Xavier Muhammad, South Houston, Defensive Lineman
No. 5 - Alvin Mosley, Crawford, Wide Receiver
No. 6 - Ezekiel Ayangbile, Langham Creek, Defensive End
No. 7 - Keyon Hemphill-Woods, Columbus, Offensive Lineman
No. 8 - Braylon Fisher, Columbus, Wide Receiver
No. 9 - Trenton Blaylock, Atascocita, Defensive Back
No. 10 - Amari Vickerson, Cy Ranch, Defensive Lineman
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No. 11 - Demarco Jenkins, Pearland, Defensive Lineman
No. 12 - Brandon Sherrard, Shadow Creek, Defensive Back
No. 13 - Karnell ‘Greedy’ James, Manvel, Defensive Back
No. 14 - Aden Starling, Shadow Creek, Wide Receiver, Houston-Commit
No. 15 - Carson White, Iowa Colony, Quarterback
No. 16 - Wayne Shanks Jr, Kinkaid, Running Back
No. 17 - Tristan Willis, Shadow Creek, Running Back
No. 18 - Alexander Coey, Conroe, Defensive End
No. 19 - Braylon Lane, CE King, Wide Receiver
No. 20 - Antwon Sanders, CE King, Running Back
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No. 21 - Eli Kelly, Legacy SSS, Athlete
No. 22 - Braiden Graves, Bridgeland, Defensive Back
No. 23 - Aaron Williams, Ridge Point, Linebacker
No. 24 - Kingston Tupuola, Conroe, Offensive Lineman
No. 25 - Blake Jenkins, Tompkins, Defensive Back
No. 26 - Darnell Jackson, Grand Oaks, Wide Receiver
No. 27 - Cade Haug, Kingwood, Linebacker
No. 28 - Kevin Jackson, Shadow Creek, Athlete
No. 29 - Davon Smith, Westfield, Linebacker
No. 30 - James Harris, Cy Falls, Defensive End
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No. 31 - Larry Brown, Summer Creek, Wide Receiver
No. 32 - Jason Johnson, Atascocita, Defensive Lineman
No. 33 - Elijah Wright, Katy Jordan, Defensive Lineman
No. 34 - Landon Williams, Katy Jordan, Wide Receiver
No. 35 - Bryson Dossett, Ridge Point, Defensive Back
No. 36 - Braden Baker, Cy Ranch, Quarterback
No. 37 - Kevin Ferrygood, Cy Fair, Wide Receiver
No. 38 - Kameron Roberson, Cy Springs, Defensive Back
No. 39 - Benny Easter, Summer Creek, Wide Receiver
No. 40 - Isaac Coughran, Katy, Offensive Lineman
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No. 41 - Brandon Hebert, North Shore, Offensive Lineman
No. 42 - La’Damian Defreeze, North Shore, Wide Receiver
No. 42 - Aubrey Johnson, North shore, Wide Receiver
No. 43 - Emmit Hines, Nimitz, Defensive Back
No. 44 - Kamar Chavez-Brown, Randle, Wide Receiver
No. 45 - Demarcus West, Shadow Creek, Offensive Lineman
No. 46 - Noah Spinks, Summer Creek, Quarterback
No. 47 - Jared Hagger, Cy Springs, Quarterback
No. 48 - Chad Nelson, Mayde Creek, Athlete
No. 49 - Brandon Smith Jr., Elsik, Running Back
No. 50 - Abdus Kone, North Shore, Offensive Lineman
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No. 51 - Samuel Weary, Manvel, Linebacker
No. 52 - Camden Hughes, College Park, Quarterback
No. 53 - Yogi Martin, Cy Springs, Athlete
No. 54 - Chase Brown, North Shore, Offensive Lineman
No. 55 - Cal Thigpen, Jersey Village, Defensive End
No. 56 - Suhaib Ramseur, Ridge Point, Wide Receiver
No. 57 - Tyler Washington, Paetow, Defensive Back
No. 58 - DyShon Washington, Klein, Defensive Back
No. 59 - Kash Schwab, Bridgeland, Running Back
No. 60 - Caden Watson, La Porte, Linebacker