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Upon further review: Vandegrift, Wimberley, Westlake are best area bets for state glory

rick cantu, austin american-statesman
·4 min read

Most high school football coaches will tell you that teams are successful if they're still playing on Thanksgiving weekend.

There is something special about going to practice early and spending the rest of the day feasting with family and watching football on TV. In 2023, that means teams that are fortunate to reach the state playoffs and win two postseason games will play after Thanksgiving.

But what teams in Central Texas are most likely to reach the third round of the playoffs with a chance to make a deep playoff run?

Class 6A is stacked with capable teams in the area, led by three programs — Westlake, Vandegrift and Weiss — that remain unbeaten. And don't forget one-loss Lake Travis, a six-time state champion with plenty of weapons on both sides of the ball.

Cody Stoever, Wimberley quarterback, is a big reason the Texans remain unbeaten through seven games. Last year he led them to the state finals in Class 4A Division II.
Cody Stoever, Wimberley quarterback, is a big reason the Texans remain unbeaten through seven games. Last year he led them to the state finals in Class 4A Division II.

But what about state glory? Here are my picks, in order, of the five area teams that have the best chance to win a state title in 2023:

1. Vandegrift: The Vipers made it to the Class 6A Division II state finals last year. The Vipers (7-0, 4-0 District 25-5A) returned with a solid nucleus and added three transfers — quarterback Deuce Adams (New Braunfels Canyon), receiver Eli Adams (New Braunfels Canyon) and offensive lineman Jacob Henry (Lake Travis) — who are expected to play in college. This might be Drew Sanders' best team since he was named head coach in 2009.

2. Wimberley: The Texans (7-0, 2-0 13-4A DII) appear to be just as good as the 2022 team that went 15-0 before losing to Carthage in the Class 4A DII state championship game. Quarterback Cody Stoever is making a strong case for Central Texas player of the year honors. He averages 201 yards passing, 69 yards rushing and has accounted for 34 of the team's 48 touchdowns.

3. Westlake: No list would be complete without the Chaparrals (7-0, 5-0 26-6A), who won state championships in 2019, 2020 and 2021 before falling in the state semis to Galena Park North Shore last year. The team lost some amazing players to graduation, including defensive end Colton Vasek (now at Texas) and receivers Jaden Greathouse (Notre Dame) and Keaton Kubecka (Kansas). Coach Tony Salazar's team has been impressive this year, too, outscoring opponents by an average of 36 points a game.

4. Regents: The Knights (6-1) have been a private school powerhouse for two decades, winning TAPPS titles six times. After a fabulous freshman year, quarterback Quinn Murphy has dazzled as a sophomore, averaging 284 yards passing a game while throwing 34 touchdowns.

5. Weiss: The Wolves (8-0, 4-0 12-6A) have had minimal playoff success since beginning competitive football in 2018, winning just a pair of postseason games. This year's team is stacked with college-bound talent and the results have been remarkable. Led by junior receiver Adrian Wilson (committed to Oregon) and safety Peyton Morgan (Texas Tech), this could be the start of something big for the Pflugerville school.

More: Who's got best chance to reach state?

Nico Hamilton has been the leader of the Lake Travis offense. The senior running back has made a commitment to play next year at Air Force.
Nico Hamilton has been the leader of the Lake Travis offense. The senior running back has made a commitment to play next year at Air Force.

Coming on strong

Among the area players with a big future in the sport is Lake Travis edge rusher Gus Cordova. In the past week, the junior has received scholarship offers to play at Oregon, Arizona State and Wisconsin. Over the summer he received offers from Kansas, California, Oklahoma State, Houston, UTSA, Purdue and Arizona. The District 26-6A defensive newcomer of the year as a sophomore, he's a big reason Lake Travis allows only 11 points a game.

Speaking of Lake Travis, senior running back Nico Hamilton sifted through more than a dozen offers before committing to play for Air Force. He's averaging 7.1 yards a carry.

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Rouse in the house

When discussing the best football programs in Central Texas, it's rare the focus shifts to the Rouse Raiders. But why not? After going 1-9 in 2019, Rouse has earned a 33-11 record in District 11-5A DII and is a safe bet to finish the regular season as district champion.

A lot of credit goes to head coach Joshua Mann, who explained his team's recent success: "Our focus is on being our brother's keeper and playing for each other and being consistent with our actions on and off the field."

Rouse coach Joshua Mann (center) has led his team to first place (for now) in District 11-5A. The Raiders are 6-1 overall, 3-0 in district.
Rouse coach Joshua Mann (center) has led his team to first place (for now) in District 11-5A. The Raiders are 6-1 overall, 3-0 in district.

Noteworthy

Among the newcomers to keep an eye on in the future is Cedar Park running back Trae Hill. During a 46-45 victory over Hendrickson last week, the sophomore playmaker rushed 33 times for 219 yards and five touchdowns. Hill averages 103 yards rushing a game and has scored 11 of the team's rushing touchdowns. ... Anderson junior receiver Ed Small, committed to Texas to play baseball, continues to impress on the gridiron. He's among the area leaders in catches (57), yards (834) and touchdowns (14). ... Hutto quarterback Will Hammond and Logan Jenkins of Collinsville are tied for first place in the state in passing yards per game (369.6).

This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Central Texas football teams with the best shots at deep playoff runs