Whitehouse's Kadavion Pickens. (Audrey Blaschke/Henderson News)

From Staff Reports

BRYAN — East Texas had players on the first team, second team, third team and honorable mention list on Thursday with the release of the Blue Bell/Texas Sports Writers Association Class 5A All-State Football Team for the 2024 season.

East Texas schools represented included Texas High, Lufkin, Marshall, Hallsville, Tyler, Whitehouse and Nacogdoches.

Selections were made by TSWA members based on nominations from coaches and media members from around the state.

Tyler placekicker Marvin Espinal and Whitehouse defensive lineman Kadavion Pickens earn honorable mention.

Texas High all-purpose player Tradarian Ball earned first team honors. Lufkin’s Kevondrick Taylor was a second team return specialist, and third team honors went to Texas High offensive guard Joshua Blackwell, Texas High running back Javari Johnson, Marshall linebacker Landen Jones and Marshall defensive back Damieon Smith.

Also earning honorable mention status from East Texas were Marshall offensive tackle Eric Perkins, Texas High tight end Knox Pilgreen, Texas High quarterback David J. Potter, Lufkin defensive tackle Elijah Alexander, Marshall defensive lineman Jayden Cooks, Texas High linebacker Isaiah Dowden, Hallsville defensive back Blanton Hale and Nacogdoches punter Victor Martinez.

Ball caught 44 passes for 1,017 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushed for 777 yards and 11 scores.

Taylor averaged 18 yards on 18 punter returns with two touchdowns and also averaged 37.8 yards per kickoff return with two more scores.

Blackwell had 62 pancakes and allowed no sacks for a 12-1 team that rushed for 3,453 yards and averaged 508 yards and 50 points per game.

Johnson carried 150 times for 1,593 yards and 22 touchdowns. Jones recorded 124 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, 24 QB pressures, two pass breakups, and Smith finished with 59 tackles, five interceptions, two forced fumbles and 13 special teams tackles.

Perkins graded out at 78% with 23 knockdowns. Pilgreen had 17 catches for 400 yards and five touchdowns to go along with 29 pancakes. Potter completed 161 of 233 passes for 3,100 yards, 33 touchdowns and two interceptions and rushed for 200 yards and three scores. Espinal was 36 for 38 on extra points and 6 for 6 on field goals with boots of 47 and 50 yards.

Alexander had 47 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, seven sacks, three fumble recoveries, 17 QB pressures and two blocked kicks. Cooks finished with 49 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, 27 QB pressures, three pass breakups, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Pickens had 87 tackles, 14 tackles for loss, nine QB pressures, two interceptions and three pass breakups. Dowden finished with 118 tackles, 22 tackles for loss, two sacks and 13 QB pressures, and Hale had 121 tackles, two sacks, seven tackles for loss, two interceptions and two forced fumbles.

Martinez averaged 41.6 yards on 33 punts with a long of 60 yards and 11 inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.

Richmond Randle sophomore running back Landen Williams-Callis and senior defensive lineman Chace Sims grabbed player of the year awards.

Williams-Callis rushed for 2,108 yards with 43 touchdowns, averaging 9.3 yards per carry. In two years, he has 4,052 yards with 66 touchdowns.

The 6-3, 305-pound Sims, who signed with Texas A&M, had 106 tackles, 28 of them for losses.

Richmond Randle’s Brian Randle, who led his team to a 16-0 season at the Division I state title, was named Coach of the Year.

Blue Bell/Texas Sports Writers Association Class 5A All-State Football Team

Offensive Player of the Year – Landen Williams-Callis, Richmond Randle

Defensive Player of the Year – Chace Sims, Richmond Randle

Coach of the Year – Brian Randle, Richmond Randle

FIRST TEAM

Offense

Guards – Logan Schram, Boerne, 6-6, 305, sr.; Weston Chaney, Argyle, 6-5, 285, sr.

Tackles – Ty Haywood, Denton Ryan, 6-5, 300, sr.; Emeka Ugorji, South Oak Cliff, 6-5, 281, sr.

Center – Gary Lassley, Frisco Lone Star, 6-3, 300, sr.

Wide receivers – Kaydon Finley, Aledo, 6-2, 200, jr.; Daylan McCutcheon, Lovejoy, 6-0, 175, sr.

Tight end – Jaivion Martin, Pflugerville, 6-4, 235, jr.

Quarterback – Jayden Paluseo, Flour Bluff, 5-10, 175, sr.

Running backs – Landen Williams-Callis, Richmond Randle, 5-8, 185, soph.; Jakoby Dixon, Brenham, 5-9, 205, jr.; Jett Walker, Georgetown, 6-2, 215, jr.

Fullback – Eric Powell, Wichita Falls Memorial, 5-10, 185, jr.

All-purpose – (tie) Tradarian Ball, Texarkana, 5-11, 185, jr.; Michael Terry III, San Antonio Alamo Heights, 6-3, 220, sr.

Place-kicker – Trent Amaya, Smithson Valley, 5-11, 165, jr.

Defense

Linemen – Chace Sims, Richmond Randle, 6-3, 305, sr.; Hudson Woods, Smithson Valley, 6-4, 220, jr.; Kamauryn Morgan, South Oak Cliff, 6-4, 230, sr.; (tie) Tiki Hola, Bastrop, 6-3, 288, jr.; Vakapuna Foketi, A&M Consolidated, 6-1, 280, sr.

Linebackers – Jayden Shelton, South Oak Cliff, 6-2, 210, sr.; Jamarion Phillips, South Oak Cliff, 6-1, 220, jr.; Jack Morse, Highland Park, 6-1, 210, sr.; Dillon Arkansas, Denton Ryan, 6-2, 215, sr.

Secondary – Diego Davila, Smithson Valley, 6-0, 190, sr.; Chandler Love, Iowa Colony, 6-0, 190, sr.; Xaiver Skowron, Texas City, sr.; Garrett Westrom, Argyle, 6-0, 196, sr.

Punter – Cub Patton, Lubbock Cooper, 6-0, 180, sr.

Utility – Cade Spradling, Smithson Valley, 6-2, 210, sr.

Kick returner – Marcell Gipson Jr. South Oak Cliff, 5-11, 180, jr.