The Texas High School football season came to a close, and it was another stellar year for the Texas Panhandle.
Here’s a look at the 2022 Press Pass Sports Football Team.
OFFENSE
Quarterback
Dawson Jaco, Bushland, 5-9, 170-pound, Sr.
Jaco was a shining star in his first year under center for the Falcons. Helping Bushland to an 11-2 season and a run to the Class 3A Division I regional quarterfinals, the junior gunslinger showed pinpoint accuracy going 247-of-389 (63 percent) for 3,360 yards with 41 touchdown tosses. The District 2-3A Division I first team quarterback also added 206 yards on the ground with seven more scores.
Running backs
Max Neff, Pampa, 5-8, 170-pound, Fr.
Neff had the most attention-grabbing season of any underclassman in the area as the leader of Pampa’s offense less than a year after competing in junior high. He was named District 3-4A Division I offensive player of the year after gaining an astounding 2,033 yards in the regular season and scoring 11 touchdowns while averaging 9.4 yards a carry.
Zane Burr, Stratford, 6-0, 190-pound, Sr.
Burr ended his outstanding career as a leader for the Elks that finished 11-1 and carried a 23-game win streak until their final game of the year. The hard-nosed running back and District 1-2A Division I Co-MVP toted the rock 128 times for 1,026 yards and added 86 yards receiving with 13 total touchdowns. At linebacker, he was all over the field racking up 93 tackles with two sacks.
Wide receivers
Lamont Nickleberry, Childress, 5-11, 165-pound, Sr.
Nickleberry earns his way back on the Press Pass Sports Football Team for the second year in a row thanks to another fantastic season. The sure handed receiver with electric speed led the Bobcats hauling in 60 catches for 1,015 yards with 12 touchdowns. The District 3-3A Division II first team selection was also a talented kickoff returner and made four interceptions in the secondary.
Preston Miller, Canadian, 6-0, 160-pound, Jr.
Miller had a breakout junior campaign in 2022 making quarterback Camren Cavalier’s life easier on the outside. The speedy Miller was a go-to weapon for a Wildcats team that went 12-3 and made their eighth state semifinal appearance in nine years by snagging a team-best 69 catches for 1,319 yards with 15 touchdowns.
Jameson Garcia, Amarillo High, 6-1, 190-pound, Sr.
The best unannounced compliment a wide receiver can receive from their opponents is called a double team. Welcome to Jameson Garcia’s world. The University of Incarnate Word signee topped the list of what defenses had to stop when the 6-6 Sandies were on offense in 2022. The speedy state track qualifier still beat up defenses with his physical style, excellent route running and remarkable hands finishing with 56 catches for 831 yards and eight TDs. Garcia’s career numbers are elite at 2,401 career receiving yards and 33 touchdowns.
Offensive lineman
Rey Ramirez, Wellington, 5-10, 190-pound, Sr.
Just how good is Ramirez? When the District 2-2A Division II coaches got together naming a most valuable player for the district, they named the player who dominated in the trenches, senior Rey Ramirez. A two-way starter for the 12-2 state quarterfinalist Skyrockets averaging 367 rushing and 37 points per game, Ramirez graded out 98 percent as a guard, produced 54 pancake blocks, 72 kickouts and 33 knockdowns. Ramirez is a unanimous three-time all-district linemen.
Corbin Throgmorton, Canadian, 6-1, 275-pound, Sr.
The three-year starter will go down as one of the best linemen to ever wear a Canadian Wildcat uniform. Throgmorton played in 43 career games and earned the ultimate compliment this year by being named the District 3-3A Division II Offensive MVP. Throgmorton anchored an offensive line that averaged 478.9 yards per game, and a dominating 266 rushing yards per contest. On the defensive line, Throgmorton had a strong year making a total of 92 tackles.
Walker Norvell, Tascosa, 6-4, 330-pound, Sr.
A first-team 2-5A DI selection at center, the imposing Norvell provided sheer bulk in the middle of the line to pave the way for Tascosa’s running game between the tackles. He had 33 pancake blocks and 10 takedowns as he averaged a grade of 84 percent in 12 games for the Rebels.
Noah Inman, Tascosa, 6-3, 250-pound, Sr.
Inman was a major presence up front at tackle to move ground for Tascosa’s prolific rushing attack. A first-team 2-5A DI selection, Inman recorded 13 pancake blocks and 30 total takedowns for the Rebels and had an average grade of 86 percent throughout all 12 games this season.
Rhett Patterson, Canyon, 6-0, 212-pound, Sr.
Patterson graded out as the top lineman at tackle for Canyon, which had to make major adjustments due to injuries at quarterback. He totaled 51 pancakes and allowed only one quarterback sack in earning a 96.3 percent grade for the season on a team which ran for almost 2,800 yards.
Utility Player
Jmaury Davis, Clarendon, 6-1, 190-pound, Sr.
The Texas Tech signee is the ultimate Swiss Army Knife that can beat teams in every way possible. The District 2-2A Division II Offensive MVP used his blazing speed to rush for an eye-opening 2,175 yards on 201 carries with 31 touchdowns. Davis, a two-time state basketball champion, had 10 receptions for 129 yards with three more scores and made 75 tackles on defense with two picks.
DEFENSE
Defensive line
D’Wayne Moran, Canadian, 5-8, 165-pound, Sr.
Moran played well above his 5-foot-8 stature making play after play thanks to his fearless mentality for Canadian’s powerhouse defense. The District 3-3A Division II Co-Defensive MVP made life miserable for offenses racking up an astonishing 191 total tackles, 43 of those solo with 13 sacks.
Charley Pitt, Bushland, 6-2, 215-pound, Sr.
Pitt helped anchor one of the best defensive lines in the Texas Panhandle. The first team all-district selection was productive for the 11-2 Falcons making 86 total tackles, 28 of those solo with seven sacks and two blocked kicks.
Keevin Ledoux, Tascosa, 6-3, 225-pound, Sr.
Ledoux teamed with Carter to terrorize opposing offenses and was named a 2-5A Division I first team selection. He had 85 tackles, including nine for losses and recorded seven quarterback sacks along with six more pressures for a defense which gave ground grudgingly all season.
Jacob Greeson, Amarillo High, 6-2, 220-pound, Sr.
Mr. Hustle. Anybody watching Amarillo High play defense this season quickly spotted the hustling #35 at defensive end as he was all over the place. Greeson’s ability to fend off blocks in a hurry produced gave opponents linemen fits and opened him up to big numbers for the 6-6 Sandies. He earned all-district honors making 107 tackles, 23 solo tackles, six quarterback hurries, five tackles for losses, three quarterback sacks and forced a fumble. Greeson also scored two touchdowns.
Linebackers
Matthew Bridges, Bushland, 5-11, 185-pound, Sr.
Bridges was a force at all times for the Falcons tremendous defense. The senior and District 2-3A Division I Co-Defensive MVP left it all on the field in 2022 leading Bushland with 166 tackles, an incredible 97 solo tackles with 10 sacks and five recovered fumbles.
Javin Cash, Canyon, 5-11, 205-pound, Sr.
Cash was co-defensive player of the year in District 3-4A Division I, leading Canyon’s defense with a whopping 187 total tackles, including 29 for losses, along with four sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, two interceptions and a defensive touchdown.
Mason Gilbert, Randall, 6-0, 200-pound, Sr.
A three-year starter on defense, Gilbert was a first-team 3-4A DI selection at inside linebacker and anchored the defense for the district co-champion Raiders with 98 tackles, including three for losses along with a forced fumble and an interception.
Defensive backs
Jamel Acosta-Lewis, Caprock, 6-1, 192-pound, Sr.
Acosta-Lewis was the 2-5A DI defensive newcomer of the year anchoring Caprock’s secondary at safety. He had 54 tackles and two interceptions while also seeing time on offense playing quarterback in the wildcat formation to take advantage of his speed.
Tate Butcher, Bushland, 5-9, 160-pound, Sr.
Butcher’s heart and passion made up for his size in a major way as he became one of the top two-way talents in the Amarillo-area. Butcher, a first team all-district selection, was counted on heavily in the secondary making 59 tackles, two sacks, an interception and nine pass breakups.
Tayden Barnes, Tascosa, 5-10, 175-pound, Sr.
The latest in a long line of speedy two-way Tascosa players, Barnes was named the 2-5A DI MVP for his contributions on both sides of the ball, but will go to New Mexico State as a safety, as he had 72 tackles, including four for losses along with two interceptions.
Emmanuel Ibanez, Dumas, 5-10, 150-pound, Sr.
Ibanez started at quarterback and cornerback for the Demons and was named the co-MVP of 3-4A DI. He continued to anchor the secondary while starting both ways, making five interceptions and returning three for touchdowns with 30 tackles and a fumble recovery.
Utility Player
Kameron Brown, Palo Duro, 6-1, 210-pound, Sr.
Brown did a little of everything for the Dons as a first team District 2-5A Division II pick at running back and linebacker while also being named special teams player of the year. He made his biggest mark on defense with 55 tackles, including 12 for losses and 11 sacks and had three special teams touchdowns.
Special Teams
Kickoff-Punt Returner
Nathan Baker, Randall, 5-9, 150-pound, Sr.
An all-purpose threat for the Raiders, Baker was a major factor returning kicks, especially punts, as he averaged 17.9 yards a return with a touchdown. He was named 3-4A DI co-MVP and also had 57 catches for 1,003 yards and 13 touchdowns at receiver.
Kicker
Amel Hadzisabic, Randall, 5-11, 160-pound, Sr.
Hadzisabic was able to salvage drives and pick up points for the Raiders with his foot as a first-team 3-4A DI placekicker. He made 9 of 10 field goals with a long of 48 yards along with 42-of-43 extra points, and on 67 kickoffs, had a total of 43 touchbacks.
Punter
Noah Sanchez, Canyon, 5-10, 142-pound, Fr.
Playing some quarterback, Sanchez was mainly relied on for his punting duties which can be a very stressful position, especially for a freshman. Sanchez handled it superbly averaging close to 34 yards per punt with five being downed inside the 20-yard line.
Best of the rest
(Class 5A-2A)
T.J. Tillman, Tascosa, WR-DB, So.
Treshun Wilson, Tascosa, FB, Jr.
Kemauri Pinkard, Tascosa, WR-DB, Sr.
Mason Graham, Amarillo High, QB, Sr.
Parrion Ware, Palo Duro, DL, Sr.
Tristen Moore, Palo Duro, DL, Sr.
Parker Dunnam, Dumas, DB, Sr.
Oliver Ortiz, Dumas, WR, Sr.
Eric Lucio, Hereford, LB, Sr.
Isaias Dominguez, Perryton, RB-LB, Sr.
Dawson Hall, West Plains, OL, Jr.
Ivan Soto, Bushland, RB, Sr.
Baylor King, Bushland, WR, Sr.
Kade Crosby, Dalhart, WR, Sr.
Daniel Sianez, Muleshoe, RB, Jr.
Irvin Torres, Muleshoe, WR, Sr.
Matt McLanahan, Canadian, LB, Sr.
Tripp Mills, Canadian, OL-DL, Sr.
Emiliano Hernandez, Canadian, K, Jr.
Da’Reon Mathis, Childress, RB, Jr.
Seth Taylor, Childress, LB, Sr.
Jack Pipkin, Spearman, TE-LB, Sr.
Jose Saucedo, Friona, QB, Jr.
Bryce Braden, Stratford, QB-LB, So.
Luke Braden, Stratford, WR-LB, Sr.
Alec Atkinson, Farwell, QB-LB, Sr.
Corey Stancell, Farwell, RB-LB, Jr.
Wyatt Brookshire, Panhandle, RB, Sr.
Korbin Preston, Panhandle, OL-DL, Sr.
Braylen Norman, Highland Park, WR, Sr.
Joaquin Segovia, Vega, QB-DB, Sr.
Tanner Tevelde, Vega, OL, Sr.
Jose Silerio, Vega, RB, Sr.
Kagan Davis, Sunray, WR, So.
Damian Barragan, Sunray, WR, Jr.
Pratt McLain, Gruver, LB, Jr.
Isaiah Brown, Boys Ranch, QB, Sr.
Barrett Phillips, Wellington, LB, Sr.
Gumaro Rincon, Wellington, RB, Sr.
Caden Peevey, Shamrock, RB-LB, Sr.
Kit Macina, Shamrock, QB, Sr.
Lyric Smith, Clarendon, RB-DB, Jr.
Austin Valle, Memphis, RB, Sr.
Darion DeLaRosa, Bovina, RB, Sr.
Compiled by
Lance Lahnert
Lee Passmore
Kale Steed