Wildcats Clean Up District Awards
The 2023 season was a great one for the Sulphur Springs Wildcats, as they entered the season with high expectations and were able to meet them with their play on the field. After a State Championship run by their district mate Anna, the District Awards have finally been announced, with a number of Wildcats being recognized for their outstanding play this year.
District MVP
The Most Valuable Player of the district went to senior quarterback Brady Driver, who had an excellent finale for the Wildcats. Driver not only paced the way for the Wildcats offense through the air, but also led the team in every rushing category as well. The senior quarterback finished the season with 21 passing touchdowns and 23 rushing touchdowns, giving him a combined 44 touchdowns while throwing just seven interceptions on the year. Driver also passed for 2,076 yards and finished just shy of the 1,000-yard rushing mark. He is now committed to Lamar University where he will hope to continue to improve his game.
Newcomer of the Year
Newcomer of the Year went to sophomore offensive lineman Vincent Johnson, who helped anchor a strong offensive line for the Wildcats. In just his first season on varsity Johnson consistently brought his A game, helping the Wildcats score 356 points over the course of 11 games. With multiple Division 1 offers already under his belt, the future is bright both for Johnson and the Wildcats offensive line.
First Team Offense
Offensive Line– Jeff Stevenson and Aidan McCarroll join Johnson in the All-District Awards. Like Johnson, both Stevenson and McCarroll excelled in their sophomore seasons, leading a young but talented offensive line for the Wildcats. With both talent and youth on their side, the Wildcats offensive line should only get better of the next two seasons.
TE– Andres Cerda. The junior tight end had a great year for the Wildcats, being utilized heavily in the run game for Sulphur Springs. In an offense the features tight ends heavily in the run blocking game, Cerda helped the Wildcats runners and will look to have an even bigger role in his senior season.
WR- Skylar Lewis. Junior receiver Skylar Lewis had an incredible season for the Wildcats, being Driver’s go-to target and helping pace the way for a high-powered offense. Lewis finished the season with over 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns, including a historic game in which he broke the school record with 264 receiving yards in their 35-20 win over Kaufman. Lewis has improved his game in each season and is poised to have another historic season in his senior year.
First Team Defense
Linebacker– Larren Vaughn. Junior linebacker Larren Vaughn played a huge role for the Wildcats defense, finishing second on the team with 119 tackles. Vaughn also had a pair of tackles for loss and an interception, making his presence felt at each level.
DL– Dae Dae Hall and Nathan Andrews. One of the key strengths for the Wildcats this season was their strong defensive line, which is reflected with senior Dae Dae Hall and junior Nathan Andrews making First Team All-District. The pair combined for five tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks, consistently stopping opposing teams run games while also putting pressure on the quarterback. With Andrews leading the team in sacks, he will be looking to have a monster senior season in 2024.
DB– Austin Chaney. Senior Austin Chaney anchored a strong secondary for the Wildcats, filling the role of veteran leader in a group of younger defensive backs. Chaney consistently played lock down coverage and even sealed a game-winning interception on the final drive of their road win against Paris. With college offers starting to come in, Chaney will look to make the same impact on Saturday’s that he did on Friday Night’s.
Second Team Offense
OL– Isaac Alexander and Brandon Vasquez. Seniors Isaac Alexander and Brandon Vasquez complete the offensive line for the Wildcats, leading to all five of the starters getting recognized for their strong play this season. Being the only pair of seniors on the offensive line, the duo helped bring veteran leadership to a very talented but young offensive line.
RB– Cameron Jefferson. After being one of the teams leading tacklers in the 2022 season, Jefferson was asked to change roles, moving to running back for his senior season. In his new role, Jefferson became one of the Wildcats most consistent playmakers, racking up 482 yards and three touchdowns while averaging an astonishing 6.2 yards per carry for a Sulphur Springs offense who moved the ball well both through the air and on the ground.
WR– Wyatt Watson. In his junior season, Watson emerged as a very reliable option for the Wildcats passing game. Watson finished second on the team in both catches (33) and receiving touchdowns (5). Sulphur Springs will be returning almost all of their pass catchers next season, which should provide a ton of fire power for whoever steps in as the Wildcats new quarterback with Driver graduating.
Second Team Defense
LB– Braxton Wall, Alex McCormick. Joining fellow linebacker Larren Vaughn are senior Braxton Wall and sophomore Alex McCormick. As the lone senior of the linebacking trio, Wall brought veteran leadership and consistency, while McCormick had a breakout sophomore season, finishing fourth on the team with 85 tackles and putting himself in a great position to earn a leadership role for the next two seasons.
DL– Truth Holmes. Sophomore Truth Holmes was huge for Sulphur Springs this season, stepping up in a big role and consistently putting pressure on opposing quarterbacks. Holmes tied with Andrews for the most QB hurries and finished just half a sack behind him for the team-high in sacks. With still two more years to go in his career, Holmes has the potential to be a huge force for the Wildcats defensive line over the next couple seasons.
DB– Ty Bybee, Grayson Hardy. The safety duo of junior Ty Bybee and sophomore Grayson Hardy were among the best in the state, doing a great job both in coverage and in stopping the run. The duo combined for over 230 tackles, including a team-high 135 from Hardy alone. They also had one interception each and will bring a level of talent and experience to the Wildcats secondary next season that few teams will be able to match.
Honorable Mention Offense
TE– Grayson Reams. Senior tight end Grayson Reams played a dynamic role for the Wildcats, being utilized heavily in both the run and pass game. When Reams wasn’t playing the role of lead blocker for Sulphur Springs running backs, Reams also made himself a presence in the passing game, even catching a touchdown along the way.
WR– Chris Adams. Junior Chris Adams is yet another Wildcats receiver who was big in 2023 and will be back for the 2024 season. Adams had over 160 yards and a touchdown on the year and will look to get even more targets in his senior campaign.
Honorable Mention Defense
DL– Zac Thomas and Gio Solis. Senior Zac Thomas and junior Gio Solis complete the defensive line for the Wildcats, proving how skilled of a group they were. Recording sacks in each of his last two seasons, Solis will look to provide experience and talent in his senior season in 2024.
DB- Gio Ibarra. As just a sophomore, Ibarra played a huge role for the Wildcats this season. The corner had one of the most memorable night’s of the entire season, when he picked off Community not once, not twice, but three times, winning The Way Bible Church player of the game and making himself a huge presence in the Wildcats secondary.
