Kilgore’s Sanders, Tyler’s Haralson earn state honors

Published 7:55 pm Tuesday, July 2, 2024

Tyler’s Trey Haralson (Greg Powers/TexasFootball.com)

Kilgore’s Jayden Sanders and Tyler’s Trey Haralson were named to the 2024 Dave Campbell’s Texas Football All-State 7-on-7 Team.

The tournament was held Thursday through Saturday in College Station.



Sanders was voted Defensive Most Valuable Player and first-team defensive back, while Haralson was named second-team wide receiver.

The Class of 2025 defensive back, Sanders has multiple Division I offers including Vanderbilt, Baylor, Oklahoma State, Michigan, Texas Tech, Arizona State, Texas State, SMU, TCU, UTSA, Houston, Kansas, Kansas State, Michigan State, Northwestern, North Texas, UTSA, Tulsa, UTEP and Arkansas State.

The Bulldogs won Pool H in Division II with a 3-0 record, scoring an 18-12 win over eventual champion Hamshire-Fannett, the Longhorns’ only loss.

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Kilgore won over Dallas Kimball (19-13) and Graham (19-14) in pool play.

The Bulldogs advanced to the semifinals in the DII championship bracket before falling to Hamshire-Fannett, 14-6, in their second meeting. Kilgore scored wins over Lumberton (13-6), Alvarado (20-0) and Lubbock Christian (26-25) before their second tangle with the Longhorns.

Haralson, Class of 2027 wide receiver, has already received several Division I offers including from Arkansas, SMU, TCU, UTSA, Texas State, North Texas and UTEP.

The Lions, coached by Reggie Coleman and Rodney Billington, finished 3-0 to win Pool F in Division I.

Tyler scored wins over McAllen Rowe (34-20), Richmond Randle (19-14) and Mesquite Horn (34-20).

The Lions won their first two games on Saturday in bracket play against schools from the UIL (University Interscholastic League) 5A and 6A classifications, TAPPS (Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools) Division I, and SPC (Southwest Preparatory Conference).

Tyler defeated Allen (21-20 in overtime) and Coppell (19-16) in bracket play before falling to eventual champion DeSoto (21-14). The Lions were the only team to play the Eagles within a touchdown.

There were some 128 schools that competed in the tournaments.

Wide receiver Ed Small of Austin Anderson was voted Offensive MVP.

Joining Small on the offensive first team were quarterback Ziondre Williams of Anna, running back Reylan Morris of Honey Grove, WR Daylon Singleton of DeSoto, WR Jalen Lott of Frisco Panther Creek, WR Braden Blueitt of Colleyville Heritage and utility Braxton Starnes of Hamshire-Fannett.

Joining Haralson on the offensive second team were quarterback Max Gerlich of Austin Anderson, WR Kelshaun Johnson of Hitchcock, WR Shane Walker of The Woodlands, WR Chris Augustine of Hamshire-Fannett, utility Preztynn Harrison of Mineral Wells and utility Mason Peterson of Dickinson.

Others on the first-team defense with Sanders were Colin Peacock of Gunter, Jermaine Bishop of Willis, Cannon Valenzuela of Jacksboro, Donovan Webb of Frisco Panther Creek, Sael Reyes of DeSoto and Zay Gentry of Anna.

Second-team defenders were BJ Hood of Killeen Harker Heights, Jason Stokes Jr. of Pflugerville Weiss, Kobi Foreman of Richardson Berkner, Steven Garza of Pharr-San Juan-Alamo North, Johnny Marquez of Dumas, TJ Galvan of Tidehaven and Leo Almanza of Trophy Club Byron Nelson.