The Metroplex – TXPS Spring Ball Week 2 Recap

THE METROPLEX SPRING TOUR

After fall, the spring season is the best. We slumber through the winter, to finally see everything come alive, including football. Senior talent is moving to their next “season” with graduation, college, or employment, and for some, a chance to play college football. Spring brings the birth of new talent, and often times the rebirth of athletes who rise to leadership ranks on their teams. 

Often, those who cover #txhsfb focus on the fall schedule, forgetting that THIS is when the real excitement begins. Spring. This is when you see the first signs of true dedication in top athletes. When other students might step aside to enjoy their upcoming summer break, the football GRIND emerges.

So we take spring training seriously. This is a time when college football recruiters perform a frenzied pattern across our state, and we, at TXPS Media, are alongside them to give you this unique insight about finding the best of the best.

As you know, Wes and I took the trip down to H-Town two weeks ago, which was awesome, and last week while Wes was graduating, I took the trip up I-35 to give the metroplex some love. 

I had a fantastic time driving around DFW, covering six schools during practice, to get a feel for how they look heading into the summer. Of course a BIG thank you to Coach Beck, Coach Burk, Coach Dixon, Coach Morrison, Coach Novakov, and Coach Yantis for having me out and allowing us to observe and highlight your athletes.

Let’s dive in.

Dallas Parish Episcopal

Parish Episcopal, the king of private school football in Texas, is prepping for another year of keeping their number one spot alive, however, it doesn’t come without some challenges. First, this year’s team will definitely be different than last year’s team. Any time you graduate key players it’s tough, but when you are on the level of Parish, it hurts harder, especially this year. 13 seniors have graduated and will be playing college football next year. This hurts any team in the state, regardless of classification. The Panthers will be losing 10/12 starters on defense, the entire secondary, two linebackers, and 3 on the defensive line. Then on the other side of the ball, Parish will be losing four starters on offense including two receivers, one on the O line, and finally, the Swiss army knife that was Cedric Mays.

Even with all the negativity that comes with graduating from an elite class that won four straight state titles, there are guys on the team that can definitely lead this team back to win their fifth straight title. Let’s talk about some of them:

2025 QB Sawyer Anderson – I’ve been blessed to watch some of the best QBs that have come out of the state of Texas in recent memory. Highly talented athletes like Quinn Ewers, Conner Weigman, Cade Klubnik, and Jackson Arnold, to name a few, and I can confidently say that Anderson has stellar arm talent that is as good as those guys. The rise of Sawyer’s recruitment since the end of his sophomore season proves my point, as Texas A&M offered just last week. Sawyer makes any tough throw look effortless, even if it’s on the run or in the pocket. You can also tell he’s been focusing on the weight room side of things, filling out his frame more as he grows. If 247, On3, Rivals, etc. don’t have him as a top 5 QB in Texas and at least a top 50 player in the state, they haven’t watched him enough. As long as Novakov has him at the helm of his offense, the Panthers have a chance in any game.

2024 WR Hutch Crow – The Highland Park transfer had to split catches with seniors Chase Burton and Derek Eusbio (who will be playing football at Texas A&M and Arizona State next season, respectively). Despite this scenario, Hutch still put up great numbers last season with 550 receiving yards and 4 TDs. While watching practice, you couldn’t help but find yourself watching him. His footwork and route running kept catching my eye, and he made impressive catches all practice long. With Hutch looking like he will be the number one target next season, I expect a huge senior campaign for him.

The Offensive Line – Coach Novakov must be excited to return 4 out of 5 starters on the offensive line next season. 2024 Sam Liu (our TAPPS D1 O Lineman of the Year), 2024 Jacob Pequeno, 2024 Nick Farris, and 2024 Nate Weber made up the best offensive line in private school last season, and look to continue to hold that title this season. All looked impressive, moving really well individually, and as also a unit – which is the most important thing. The question I keep having is, who will be that fifth guy? You can tell that they want to move Jacob Pequeno into the interior and let him play right guard, but who will you have at right tackle? I’m guessing Novakov is trying to figure that out next season. They had a couple of guys that were competing for that role, and I’m curious to see who will win that battle for the fall.

2024 DL Caleb Mitchell Irving & 2025 LB Parker Meese – If you were wondering who are the two starters on defense returning next season, it’s Irving and Meese. They are great, and colleges think so too. With 30+ offers for each of them already, Novakov couldn’t ask for better guys returning to help lead the defense next year. Mitchell Irving, who stands at 6’2 265 lbs, is going to be one of, if not the most, physically dominating athletes in private school next year. The versatile defensive line has the ability with his size and quickness to play inside or outside on the defensive line, which is a nightmare for opposing offensive linemen. Meese, who stands at 6’2 220 already, has blown up with offers during his first two years in high school, and for good reason. Watch the film, Meese has a nose for football and great sideline-to-sideline speed. Meese has the size and frame to be a dominant player in the run game or is able to drop back into coverage. Irving and Meese have been a lockdown unit the past couple of years, so the combination of both guys returning will be huge for the Panthers – they will clearly guide the rest of the defense.

Other guys who are ones to watch out for that were impressive all practice were: 2024 RB Maddux Reid, 2024 DL Ty Witte, 2025 WR Bryson Fields, 2025 ATH DC Crane, 2025 LB Zach Shapiro, 2025 OL Quan Byers, 2026 ATH Marcus Hanish.

Any other school after losing 13 seniors to play college ball would be in a rebuilding year, but not for Parish. The top dog in private school will still hold that title until someone knocks them down. With the talent returning this year at Parish and all this talent fighting for starting spots, I wouldn’t bet against the Panthers.

Fort Worth All Saints Episcopal

The TAPPS DII state championship finalists from last year had a great senior class of athletes. Those graduating include Jayvont Williams, Charlie Johnson, and Robert Sanders… all heading to play college football. But just like many years before, the Saints have reloaded again, and they look to be locked and loaded on another title run this season.

Special thanks to Coach Beck for also inviting me to speak at their athletic banquet that same day to present awards to Charlie Johnson, Robert Sanders, and Jaylen Spriggs. It was an awesome opportunity to highlight some amazing athletes.

Let’s dive into some terrific Saints athletes:

2025 QB Kelden Ryan – One of the best QBs in Texas has made the move to the stellar school just off the Fort Worth 820. The transfer from Keller Central is a guy that I have heard about for a while, and everyone I’ve talked to was thoroughly impressed. Seeing him for the first time this past week, I felt the same way. Ryan is a true dual-threat quarterback, and I would be terrified if I was a defensive coordinator having to face him. Ryan has a great arm and demonstrated it all through practice (see here). Kelden can sit in the pocket and dice up opposing defenses with ease but what makes him even more of a nightmare is his ability to extend the play and run the ball. His running ability wasn’t shown in spring ball, of course, but go watch the film, he’s impressive. Coach Beck must be excited about having a guy of this caliber on his roster. As long as he is at the helm, Ryan will be able to lead the Saints to as high as they want to go.

2024 DL Keller Patterson – A guy who has been on the radar for a while, Patterson is one of the most dominant interior defensive linemen in all of private school, and he showed it all practice. He will be the most physically imposing player in most games he plays. As long as he is in the game, I would give the edge to All Saints in controlling the line of scrimmage.

The Dodard Twins – 2024 WR Dougie Dodard and 2024 DB Kevin Dodard are new additions to the squad, coming from up the road at Fort Worth Lake Country Christian. All Saints is truly lucky to have them both. At 6’2 195, receiver Dougie Dodard looks as physically impressive as you can find anywhere. With outstanding footwork and route running, colleges should be showing up more and more as his senior season comes closer. Kevin Dodard had 12 interceptions last season, making him one of the leaders in the country on this stat, and for a good reason. What makes Kevin special is he has a keen sense of route recognition and ultimately innately knows where he needs to be to make the play. This skill was one of the reasons he was one of the leaders in interceptions last season. Also, and just as important, Kevin has the athleticism and size to help him achieve the plays he needs to make.

2024 ATH Reid Watkins – This new addition from Brock brings some serious juice to the squad. It looks like he will be the guy in the backfield at the running back position, paired with Ryan, which is as deadly of a read-option backfield as you can have. Watkins is a guy who can just tap into a different gear of acceleration and athleticism compared to other guys on the field. Combine that with the shiftiness he displays, he is a mismatch for any opposing defense. Put him in space where he’s one on one, I’d give the edge to Watkins nine out of ten times.

2024 WR Thomas Wright – One of the biggest returning players for the Saints is receiver Thomas Wright. He stood out. He’s that guy who kept making plays all practice long, including a great “go up and get it” type of ball closer to the end of practice that made everyone hyped. Thomas might be the Saints most productive wide receiver next season, so keep an eye on the rising senior.

2024 Edge/LB Darius Carquillat – One of the most physically impressive guys that stood out amongst his peers is ’24 Darius Carquillat, who stands at 6’4 210. During practice, he was always in the right place to make a play. He performed this seamlessly all practice, and clearly has the athleticism and football IQ to make those plays. Be on the lookout for the rising senior to be an impact player for the Saints next season.

Other guys that definitely need to be mentioned and often were impressive at practice were: 2024 OL Cole Edrich, 2024 DB Hank Parrish, 2025 OL Ian Bothwell, 2025 QB Colby Smith, 2025 DL Blake Robinett. You need to watch out for these guys.

All Saints had a taste of the state championship for the first time since moving to TAPPS and I don’t think they want to let that go. It’s clear this is why you see the team already working very hard. With the many new faces already in the program, and the whole summer for them to gel together, well, if you are a Saints fan, I’d be pretty excited for the future.

Irving Cistercian

For the first time since starting the podcast, we went by to go see Coach Burk and the Cistercian Hawks. The Hawks, who went 8-2 last season, had a great year and ultimately was the third-place team in SPC 3A behind and only losing to John Cooper and Trinity Valley. Coach Burk has a really good senior class graduating including Dan O’Toole, Nonso Unini, Connor Lipscomb, and others. Even with a great senior class graduating, there are some guys returning to help the Hawks compete in SPC 3A. So, let’s take a look at them.

2024 OL Charlie Humphreys – On my journey across the metroplex, there was one guy I was most excited to see in person, and that was 6’7 285 Charlie Humphreys. Because of the weather that day Cistercian was not able to practice, so instead I watched the guys lift – and watching Charlie lift was impressive. Humphreys just wowed me after every new drill. His strength and flexibility were on display during the whole workout. Later, when I watched his tape it made me even more excited about this rising senior. In addition, Humphreys doesn’t shy away from contact, actually, he focuses on putting defensive lineman in the dirt. He moves great for his size, especially on reach blocks and getting to the second level. Finally, putting the cherry on top of everything, Humphreys has a 4.55 GPA and a 35 on the ACT. Every college in the country should be looking at this guy. All the tools are there for him to be a great offensive lineman in college, especially since his best football is only ahead of him.

In addition, ’24 ATH Ryan Sporl, ’24 ATH Michael Peterman, and ’25 OL Cade Burk are going to be key pieces of the Hawks next season. All three will have a different role to play in the success of Cistercian, but look for them to have great upcoming seasons. For more info, click the link to the write-ups for each of them on Twitter.

Plano Prestonwood

Prestonwood, the TAPPS Division 1 State Runner-Ups, had a fantastic season, they showed why they were one of the top schools in the state. The Lions went 9-3 last season, with two of those losses to the best team in the state, Parish Episcopal. Looking forward, Prestonwood graduates a talented senior class full of impact players such as Carter Stoutmire, AJ Sibley, Luke McGary, Jackson McNeff, Maguire Martin, and others. So now looking towards next season, who does Coach Donnie Yantis have to help him achieve the goal of making it back to the state championship? Let’s talk about it.

2024 DL Nathan Laperi – One of the biggest returning players from last year’s squad is ’24 DL Nathan Laperi. The 6’3 225 edge rusher provides quickness off the edge to disrupt any opposing offense. Laperi is quick, athletic, and uses his hands very well when attacking opposing linemen. With another off season under his belt, expect a huge senior year for Laperi.

2024 LB Hudson Lunsford – Lunsford might be the best-returning linebacker in all of private school in terms of resume and in the run game. With 137 tackles and 14 TFLs last season, the first-team all-state linebacker brings years of experience to a defense that is losing many seniors. If you want to watch a fun highlight reel, go turn on Lunsford’s tape. The football IQ and instincts that Lunsford has is insanely impressive. Even better, Lunsford isn’t afraid of contact at all. He has a nose for the football, he finds the right gap and hits the hole, and usually the back, so hard, it probably makes running backs not want to run between the tackles anymore. Coach Yantis is definitely happy to have him back next season to lead the Lion defense.

2024 WR Gunner Naivar – The rising senior is going to be one of the main receiving targets for the Lions next year. He has the footwork, speed, and route running to create separation easily, including good hands to go along with that. Expect all of his tools and intangibles to be on full display this upcoming season.

2024 OL Colson Reeves – The Lion offensive line is usually one of the strongest units when watching a Prestonwood team and this upcoming year’s squad is no exception. It is led by ’24 OL Colson Reeves. Reeves stands at 6’3 250 and will be a returning starter for the Lions. The rising senior moves really well from his stance, and also while getting to the second level. He plays with good pad level and uses his hands really well. He was also aggressive while blocking, dominating opposing defensive linemen all practice. He will be an impact player on offense, leading the offensive line, which clearly helped AJ Sibley rush for 2000+ yards last season.

2025 DL Marshall Tucker – Tucker is a guy that always stands out every time I see him, and this last practice was no exception. Last season, Tucker had upperclassmen above him in the depth chart, so he wasn’t an every-down type of player, but when he was in, he made an impact. At 6’3 230, Tucker has the size and athleticism to be a collegiate prospect. Expect him to make some noise this next season.

Other guys that you need to watch out for were: 2024 ATH Grant Yary, 2025 RB Caiden Collins, 2025 ATH Enzo Bingham, 2025 TE/LB Caleb Bengard.

In the second year of the Donnie Yantis era, losing a great senior class is tough, but I have a lot of faith in the culture that Yantis is building. With a talented roster going into next season, you can expect big things for the Lions.

Fort Worth Southwest Christian

While back home, I had to stop by my alma mater, Fort Worth Southwest Christian. Last season unfortunately left a bitter taste in the mouth of the Eagles of Southwest Christian. In the toughest district in all of private school football, SCS barely missed out on the playoffs, competing in close games in most of the district matchups. The eagles will graduate a good ‘23 senior class led by Antwuan Polk, John Taplett, Christian Wells, and Merrit Dorman-Pardue. In addition, after seven years at the helm, Jeromy Flowers has stepped down as head coach to solely focus on his responsibilities in administration at SCS. Flowers came in when the program needed strong direction, stability, and skilled coaching, and he delivered. He built a strong football culture throughout the school which created some of the best seasons SCS had seen in over 20 years, and led the team to make the semi-finals twice in a row. Now the distinguished former Katy and Alvarado coach Jeff Dixon, takes over as the new head coach. After watching practice, as an analyst and an alumni, I can definitely say the Eagles are headed in the right direction – and I’m excited for the new era under Dixon.

Even with a substantial senior class graduating, Dixon is in and has a great group of athletes on his team, so let’s highlight some of them.

2024 DL JR Stegall – Some guys are physically impressive, and then there are some that are called, “first off the bus” type of dudes. He’s one of them. At 6’3 290, he’s a grown man, yet just a junior in high school. Even at this size, he wears his weight well and looks great. In drills he shows his quickness off the snap, great use of his hands and also hand placement (watch this clip), and just exhibits pure strength. He will be able to control the line of scrimmage in the interior. To slow Stegall down from doing whatever he wants, opponents will need to double team him all game. Colleges need to come and look at this kid because he has a bright future ahead of him.

2024 OL Adrian Lewis & 2024 ATH Maddox McCarroll – Both were not practicing when I was there but will be two guys that will be senior leaders for the Eagles. Adrian Lewis, known as “Big A”, will be a key piece of the offensive line. Already offered by Power 5 schools, the 6’6 big man moves great for his size and uses his pure strength and footwork to dominate defensive linemen. 

At 5’11, McCarroll is just a pure ball player and he’s a guy you always want on your team. He’s tough and gritty. You can put him anywhere, and he will make plays. His athleticism has an extra gear as opposed to the guys he plays. Expect him to play both sides of the ball… and to excel.

2025 ATH Bryce Anderson – One that caught my eye right when I walked up was ’25 DB Bryce Anderson. A newcomer to the school last season, the Georgia native came in and was a key piece of the Eagles last season, and expect him to be again this year. He stands at 6’0 175 and honestly plays bigger than that, the long and lanky defensive back definitely has the size, and he displayed great athleticism to pair with it. Definitely excited to see him progress over the next two years.

2026 DL DJ Beasley – I say this with 100% sincerity, I firmly believe DJ Beasley has the talent to be the first Power 5 football player at Southwest Christian in a very long time. AT 14 YEARS OLD, Beasley stands at 6’2 235 and looks great. Pair that with elite athleticism at his size, and the sky is absolutely the limit for him. Honestly, one of his most impressive attributes is his versatility at such a young age. Due to his size and athleticism, you are able to put him on the side as a 5 tech and edge rusher or move him into the inside as a 3 or 1 tech and be a run stopper. Beasley has a bright future ahead of him, and I strongly feel that he has only scratched the surface of his ability.

Other guys that definitely need to be mentioned are: 2024 OL Kaleb Corum, 2024 ATH Holden Shellhorse, 2024 LB Wilson Jones, 2025 QB Wyatt Averhoff. You need to watch out for these guys.

In the new era of Southwest Christian football, Jeff Dixon has a lot of talent and key pieces to create some chaos in Division 2 District 1, but setting the new culture under Dixon is priority #1. As an alumni, I can definitely get behind his vision, and I’m very excited for the future of SCS football.

Fort Worth Trinity Valley

Fort Worth Trinity Valley, SPC 3A State Runner-Ups, had a very successful season last year. The Trojans made it all the way to Houston to compete against John Cooper in the state championship despite being a very young team. With another year of experience under the belts of this very young group, it sets high expectations going into this season. 

Heading to Bryant Irvin to watch TVS practice was a unique experience for me…it marked my first visit to their campus where I wasn’t there to play against the Trojans or anticipating SCS playing against TVS, like back in the day. Special thanks to Coach Morrison, who has set a great culture at TVS and makes me very excited for this season. Now let’s talk about who I saw.

2025 QB Gavin Parkhurst – The 2025 quarterback class in private school is elite, and he is one of the reasons for it. Watching him for only the second time ever, I came away very, very, impressed. The 6’3 gunslinger was putting on a passing clinic and was putting balls exactly where they needed to go. Even more impressive, he had to throw into the wind that day, and it didn’t phase him. Watch these throws from practice and you can see what I saw. Parkhurst has true Division 1 proficiency, and clearly has a bright future ahead of him. Really watch Parkhurst, as I expect this guy will really get better and better over the next two years.

2025 LB/ATH Jacob Mainord – One of my most exciting prospects in the ’25 class is Jacob Mainord. The 6’0 205 athlete had a sensational season last year for TVS, and he will only get better. He’s a tackling machine, with 140 tackles last season in an SPC schedule that only has one playoff game. He displays great football IQ, instincts, athleticism, and sideline to sideline speed, while also not being afraid of contact AT ALL. He has a nose for the football, he finds the right gap and hits the hole. TVS knows what a gem they have in Mainord, as he’s successfully used on the offensive side of the ball as well. Anytime he’s on the field, he’s a huge asset for TVS. It is crystal clear that this rising junior is a Division 1 caliber athlete, with a bright future ahead of him, and I’m looking forward to seeing this kid make it happen.

2024 OL Will Scott – The SPC Offensive Lineman of the Year was one I was excited to see at practice again – and he did NOT disappoint. The big man stands at 6’8 290 and had a dominant season last year where he used his size and strength to dominate opposing defensive linemen. Scott moves around well for his size, and has some flexibility to him as well. He has everything college coaches would love to have on their roster, and is a perfect fit to mold into a premiere player for their team. His best football is definitely in the future, and honestly, college coaches better come and take a look before it’s too late.

2024 ATH Carter Lea – One of the most versatile athletes in all of the SPC, and one of the top returning receivers in SPC, Lea will be a difference-maker for the Trojans next season. Lea brings skilled footwork, speed, and route running to the table EVERY time he lines up. His hands are a perfect match for the game, and any coach would be thrilled to get him on a roster. Expect him to have a great senior season, where he makes the secondaries of many schools look silly in the process. On defense, he will bring experience and great instincts to the table to be one of the leaders in the secondary.

2026 Chris Houston & 2026 Aydan Adkins – Down the road, two guys that definitely are going to be ones to watch are Chris Houston and Aydan Adkins. Both played a huge role as a freshman, starting the majority of the season at linebacker and defensive line. With three more years of experience and off-seasons to go, definitely keep an eye on BOTH of them in the future.

Other guys that you need to watch out for were: 2024 WR Tucker Howell, 2024 DB Luke Williams, 2024 WR Charlie Anderson, and 2025 RB Ben Ngishu.

Well, that wraps up my visit to the METROPLEX, and as always, much love.  Each year we’re pushing the envelope to increase coverage of private school sports on a state and national level, recognize stellar athletes and coaches with awards from our annual awards show, and we’re excited as well about future opportunities already in the works. Have an idea to collaborate? Reach out and let us know. 

Our next steps? Wes is staying in DFW this week to make the last couple of rounds at the schools in the DALLAS area. I look forward to another run to HOUSTON football programs this next week and then plan on stopping by AUSTIN on the weekend.  As always, we appreciate your feedback in your tags, posts, and comments with us, and please keep us updated into the summer as we move closer and closer to the season finally starting!