11 Roos named to all-district first team
Posted On: Monday, Dec. 21 2009 05:40 AM
By Kevin Posival
Killeen Daily HeraldThe best players in District 25-4A were easily distinguishable.
Twenty-seven of the 44 all-district first team selections were unanimously considered the best in the district by the league's coaches; 23 of the all-district's 38-member second team were also unanimous selections.
Of Killeen's 11 all-district first-teamers, six were unanimous.
"I thought we had a lot of good players that caught a lot of coaches' eyes," said Killeen coach Sam Jones. "I think we have a great district with a lot of quality players."
Lampasas, which advanced to the playoffs for the first time since 2000, had six first-team selections, four of which were unanimous vote-getters. Lampasas coach Joey McQueen's staff was voted co-coaching staff of the year along with the Lake Travis staff.
"(Making the playoffs) helped our community and our team and our school. It just made the pride come back to where we want it to be," McQueen said.
Killeen junior quarterback Michael Cummings was the district's offensive MVP. Cummings threw for 2,117 yards and 18 touchdowns and ran for 757 yards and 15 touchdowns during the regular season. But he was far from the Roos' only offensive star.
Unanimous first-team running back Jaquail Haskins, a junior, led the team with 800 rushing yards and seven touchdowns behind first-team seniors Anthony Jenkins (tight end) and I'Raunce Ellis (offensive tackle), who were also unanimous selections.
Senior receivers Rodney Brown and Ja'Corie Baker also made the first team after they combined for almost 1,400 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns.
"I think, across the state, any other district we played, we were very competitive and could beat any other district, and that's just the way (District 25-4A) was," Jones said.
Cummings, Ellis and junior linebacker Royce Asi also received honorable mention on last week's Associated Press Sports Editors Class 4A sll-state team. The district had 16 players make that all-state list, which also featured Lampasas linebacker Rush Seaver and defensive back Aaron Reyna.
Seaver and Reyna were unanimous first-team selections at linebacker and utility player, respectively, along with senior running back Edward Hall, who was the district's second-leading rusher with 1,386 yards and 13 touchdowns, and senior defensive lineman Carter Burks. Junior offensive lineman Rafael Cazares and senior punter Brandon Abbott were also first-teamers.
"I think that shows the respect that the opposing coaches had for us," McQueen said. "That makes me feel good about the respect that the coaching staffs of other people showed for us."
The first-team defense featured a Killeen player at every level, starting in the box with senior lineman William Keller and senior defensive end Michael Vickers, both of whom were also unanimous selections. Asi, who led the team in tackles, was a unanimous selection at linebacker. Senior safety Marcellus Lee, who led the district with four interceptions, and senior corner Brandon Howard represented Killeen's secondary.
Junior Da'Juan Sylvester was Killeen's lone offensive second-teamer but he also appeared on the district's special teams first team as a return specialist. Lampasas had three on the offensive second team led by senior running back Brode Dubose. Offensive lineman Dustin Yoho and center Tate Stoneham also made the second team offense.
On the second-team defense, Killeen was represented by senior linebacker Demorris Turner and Lampasas had senior defensive end Zack Carnes, Abbott as a safety and Reyna as a corner.
"I thought we did pretty good getting first-teamers there," Jones said. "I was really hoping we'd get more second team ... I was hoping to get a lineman or two but they got votes and they're honorable mention, but it's a strong disrict.
"I just really believe that this district this year was more balanced than it was last year."
Lake Travis' Andy Erickson was the District MVP and teammate Quinton Crow was the district's defensive MVP. Marble Falls sophomore quarterback Thor Woerner was newcomer of the year, an honor Cummings received last year, also as a sophomore.
Release of the 25-4A team was held up pending the end of Lake Travis' season. The Cavaliers won their third straight state title Saturday night, defeating Longview 24-17 in the Class 4A Division I championship game.
Contact Kevin Posival at
kposival@kdhnews.com or (254) 501-7562.