Junior Aiden McCown (14) of Rusk leaps for a touchdown in a playoff game against Bellville on Friday. The teams squared off at McLane Stadium in Waco where the Eagles fell to the Brahmas 41-20.

Editor’s Note: During the next 30 days, we will be spotlighting teams ranked in the preseason #bEASTTexas Fabulous 15 for the 2022 season. The series continues today with the No. 15 team in the Class 6A/5A/4A poll: the Rusk Eagles.

Rusk went 9-3 last season and reached the playoffs for the sixth consecutive year. There were some big graduation losses, including quarterback Owen McCown, who is now at the University of Colorado. The Eagles still have enough in place where they expect to compete in their new District 8-4A Division II and return to the postseason. The Eagles enter the season ranked No. 15 in the #bEASTTexas Fabulous 15.

Poll history: Rusk was unranked in the first 27 versions of the poll, which began in 2019. The Eagles earned the No. 12 ranking in the third poll during the 2021 season and never looked back, climbing as high as No. 7. Rusk has now been ranked in 11 straight #bEASTTexas Fabulous 15 polls and will hope to remain there throughout the 2022 season as the wins pile up.

That dude: Aiden McCown. Elijah Ward (50 catches, 821 yards, seven touchdowns) is back for the Eagles, but it’s hard to overlook a McCown in East Texas, especially one that had a big season as a junior. McCown had 38 catches for 707 yards and nine touchdowns as a receiver and 111 tackles, seven tackles for loss, four interceptions and three forced fumbles on defense last season. McCown, the son of former NFL quarterback Josh McCown and the younger brother of the departing Owen McCown, will take over at quarterback for the Eagles this season.

———

For more on Rusk and other East Texas high school football programs, check out The Zone magazine, which is scheduled to release on Aug. 21 inside the Tyler Morning Telegraph and Longview News-Journal.

Aug. 26: at Fairfield

Sept. 2: Crockett

Sept. 9: Athens

Sept. 16: at Alvarado

Sept. 30: Center

Oct. 7: at Van

Oct. 14: Carthage

Oct. 21: at Bullard

Oct. 28: Brownsboro

Nov. 4: at Canton

All Games are at 7:30 p.m.