The first week of the high school football season did not disappoint in the Wichita Falls area.
History-making wins were achieved as were a few surprising results. There were familiar faces making big plays, but also a new cast of characters were introduced among the area’s top performers.
Here are seven standout performances from the 48 athletes appearing on this week’s Honor Roll.
Brock Belcher, QB, Windthorst
Nobody had a more prolific season debut than Belcher, who torched Henrietta for 391 passing yards and six TDs, while rushing for 117 yards and two more scores. Belcher was a trendy preseason pick by local media to be Red River 22 small-school MVP at the end of the season, and he’s off to a quality start for that honor.
It’s worth noting that brothers Aiden and Jaxon Stark (combined 222 yards, four TDs) were Belcher’s top targets.
Cruse Coleman, RB, Henrietta
Coleman had the top non-passing yardage total of the week, rushing for 195 yards and two TDs in Henrietta’s 60-42 loss to Windthorst. The sophomore also had a kickoff return TD, and the Bearcats showed they can at least pile up plenty of points and yardage this season. Coleman’s older brother, Cooper, led Henrietta with 143 receiving yards and a TD.
Adrian Felton, DL, Vernon
Felton kept the Burkburnett backfield uncomfortable Friday, making himself at home with 5 ½ tackles for loss and three sacks. The Lions dominated their longtime rival, 30-7, and Felton’s pass rush played its part in teammate Jamari Chance also making the Honor Roll with a pair of interceptions.
Lexston Reese, RB, Quanah
Quanah coach Mike Bowling said in the preseason that he was “taking off the training wheels,” referring to Reese’s workload for his sophomore season. That was evident in the season opener, rushing for a career-best 187 yards and two TDs. Reese and Nick Gonzales (144 rushing, three TDs) give Quanah an impressive combo in the backfield.
Hunter Talley, LB, Memorial
There was a lot that wasn’t very pretty in Memorial’s 35-22 victory against Fort Worth Wyatt on Thursday, but not even the lightning, rain and the press box’s foggy windows could keep Talley from being noticed. The senior was all over the field, registering 17 tackles, including three for loss and two sacks. Memorial’s new defensive scheme seems to fit him just fine.
Gideon Towner, WR, Iowa Park
Towner had the best single-game performance for an Iowa Park receiver in recent memory, totaling 151 receiving yards and two TDs. The senior was the area’s top producer in receiving yards for Week 1.
The last time the Hawks had a player with more than 400 receiving yards in a season was 2020 when Ty Cunningham (515 yards) and Colin Howard (450) both topped that mark with Cirby Coheley playing quarterback. Cunningham was the team’s quarterback for part of the next season but as a run-first option.
The development of sophomore Reed McClain behind center is already providing the Hawks with a facet to their offense they haven’t had in years, helping them to a 28-27 victory against Pampa.
Lee Yeley, SB, Saint Jo
Yeley was phenomenal in Saint Jo’s 60-54 victory against a quality opponent in Follett on Saturday. The senior spreadback had 379 yards from scrimmage and six TDs. He added 109 passing yards and a score, while leading the team with 15 tackles and a sack.
Yeley’s 488 total yards is the second best total in Saint Jo history.
Honor Roll
RUSHING/RECEIVING
(100 total yards or multiple TDs)
Cruse Coleman, Henrietta – 195 rushing, 2 TDs (kickoff return TD)
Lexston Reese, Quanah – 187 rushing, 2 TDs
Brodie Jackson, Petrolia – 154 total yards, TD (4 tackles, 2 FF)
Gideon Towner, Iowa Park – 151 receiving, 2 TDs
Kason Gee, Petrolia – 147 rushing, 2 TDs (9 tackles, FF)
Eric Powell, Memorial – 144 rushing, TD
Nick Gonzales, Quanah – 144 rushing, 3 TDs
Cooper Coleman, Henrietta – 143 receiving, TD
Casen Booher, Archer City – 135 rushing, 3 TDs
Brian Collier, City View – 130 rushing, TD
Kevin Riddle, Legacy – 122 total yards, TD
Brayden Hamill, Holliday – 121 total yards, 2 TDs
Tyler Richey, Bowie – 119 total yards, TD
Aiden Stark, Windthorst – 118 receiving, TD
Hunner Brown, City View – 118 receiving, 2 TDs
Isaac Wesson, Jacksboro – 116 receiving, TD
Seth Truette, Archer City – 115 rushing
Kota Johnson, Iowa Park – 114 rushing, TD
Luis Balderrama, Jacksboro – 113 total yards
Tae Anzaldua, City View – 112 rushing, TD
Jaxon Stark, Windthorst – 104 receiving, 2 TDs
Gage Wuthrich, Memorial – 102 total yards, 2 TDs
Ja’Riyas Williams, Munday – 102 receiving, TD
Jourian Wiggins, Legacy – 61 total yards, 2 TDs
Owen Hays, Holliday – 61 receiving, 2 TDs
Slade Tucker, Seymour – 53 receiving, 2 TDs
PASSING
(200 yards or multiple TDs)
Brock Belcher, Windthorst – 391 yards, 6 TDs (117 rushing, 2 TDs)
Malachi Williams, City View – 272 yards, 3 TDs (22 rushing)
Rayder Mann, Bowie – 238 yards, 2 TDs (105 rushing, 2 TDs)
Jace Gill, Graham – 230 yards, TD (90 rushing, TD)
Chaden Clark, Henrietta – 224 yards, 2 TDs
Ty Scott, Vernon – 197 yards, TD (87 rushing, TD)
Caleb McClane, Holliday – 195 yards, 2 TDs
Wyatt Gavit, Jacksboro – 192 yards, 2 TDs (91 rushing, TD)
Reed McClain, Iowa Park – 187 yards, 2 TDs
Avery Parrish, Seymour – 182 yards, 4 TDs (159 rushing, TD)
Haiden Bowman, Munday – 156 yards, 2 TDs (82 rushing, 2 TDs)
DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS
(15 tackles, multiple sacks/turnovers/FGs, any TD)
Jamari Chance, Vernon – 3 tackles, 2 interceptions
Kasen Choat, Quanah – 11 tackles, 2 forced fumbles
Adrian Felton, Vernon – 7 tackles, 5.5 TFL, 3 sacks
Nick Herring, City View – 4 tackles, TFL, 74-yard fumble return TD
Denton Lauster, Graham – 2 tackles, 2 sacks
Hunter Talley, Memorial – 17 tackles, 3 TFL, 2 sacks
SIX-MAN
Lee Yeley, Saint Jo – 379 total yards, 6 TDs (109 passing, TD; 15 tackles, sack)
Zander Abila, Knox City – 228 rushing, 2 TDs (134 passing, 2 TDs)
Cole Keeney, Perrin-Whitt – 211 rushing, 3 TDs (99 passing, 2 TDs)
Izaiah Treveno, Knox City – 151 total yards
Landon Shannon, Saint Jo – 60 total yards, 2 TDs (44 passing, 2 TDs; 5 tackles, fumble return TD)
Week 1 Scores
Memorial 35, Fort Worth Wyatt 22
Legacy 28, Lubbock Coronado 22
Vernon 30, Burkburnett 7
Graham 17, Midland Christian 7
Iowa Park 28, Pampa 27
Callisburg 29, Bowie 27
City View 42, Bridgeport 7
Windthorst 60, Henrietta 42
Holliday 43, Breckenridge 0
Eagle Mountain 34, Jacksboro 21
Lindsay 69, Nocona 0
Reagan County 42, Olney 13
Munday 53, Abilene TLCA 14
Quanah 46, Archer City 38
Seymour 33, Colorado City 27
Santo 30, Electra 6
Era 36, Petrolia 30 (OT)
Bluff Dale 59, Throckmorton 0
Chillicothe 62, Kress JV 18
Northside at Rule, ccd.
Amarillo San Jacinto 54, Wichita Christian 14
Harrold 56, Woodson 6
Perrin-Whitt 48, Gold-Burg 14
Newcastle 46, Iredell 0
Benjamin 46, Amarillo PCHEA 7
Grayson Christian 58, Forestburg 24
Saint Jo 60, Follett 54
Cherokee 62, Knox City 30
Garden City 32, Bryson 24
Borden County 53, Crowell 0
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Windthorst QB Belcher, Henrietta RB Coleman lead 48 players on Week 1 Honor Roll
Reporting by Jonathan Hull, Wichita Falls Times Record News / Wichita Falls Times Record News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
