The Cooldown- Week One

Cover Photo via @CHLonghorns on Twitter
Football season is finally back in Texas! That also means that the Cooldown is back! My first Cooldown of the season will look a little different than normal though. I am going to touch on two games from last weekend before I give out my preseason awards and players to watch. Let’s get into it!

Grandview defeats Malakoff

This was a rematch of the 2018 State Championship Game. Grandview defeated Malakoff 31-24 in overtime behind a big game for Zebra quarterback Dane Jentsch. It’s been three years and Malakoff still hasn’t figured out how to stop Jentsch, who passed, rushed and received a touchdown in the win. Watch out for Grandview the rest of the season after a statement win last weekend.

Argyle routs Decatur

Argyle made quick work of Decatur en route to a 56-9 victory. C.J. Rogers was impressive in his first start as the full-time quarterback after the graduation of Bo Hogeboom last spring. Tito Byce went for over 74 yards and a score on the opening play of the game on his only carry. The Eagles looked good but have a major test coming this weekend with a road game at East Texas powerhouse Pleasant Grove.

Preseason Awards and Players to Watch

Throughout the offseason I picked a player to watch in each district for our district breakdowns. I usually avoided picking the best player in each district. It was difficult to pick just one player to watch every week and now I am here to provide DFW area football fans a comprehensive list of players to keep an eye on this season.

Provided we’re able to make it to the end of the season, I will give out my season superlatives. I will pick an All-DFW First Team, a Player of the Year, an Offensive and Defensive Player of the Year, a Newcomer of the Year, and a handful of underclassmen who made an impact and will be names to keep an eye on the following season. For now, I will give my preseason predictions for those awards. Here are my players to watch for the 2020 season.

First Team Offense

QB: Kaidon Salter (Cedar Hill)

QB: Garrett Nussmeier (Flower Mound Marcus)

RB: Camar Wheaton (Lakeview Centennial)

RB: Jaden Nixon (Frisco Lone Star)

WR: J. Michael Sturdivant (Flower Mound Marcus)

WR: Billy Bowman Jr. (Denton Ryan)

WR: JoJo Earle (Aledo)

WR: Quaydarius Davis (Skyline)

TE: Elijah Arroyo (Frisco Independence)

OL: Tommy Brockermeyer (Fort Worth All Saints)

OL: Savion Byrd (Duncanville)

C: James Brockermeyer (Fort Worth All Saints)

OL: Jack Tucker (Argyle)

OL: Erick Cade (Denton Braswell)

First Team Defense

DE: Shemar Turner (DeSoto)

DE: Jayden Gray (Eaton)

DT: Byron Murphy II (DeSoto)

DT: Ikechukwu Iwunnah (Lakeview Centennial)

DE: Ja’Tavion Sanders (Denton Ryan)

DE: David Abiara (Mansfield Legacy)

LB: Kendrick Blackshire (Duncanville)

LB: Morice Blackwell (Arlington Martin)

LB: Jordan Eubanks (Denton Guyer)

DB: Duece Harmon (Denton Guyer)

DB: Chase Lowery (Frisco)

DB: Ishmael Ibraheem (Kimball)

DB: JD Coffey (Kennedale)

DB: Isaiah Nwokobia (Skyline)

Player of the Year: Cedar Hill Quarterback Kaidon Salter

This was obviously a tough decision, but I had to go with the player who impressed me the most last season. Salter is the true definition of a dual-threat quarterback. I believe Salter will turn around the Tennessee football program when he gets to Knoxville, but he may just lead Cedar Hill to the 6A DII State Championship Game before he heads east for college. 

If Cedar Hill does make it to the State Championship Game, Salter may be faced with an interesting decision. State won't be played until mid-January this year. Salter has announced he will be enrolling early at Tennessee. I am not sure if the dates will conflict, but he may find himself wanting to play out his senior season while also getting ready to start school in Knoxville. 

Offensive Player of the Year: Denton Ryan Wide Receiver Billy Bowman Jr.

Billy Bowman Jr. might be the most dynamic player in the entire area. The only reason Bowman is more dangerous than Salter is the multitude of ways he can score. Bowman returned kicks and punts for touchdowns last season and was one of the best receivers in the area. He also plays defensive back. This kid is a coach’s dream. Bowman can make an impact no matter where he lines up on the field.

Defensive Player of the Year: DeSoto Defensive End Shemar Turner

DeSoto has the scariest defensive line I have seen in a long time. Shemar Turner is nearly impossible to stop from getting to the quarterback and will should draw double teams all season long. If he doesn’t, he can thank teammate Byron Murphy II, who is every bit as disruptive as Turner is. Watch out for those two to have a big season this fall.

Newcomer of the Year: Red Oak Quarterback Chris Parson

Is it fair to call Chris Parson a newcomer? On one hand, he only started one game last season serving as the understudy to All-American Ja’Quinden Jackson at Duncanville. However, the one game he started was on the largest stage high school football has to offer. Playing the defending state champions in front over 40,000 fans in the 6A State Championship Game is invaluable experience. I expect Parson to have a big season and vault Red Oak into the title contender tier. Watch out, Aledo.

Hopefully I will get to revisit this article and January and see how accurate my picks were. I am going to provide a comprehensive list of players to get out and watch, or to watch on TV, this season as promised. Here are the players I have my eyes on to start the 2020 season.

Quarterbacks

Kaidon Salter (Cedar Hill)

Garrett Nussmeier (Flower Mound Marcus)

Eli Stowers (Denton Guyer)

Quin Ewers (Southlake Carroll)

Samari Collier (DeSoto)

Garret Rangel (Frisco Lone Star)

Braedyn Locke (Rockwall)

Taylen Green (Lewisville)

Jalen Kitna (Burleson)

Braylon Braxton (Frisco Independence)

Chris Parson (Red Oak)

Hayden Anderson (Keller)

Dane Jentsch (Grandview)

Preston Stone (Parish Episcopal)

Josh Hoover (Rockwall Heath)

Shedeur Sanders (TC- Cedar Hill)

Seth Henigan (Denton Ryan)

Jackson Berry (Prosper)

Alex Orji (Sachse)

Grayson James (Duncanville)

Drevonn Ponder (Arlington Bowie)

Running Backs

Camar Wheaton (Lakeview Centennial)

Jaden Nixon (Frisco Lone Star)

Brandon Epton Jr. (Kimball)

Kaden Meredith (Longview)

Max Modeste (Byron Nelson)

Jadarian Price (Denison)

Owen Allen (Southlake Carroll)

Isaiah Broadway (Lancaster)

Zach Evans (Rockwall Heath)

Ollie Gordon (Trinity)

Damien Martinez (Lewisville)

Qualon Farrar (Skyline)

Tito Byce (Argyle)

Kevin Young (Cedar Hill)

R.J. Carver (McKinney)

Wide Receivers

Billy Bowman Jr. (Denton Ryan)

JoJo Earle (Aledo)

J. Michael Sturdivant (Flower Mound Marcus)

Bryson Green (Allen)

Quaydarius Davis (Skyline)

Jerand Bradley (DeSoto)

Evan Stewart (Frisco Liberty)

Armani Winfield (Lewisville)

Blaine Green (Allen)

Johntay Cook II (DeSoto)

Hal Presley (Mansfield Summit)

Jordan Hudson (Garland)

Phaizon Wilson (Lancaster)

Brady Boyd (Southlake Carroll)

Jimmy Valsin (Arlington Bowie)

Roderick Daniels (Duncanville)

Mason Hays (Keller)

Cole Kirkpatrick (Argyle)

Jaedon Wilson (DeSoto)

JJ Henry (McKinney North)

Trace Bruckler (Frisco Lone Star)

Cam Smith (Denton Braswell)

Anthony Black (Coppell)

Da’Wain Lofton (North Side)

Tight Ends

Elijah Arroyo (Frisco Independence)

Jasper Lott (Argyle)

Dametrious Crownover (Grandview)

Jaggar Hebeisen (Colleyville Heritage)

Kameron Allen (North Forney)

Marcus Vinson (Duncanville)

Kelsey Johnson (Red Oak)

Cameron Harpole (Prosper)

Juan Davis (Everman)

Offensive Linemen

Tommy Brockermeyer (Fort Worth All Saints)

James Brockermeyer (Fort Worth All Saints)

Savion Byrd (Duncanville)

Devon Campbell (Arlington Bowie)

Jaylen Early (Duncanville)

Cameron Williams (Duncanville)

Cole Hutson (Frisco)

Erick Cade (Denton Braswell)

Ezra Dotson-Oyetade (Lakeview Centennial)

Jack Leyrer (Highland Park)

Ryan Lengyel (Baylor)

Jacoby Jackson (Mansfield Summit)

Gabe Blair (Denton Guyer)

Heston Edwards (Eaton)

Carson Walker (Midlothian Heritage)

Defensive Linemen

Shemar Turner (DeSoto)

Byron Murphy II (DeSoto)

Omari Abor (Duncanville)

Ja’Tavion Sanders (Denton Ryan)

David Abiara (Mansfield Legacy)

Shemar Pearl (Plano West)

Terrell Tilmon (Mansfield Timberview)

Jayden Grey (Eaton)

Charles Esters III (Cedar Hill)

Chris Wright (Aledo)

Jonathan Jones (McKinney)

Ernest Cooper IV (Arlington Martin)

Bear Alexander (Denton Ryan)

Davion Carter (North Mesquite)

Dylan Frasier (McKinney North)

Ikechukwu Iwunnah (Lakeview Centennial)

Raam Stevenson Jr. (Mansfield Timberview)

Charles Esters (Cedar Hill)

Tonga Lolohea (Trinity)

Cooper Lanz (Denton Guyer)

Kevon Ivy (Duncanville)

Stone Eby (Flower Mound)

Linebackers

Kendrick Blackshire (Duncanville)

Morice Blackwell (Arlington Martin)

Jai Jones (South Oak Cliff)

Jaydon Williams (South Oak Cliff)

Jordan Eubanks (Denton Guyer)

Kobe Ranson (North Crowley)

Walker Polk (Coppell)

Mason Jolley (Prosper)

DJ Arkansas (Denton Ryan)

Jackson Bailey (Red Oak)

Aiden Siano (Prosper)

Kybo Jamerson (Longview)

Defensive Backs

Deuce Harmon (Denton Guyer)

Byran Allen Jr. (Aledo)

JD Coffey (Kennedale)

Ishmael Ibraheem (Kimball)

Cisco Caston (Weatherford)

Jimmy Wyrick (South Oak Cliff)

Chance Biddle (Garland)

Austin Jordan (Denton Ryan)

Chase Lowery (Frisco)

Jadarius Thursby (Duncanville)

Isaiah Nwokobia (Skyline)

CJ Baskerville (Richland)

Johnny Rider (Haltom)

Placide Djungu-Sungu (Arlington Martin)

Adrian Shepard (McKinney)

Ronald Wilson (North Crowley)

Cinque Williams (Southlake Carroll)

Raymond Gay (Red Oak)

Cameron Minix (Keller Timber Creek)

There is plenty of talent to get out and go see this season or watch at home on TV or through streams. I probably missed a few players and there will be plenty of guys we’re talking about by the end of the season that we don’t know much about right now. Either way, get out and support your local high school football team or watch them play on TV. Most of the guys on this list are seniors and this is the last chance we’ll get to see them play high school football in Texas!

If you are a player and think you should be on the list, let me know in the comments of the tweet!