With the addition of Demarco Cobbs to the 2010 recruiting class there were 19 future Longhorns in action on the high school gridiron during week nine.
Cobbs was one of several Longhorn commits who had big weeks as the state playoffs in Texas -- and now Oklahoma -- are shaping out to have a lot of future Longhorns making big plays and pushing for state championships.
Demarco Cobbs, who officially switched his commitment from Tennessee to Texas one day before Tulsa Central took on Coweta, had a solid all around game despite being stricken with the flu. The four-star athlete recorded six tackles and a sack on defense and rushed for 129 yards and a 51-yard touchdown on offense to pace the Braves to an 18-7 win.
The Horns’ other receiver commitment who is playing quarterback this season, Garland Naaman Forest’s John Harris, did not have a good end result but showed tremendous grit in a 21-14 loss to rival Garland and fellow Longhorn pledges Tevin Jackson and Adrian Phillips.
Harris only completed three of eight passes and threw an interception in the loss but the 6-foot-2, 185-pound playmaker rushed 21 times from his quarterback spot for 121 yards and two touchdowns, both of which came on fourth down conversions to keep Naaman Forest in the game.
Jackson, despite leaving the game early in the second half with an ankle injury, was very active on defense holding Harris in check for most of the first half while scoring an 11-yard touchdown on a blocked punt return for the game’s first score.
Phillips has been slowed recently because of a high ankle sprain but he recorded two catches for 31 yards, had one carry for two yards and intercepted a Harris pass late in the fourth quarter to seal the victory.
Following last week’s heartbreaking loss to Brownwood, Case McCoy and Graham had another tough task in week nine facing a state ranked Abilene Wylie ball club. Thanks, however, to another good outing by McCoy, the Steers won a slugfest over the Bulldogs, 13-10. McCoy finished the game 19 for 37 passing for 235 yards with a touchdown.
Like McCoy, Connor Wood continues to have an outstanding regular season and he and the Eagles of Houston Second Baptist have been on fire of late, including Friday’s 57-12 win over Houston Kipp Academy. Wood accounted for six touchdowns in the blowout victory tossing four scores on nine of 12 passing and rushing for two additional touchdowns while throwing for 158 yards and rushing for 29 more.
Traylon Shead was featured in one of the state’s best matchups in the week nine as Cayuga hit the road to battle Arp in battle of top ten teams in Class A. Cayuga won 43-36 in overtime as Shead intercepted a pass on the final play of the game close out a big win for the Wildcats. Shead had 18 carries for 113 yards and added 69 yards on two receptions, both of which went for touchdowns in the win.
Daingerfield has been ranked near the top of the Class 2A state rankings all season and Chris Jones and the Tigers continued to roll Friday with a 58-0 district victory over Ore City. In the win Jones scored twice, once on a 57-yard kickoff return and again on a six-yard touchdown run.
Darius Terrell had another big week for DeSoto as the Eagles are one step closer to an outright district championship following a 57-30 win over Mesquite. Terrell had 10 catches for 107 yards and a touchdown while Adrian White and the DeSoto defense held Horn to just 78 passing yards in the victory that improved the Eagles’ record to 8-1 on the season.
Trey Hopkins and Dominic Espinosa each helped their respective teams put up big numbers on offense but with different results. Hopkins paved the way for a Galena Park North Shore rushing attack that churned out 320 rushing yards and four touchdowns in 49-2 rout of Baytown Lee. One week after defeating Round Rock Stony Point, Cedar Park fell 28-25 to district rival Round Rock Westwood despite Espinosa helping the Timberwolves rush for 293 yards.
Moving over to the defensive side of the ball there were some outstanding performances by the Texas defensive line recruits in week nine.
DeAires Cotton helped Alief Taylor bounce back from a loss to Houston Spring Branch Memorial by throttling Houston Northbrook 61-0. Cotton and the Taylor defense held Northbrook to just 64 total yards, including a mere 42 on the ground and only three first downs the entire night.
Taylor Bible and Denton Guyer continue to have their way with the competition in District 5-4A as the Wildcats cruised to a 54-21 win over Wichita Falls as Bible and the Guyer defense allowed only 169 total yards.
Greg Daniels led a defensive effort for Houston St. Pius X that saw the Panthers hold Houston St. Thomas to a mere 12 yards rushing and 115 yards of total offense as Daniels’ team rolled easily to a 63-0 victory.
Cedar Hill defeated Grand Prairie 55-7 without the services of Aaron Benson as the Texas linebacker commit missed the game with an injured shoulder.
Bryant Jackson had over 100 yards receiving on four catches and recorded a tackle for loss on defense but Sulphur Springs suffered a 48-13 loss to Marshall.
Carrington Byndom and the Lufkin defense held The Woodlands to just 61 yards rushing Friday but a solid passing game propelled the Highlanders over the Panthers and the future Longhorn defensive back, 31-21. The Highlanders threw for 253 yards and four touchdowns while three turnovers helped doom Lufkin.
John Tyler suffered its first setback of the season as the state ranked Lions fell to rival Tyler Lee, 27-17. Against the Red Raiders Ashton Dorsey and the JT defense surrendered all 27 points before halftime and gave up 196 yards on the ground as the Lions suffered their first loss of the season.
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Also see:
2011 State Rankings: Quarterbacks
Phillips and Jackson Top Harris' Rangers
Sibling Rivalry in the Dorsey Household
DeMarco Cobbs Commits to Texas
