Coming out party: Juniors Jayden Paluseo and Reed Dooms lead teams with lofty expectations

Last August Jayden Paluseo knew he was taking the reins of a Flour Bluff football team that played in the state semifinals the December before.

Reed Dooms was preparing to start at quarterback for the Gregory-Portland junior varsity.

But a Week 1 injury suffered by G-P's Brandon Redden changed everything. Suddenly the sophomore Dooms was next man up for a Wildcats team with high expectations.

"I remember thinking ‘Oh no’ during the Calallen game, knowing it was going to be me," Dooms said. "That second game came and I was focused on not overthinking anything. Don’t throw into double coverage, be smart and protect the football. It worked. Really the big thing that helped me was Dalvin (Batts) breaking the big run on the first play of the game. That took pressure off me."

In a year he was not expecting to start, Dooms assumed control and helped the Wildcats go 7-1 in his first eight starts, leading to a showdown with Flour Bluff with the District 15-5A Division II title on the line.

Ironically it was the one loss G-P took that gave head coach Brent Davis the idea that Dooms was ready for primetime.

"We played against Boerne and they had a great football team, a great defense and he played really well in that game," Davis said. "We scored in the 30s against them, which isn’t easy to do. Even though it was a loss, I think that was the time he figured ‘I can do this.’ "

Now with a year of starting experience, both juniors, who have clashed in football and baseball since they were young, are among the top quarterbacks in the Coastal Bend, leading teams with lofty expectations.

Record setter

While Dooms was anticipating a season leading the JV, Paluseo took all the reps and was ready to take over a team that won its first regional title in program history in 2021.

Coaches were high on the youngster who would assume control of the Hornets offense.

"I knew he was going to be really good since he was in junior high," Flour Bluff offensive coordinator Brian Baker said. "I had him in my sixth grade PE class. I knew he was going to have a lot of success with how smart he is and how hard he works. Breaking records as a sophomore is surprising."

Paluseo proved the confidence in him prophetic, leading Bluff to the regional final for the third consecutive season, setting school records with 3,506 yards and 44 touchdowns.

The junior said he has more confidence this season with 14 games of starting experience.

"I think we all got better as the season progressed," Paluseo said. "I think each game we got better and better, more confident and more relaxed as the games went on.

"Our goal every year is to go win a state championship. That is the goal in our mind from the moment we play our last game. From spring ball, to summer we all go outwork everybody to try to give ourselves the opportunity to go deep in the playoffs."

Baker said Paluseo's football IQ is possibly the best among a successful string of quarterbacks he's coached at Flour Bluff and said his ball placement is one of his best qualities.

An unexpected rise

Even though it wasn't the original plan, Dooms took over at QB and excelled for the Wildcats throwing for 2,360 yards and 30 touchdowns.

"He stepped in and did a great job for us," G-P offensive coordinator Greg Winder said. "I think that had a lot to do with the veteran players we had that helped him along the way.

"Reed is the type of kid that nothing really gets in his way. He is a very confident young man and that is good at that position. You’ve got to be a little cocky and have the belief of your teammates. He has to step up and be a leader this year. This summer he has shown that."

Dooms and Winder believe that getting all the reps in the spring and going into the offseason will pay off for the junior.

"He is confident and we are confident in him," Winder said. "He is more vocal with his teammates offensively and defensively. He has to be a leader for us to be successful. If he does that we are going to have a real good year."

Another chapter?

With three consecutive meetings that went down to the wire, Flour Bluff and Gregory-Portland are again heavy favorites to meet in a winner-take-all clash in Week 11, which importantly affects the path through the Region IV-5A Division II bracket.

And with two junior quarterbacks, even more clashes could be in line for the programs.

"I am ready to play them," Dooms said. "That last play against Flour Bluff was a heartbreaker. We can’t wait to see them. It is definitely a rivalry. They beat us in the playoffs two years ago and last year they beat us for the district championship. I’m ready for this year."

More: Here are 23 questions that will define 2023 Texas High School Football Season

This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: High school football: Junior quarterbacks lead GP, Flour Bluff