ALL-GREATER HOUSTON DEFENSE
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
ELIJAH FIELDS, SR., DL, NORTH SHORE Stats: 59 tackles (34 solo), 10 sacks, 23 TFL, 12 QB pressures.
Impact: Fields’ ability to play on the edge and on the interior made him a nightmare for opposing teams and a valuable chess piece for North Shore head coach Jon Kay and defensive coordinator Garrett Cross. He was an integral part of the Mustangs’ run back to state. The North Shore defense held opponents to 173 yards per game and was able to slow prolific offensive teams like Westfield, C.E. King, Cinco Ranch, Atascocita and Austin Westlake.
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DL — D.J. Hicks, Sr., Paetow
Stats: 72 tackles (42 solo), 23 TFL, 7 sacks, 3 FF, 2 FR.
Impact: The No. 1 defensive lineman recruit in the country was a wrecking ball for the Paetow defense this season. He was a unanimous All-District 19-6A selection after making 23 stops behind the line of scrimmage.
DL — Ashton Porter, Sr., Cypress Ranch Stats: 63 tackles, 24 TFL, 15 sacks, 1 INT, 1 FR, TD.
Impact: Porter was an unstoppable force on the edge for the Mustangs, helping the team finish with a 7-4 record and a share of the District 16-6A title. He was named the district’s defensive player of the year. DL — Dylan Spencer, Sr., C.E. King
Stats: 76 tackles (50 solo), 20 TFL, 9 sacks, 33 QB hits.
Impact: Spencer had an outstanding senior campaign as the leader of a stout defensive line unit for C.E. King. His contributions helped the team reach the fourth round of the playoffs for the first time in program history.
DL — Christian Nwosu, Jr., Dekaney Stats: 88 tackles (51 solo), 36 TFL, 17 sacks, 19 QB hurries, 5 FF, 1 FR, 1 BLK. Impact: Nwosu was a dynamic pass rusher for the Wildcats this season, getting to the quarterback in 11 of the games he played. His 17 sacks were the most for any player in the Houston area this year and boosted his career total to 23.
LB — Braylan Shelby, Sr., Friendswood Stats: 58 tackles, 6 sacks, 5 QB pressures, 14 TFL, 5 PBU, 1 FF, 1 FR.
Impact: Shelby delivered another standout campaign, despite opposing offenses doing their best to stay away from the senior USC signee. The four-star edge rusher was a unanimous All-District 10-5A Division I selection.
LB — Christian Brathwaite, Sr., Cypress
Ranch
Stats: 104 tackles, 12 TFL, 9 sacks, 2 FF, 1 BLK.
Impact: After missing most of last season with an injury, Brathwaite came back even stronger and was one of the unquestioned leaders of the Cypress Ranch defense. He was a unanimous All-District 16-6A selection for his efforts.
LB — Jadon Ducoss, Sr., Atascocita
Stats: 153 tackles (93 solo), 14 TFL, 5 sacks, 3 INT, 1 FR.
Impact: Ducoss was named the defensive player of the year in District 21-6A, one of the toughest districts in the state this season. He was a sideline-to-sideline tackling machine for a unit that held opponents to 233 yards per game.
LB — Ty Morris, Sr., Dekaney
Stats: 149 tackles (96 solo), 22 TFL, 2 sacks.
Impact: Morris earned co-defensive player of the year honors in District 14-6A after a tremendous senior season. He recorded double-digit tackles in all 13 games he played and finished his high school career with 300 total stops.
DB — Vernon Glover Jr., Sr., Dickinson Stats: 48 tackles (41 solo), 3 TFL, 1 sack, 2 FF, 1 FR, 2 INT, 7 PBU, 4 BLK, 1 TD.
Impact: Glover made plays all over the field on defense and special teams for the Gators this season. The senior TCU signee filled up the stat sheet as Dickinson finished 8-4 and reached the second round of the playoffs.
DB — Jayven Anderson, Sr., North Shore Stats: 64 tackles (33 solo), 6 TFL, 4 INT, 16 PBU, 4 TD.
Impact: Anderson was a consistent playmaker for the Mustangs’ talented secondary. The senior safety returned all four of his interceptions for touchdowns and is an All-Greater Houston selection for the second consecutive season.
DB — Jacoby Davis, Sr., North Shore Stats: 42 tackles (28 solo), 5 TFL, 5 INT, 16 PBU, 2 TD.
Impact: Davis was a lockdown cornerback for the Mustangs this season and went one-on-one with each opponent’s top receiver. He corralled five interceptions, including one in the state championship game against Duncanville.
DB — Chisom Onwuzurigbo, Sr., Hightower
Stats: 61 tackles, 7 TFL, 8 INT, 11 PBU, 1 FF, 3 FR, 1 BLK, 3 TD.
Impact: Onwuzurigbo was one of the top ballhawks in the Houston area this season and took advantage of his opportunities with eight interceptions. He collected two of those during a second-round playoff victory over Heights.
UTL — Caleb Komolafe, Sr., Tompkins Stats: 64 tackles, 3 TFL; 93 carries, 905 rush yards (9.7 avg.), 15 TD.
Impact: Komolafe was a standout on both sides of the ball for Tompkins, which finished 8-3. He made a huge impact in the Falcons’ secondary at his safety position and was a playmaker with the ball in his hands at running back.
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DL — Zachary Chapman, Sr., Fort Bend Marshall
DL — Jaylon Joseph, Sr., North Shore
DL — Ethan Anderson, Sr., Cy-Fair
DL — Serigne Tounkara, Sr., Clear Springs LB — Jordan Sample, Sr., Fort Bend Marshall
LB — Justin Williams, Jr., Oak Ridge
LB — Justin Cryer, Sr., Brookshire Royal LB — Daymion Sanford, Sr., Paetow
DB — Johnathan Hall, Sr., Katy
DB — Taylor Davis, Sr., Ridge Point
DB — Darein Hargrove, Sr., Summer Creek DB — C.J. Blocker, Sr., New Caney
UTL — Max Williams, Sr., Clear Falls
PRIVATE SCHOOL TEAM
Offensive Player of the Year — Micah Bell, Sr., RB, Kinkaid
Stats: 236 carries, 1,395 yards (5.9 avg.), 15 TD; 209 yards in SPC title game.
Impact: Bell is headed to Notre Dame as a defensive back and was a full-time defensive starter, but he was also the catalyst for the Kinkaid offense. His most impressive performance came in the SPC 4A championship game when he rushed for 209 yards and a touchdown on 44 carries to lift the Falcons to a tough 17-6 victory over rival Episcopal.
Defensive Player of the Year — Connor Tallas, Sr., LB, Fort Bend Christian
Stats: 231 tackles (109 solo), 40 TFL, 2 FF, 1 INT.
Impact: With a nose for the football and a quick first step, Tallas was piled up the tackles for Fort Bend Christian this season. He was the heart of the Eagles’ defense and averaged 16.5 stops per game. Tallas’ contributions earned him first-team all-state honors and helped his team hoist the TAPPS Division II championship trophy. Newcomer of the Year — Donte Lewis, Jr., QB, St. Thomas
Stats: 162-282 (57%), 2,489 yards, 26 TD, 7 INT; 640 rush yards, 11 TD.
Impact: After transferring from Shadow Creek, Lewis burst onto the scene with St. Thomas during his inaugural varsity football season. The dual-threat signal-caller helped the Eagles start 9-0 and reach the second round of the TAPPS Division I playoffs. He accounted for more than 3,000 yards of total offense in the process.
Coach of the Year — Jordan Black, Fort Bend Christian
Stats: Guided team to 10-4 record, TAPPS Division II state championship; 32-16 record over four seasons.
Impact: Black, a former NFL player with Kansas City, Houston, Jacksonville and Washington, led Fort Bend Christian on a tremendous postseason run. The Eagles avenged a previous loss to district rival Second Baptist in the state semifinals and rolled to a 42-30 victory over Fort Worth
All Saints in the TAPPS Division II title game.
Offense
QB — Brady Dever, Sr., QB, Fort Bend Christian
QB — Karson Gordon, Jr., Episcopal
RB — Johann Cardenas, Sr., St. Thomas
RB — Dean Calhoun, Soph., John Cooper
RB/WR — Cole Allen, Soph., St. John’s
WR — J.D. Crisp, Jr., Second Baptist
WR — Bryan Domino, Sr., Fort Bend Christian
WR — Kielar Sullivan, Sr., John Cooper
TE — Kade Sink, Sr., Bay Area Christian
OL — Anthony Pellerin, Soph., St. Thomas
OL — John Dearing, Sr., Second Baptist
OL — Hutch Coward, Sr., Episcopal
OL — Aedan Hogan, Sr., Kinkaid
OL — Zeke Hogan, Jr., Cypress Christian
UTL — Max Landrum, Sr., Cypress Christian Defense
DL — Michael-Anthony Okwura, Jr., St. Thomas
DL — Ivan Jimmy-Ducksworth, Jr., Fort Bend Christian
DL — Max Granville, Soph., Fort Bend Christian
DL — Jacob Rauch, Jr., Cypress Christian
LB — Jackson Ward, Sr., St. Thomas
LB — Zachary Rocha, Sr., St. Thomas
LB — Kyle Kollmorgen, Sr., Second Baptist
LB — Carson Berger, Sr., John Cooper
DB — Caleb Davis, Sr., St. Thomas
DB — Marquis Kiatta, Jr., St. Thomas
DB — Miles Roeder, Jr., Kinkaid
DB — Josh Johnson, Sr., The Woodlands Christian
UTL — Cobey Sellers, Soph., Fort Bend Christian
Specialists
K — Charley Schwinger, Sr., Second Baptist P — Preston Kyle, Jr., St. Pius X
KR — Xavier Richmond, Sr., The
Woodlands Christian