Thursday, February 24, 2011

Another Successful Playoff Run and More Awards For the Newman Smith Trojan Football Team

For those of you not keeping up (and you know who you are), the Newman Smith Trojan football program has done a 180 the past two seasons. After 30 years of futility and one playoff appearances, coach Paul Ressa (who played on the loan playoff team in 1983) has given students, faculty and alumni a reason to be proud when talking about high school football.

In 2009 Smith made it to the Regional finals, losing a heart breaker to Longview who moved up to 5a in 2010 and lost the state semi finals, by one point.  So, if there was ever any doubt how good the 2009 Trojans were I think Longview answered them with their successful move up.

The 2009 Trojans had 25 seniors and 13 received scholarships!  No wonder the Trojans had high expectations before the 2010 season but they seemed to be snake bit in the regular season from game one when they had first down and the ball with less than two minutes and the only way they could lose is to turn the ball over which is what happened and Keller Central took it in for the win. The injury bug and grades had coach Ressa and the Trojans down to 37 players on the varsity roster at one point.  Most of the Trojan starters went both ways so big leads against teams such as eventual district champion Frisco Liberty evaporated in the second half when the Trojan players wore down from being on the field so much.

When the playoffs began it was like a different team and a new season.  The team seemed to play with much more confidence and energy.  If not for a no call on a John Tyler player who tackled  a Trojan receiver after he had called fair catch we may have seen Smith in their second regional final in a row. I  think a deep playoff run three years in a row would legitimize the Newman Smith Trojans as a state 4a power and there is no reason to think otherwise.  Coach Ressa said "We need to find a quarterback spring training because Jose Martinez graduated but we are very deep everywhere else".

With success more awards and scholarships have come the Trojans' way. Three seniors have already received football scholarships. Braxton Bearden (SFA), Zach Smith (SE Oklahoma) and DJ Johnson (Benedictine). Coach Ressa expects seven more Trojans to have Football scholarships by the time next fall rolls around. They are Alex Fogle, Levi Garza, Jose Marinez, Trai Pickney, Mitch Prosser, Thomas Vollmer and Jaqueal Walker.  Below is a list of Trojan football Players who received all district and all state awards for their play on the field and the class room.

All State Selections:
 
Jacqueal Walker – Honorable Mention All-State Linebacker
Danny Coonce – 1st Team THSCA Academic All-State
Thomas Vollmar – 2nd Team THSCA Academic All-State
Braxton Bearden – Honorable Mention THSCA Academic All-State
Alex Fogle – Honorable Mention THSCA Academic All-State
Trai Pickney – Honorable Mention THSCA Academic All-State
Jacqueal Walker – Honorable Mention THSCA Academic All-State


All District Selections


Tripp Abbott 1st Team WR
Braxton Bearden1st Team RB
Cameron Bryant 1st Team OG
DC Dye Honorable Mention WR
Raymon Eldridge2nd Team DL
Alex Fogle Honorable Mention OG
Geovanni Geter 1st Team DL
Shawn Holmes 1st Team CB
Jose Martinez 2nd Team QB
Allen Melson 2nd Team OLB
Pablo Ortiz 2nd Team DL
Trai Pickney 2nd Team CB
Mitch Prosser 2nd Team OT
Michael Quiroga2nd Team C
Zach Smith 1st Team ILB
Karl Thomas 1st Team DE
David Vasquez Honorable Mention OT
Thomas Vollmar Honorable Mention S
Jacqueal Walker1st Team OLB



2009-10 College Signees
Dontreyl Beckham - Tarleton State University
Erin Francis - Dordt University
Jonathan Gardner - Dordt University
Cameron Harris - Langston University
Phillipe Ichter - Ouachita Baptist University
Randall Joyner - Southern Methodist University
Al Lasker - United States Air Force Academy
Scott Orr - Graceland College
Aldo Quiroga - Midwestern State University
John Sandoval - Graceland College
Austin Shipley - Austin College
Terrell Wilson - Southern Illinois University
2009 Academic All-State Team
Dylan Keepes – 1st Team
Erin Francis – Honorable Mention
Jonathan Gardner – Honorable Mention
Randall Joyner – Honorable Mention
Jarrett Mond – Honorable Mention
Aldo Quiroga – Honorable Mention
Austin Shipley – Honorable Mention
2009 Associated Press 4A All-State Team
Jeremy Stallworth – 1st Team Defense LB
Randall Joyner – 2nd Team Defense Safety
Randall Joyner – Honorable Mention Offense Running Back
Al Lasker – 2nd Team Offense WR
2009 10-4A All-District Team
Coach Paul Ressa – Coach of the Year
Dontreyl Beckham – 1st Team DL
Zach Fleming – 2nd Team WR
Alex Fogle – 2nd Team OL
Erin Francis – 2nd Team CB
Jonathan Gardner – 2nd Team DL
Ryan Garwood – 1st Team OL
Randall Joyner – District MVP, 1st Team RB, 1st Team Safety
Al Lasker – 1st Team WR, 1st Team Safety
Allen Melson – Defensive Sophomore of the Year, 1st Team LB
Danny Morales – 2nd Team OL
Scott Orr – 2nd Team DL
Trai Pickney – 1st Team CB
Aldo Quiroga – District Offensive MVP, 1st Team QB
Zac Smith – 1st Team LB
Jeremy Stallworth – District Defensive MVP, 1st Team LB
Terrell Wilson – 1st Team CB, 1st Team KOR, 2nd Team WR
 

No comments:

Post a Comment