New Blood in TXPS – TXPS Spring Ball Week One Recap
The state’s biggest sport has finally returned.
This past week, private school teams across the state kicked off their spring practices, finally ending the long 5 month drought in which we had no football to occupy our minds.
We had a fantastic time covering four schools this week, and getting a feel for how they stack up as we inch towards the 2023 season. A big thank you to Coach Dehaven, Coach Washington, Coach Veltri and Coach Leisz for having us out and allowing us to showcase your athletes. Private school is chock full of elite talent, lots of which was on display this week.
So without further ado, let’s analyze shall we?
The John Cooper School
It is no secret that John Cooper loses a lot from last year’s state championship team. Replacing the SPC Quarterback (Vaughn McKeever) and Linebacker (Carson Berger) of the year is no small task. Offensive weapons such as Kielar Sullivan and Alonso Barranchia also depart, leaving spots that need to be filled before fall.
Luckily, the Dragons are developing a championship culture, where coach DeHaven will have athletes ready to fill the shoes of the playmakers before them.
’25 ATH Dean Calhoun needs little explanation. Far and away the best running back in SPC 3A as a sophomore, his junior campaign will be one to watch closely, as an MVP season could be on the horizon. Calhoun looked to be in midseason form in spring practice, and looks even quicker than last season. College coaches need to have the rising junior on their radar.
’24 LB Cole Sheppard will be the anchor to the Dragon’s defense this season. The 6’1 225 senior has taken on a leadership role, and will be the key to John Cooper stifling opposing offenses this season. He recently just broke the school power clean record with 270 pounds. From what we saw, the explosiveness translates to the gridiron.
’24 WR Gus Feinberg will be a top receiving target for John Cooper this season. Standing at 6’5 200, the senior is one of the more underrated prospects in the SPC. With the departure of the majority of last season’s receiving targets, expect a drastic increase in production from Feinberg, who just won the SPC championship in the high jump with 6’2. Best believe I’ll be drafting him on my fantasy team.
’26 QB Santiago Fernandez will find himself competing for the starting job as a sophomore. The biggest question facing the Dragons at this point in the year is who will replace star gunslinger Vaughn McKeever. Fernandez certainly looked the part this past Monday. Standing at 6’3, the lefty made some impressive throws in practice, and appears to progress through reads well. One to watch as this QB battle progresses.
Brazos Christian
Brazos Christian was one overtime away from securing a district championship this past season.
However, a state semifinal appearance in Coach Correy Washington’s first year exhibits that this team is poised to be a regular contender in TAPPS DIV. Replacing Mr. do it all Ryan Burtin, as well as ATH Tyler Prince won’t be easy, but the Eagles certainly have the athletes to reload.
’25 ATH Brody Garner might be the most physically impressive prospect in DIV. 6’3 and built like a freight train, this is the last person you want rushing your QB off the edge. Check out the dude’s film if you don’t believe me. Keep in mind he’s only a sophomore in that tape. I think he has the potential to be the defensive MVP in the division next year. Remember the name.
’25 OL/DL Ben Tillery is going to be the guy in the trenches for the Eagles this year. Coming off of an all district season on both sides of the ball, Tillery is another rising junior that will lead the Eagles this season. At 6’1 270, he will be the most physically imposing player in most games he plays, and with an entire offseason to develop strength and footwork, his performance in 2023 could be a scary sight for his opponents.
’24 ATH Chance Locker looks to take over the Ryan Burtin star role from last season. An absolute weapon from the slot, get Locker in space and he’s a home run threat every snap. A significant portion of the Eagle offense will rest on his shoulders this season.
Houston Saint John’s
Saint John’s was one of the most impressive teams in 2022, and found themselves incredibly close to an SPC title berth. Due in large part to a stellar sophomore effort from star ATH Cole Allen who I witnessed make one of the craziest catches I’ve seen live.
’24 QB Stephen Gil is the other star returning for the Mavs. Recently rated the top TXPS QB in 2024, his arm talent is second to none in the state. Walker reported that Gil looked even more impressive now, and has a masterful command of this Maverick offense. Look at this ball put on a rope. My goodness. The kid is also an absolute gamer, as I witnessed in the Kinkaid SJS game this past year. The Mavs are in good hands as long as #7 is at the helm.
’24 WR Michael Murphy will be a valuable threat on the outside for Gil. With a long frame, he has the ability to take the top off of defenses, and will prove to be a matchup nightmare in conference play. He also runs a solid comeback route, which is high praise coming from the (self proclaimed) king of the comeback.
‘24 WR Logan Donley will prove to be another valuable weapon in this passing attack. One of the most versatile receivers in the state, Donley can line up inside or outside, and can do anything you ask of him. His footwork and blocking are both vital pieces of his skillset, and will be on full display this fall.
Episcopal (Bellaire)
Episcopal has the most talented roster in the SPC, and arguably the state. Our eyes already turn to their week 2 matchup with the perennial power Parish Episcopal.
The Knights return plenty of talent from last year’s state finalist team, along with plenty of new faces. They looked incredibly impressive in spring practice, and will be the team to watch in SPC play.
’24 QB Karson Gordon has been turning heads for a long time now, and the UNLV commit looks as sharp as ever. The 2022 Offensive Player of the year will make his case for MVP this season, and simultaneously attempt to secure an SPC title.
’24 OL’s Cullen Witt and and Billy Wheless are two absolute men up front. 6’2 250 and 6’4 280, the Knights offense will begin with them. Both looked incredibly poised in practice, and will give Gordon a clean pocket to throw from throughout the season.
’26 LB Madden Morgan is a physical freak. 6’2 220 lbs of raw muscle, the rising sophomore is garnering interest from power 5 programs, and for good reason. Coming off of a 2nd place finish at SPC state wrestling, the skills translate seamlessly to the gridiron. Watch for a breakout sophomore campaign from Morgan in 2023.
’24 DB Breylan Thompson looked the most impressive of anyone during practice. Having amassed the infinity stones of Ivy League offers, Thompson was incredibly verbal from his DB spot, and was always in the right place. More importantly, he raises the play of those around him, and will be the Knights defensive star in 2023.
’24 WR Jackson Ranucci and ’25 WR Logan Bartee will lead a deadly receiving corps for the Knights. Ranucci looked to be WR1 in practice, and brings solid quickness along with sure hands to the table. Bartee is out due to a hand injury sustained in baseball, but will be ready to go come fall. Both players will be incredibly hard to game plan for this upcoming season.
Conclusions
The level of talent in TXPS football is growing, and makes covering it all the more fun. Each of these four teams will be incredibly competitive in their divisions, for all the reasons listed in this analysis.
We have two more weeks of spring ball ahead of us before we get to start observing some inter-squad competition via 7on7.
Yet again, a huge thank you to all of the programs for having us out, and to everyone that supports us week in and week out. We love nothing more than highlighting private school athletes and programs, and your continued support allows us to do just that!
TXPS to the Moon!
