For the second year in a row, McAllen Memorial running back Trevor Speights has been named to the Associated Press All-State first team.
The AP announced its All-State selections for Class 6A on Thursday morning, and eight Valley players made the list. Speights, a junior, was the lone first-team selection, and Edinburg North senior defensive back Joey Benitez was named to the second team.
The Valley also had six honorable mentions: Weslaco East senior offensive lineman Sergio Moralez, Weslaco East senior running back Lupe Moron, PSJA North junior offensive lineman Fabian Ramirez, McAllen Memorial senior linebacker Lucas Rios, Weslaco High senior linebacker Brandon Torres, and Weslaco High senior defensive end Rene Perez.
Speights carried 238 times for 2,655 yards and 30 touchdowns this season. His yardage total is the third best in a single season in Valley history, breaking a McAllen Memorial school record previously held by Bradley Stephens (2,633 yards in 2005). A University of Arizona commit who has received offers from the University of Missouri and the University of Tennessee, Speights also returned a punt for a touchdown in 2014. Last season, he was named to the AP’s 5A All-State first team.
“Being my second year in a row, it’s a great feeling just to be able to repeat a great accomplishment,” Speights said. “It wouldn’t be possible without my teammates, and I just want to thank each and every one of them.”
A year after racking up 11 interceptions, Benitez tacked on another five in 2014. He also switched into more of a run-support role as the only returning starter on Edinburg North‘s defense, notching a team-high 105 tackles. Benitez defended eight passes, forced one fumble and recovered two.
Weslaco East finished the year as the Valley’s only 10-win team in Class 6A, and two members of its dominant rushing attack were rewarded with All-State honors. Moron, a transfer from La Villa, racked up 2,205 yards and 31 touchdowns despite playing much of the second half of the season on a bad ankle. Moralez paved the way for Moron, grading 98 percent with 62 pancake blocks and no sacks allowed.
PSJA North‘s Ramirez also earned a nod along the offensive line after grading 96 percent with no sacks allowed.
Rios brought leadership to a young McAllen Memorial defense, racking up a team-high 137 tackles, including seven for loss. He also had three sacks, a forced fumble, and a pass defended.
Weslaco High’s stalwart defense, which led District 31-6A en route to a district title, was rewarded with two selections. Torres amassed 137 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, two sacks and a pass broken up, while Perez had 97 tackles, three tackles for loss, one pass broken up and a fumble returned for a touchdown.
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The 2014 Texas Associated Press Sports Editors Class 6A all-state high school football team, released Thursday. Voting based on regular-season performance. Players are listed in alphabetical order at each position.
FIRST-TEAM OFFENSE
Linemen:
— KEJUAN KING, DeSoto, Sr. — 96 percent grade, 92 pancakes, no sacks allowed for team that averaged 50 points and 550 ypg
— GREG LITTLE, Allen, Jr. — 85 knockdowns, 95 percent grade for team that averaged 527.4 yards per game
— MJ MORRIS, Waco Midway, Sr. — 98 percent grade, 76 pancakes, 1 sack allowed
— JUSTICE POWERS, Cedar Hill, Sr. — 112 pancakes, no sacks allowed for offense that averaged 489.6 ypg
— MAEA TEUHEMA, Keller, Sr. — LSU commit, 108 pancakes.
Receivers/ends:
— REESE CHILDRESS, Abilene, Sr. — 102-1,240, 19 TDs receiving
— JALEN GUYTON, Allen, Sr. — 63-1,326; 15 TDs receiving
Quarterback:
— KYLER MURRAY, Allen, Sr. — 174-265-2,971, 32 TDs passing; 874 yards rushing, 18 TDs; 37-0 as a starter
Running backs:
— SOSO JAMABO, Plano West, Sr. — 190-1,952, 38 TDs rushing; 3 receiving TDs
— TREVOR SPEIGHTS, McAllen Memorial, Jr. — 213-2,467, 29 TDs rushing
— CHRIS WARREN, Rockwall, Sr. — 207-2,085, 31 TDs rushing, 2 receiving TDs
Kicker:
— PARKER DAVIDSON, Plano West, Sr. — 8-10 FGs, 2 FGs longer than 50, 64-65 PATs, 40 touchbacks
Offensive Player of the Year: Kyler Murray, Allen
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FIRST-TEAM DEFENSE
Linemen:
— JORDAN ELLIOT, Houston Westside, Jr. — 78 tackles, 31 TFL, 12 sacks, 2 FR, 6 batted balls, 9 FF or tips for INTs
— TROY IRBY, SA Northside Brennan, Sr. — 62 tackles, 20 TFL, 6 sacks, 12 FF, 4 FR, defensivee TD
— DU’VONTA LAMPKIN, Cypress Falls, Jr. — 81 tackles, 16 sacks, 38 TFL, 8 FF
— JALEN SCOTT, North Mesquite, Sr. — 109 tackles, 20 TFL, 4 sacks, 2 FF, 2 PBUs
Linebackers:
— KEITH BATISTA, Houston Langham Creek, Sr. — 115 tackles, 12 TFL, 2 sacks, 4 FF, 2 INTs
— BRANDON DURMAN, Tyler Lee, Sr — 149 tackles, 11 TFL, 2 sacks, 3 PBU
— RICHARD MOORE, Cedar Hill, Sr. — 118 tackles, 20 TFL, 10 sacks, 7 FF, Texas A&M pledge
Defensive backs:
— KAHLIL HAUGHTON, Waco Midway, Sr. –81 tackles, 4 INTs, INT return for TD, 5 FF, 5 PBU
— JARED MANNON, Wolfforth Frenship Sr. — 43 tackles, 7 INTs
— MASON RAMIREZ, Round Rock, Sr. — 107 tackles, 7 INTs
— NIKO SMALL, Arlington Bowie, Sr. — 120 tackles, 7 TFL, 6 INTs, 6 PBU, 3 blocked kicks, 3 defensive TDs
Punter:
— TAYLOR DUNLOP, Hurst Bell, Jr. — 52 punts, 41.3 avg., 14 inside 20
Defensive Player of the Year: Niko Small, Arlington Bowie
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SECOND-TEAM OFFENSE
Linemen:
— Clarence Henderson, Dallas Skyline, Jr.; Connor Lanfear, Buda Hays, Sr.; Patrick Vahe, Euless Trinity, Sr.; Toby Weathersby, Spring Westfield, Sr.; Connor Williams, Coppell, Sr.
Receivers/ends:
— DaMarkus Lodge, Cedar Hill, Sr.; Emmanuel Moore, Justin Northwest, Sr.
Quarterback:
— Zach Hall, Tyler Lee, Jr.
Running backs:
— Rodney Anderson, Katy, Sr.; E.J. Davis, Alief Elsik, Jr.; Aca’Cedric Ware, Cedar Hill, Sr.
Kicker:
— Patricio Botello, SA Northside Brandeis, Sr.
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SECOND-TEAM DEFENSE
Linemen:
— Zach Abercrumbia, Dallas Skyline, Sr.; Isaiah Chambers, Aldine MacArthur, Sr.; Lonzell Gilmore, Spring, Sr.; L.J. Mason, Keller Central, Sr.
Linebackers:
— Louis Hamilton, Alief Taylor, Jr.; Joshua Nguyen, Odessa Permian, Jr.; Anthony Wheeler, Dallas Skyline, Sr.
Defensive backs:
— Joey Benitez, Edinburg North, Sr.; Andy Chelf, Southlake Carroll, Sr.; Rodney Clemons, Katy Taylor, Sr.; Matthew Wright, Round Rock McNeil, Jr.
Punter:
— Haygen Tibbetts, Belton, Sr.
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HONORABLE MENTION OFFENSE
LINEMEN: Keaton Bates, Arlington Lamar; Gunnar Chance, Denton Guyer; Randy Crystian, Cedar Hill; Conner Dyer, Mesquite Horn; Beau Hott, Plano; Dakota Laws, Denton Ryan; Austin Meyers, Manvel; Sergio Morales, Weslaco East; McKenzie Nworah, Manvel; Tres Perez, CC Carroll; Fabian Ramirez, PSJA North; Bobby Reynolds, Keller; J’Don Robinson, Dallas Skyline; Austin Sargent, Rockwall; Zack Shackelford, Belton; Tato Sipili, Arlington Sam Houston; Terrence Steele, Cibolo Steele; Mitchell Watanabe, SA Northside Brennan; Alec Wesling, SA Reagan.
RECEIVERS/ENDS: Kofi Boateng, Arlington Lamar; Xavier Castille, Rockwall; Keith Corbin, Beaumont West Brook; Erik Corona, Laredo United; Reed Klubnik, Austin Westlake; Luke Mayock, Fort Bend Clements; Trelen Norton, Houston Langham Creek; Xavier Ortiz, SA Northside Stevens; Richie Rodriguez, EP Eastwood; Landon Sawyer, San Angelo Central; Anu Somoye, Alief Taylor; Jarrison Stewart, Mesquite Horn; Wanya Ward, SA East Central.
QUARTERBACKS: Shane Buechele, Arlington Lamar; Braden Hucks, San Angelo Central; Jalen Hurts, Channelview; Kylan Johnson, Dallas Skyline; Jesse Jones, CC Carroll; D’Eriq King, Manvel; Shawn Robinson, Denton Guyer; Bo Schneider, Dallas Jesuit.
RUNNING BACKS: Aron Dobbins, Midland Lee; Lil’ Jordan Humphrey, Southlake Carroll; Vincent Johnson, Lubbock Monterey; Xavier Jones, Spring; Noah Lisk, CC Carroll; Markeith Miller, Garland; KeShawn Mitchell, Keller Fossil Ridge; Lupe Moron, Weslaco East; Michael Nelson, Garland Naaman Forest; Nicholas Pelrean, Houston Chavez; Justin Pratt, Klein Collins; Grant Sandercox, Wolfforth Frenship; Nic Smith, Arlington Martin; Anthony Taylor, Denton Guyer.
KICKERS: Eric Carasco, Duncanville; Tony Pecora, Rockwall; Brannon Satterfield, Lake Travis; Joel Scarborough, Houston Langham Creek.
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HONORABLE MENTION DEFENSE
LINEMEN: Coleman Dennis, Wolfforth Frenship; David Dorsett, Hurst Bell; Elijah Earls, SA Northside Stevens; Ethan Englebrecht, SA Lee; Bryce English, DeSoto; Miguel Espinoza, Abilene; Tipa Galeai, Euless Trinity; Eli Howard, San Angelo Central; Scott Huntman, Coppell; Mark Jackson, Cibolo Steele; Kendell Jones, Killeen Shoemaker; Dalen Morgan, Mesquite Horn; King Newton, Southlake Carroll; Sammy Ochoa, Lake Travis; Ed Oliver, Spring Westfield; Feno Pearson, Lake Travis; Rene Perez, Weslaco; Alton Robinson, Converse Judson; Roy Sutton III, Keller Fossil Ridge; Sam Tecklenburg, Plano; Rahssan Thornton, Killeen Shoemaker; Joe Wallace, Dallas Skyline.
LINEBACKERS: D.J. Allen, SA Northside Brennan; Bo Anderson, Coppell; James Bailey, Lake Travis; Garrett Blubaugh, Keller; Teddy Britton, SA Northside Stevens; Paddy Fisher, Katy; Hudson Hall, Austin Westlake; Hayden Harrison, Wolfforth Frenship; Bryce Hines, Keller Fossil Ridge; Jonathan Hood, North Crowley; Jeffrey McCulloch, Aldine Davis; Chris Orr, DeSoto; Dillon Owens, North Mesquite; Logan Paschal, Waco Midway; Lucas Rios, McAllen Memorial; Rick Rivera, Del Rio; Brucks Saathoff, SA Reagan; Collin Scott, Manvel; Emilio Solis, Midland; Dalton Tarr, SA East Central; Daquaylyn Thomas, Arlington Martin; Ty Thomas, Rockwall; Brandon Torres, Weslaco; Ronnell Wilson, Abilene.
DEFENSIVE BACKS: Deontay Anderson, Manvel; Jaelan Collier, SA Northside Brennan; Ian Edwards, Denton Guyer; Darryl Godfrey, SA Northside O’Connor; Gavin Graham, Austin Anderson; Brad Ingle, Smithson Valley; Mack Kelley, Austin Westlake; Will Lockett, Manvel; Devontre McGarity, SA Northside Brennan; Jacob Murray, Coppell; Colin Padalecki, SA East Central; Cameron Price, Tyler Lee; Chris Roller, Lake Travis; Camden Ross, Keller Timber Creek; Garrett Strauss, SA Reagan; Bryan Sturges, Katy Seven Lakes; K.J. Turner, North Mesquite; Luke West, San Angelo Central; Travis Whillock, Katy; Trip White, Arlington Martin; Collin Wilder, Katy; Lucas Williams, Arlington Sam Houston; Montrel Wilson, Keller Fossil Ridge.
PUNTERS: Drew Galitz, Garland Rowlett; Chris Robison, Mesquite Horn; Josh Stewart, Cedar Hill.