Most Valuable Player

Tyrik Rollison - Sr. Sulphur Springs. The record-breaking senior finished his career with his best performance, leading the Wildcats to their first-ever State Championship. Rollison threw for 413-yards and 4-TD's, and ran for 133-yards and 3-TD's, as Sulphur Springs beat Dayton, 69-49, for the Class 4-A, Division II State Championship. Rollison finished the season completing 315-428 passes for 4,728-yards and 53-TD's, and rushed for 1,094-yards and 14-TD's.

Player of the Year

Dwight Smith, RB - Carthage. This senior exploded on the scene and broke the school record for rushing yards (239-carries for 2,820-yards) and TD's (41) in a season. Smith also saved his best game for the state championship, carving up Celina's proud defense for 271-yards and 5-TD's, including a back-breaking 90-yarder than put the game away, as Carthage won their first-ever State Championship, 49-37 over the 8-time state champion Bobcats. As the regular season was winding down, I asked Carthage head coach Scott Surratt, "What would you have done with Dwight at tailback last season," and Surratt responded, "We would've won the State Championship a year earlier."

Offensive Player of the Year

Traylon Shead - Jr. RB, Cayuga. If this young man puts up similar statistics as a senior as he's done in each of his first three seasons at Cayuga, he will finish second all-time in Career Rushing Yards in Texas H.S. Football History. Although the season ended with a disappointing loss to Canadian in the Class 1-A State Championship Game, Shead has a marvelous season, rushing for 3,540-yards on 391-carrries and 52-TD's. He was also named the Class 1-A Offensive Player of the Year. Shead, who averaged 8.91 yards per carry, has eye-popping career numbers, 7,596-yards and 102-TD's.

Defensive Player of the Year

Carl Moore - Sr. LB, Daingerfield. The Class 2-A Defensive Player of the Year was the defensive leader on the Class 2-A, Division II State Championship team. Moore, 6-0, 210, recorded 174-tackles, 34-TFL's, and 7-Sacks, and caused 9-fumbles, recovered 2-others, broke up 4-passes, and ran an interception back for a TD.

Coach of the Year

Scott Surratt - Carthage. In his second year as head coach and second year at Carthage, Surratt led the Bulldogs to their first-ever State Championship, a 49-37 win against 8-time state champion Celina. Carthage lost two games in non-district to Kilgore and Nacogdoches, but responded after their 1-2 start to win 13-consecutive games by an average margin of 49-18, including a program-building victory against perennial 3-A power Gilmer, 31-28 in Nacogdoches. Surratt, a graduate of Linden-Kildare High School and East Texas Baptist University, is 23-5 in his first two years at Carthage, and was also on staff at Texas High when the Tigers won the 2002 Class 4-A State Championship.