All Saints’ Emerson Hadnot. (Audrey Blaschke/Henderson News)

GRACE COMMUNITY COUGARS

COACH: Tim Russell (3rd year at Grace, previously at Harmony, Pine Tree, 22nd season as a head coach, 142-92-0; At Grace, 19-4)

DISTRICT: TAPPS Division II, District II

STADIUM: Orville Rogers Field at Clyde-Perkins Stadium, 3001 University Blvd., Tyler, 75701 (Capacity: 1,507)

2023 RESULTS: 9-2

RETURNING LETTERMEN/STARTERS: 22/8 offensive/7 defensive

LETTERMEN LOST: 12

OFFENSE: Spread

DEFENSE: 3-4

TOP SENIORS: ATH/QB JT Williams, 6-0, 185 … DL Nic Boone, 6-3, 235 … DB Lawson Livingston, 6-0, 170 … OL Luke Wilson, 6-2, 240 … OL Colton Masters, 6-3, 255 … OL Jack Crawford, 6-4, 245 … LB/RB Konnor McCoy, 6-0, 190 … DB/WR Casey Stover, 6-0, 180 … WR/DB Ryder Welch, 5-9, 160 … Austin Alexander, 6-2, 225 … QB/LB/TE McCade Stinson

TOP JUNIORS: DB/WR Doak Porter, 6-0, 185 … OL Brayden Wells, 6-1, 240 … RB/DB Justus McQuay, 6-0, 190

TOP SOPHOMORES: LB Andrew Gardner, 6-0, 225 … OL GerCaleb Gossett, 6-0, 250

2024 OUTLOOK: Veteran East Texas coach Tim Russell, who built a solid program at Harmony, enters his third season at Grace, leading the Cougars to the playoffs both years with a combined record of 19-4. Gone are three leaders in kicker/punt/linebacker Blake Harmon (Navarro College), LB Dylan Taylor (Hardin-Simmons) and slot Grant Turner (Midwestern State). … Still, the Cougars have plenty of talent. With previous quarterback Zach Davis having transferred to Tyler Legacy High School, JT Williams is expected to take over signal calling duties. Russell says Williams is “going to be a high level college player.” … The Cougars are more inexperienced this year, but Russell expects the squad to improve each week. … According to Texas Football Magazine, Grace is picked to finish second in district behind Austin Regents. … Boone (6 sacks) and Livingston are leading returning tacklers with 65 and 63 stops, respectively. … Livingston and Porter each had four interceptions last season.

BROOK HILL GUARD

COACH: Scott Ryle (9th year at Brook Hill, 47-39; Overall, 47-39)

DISTRICT: TAPPS Division II, District II

STADIUM: Young Field at Herrington Stadium, 22450 FM 2493 (Old Jacksonville Highway), Bullard, 75757 (Capacity: 2,500)

2023 RESULTS: 7-4

RETURNING LETTERMEN/STARTERS: 29/6 offensive/9 defensive

LETTERMEN LOST: 13

OFFENSE: Spread

DEFENSE: 3-4

TOP SENIORS: LB Marcelo Martinez … RB Braxton Durrett … QB Cam Ryle … DL/FB Beckin Westbrook … LB/FB Samuel Williams … OL/DL Aaron Pakarinen … RB/DB Carlos Afre … WR/DB Tyler Vining … LBWR Luke McNeel … DL/RB Dylan Ouzts …

TOP JUNIORS: WR/DB Blake Whitten … LB Joona Sarajavi …

TOP SOPHOMORES: WR/DB Jio Orrico

2024 OUTLOOK: Last season, Coach Scott Ryle had one of his most inexperienced squads of his tenure at the Bullard school and still the Guard won seven games and made the playoffs. Now, those youngsters are veterans. The leader on defense is Martinez, who had 82 tackles last year, along with nine tackles for loss, an interception and fumble recovery. … Cam Ryle said action at QB last year, passing for 842 yards witih eight TDs and one interception. … Durrett rushed for 671 yards with 13 TDs last season. … The top returning receiver is Westbrook (15 catches, 160 yards, 2 TDs. …McNeel had three sacks last season with eight tackles for loss and Afre had two interceptions with eight defections. … “We have to replace some key pieces from a year ago, however, we feel as if some of our younger guys are ready to step into key roles,” Coach Ryle said. … The biggest need is replacing three offensive starters, he said. According to Texas Football Magazine, Brook Hill is picked to finish fourth in the district behind Austin Regents, Grace Community and Arlington Grace Prep. … The Guard will host the 10th Annual Warrior Bowl to begin the season on Aug. 30 against Redwater.

BISHOP GORMAN CRUSADERS

COACH: Ed Burns

DISTRICT: TAPPS Division III District 2

STADIUM: McCallum Stadium, 405 ESE Loop 323, Tyler 75701 (Capacity: 2,500)

2023 RESULTS: 2-9

RETURNING LETTERMEN/STARTERS: 18/6 offensive/6 defensive

LETTERMEN LOST: 7

OFFENSE: Spread

DEFENSE: 4-2-5

TOP SENIORS: QB/LB Chance Harrison, 5-11, 198 … LB/OL Sam Kerzee, 6-0, 195

TOP JUNIORS: WR/DB David Phillips, 6-2, 170 … DB/WR Manuel Lozano, 5-9, 165 … LB Sean O’Neill, 5-10, 175

TOP SOPHOMORES: LB/RB Kennedy Davis, 5-8, 165 … DB/WR Jack Coan, 5-10, 150 … DE Caleb Hill, 6-2, 190

2024 OUTLOOK: Burns spent the two seasons as the offensive coordinator for the Crusaders as well Burns also served as the head middle school football, basketball and track coach, high school assistant basketball and track coach and strength and conditioning coach. Last year, he became head coach of the Crusaders. … Burns has coached football for seven years overall. He was the offensive coordinator for Willowbend Center RTC. He was also a running backs coach at his alma mater, Texas College. … Burns was a four-sport athlete at Texas College, playing football, basketball and baseball, while also running track. Burns was a running back and wide receiver for the Steers and earned team MVP honors. He participated in the FCS Division I Senior Bowl All-Star Game. … Phillips was a standout for the Crusaders, grabbing 41 receptions for 832 yards and nine touchdowns. He had 1,169 all-purpose yards with 28 tackles and three interceptions. He was the Built Ford Tough Player of the Week last year during the third week of the season. … Lozano had 105 tackles with 10 tackles for loss and three interceptions. … Last season, Harrison connected on 67 passes for 486 yards passing while rushing for 292 yards and a TD on 41 carries. … Davis rushed for 279 yards and a TD on 50 carries.

ALL SAINTS TROJANS

COACH: Kyle Freeman (1st year at All Saints, eight year as head coach with previous stints at Bruni, Ozona and Linden-Kildare, 46-33)

DISTRICT: TAPPS District III, District 2

STADIUM: Mewbourne Field, 2695 S.SW Loop 323, Tyler, 75701 (Capacity: 1,628)

2021 RESULTS: 1-8

RETURNING LETTERMEN/STARTERS: 19/8 offensive/9 defensive

LETTERMAN LOST: 3

OFFENSE: I formation and multiple sets

DEFENSE: 4-2-5

TOP SENIORS: TE/DE Calvi Courtney, 175 … C/DT Hunter Martin, 250 … OL/DT Peyton Hernandez, 245 … OL/LB Hudson Layne … RB/DB Darek Kaminski, 175

TOP JUNIORS: RB Emerson Handnot, 185 … TE/OLB Sam Walters, 170 … LB/FB Jackson Daniels, 185 … DB Cole Phillips, 170 … QB/OLB Manny Mizer, 195 

TOP SOPHOMORES: RB/LB Bruhn Henry, 65 … QB/FS Sawyer Buske, 160 …

TOP FRESHMAN: RB/OLB Nate Mienk, 160 … WR/DB Tate Scully, 160 …

2023 OUTLOOK: After spending last season as an assistant coach for the Trojans, Kyle Freeman takes the reins as head coach from Drew Starnes, who coached there for seven years. … In five of his seven years as a head coach, Freeman has taken his teams to five playoff appearances (2 district championships at Bruni and one league title at Ozona. 2 runner-up spots at Ozona.). … Freeman was All-America in track and football at Angelo State and was the NCAA Division II National Champion in shot put twice. … In addition, after his years of playing linebacker and track at Angelo State, he was picked in the seventh round of the 1991 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers. His playing career was cut short after a few years with an injury and that is when he got into coaching. … After several seasons as a TAPPS Independent, the Trojans will be in a district with Dallas Christian, Dallas Covenant, Dallas Shelton and Tyler Bishop Gorman. … Mizer and Buske both saw action at QB last year with leading rushers Henry (710 yards, 2 TDs) and Handnot (697 yards, 6 TDs). … Returning top tackler is Courtney (36 tackles, 12 assists). … The Trojans are picked sixth in district behind Dallas Christian, Dallas Covenant, Dallas Shelton, McKinney Christian and Bishop Gorman.