Heights' David Nico, DeMone Green, Dylan Harris, Jalen Morrison and Xavier Neal
VYPE Football 2021 Preview: District 18-6A
PRESEASON RANKING
Heights
Lamar
Westside
Bellaire
Westbury
Chavez
Sam Houston
(Bold Denotes Playoffs)
PRESEASON AWARDS
Most Valuable Player: Jalen Morrison, Heights
Offensive MVP: Nonso Omezi, Westside
Defensive MVP: DeMone Green, Heights
Breakout Player of the Year: Jeremiah Randolph, Westbury
Sleeper Team: Westbury
...
Heights Bulldogs
The 'Dogs got over the hump last season, beating rival Lamar to go undefeated in district and win the crown. The Heights extended their year to the Area Round after beating Cy Creek in Bi-District. Coach Stephen Dixon is excited to continue the momentum inside the program that he has built from the ground up.
He welcomes back Offensive MVP Jalen Morrison, who threw for nearly 2,000 yards a year ago. He's going to need to bring along some new skill guys, while the OL will lean on super-sophomore Frank Moss. TE Chance Hollins will take on a bigger role as a junior.
While Morrison quarterbacks the offense, big Demone Green is the man on defense. The 6-foot-3, 250-pound defensive tackle is approaching double-digit offers and is a matchup problem in the district. Karl Williams, David Nico and Dylan Harris have Green's back as a nice corps of LBs.
Can the Heights keep it rolling after a historic 2020 or will Lamar have their number again?
Lamar Texans
The Lamar Texans have revenge on their minds after coach Michael Lindsey's group fell to Heights in 2020 and their streak of district titles was snapped.
Well, the Texans could have a snap-back year with 13 returning starters back on campus. Make no mistake, it's all about the QB position. Kenneth Rosenthal and Winston Smith will battle for the QB1 post and will need to make a big splash in 2021.
The strength of the team is on the edge as Lamar has a trio of solid WRs in Zach Green, Jackson White and TJ Rone, and TE Charlie Mullen. Kenneth Kennedy will handle the ball-carrying duties. The OL needs to piece it together.
The defense returns five but they can play. DB Jaivion Green is a stud on the field and in the classroom, while Kaleb Randle anchors the DL. Kobe Jones runs the middle of the defense at LB. "We've got to get the ball to our big-play receivers in space and the leadership on defense with Green and Jones is paramount," Lindsey said. "We need improved play on the offensive line."
Westside Wolves
The Westside Wolves earned a playoff spot in 2021, going 4-4 overall for coach Jomaul Mason. The Wolves have one of the most interesting college prospects in the HISD.
Nonso Omezi is every bit of 6-foot-6, 300-pounds and can bully opposing defensive linemen. He will keep QB Thaddeus Watson upright with hopes of finding leading WR Dorian Washington.
The bigs on the defensive side of the ball are also impressive. DLs Jayden Gaines and Jalen Walker can move a little bit and put pressure on opposing QBs. The leading tackler is LB Nick Norman and the secondary is led by Phillip Webber.
Mason is happy to make the postseason, but the next step is a Bi-District win.
Bellaire Cardinals
The Cardinals would like to bump into the top two spots, which would help them with a more favorable playoff draw, but coach Herb Kunz will need for some unexpected help.
Gone are QB Timothy Martin and RB Rodney Dansby, who graduated and also provided a ton of leadership. Finding a QB will be paramount, but Bellaire's offense has some nice targets in Chris Totten, Kiran Dallas, Josh Burrell and Jordan Mason. The OL will need some work as well but will be led by Asadbek Muminov.
Experience is even more scare on defense with only three starters back. Elan Goetz, Michael Neal and Ejike Brown will carry the weight on that side of the ball. It's time to reload at Bellaire in a hurry if they plan on holding off the likes of Westside, Chavez and Westbury.
Westbury Huskies
Coach Darrel Colbert was dealt a tough hand. The first-year head coach had to rebuild a culture during a pandemic inside of the Houston Independent School District, which was hit particularly hard with cancellations and uncertainty. There could be an uptick this season with 16 starters returning from a 2-5 team.
Did we mention that he started a freshman QB as well? Well, QB Jeremiah Randolph could be "The Man" for three more years as Colbert is giving him the keys to the car. He will have some help with Earl Henry and Anthony Bravo Jr., totting the rock in the backfield.
The trenches will be a concern but look for Ricardo Burns and Joshua Randolph to open some holes. Randolph will also double as a DE along with Trent Thomas. The secondary could be a little salty with returners Xavier Lewis and Khamar Pratt.
Chavez Lobos
The Sergio Gonzalez-era begins at Chavez High School as coach Cory Jiles says goodbye after nine seasons. Gonzalez was the offensive line coach at Dobie before getting his first head coaching job. Dobie had an undefeated regular season a year ago.
He has some pieces to work with like QB Kamren Sanders, who will throw to Shakeil Anderson on the fade. Dontral White-James is a load at RB, while Shallow Bannister and Derrian Flowers both have some wiggle as inside WRs.
Several Lobos will be forced to play both ways such as Anderson at DE. White-James will flip to the secondary. Getting into the postseason would be a huge victory for the Lobos but it will take three district wins. There is little room for error.
Sam Houston Tigers
Sam Houston is just a tough place to move the needle on the football field. It's not for a lack of trying as coach Michael Sinclair attempts to change the culture.
The Tigers didn't post a win in 2020 in a pretty competitive district, but Sinclair's biggest challenge is the amount of Tigers he has in the den. Coming back to the huddle will be QB Anthony Rice, who will need to be a dual-threat with his feet.
The OL is led by Corbin Varvares and Helberto Cruz Garza, while Maliki Darby and Desman Carson are the playmakers on the edge.
The defense is thin on the line but Alex Camarillo and Ruben Garcia will put up a good fight in the trenches.
Lamar's Kaleb Randle, Charlie Mullen, Zachary Green, Kobe Jones and Jaivion Greene
MLB DRAFT: Madden, Cowser to add more history to 2018 Cy Ranch squad
The 2019 Cy Ranch grad started 18 games for the Longhorns this spring posting a 2.45 ERA with a 1.05 WHIP and striking out 137 batters in 113 2/3 innings. Opponents batted .188 against him.
To get to those kinds of numbers, Madden had to work at it and that strong work ethic derives from those 6 a.m. workouts at Cy Ranch High School.
"There's so many Ty Madden stories," Cephus said with a chuckle. "The thing that sticks out to me the most is we used to have 6 a.m. workouts and once we stopped that he continued to come into the weight room on his own and workout at 6 a.m. As coaches, we walk in early and we saw him getting after it. That to me is the quintessential Ty Madden story, he's always going to find a way to outwork somebody."
After Cy Ranch, Cowser has formed a great career at Sam Houston playing for the Bearkats.
In 2019, he became the only Bearkat to ever play for the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team and earned MVP in the series against Cuba that year hitting .438 in six games.
Cowser is now projected to go No. 15 overall to the Brewers, which would make him the highest drafted player ever from Sam Houston passing Glenn Wilson, who was taken No. 18 in the 1980 draft.
"I was trying to tell scouts a few years ago with Cowser, you can either pay him a little bit now or you're going to pay him a lot in a few years," Cephus said. "They chose to pay him a lot come Sunday."
What makes these two selections from Cy Ranch is that they come from the 2018 team, which now after Sunday will boast not just two but five MLB Draft picks - JJ Goss (Tampa Bay Rays - 2019), Matthew Thompson (Chicago White Sox - 2019), Jared Alvarez-Lopez (San Diego Padres - 2019), Cowser (2021-TBD) and Madden (2021-TBD).
"We knew we were talented and that was one of the things going in, we weren't sneaking up on anybody," Cephus said about if he knew he had MLB talent in 2018. "Everybody had us circled and knew when they were going to play Cypress Ranch.
"Not only are they good ball players but they are great young men also and that's a credit to their families."
Cy Ranch is one of those Houston-area programs that has always been known for its baseball prowess.
From winning state championships in 2012 and 2015, a state semifinalist finish in 2018 and now a list of MLB Draft picks that continues to grow, which Cephus credits to what he calls a "hot-bed" of baseball talent.
"This area a hot-bed for talent and baseball knowledge," Cephus said. "We benefit from that. This area is one of the hot-bed areas for talent in America and really in the world."
Other Notable MLB Draft Projected Picks - Izaac Pacheco, Friendswood (No. 30)
