Palestine Westwood quarterback Kavian Bryant.

DISTRICT 9-3A DIVISION I

OUR PICKS:1. PALESTINE WESTWOOD 2 DIBOLL 3. TEAGUE 4. FAIRFIELD 5. CROCKETT 6. HUNTINGTON

PALESTINE WESTWOOD PANTHERS

COACH: Richard Bishop (7th year at Westwood, 24-39)

ALL-TIME RECORD: 243-385-9

STADIUM: Westwood Panther Stadium, 1812 Panther Road, Palestine 75801

2023 RESULTS: 9-3

RETURNING LETTERMEN/STARTERS: 18/13

LETTERMEN LOST: 12

OFFENSE: Spread

OFFENSIVE NOTABLES: QB Kavian Bryant, Soph., 6-2, 180 … WR Boston Anderson, Sr., 6-3, 190 … WR Kasyn Dial, Jr., 6-0, 180 … OL Lucas Smith, Sr., 5-10, 220 … RB David Russell, Jr., 5-10, 180 … WR Chris Carter, Jr., 5-7, 160 … OL Camarion Beavers, Soph., 6-1, 215 … OL Leonard Sandifer, Sr., 6-3, 225 … OL Sean McCartney, Jr., 6-3, 250 … OL Preston Lacy, Jr., 6-1, 260 … TE Hugh Adams, Sr., 6-1, 210 … OL Landen Russell, Soph., 6-1, 205 … WR QaShaun Shepard, Jr., 5-8, 165 … RB Jon Denman, Sr., 5-10, 193

DEFENSE: 3-4

DEFENSIVE NOTABLES: LB Boston Anderson, Sr., 6-3, 190 … LB Myron Melton, Sr., 5-11, 225 … DB Kasyn Dial, Jr., 6-0, 180 … LB Brayden Barron, Sr., 5-10, 185 … DL Lucas Smith, Sr., 5-10, 220 … DB David Russell, Jr., 5-10, 180 … DB Chris Carter, Jr., 5-7, 160 … DL Camarion Beavers, Soph., 6-1, 215 … DL Leonard Sandifer, Sr., 6-3, 225 … DL Sean McCartney, Jr., 6-3, 250 … DL Hugh Adams, Sr., 6-1, 210 … DL Landen Russell, Soph., 6-1, 205 … DB QaShaun Shepard, Jr., 5-8, 165 … DB Caiden Walker, Sr., 5-9, 150

2024 OUTLOOK: Westwood broke through in a big way in 2023, winning nine games for the first time since 1992 and advanced to the second round of the playoffs for the first time since 2007. The Panthers averaged 40.2 points per game in large part to freshman sensation quarterback Bryant, who was 158 of 231 for 2282 yards with 33 touchdowns, and he had 78 carries for 812 yards and nine touchdowns. Bryant has football offers from SMU, Texas State, Tulsa and UNLV and a basketball offer from California. Bryant will have Anderson (16 catches, 192 yards, five touchdowns), Dial (48 catches, 754 yards, nine touchdowns) and Carter (16 catches, 156 yards, two touchdowns) at his disposal. Russell (seven carries, 136 yards, two touchdowns; two catches, 112 yards, one touchdown) is back at running back. The Panthers also got a late add with three-star running back Jon Denman coming over from Palestine. Denman has offers from Oklahoma State, Houston, Michigan State, Arizona, Boston College, Baylor, California, Kansas State, Louisiana Tech, North Texas, SMU, TCU, Vanderbilt, UTSA, Utah and more. Smith, Beavers, Sandifer, McCartney and Lacy form a solid offensive front for the Panthers. Defensively, Melton (88 tackles, four tackles for loss), Russell (33 tackles, four sacks, six tackles for loss), Anderson (59 tackles, two sacks, nine tackles for loss), Barron (70 tackles) and Smith (54 tackles) are all back.

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SCHEDULE

Aug. 30: at Mexia, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 6: San Augustine, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 20: Hemphill, 7:30 p.m.

Sept 28: Beaumont Kelly, 2 p.m.

Oct. 10: Crockett*

Oct. 18: at Diboll*

Oct. 25: Teague*

Nov. 1: at Fairfield, 7:30 p.m.*

Nov. 8: Huntington*

All Games are at 7 p.m. unless noted

*District 9-3A Division I Game