District 10 will be a battle through final week again

SIX-MAN DISTRICT 10

By Troy Shockley
Reporter-News Staff Writer
August 24, 2003

Once again, Six-Man District 10 looks to be one of the toughest football leagues in the state.

Gordon, last year’s district champion, should be the team to beat with every coach in the Big Country picking the Longhorns as the No. 1 team.

The Longhorns rolled to a 5-0 district record in 2002 and are primed to do the same in the 2003 campaign. No seniors were lost to graduation in Gordon, so the ‘Horns return 23 lettermen.

Head coach Nelson Campbell, in his 23rd season at Gordon, has led his team to a 111-15-1 record over the past 10 years, a winning percentage of 88.1 percent. The 2002 all-state players and all of the first-team all-district players have been starting since they were freshmen, and coach Campbell says they have a good chance to “go all the way” this season.

Gordon’s top rival for the district championship should be Strawn.

The Greyhounds were also a universal pick of Big Country coaches for a No. 2 finish but were bumped down in the predicted finish for the same reason as Gordon. Strawn returns four offensive starters and five defensive starters from last season’s second-place squad. What the ‘Hounds are not returning, however, is their coach. Dewaine Lee takes over this season for Strawn after the departure of Clyde Parham.

Lee expects this to be the biggest weakness for his new team, as it struggles to learn a new system.

Another coach in his first season, Reece Walker, takes over in Woodson. Walker hopes to improve from a 5-5 overall record and a 1-4 showing in district.

The Cowboys return just three lettermen this season with two offensive starters and one defensive starter returning for the 2003 campaign. The biggest weakness for the team will be youth and inexperience, though Walker says “they are starting to come together as a team,” and the rest of the district shouldn’t “count these guys out by any means.”

Moran is the final Big Country team in the district, and was unfortunately the last team in the district rankings as well last year.

Coach Willie Schoen, coaching at Moran since 1995, believes this year’s team is much improved, especially in the skill positions.

Playing in this incredibly tough district, Schoen will need his veterans to play extremely well and the young players to follow their lead if the Bulldogs are to turn around in 2003.

Gordon Longhorns

• School colors: black and gold
• Last year’s record: 11-1 (5-0, first place)
• Last playoff appearance: 2002
• Last district championship: 2002
• Head coach: Nelson Campbell
• Career record: 236-60-2
• Years at current school: twenty-third
• Assistant coaches: William Cochran
• Returning and/or probable starters: QB-DB Robert Kostina, 6-3, 240, Sr.; RB-LB Trey Weaver, 6-0, 220, So.; RB-DE Matt Scoggins, 6-1, 195, Sr.; RB-DE Arron McHendon, 5-10, 170, Sr.; RB-LB Brett Clark, 5-10, 170, Jr.; OE-S Kyle Elsberry, 6-0, 165, Sr.; C Kris Parsons, 5-11, 180, Sr.
• Position changes: none listed
• Returning all-district players: C Parsons (second team), QB-LB-K Weaver (first team), RB-S Scoggins (first team), E Elsberry (first team), LB Elsberry (second team), E-DE Kostina (first team/defensive player of the year), DE McHendon (first team)
• Returning All-Big Country players: Weaver
• Returning all-state players: LB Weaver (second team), DE Kostina (second team), S Scoggins (second team)
• Top new players: RB Clark, 5-10, 170, Jr.; E-S B. Wiley, 5-10, 160, Sr.
• Transfers: RB-S D. Wiley, 5-11, 160, So.
• Team strengths: every player returning, did not lose any starters
• Team weaknesses: none listed

Moran Bulldogs

• School colors: purple and gold
• Last year’s record: 3-7 (0-5, sixth place)
• Last playoff appearance: 1994
• Last district championship: 1994
• Head coach: Willie Schoen
• Career record: 100-131-1
• Years at current school: tenth
• Assistant coaches: none
• Returning and/or probable starters: RB-LB Jimbo Stewart, 5-9, 150, Sr.; E Jamey Crow, 6-2, 160, Sr.; C-E Mo Martinez, 5-4, 170, Sr.; RB-LB Brent Wagley, 6-0, 180, Jr.; E-S Jesus Cardenas, 5-8, 130, Jr.; E Jeff Martin, 6-0, 200, Jr.; C-E Jonathan Crow, 6-0, 160, Jr.; C Lambert Rhoudes, 6-0, 180, Fr.; RB-S Jeff Martinez, 5-8, 140, Fr.; QB-S Beau Scott, 5-8, 140, Fr.; C-E Tuffy Brown, 5-6, 160, Fr.; C-E Kody Gilmore, 5-6, 150, Fr.; E Matt Crow, 5-7, 140, Fr.; RB-LB Andy Hawkins, 5-10, 150, Fr.; RB-S Josh Stewart, 5-6, 120, Fr.
• Position changes: none listed
• Returning all-district players: QB Stewart (first team)
• Returning All-Big Country players: none
• Returning all-state players: none
• Top new players: C Rhoudes, 6-0, 180, Fr.; RB Martinez, 5-9, 140, Fr.
• Transfers: none
• Team strengths: strength
• Team weaknesses: depth, size

Strawn Greyhounds

• School colors: red and black
• Last year’s record: 9-3 (4-1, second place)
• Last playoff appearance: 2002
• Last district championship: 2000
• Head coach: Dewaine Lee
• Career record: 64-31-2
• Years at current school: first
• Assistant coaches: Terry Taylor, Kenny McGough
• Returning and/or probable starters: RB-DE Justin Cormack, 5-9, 175, Sr.; RB-CB Johnny Parson, 5-10, 195, Sr.; RB-S Jeremy Parson, 5-11, 155, Sr.; FB-OL Clifton Baker, 5-9, 220, Sr.; C-DL Porfilio Lopez, 5-9, 220, Sr.; E-DE Neil Parson, 5-8, 175, Sr.; RB-DE Trey Taylor, 5-9, 160, Jr.; QB Derick Hinkson, 6-2, 160, Jr.; QB-S Orin Mallory, 5-11, 160, Jr.; E-LB Zack Mallory, 5-10, 150, Jr.; C-DE Josh Popham, 6-2, 190, Jr.; RB-S Lance Coudle, 5-7, 140, So.
• Position changes: none listed
• Returning all-district players: LB Parson (first team), UT Cormack (first team), OL Taylor (first team), DL Taylor (second team)
• Returning All-Big Country players: none listed
• Returning all-state players: LB Parson, UT Cormack
• Top new players: C-DE Popham, 6-2, 190, Jr.; RB-S Coudle, 5-7, 140, So.
• Transfers: RB Baker, 5-8, 220, Sr., Silverton; RB-DE Taylor, 5-8, 160, Jr., Munday
• Team strengths: experience, depth
• Team weaknesses: picking up a new system

Woodson Cowboys

• School colors: black and gold
• Last year’s record: 5-5 (1-4, fifth place)
• Last playoff appearance: 2001
• Last district championship: 2001
• Head coach: Reece Walker
• Career record: 0-0
• Years at current school: first
• Assistant coaches: Cody Blair
• Returning and/or probable starters: RB-LB Rowdy Boyd, 5-10, 170, So.; RB-LB Colt Crossland, 5-9, 165, Jr.; QB-CB Nathan Wimberley, 6-0, 170, So.; C-E Orrin Devenport, 6-2, 190, So.; E Ty Raynes, 6-1, 175, Jr.; RB-S Billy Long, 5-9, 160, Jr.; C-E Morgan Singleton, 5-9, 200, Jr.; C-E Cris Stoker, 5-8, 160, So.; C-E Carson Singleton, 5-6, 130, So.; E-CB Will Hagle, 5-8, 140, Fr.; QB-CB Jerrad Jones, 5-7, 140, Fr.; QB-S A.J. Clark, 5-6, 120, Fr.
• Position changes: none listed
• Returning all-district players: none
• Returning All-Big Country players: none
• Returning all-state players: none
• Top new players: RB-LB Boyd, 5-10, 170, So.; RB-LB Crossland, 5-9, 165, Jr.; C-E Devenport, 6-2, 190, So.; RB-S Long, 5-9, 160, Jr.; E-E Raynes, 6-1, 175, Jr.; QB-CB Wimberley, 6-0, 170, So.; QB-CB Jerrad Jones, 5-6, 120, Fr.; E-CB Will Hagle, 5-8, 140, Fr.
• Transfers: LB Crossland, 5-9, 165, Jr., Seagraves
• Team strengths: heart, work ethic
• Team weaknesses: speed, size, depth

Projected Finish

Six-Man Dist. 10
1. Gordon
2. Strawn
3. Newcastle
4. Bryson
5. Woodson
6. Moran