GC Football: The wait is over -- first day of football practice is Monday

Jul. 28—It's here!

All seven Golden Circle football teams — along with hundreds of teams in Texas — take their first steps into the 2023 high school football season Monday.

The first day of practice is here with first games coming on Aug. 24 and Aug 25.

Here's a quick snapshot of the GC teams as they go into the 2023 season

CORSICANA

Last year: 1-9, Last Playoff appearance 2019

Texas Football Magazine prediction: Seventh in District 5-5A DII

Daily Sun Prediction: Fifth in District 5-5A DII with 5-5 overall record.

First game: August 25 at home vs. Frisco Liberty.

Biggest names: Dontay Thomas: The reigning Del Thrash Award winner as the top player in the Golden Circle will once again go both ways and lead in every way for the Tigers. With plenty of youth to build a future and valuable time to get ready, the Tigers should win some of those games they lost in the fourth quarter last season.

Biggest name this season is Time. The Tigers got such a late start last year because they didn't hire Coach Aric Sardinea until late in the game and the new coach was still hiring assistant coaches (he had to replace all but one coach) until a few days before the first practice. This looks and feels a lot different this year.

BLOOMING GROVE

Last year: 7-3, Last Playoff appearance 2022

Texas Football Magazine prediction: Fifth in District 7-3A DII

Daily Sun Prediction: Fourth, Jeremy Gantt's Lions always find a way to make the playoffs.

First game: August 25 at Riesel.

Biggest names: Linebacker Ben Baumgartner. Big Ben was the Newcomer of the Year in the district and in the Golden Circle as a freshman and has been one of the top linebackers and a GC first-team linebacker every year. He just keeps getting better.

Noah Hutchison who is the new Timmy Hamilton. Noah is a two-way force who will get more time with the offense as weapon at wide receiver and possibly running back and still be one of the top defensive players in the district.

MILDRED

Last year: 4-5, Last playoff appearance: 2017

Texas Football Magazine prediction: Fourth in District 7-3A DII

Daily Sun Prediction: Third. This is going to be a fun season for the Eagles, who never seem to get a break. The wait is over.

(PS to Texas Football: It's Mildred. There's no such animal as Corsicana Mildred).

First game: August 24 (yes, Mildred opens on a Thursday at 7 p.m. at Life Oak Cliff, where the Early Eagles get the win.

Biggest names: Start with Austin Wing, the original Swiss Army Knife player. He can do it all for Mildred and will go both ways as a lights-out defender at safety or linebacker and a playmaker on offense for Coach Jeff Callahan, who could start Wing at quarterback or at the wing at wide receiver. Austin was the district's Most Versatile Player (Utility Player of the Year) last season as a junior.

Mildred has a good group to surround whoever will get the starting job at quarterback. That job was still up in the air with three strong candidates in the hunt as practice begins.

RICE

Last year: 1-8, Last playoff appearance: 2020.

Texas Football prediction: Sixth in the district.

Daily Sun prediction: Fighting for fourth in District 7-3A DII.

First game: Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. at Dallas A-Plus Academy.

Biggest names: Linebacker/Running back Juan Parades. He's been one of the top linebackers in the district for the last two years, and he's a bullish force at running back. He's looking for a big season and we think he's going to have one. Any questions?

QB Zane Ellington is set to have a breakout season in his second year. He has a new weapon — experience.

KERENS

Last year: 3-8, Last playoff appearance: 2022 (they won three games, but they were the right three games).

Texas Football prediction: Fourth in District 7-2A DI.

Daily Sun prediction: Second in District 7-2A DI.

First game: Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. at Wortham

Biggest names: Lane Lynch, Muzic Gunnell, Nehemiah Massey. That trio will score at lot more with Lynch throwing more and putting up some impressive numbers and Gunnell catching a career high number of passes. Massey? The lighting fast tailback will still break some big plays and end up with a career high number of yards. The Kerens offense is about to take off. Just don't tell anyone in 7-2A.

DAWSON

Last year: 8-3, Last playoff appearance: 2022

Texas Football prediction: Third in District 10-2A DII.

Daily Sun prediction: Second in District 10-2A DII.

First game: Aug. 25 at 7 p.m. at Rio Vista

Biggest names: New Coach Bryan Kelley has been with some of the top programs in the state, including Allen, one of the top programs in the nation, and brings a ton of knowledge and a ton of heart to win back in his hometown.

Brant Boatright threw for 2,498 yards and 41 touchdowns as a freshman, Colby Springer ran for 790 yards on 84 carries (9.4 yards per carry), Hastin Easley caught everything in sight and Elijah Allen, a tremendous athlete, will be invaluable.

Kelley wants more balance and he will get that along with more wins this season at Dawson, where the Bulldogs will beat everyone in the district race except Mart, which has a date in the state title game every year.

FROST

Last year: 2-8, Last playoff appearance: 2019

Texas Football prediction: Fifth in District 10-2A DII.

Daily Sun prediction: With some breaks, fourth in District 10-2A DII.

First game: Aug. 25 at 7:30 p.m. at Bartlett.

Biggest names: QB Edwin Alvarado, who has a terrific ceiling and will only get better as a threat on the run or throwing the ball. Mario Porter a running back/linebacker, who has been a big part of Frost's youth movement along with two-way linebacker/running back Cooper Curl, will help Frost have its best season in years.