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RANKINGS
THE DISTRICT OF DOOM: North Shore looks to continue dominance; Atascocita, Summer Creek, Kingwood in the hunt
Summer Creek Bulldogs
Atascocita Eagles
Kingwood Mustangs
C.E. King Panthers
Humble Wildcats
Channelview Falcons
Goose Creek Memorial Patriots
(Bold Denotes Playoffs)
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VYPE PRESEASON AWARDS
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Cardae Mack, Atascocita
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Kaleb Maryland, North Shore
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Cade Haug, Kingwood
BREAKOUT PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Braylen Lane, CE King
ON THE CUSP: CE King Panthers
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The North Shore Mustangs reached the State Semifinals last season, only to fall to Austin Westlake in a lopsided matchup. With that loss came the end of an era, as head coach Willie Gaston bids farewell to one of the most decorated senior classes in recent memory. So, should the Mustangs be down in 2025? Not a chance. Quarterback Kaleb Maryland (Utah State-commit) has waited in the wings for three years and is finally getting his shot. The dynamic dual-threat playmaker is ready to carry the torch and lead the offense with explosiveness and poise. Maryland will benefit from a rebuilt but powerful offensive line, anchored by Isaac Aranda, Chase Brown, Abdus Kone, and Brandon Hebert, a 6-foot-6, 290-pound transfer from Port Arthur Memorial. With that kind of size up front, the run game should flourish, and Maryland will have time to make plays. At receiver, it's a new crew of rising stars: La’Damian Defreeze, Aubrey Johnson, Jaylen Bocard, and Dorian Barnes—all hungry to make a name for themselves. Guiding the offense is new offensive coordinator Ben Barkema, who joins the program from Deer Park. Defensively, North Shore will continue to bring the heat. In the trenches, Xavier Waters, Jaylen Fields, Zaqwaun Nunn (a Louisiana Tech commit from Clear Springs), and sophomore standout Jayden Johnson (already holding five D1 offers) form a fearsome front. Jayden Curry is poised for a breakout at defensive end. Dezmon Christian leads an inexperienced linebacker unit, while the secondary is bolstered by Tony Guillory at corner, and Juan Hernandez III, giving the defense both depth and playmaking potential. The names may change, but at North Shore, the standard remains the same: State title or bust.
Summer Creek High made a thunderous run to the State Semifinals last season, falling to eventual state champion Vandegrift—but not before establishing itself as a powerhouse under head coach Kenny Harrison. Nestled near IAH Airport, the Bulldogs’ rise has been rapid—and it’s no longer a secret: Summer Creek has arrived. With the graduation of standout QB Blake Thomas, Flower Mound transfer Noah Spinks steps in under center with high expectations. He’ll have the benefit of a seasoned offensive front, led by center Jonathan Bermudez, and a versatile backfield featuring Braylin Causey and Keshawn Jackson. At receiver, the Bulldogs are stacked. Holden Miller, Tre Brown, and Benny Easter Jr. form one of the most explosive trios in the region—capable of stretching the field and torching defenses. Defensively, it starts in the trenches with Brinley Tita, who brings power and grit up front, supported by edge rushers Amontre Harris and Van Cormier. At linebacker, Tyson Joiner and Tre Carroll fly to the football with relentless energy. And then there’s the secondary—loaded with talent and swagger. Marrell Davis and Caleb White headline a unit that can cover, hit, and change games in a flash.
The Atascocita Eagles soared to a 12-2 finish last season, with both losses coming at the hands of one familiar foe: North Shore—once in district play and again in the Regional Final. Now, with a seasoned squad and State dreams in sight, head coach Craig Stump and his team are ready to take the next step. Leading the charge is District MVP and Arizona State commit Cardae Mack, one of the most dynamic playmakers in the state. He’s back and hungry to finish the job. At quarterback, Isaiah “Rocket” Rasheed returns after a strong sophomore campaign and is expected to take a major leap in Year 3. His top target will be CJ Toney, a reliable and explosive weapon on the outside. Defensively, Atascocita brings the fire. Andre Jones and Jason Johnson (6-5, 280-pounds) provide the push in the trenches, while Rayvion Sauls—a relentless, sideline-to-sideline linebacker—will be the heart of the unit. In a loaded secondary, Hunter Sowell, Tavon Bolden, Trenton Blaylock are poised to shut down opposing aerial attacks. With star power, depth, and a chip on their shoulder, the Eagles are all in on a return to the Regional Final—and beyond.
The Kingwood Mustangs turned heads in 2024 with a 9-5 finish, making a deep run to the Regional Finals before being stopped by district rival Summer Creek. It was a breakout campaign for Coach Cale Melton and his squad—and the excitement around the program is very real. Leading the charge into 2025 is District Newcomer of the Year Landon Hinson, who returns at quarterback with poise and upside. He’ll be handing off to explosive running back Cam Richardson, who will be running behind one of the best in the business—national recruit Kennedy Brown, the anchor of a formidable offensive line. On the outside, Trysten Laughlin and Kye Wheby give Hinson reliable and athletic targets to stretch the field and make plays downfield. Defensively, Cade Haug is the tone-setter—a tackling machine at linebacker—while Brayden Ferdows will provide key support in the middle of the defense. The biggest challenge for the Mustangs? Replacing a large and talented senior class. Building depth will be critical if Kingwood wants to keep trending upward in a tough district. But with the returning talent and momentum from last year’s playoff run, Kingwood looks like a program built to last.
The Cory Laxen-era begins at C.E. King with excitement and high expectations. Laxen, a four-time state champion during his time at North Shore, now takes the reins of a Panthers program he’s already deeply familiar with as a former assistant. And while it’s the start of a new chapter, the mission remains the same: build a contender—and fast. There’s plenty of young talent to work with. The quarterback battle between Jeffery Randall and Timothy Potts will be one to watch this fall, while the backfield is already loaded with Stephen F. Austin commit Dionne Sims and Antwon Sanders, both capable of breaking off big plays. Then there's sophomore phenom Dillon Mitchell, whose jaw-dropping track speed has quickly made him one of the most exciting athletes in the area. Up front, the offensive line will be powered by Oswald Jacquet III and Xavier Goode, giving the Panthers stability in the trenches. Out wide, the weapons are dangerous—Braylon Lane (a national recruit), Le’Jerric Clark, and Caleb Martin all have the ability to stretch defenses and make plays. Defensively, Dominick Toulon will bring pressure in the trenches, while the linebacker group features James Jordan and Calvin Carter, a nationally ranked Dekaney move-in with sideline-to-sideline range. In the secondary, Enoch Bell will be the enforcer on the back end. It’s a youth movement at C.E. King—but with talent like this, the Panthers could be back in the postseason mix sooner than expected.
In one of the toughest districts in Texas, Humble, Channelview, and Goose Creek Memorial are grinding to make noise and build momentum. At Humble High, head coach Robert Murphy looks to build on a 5-5 campaign (2-5 in district) with a defense-first mindset. The Wildcats return a solid core on that side of the ball and will aim to turn close games into wins in 2025. Over in Channelview, head coach Averion Hurts leans on a pair of proven playmakers: running back Jaydien Johnson and wide receiver Davion Vanderbilt, who both had big seasons in 2024 and bring firepower to the Falcons’ offensive attack. Meanwhile, Goose Creek Memorial welcomes Jay’Mond Cleveland as its new head coach. The Baytown native and former Lee High School star returns home, energized and ready to spark a turnaround. Cleveland inherits a hungry team, eager to get into the win column and rewrite the narrative.
2023-24 North Shore Football
DISTRICT 21-6A loaded with talent; North Shore, Atascocita destined for greatness
North Shore Mustangs
Atascocita Eagles
Summer Creek Bulldogs
C.E. King Panthers
Humble Wildcats
Kingwood Mustangs
West Brook Bruins
United Timberwolves
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MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Kaleb Bailey, North Shore
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Lloyd Avant, Summer Creek
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Devin Sanchez, North Shore
BREAKOUT PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Dionne Sims, C.E. King
ON THE CUSP
Humble Wildcats
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Atascocita Eagles
Bradley C. Collier (VYPE)
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There isn’t much more that can be said about North Shore after reaching their fourth State Title game in five years last Fall. The Mustangs are a dynasty and that’s a fact. Despite narrowly falling in the championship against Duncanville, and legendary coach Jon Kay leaving for an assistant job at Rice, the baton has been passed to OC Willie Gaston. He will see to it that North Shore’s dominance continues as he takes the reins of the franchise.
Junior QB Kaleb Bailey is back under center after missing the majority of 2022 due to injury. Bailey will look to add another ring to the one he gained his freshman year. He’ll have plenty of help this season with the likes of RB D’Andre Hardeman Jr., WRs Christopher Barnes, Deion DeBlanc and Terrance Guallory III; and Houston-commit Kaleb Thomas (TE) in the huddle. Meanwhile, superstar corner Devin Sanchez will command the defense alongside senior LB Dillon Dixon.
Coach Craig Stump returns to guide Atascocita for another stellar year after reaching the Class 6A-DI Regional Finals in 2022. While his team may be younger than the season prior, the Eagles will still be a force to be reckoned with. Dual-threat signal-caller Zion Brown (Northwestern State-commit) enters his senior year leading the offense behind a hefty O-Line, headlined by senior Texas-commit Nate Kibble. Additionally, Tory Blaylock (Jr. RB) should continue to be a game-changer from the tailback spot, while senior DB Braylon Conley (USC) powers the defensive effort in the secondary.
Summer Creek enters the 2023 season fresh off the heels of an appearance in the Class 6A-DII Regional Semifinals. The main strength of the Bulldogs’ offense revolves around their run game, thanks to the phenomenal 2022 performance of Tulsa-commit Lloyd Avant, who ran for north of 1,700 yards with a whopping 32 scores. However, expect senior TE Kordell Rogers (TSU) to make some big plays when the passing game is introduced. Louisiana-native and LSU-commit Xavier Atkins (LB) will automatically make Summer Creek’s defense one of the scariest in the district, as he is joined by fellow four-star prospect Chadron Woodfork (DE). Others of note are seniors Kyran Duhon (DE), Jaylen Carter (LB) and junior DB Brandon Jones.
The 2022 season was a year of firsts at C.E. King. In coach George Young’s first year on the job, the Panthers advanced all the way to the 6A-DII Regional Finals, which marked the furthest point the team has reached in school history. Considering that only three starters are returning to the field due to so many graduating, C.E. King will have some slight maturing to do. But still expect them to be a contender in district play. Powering the offense will be senior ATH Rae’G Dailey, Channelview-transfer Darius Clark-James (Sr. QB), and Mekhi Emerenini (Jr. TE), while sophomore RB Dionne Sims steps into a bigger role. Furthermore, senior DT K’mard Kimble will be commanding the young defense from the trenches.
With the promotion of former defensive coordinator Robert Murphy to the head coaching spot, there are a few question marks for the Wildcats heading into 2023. However, given the return of veterans Jacory Johnson (Sr. LB) and Juan Lolesio (Jr. LB), the defense should remain a strength at Humble. Sophomore DB Marcus Bourda is coming off a stellar freshman year and should bolster the secondary. Offensively, junior QB MacArthur Baker III should continue to develop his game, while he’s throwing the ball to his top receivers Jalen Lolesio (TE) and junior WR Tyree Maloid.
Kingwood had its fair share of ups and downs in 2022 to end up going 5-5 and finishing sixth in the district (2-5). The Mustangs might see more of the same this Fall, but the youthful team has the potential to surprise opponents. Coach Cale Melton will count on juniors Sam Malone (LB) and defensive end Casen McDonald to take charge of the defense, while senior TE Tyler Harrington and Jailen Monegan (Jr. QB) lead the offense.
West Brook hasn’t been a major player in the district since 2019, but that could easily change this season. If last year was any indication, seniors such as the highly-recruited Jaylin Jones (DE) and Michael Feacher (DB) should be a force on defense yet again. Meanwhile, the offense will revolve around senior RB Terrell Smith, who rushed for nearly 1,000 yards and nine scores in 2023.
Beaumont United hit a bit of a rough patch a year ago, having finished last in the district. However, growing pains are to be expected since the program was only established in 2018. The Timberwolves should still feature various playmakers particularly in the offensive line, with seniors Trevanti and Weston Davis anchoring the trenches. Also look for senior DL Christian Gladney and Edward Taylor Jr. (Jr. DL) to contribute significantly in the front-seven.