Yes You Can!

Ryan Young - Sr., RB, Sulphur Springs. Young was an all-state running back at Class 2-A Alba-Golden, rushing for 3,688-yards and 36-TD's as a sophomore and junior. But, he transferred to Sulphur Springs for his senior season, and critics (including yours truly) wondered if he would make a successful transition and jump from Class 2-A to 4-A, especially in District 13-4A. Young not only made the transition, he made it with conviction. Young was very instrumental in helping Sulphur Springs win their first-ever State Championship. He gave the Wildcats a legitimate game-breaking running game, rushing for a school-record 2,314-yards and 28-TD's, along with 55-catches for 563-yards and 7-TD's. Young finished his high school career with 6,002-yards rushing and 71-TD's. Call me convinced.

Most Likely to Succeed

Malcome Kennedy - Jr., WR/DB, Cayuga. The junior all-state star was as important for what he does off the field, as he does with his stats as a receiver and defensive back on the field. Cayuga AD/Football Coach Tommy Allison once told me, "I've never seen Malcome without a smile on his face, he lights up our entire school." Malcome, the stepson of a Baptist Minister, is notorious for motivational speeches and his ability to rap too. Cayuga AD/Football Coach Tommy Allison once told me, "I've never seen Malcome without a smile on his face, he lights up our entire school." Cayuga Asst. Coach Greg Branch told me before an interview with Kennedy, "You'll love Malcome, he is a special young man." Coach Branch, you're right.

Anything you can do, I can do better

Ta'Coyus Walker - Jr., Grapeland. Walker was a dynamic playmaker for the Sandies, on offense, defense, and special teams. Walker caught 54-passes for 922-yards and 10-TD's, including 18-plays of 20-yards or more. On defense, Walker was everywhere, intercepting 9-passes, while breaking up 21-others. Walker, 5-8, 165, also recorded 63-tackles, forced one fumble and recovered another one. Walker also averaged 19.5-yards on punt returns, including 2-TD's of 83 and 68-yards.

Newcomer of the Year - Offense

Tyler Boyd - QB, Soph, Daingerfield. It's difficult enough to start at quarterback as a sophomore, but even more impressive when you're leading the most prolific and tradition-rich high school football program in East Texas, Daingerfield. But, that's exactly what Tyler Boyd did for the Class 2-A Division II State Champion Tigers. Boyd completed 130-220 passes for 2,418-yards and 24-TD's, while throwing only 6-interceptions. Boyd also did some damage with his legs, rushing for 875-yards and 15-TD's as the Tigers beat Cisco for the State Title.

Newcomer of the Year - Defense

Jurase Brown - Freshman, DB, Commerce. Brown was one of the highlights of an otherwise tough football season at Commerce High School. Brown intercepted 8-passes as a freshman.

Game of the Year

September 13, 2008-Daingerfield 28 Celina 20. During their march towards an eventual Class 2-A Division II State Championship, the Tigers flexed their muscles throughout the season, but no win was more impressive than beating 8-Time State Champion Celina on their home field. The original schedule had these two tradition-rich powers playing in Royse City, but because of concerns involving Hurricane Ike, the game was moved to Celina's Bobcat Stadium, where the Bobcats hadn't lost since October 16th, 1998 to district rival Pilot Point, 24-13. It snapped a 45-game home winning streak for Celina. Daingerfield also ended Celina's state-record overall win streak at 68-games in 2002, beating the Bobcats, 21-20 at Williams Stadium in Garland.

The game itself saw Daingerfield score 18-points in the second-quarter to jump to a 25-7 halftime lead. And, as expected, Celina fought back, closing the gap to 28-20, but it was too late as the Tigers won by eight. Daingerfield running back Ko Ko Smith scored 2-TD's, (64, 4), sophomore QB Tyler Boyd scored on a 40-yard run, and Tigers LB Julius Hurndon returned a fumble 45-yards for another score.

The Tigers would lose their only game of the year two weeks later to 3-A Quarterfinalist Gilmer, before running the table, and beating Cisco, 26-8 for the Class 2-A Division II State Championship, the program's 4th State Championship.

Play of the Year

Longview QB Aaron Johnson's Game-Winning two-point conversion to beat Waco Midway in overtime, 42-41, in the Class 4-A Division II Quarterfinals. It was late-Saturday night on December 6th at Texas Stadium in Irving, and after leading throughout the entire game, the Longview Lobos found themselves trailing Waco Midway in overtime, 41-34. Lobos tailback Tyler McCray scored to pull the Lobos within a point, 41-40, but instead of the option of kicking the extra point and forcing a second-overtime, Longview head coach John King gambled, telling his team they'd go for two and the win. Following McCray's TD run, Longview quarterback Aaron Johnson told his head coach, "Give me the ball, I can get it in." Johnson was prophetic, diving and somehow stretching the football just inches across the goal-line for the two-point conversion and a dramatic 42-41 victory. It became the most talked-about play of the entire 2008 high school football season and vaulted the Lobos into the semifinal round, where they beat Denton Guyer before falling to Lake Travis in the State Championship Game.

Josh Nelson Courage Award

Dustin Gray, Maud: Gray recovered two onside-kicks in a win against Waskom, this---after an incredibly emotional week. Gray, lived with his grandmother and it was Dustin and his grandmother and nobody else. She'd been battling cancer for 2-years and never got a chance to watch him play. She died earlier in the week, and the Dustin and his teammates attended her funeral on Friday. He also caught his first ever touchdown, 32-yards. After the game, Maud head coach Josh Finney asked what had gotten into Dustin on Friday night, and he replied, "Grandma is finally getting and chance to watch me play."

Shawn Baldwin, RB, Eustace: On the same day of his mother's funeral, Baldwin ran for 226-yards on 35-carries and 5-TD's, and 2-2XP's, in a 44-42 loss to Edgewood. Baldwin would finish with over a thousand yards on the season.

Pat Faulk, QB, Kerens: Two days after his mother passed away, Faulk accounts for nearly 600-yards in total offense, rushing for 383-yards on 27-carries and 6-TD's, while completing 10-14 passes for 179-yards and 2-TD's, during a 53-34 victory against Blooming Grove.

Quinton Thomas, Jr., Gladewater: After collapsing on the first day of August workouts, Thomas was airlifted to a Dallas hospital, and was diagnosed with liver and lung damage. But somehow, against all odds, and after he was told he wouldn't play again that season-if ever-Thomas fights back, practices, and ends up playing in six-games for the Bears.

David Bush, QB, John Tyler: Bush lost his father during workouts in August, and just a few weeks later, the sophomore quarterback enjoyed his brightest moment against Wichita Falls Rider. John Tyler fell behind Rider with 1:06 remaining in the game, and after starting QB Jeremy Johnson went down to injury on the final drive, Bush took over, never blinked, throwing three consecutive completions, including the game-winning TD pass to Tarrington Joiner. It was Bush's first-ever snaps at quarterback in a varsity game, as John Tyler rallied to beat Rider, 28-24.

Blake Pennington, Sr., Van: Pennington tore his ACL midway through the season, but continued to play, and even more astonishing, as a kicker for the Vandals. Pennington finished 44-46 on XP's, and 6-7 on FG's, including a 47-yarder "AFTER" suffering the ligament damage.

Dustin Gray, Maud	Shawn Baldwin, Eustace	Pat Faulk, Kerens
Quinton Thomas, Gladewater	David Bush, John Tyler	Blake Pennington, Van