The 2024 Texas high school football season has wrapped up, and in the wake of a fall showcasing outstanding performances and remarkable journeys, we reflect on the top talents emerging from South Texas.
We’ll be breaking it down region by region, celebrating the most influential players in this premier high school football area with our postseason honors, including first team selections, overall season highlights, and honorable mentions.
Curious about who stood out in North Texas? Check out the standout individual contributors across the region this fall.
ALL-SOUTH TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL AWARDS
MVP
Jayden Paluseo, Corpus Christi Flour Bluff, sr.
The UTGRV signee was crucial in guiding the Hornets to the Class 5A Division I quarterfinals, where they fell to the eventual state champion Smithson Valley. He amassed 4,183 passing yards, completing 72% of his throws with 56 touchdowns and just 9 interceptions. He threw for four or more touchdowns in his first seven games. In a thrilling 57-56 victory against Pieper, he recorded five touchdown passes along with two rushing touchdowns, setting a school record with 4,183 passing yards.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Trevor Long, Corpus Christi Roy Miller, sr.
The quarterback led the Bucs to the Class 5A Division II quarterfinals before being edged out by Boerne. Long threw for 4,012 yards this season, posting an impressive 50 touchdowns against only 3 interceptions. He recorded back-to-back games with 6 touchdown passes and surpassed 300 yards in 7 outings, finishing his career with a total of 126 touchdowns and 9,580 passing yards.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Zander Wills, Refugio, jr.
As a dual-sport athlete excelling in both baseball and football, Wills had an impressive season on the field for the Bobcats. He finished with 135 tackles, 45 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, 3 interceptions, 1 fumble recovery, 4 forced fumbles, and returned a fumble for a touchdown. In a game against Skidmore-Tynan on Nov. 1, he recorded 21 tackles, 2 sacks, and an interception.
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Malachi Rodriguez, Weslaco East
In his inaugural season with the Wildcats, Rodriguez showcased his versatility as a threat through passing, rushing, and receiving. Most notably, he excelled in the running game, racking up 1,026 yards over 10 games. He scored 11 rushing touchdowns while also delivering a passing touchdown, completing 7 of 22 passes for 85 yards. Rodríguez added 64 receiving yards on three catches, surpassing 1,100 total yards.
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Andrew Charlebois, Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial, so.
As an all-district selection in his first year as a starter, the running back made a significant impact. He recorded 244 carries for 1,884 yards and found the end zone 24 times. Charlebois exceeded 100 rushing yards in nine games and delivered an outstanding performance on Nov. 15 with 294 rushing yards and four total touchdowns against Mission.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Michael Troutman, Sinton
This season, the Pirates recorded a remarkable 13-1 record, advancing to the Class 4A Division II quarterfinals. Sinton completed a perfect regular season for the 12th time in its history, the first occurrence since 2015. With Troutman at the helm, the team achieved its most wins in 23 years, averaging 41.7 points per game while yielding just 14.9 points defensively.
ALL-REGION TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
QB — Triston Handson, sr., Sinton
Handson guided the Pirates to two consecutive state quarterfinal appearances along with district titles. He accumulated 2,178 yards in passing with 27 touchdowns, and added 980 rushing yards along with 4 touchdowns.
RB — Adrian Sauceda, Brownsville Pace, sr.
Sauceda delivered a breakout season this year — an impressive feat considering he rushed for 1,107 yards last year. The senior amassed 2,394 rushing yards at an average of 9.1 yards per carry, hitting the century mark in all 11 games. He found the end zone 27 times and had a standout game against Brownsville Lopez with 3 touchdowns and 299 yards.
RB — Jordan King, Refugio, sr.
The senior demonstrated his explosiveness by averaging 14.7 yards per carry, eclipsing the 100-yard mark in 12 of his 13 games. He concluded the season with 2,332 rushing yards and 40 touchdowns.
WR — Andre Mimms, Corpus Christi Flour Bluff, sr.
Mimms earned the title of District 15-5A Division II Offensive Player of the Year while playing for the Hornets. He accumulated 1,447 receiving yards on 74 receptions and scored 20 touchdowns, which is a significant increase from the combined total of 10 from the previous two seasons.
WR — Ryan Vallejo, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo, sr.
Standing at 5 feet 10 inches, Vallejo excelled with 1,400 receiving yards from 94 receptions and 12 touchdowns for the Bears. His standout game included 21 catches for 245 yards and 5 touchdowns against Los Fresnos.
WR — Eathan Vela, Corpus Christi Miller, sr.
Vela played an integral role in the Bucs’ road to the fourth round in the UIL playoffs. As a slot receiver, he recorded 75 receptions for 1,259 yards and 18 touchdowns. When factoring in his return yardage, he navigated over 1,500 yards this fall.
TE — Tyler Saenz, San Diego, sr.
He earned the title of District 16-3A Division I MVP for the Vaqueros. The senior
had 24 receptions for 238 yards and three touchdowns.
OL — Brady Buchanan, Corpus Christi Calallen, sr.
The District 16-4A Division I Offensive Lineman of the Year permitted just one sack throughout the entire season.
OL — Kali’i Leomiti, Gregory-Portland, jr.
Leomiti achieved 65 pancake blocks and allowed only one sack in 2024. He was recognized as the Most Valuable Offensive Lineman in District 14-5A Division II.
OL — Clay Mitchell, Sinton, jr.
Standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing 280 pounds, he only permitted a single sack on 254 passing attempts across 13 games for the Pirates. Notably, his brother Blake was selected as a first-round draft pick by the Kansas City Royals in 2023.
OL — Devin Cage, Corpus Christi Miller, sr.
The 290-pound lineman had an impressive record of zero sacks against him and achieved 84 pancake blocks.
OL — Brayden Henderson, Refugio, sr.
For the Bobcats, he recorded 49 pancake blocks while allowing no sacks during pass protection.
ATH — Jacoby James, Sinton, sr.
Recognized as the District 15-4A Division II wide receiver of the year, he tallied 70 catches for 1,132 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns. James further contributed with 16 tackles, 5 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 7 interceptions, and one defensive score.
ATH — Claudio Torres, Brownsville St. Joseph’s Academy, sr.
He achieved over 1,000 total yards through both running and receiving. Torres rushed for 1,820 yards and 30 touchdowns, and added 1,040 receiving yards with 10 additional touchdowns. On the defensive side, he recorded 76 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 5 interceptions, 5 pass breakups, and 3 forced fumbles.
K — Christian Torres, Corpus Christi Miller, sr.
He completed 6 out of 6 field goal attempts, with a longest kick of 45 yards. Torres was 94 for 96 on PATs and averaged 42.5 yards per kickoff for the Buccaneers.
DEFENSE
DL — Ruben Cavazos III, Corpus Christi Ray, sr.
As a defensive end, he amassed 21 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, and 43 quarterback hurries for the Rays.
DL — Steven Richardson, Corpus Christi Miller, sr.
This 6-foot-2 defensive end recorded 118 tackles, 39 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, and 11 quarterback hurries, earning him the title of district defensive player of the year.
DL — Noe Leos, Rio Hondo, so.
This young defensive end contributes 55 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, and 9 1/2 sacks for the Bobcats.
LB — Michael Viera, Corpus Christi Calallen, sr.
A dual-role player, he had 116 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, and a pick-six for the Wildcats.
LB — Lamarcus Cullum, Corpus Christi Miller, sr.
He is one of nine Buccaneers set to play at the collegiate level next year, having recently signed with Blinn Junior College. The senior recorded 165 tackles, 7 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 3 forced fumbles, and one interception.
LB — Jude Hernandez, Corpus Christi Calallen, sr.
He earned the title of district defensive MVP for the Wildcats, finishing the season with 110 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 14 sacks, and 19 quarterback hurries.
LB — Aiden Uribe, Mission Veterans Memorial, sr.
According to statistics from MaxPreps, he ranked 6th in the state with 189 tackles. In 11 games, he also recorded 23 tackles for loss and three sacks for the Patriots.
DB — Brent Nuss, Gregory-Portland, sr.
An all-state selection, he was honored as the District 14-5A Division II MVP after accumulating 85 tackles, 5 interceptions, and 3 pass breakups.
DB — Maddox De Leon, Corpus Christi Tuloso-Midway, sr.
This 5-foot-9 defensive back made a significant impact by recording 7 interceptions in just 9 games this fall.
DB — Izaiah Cabrales, Port Lavaca Calhoun, jr.
He excelled with 9 interceptions for the Sandcrabs while also contributing 6 pass breakups and 28 tackles.
DB — Rene Farias, Rio Hondo, sr.
He played a pivotal role in securing 8 of his team’s 15 interceptions this season. Additionally, he broke up 9 passes and recorded 44 tackles.
P — Luke De Leon, Corpus Christi Mary Carroll, sr.
He earned the title of Special Teams Player of the Year for District 14-5A Division II, showcasing his talents as both a kicker and punter for the Tigers. He maintained an average of 36.9 yards per punt, with a remarkable long of 62 yards during a game against Corpus Christi Calallen. Of his 34 punts, six were placed inside the 20-yard line.
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
- QB — Myles Lopez, Pharr-San Juan-Alamo, sr. (3,395 yards passing, 30 TDs, 5 rushing TDs)
- RB — Broderick Taylor, Corpus Christi Miller, sr. (2,065 yards rushing, 35 TDs)
- RB — Damian Figueroa, Corpus Christi Tuloso-Midway, jr. (2,003 yards rushing, 32 TDs, 3 receiving TDs)
- RB — Ethan Guerra, PSJA North, jr. (1,870 yard rushing, 13 TDs, 264 yards receiving, 2 TDs)
- WR — Tim Sanchez, Robstown, so. (89 catches, 1,123 yards, 9 TDs)
- WR — Cameran Dickson, Corpus Chris Flour Bluff, sr. (80 catches, 1,091 yards, 17 TDs)
- WR — Corey Holmes, sr., Corpus Christi Miller (35 catches, 1,011 yards, 11 TDs, 2 KOR TD)
- TE — Jayce Raines, Corpus Christi Flour Bluff, sr. (23 catches, 337 yards, 7 TDs)
- OL — James Bahn, Orange Grove, jr.
- OL — Vinson Beck, Alice, sr.
- OL — Landon Hooks, Corpus Christi Flour Bluff, sr.
- OL — Roman Mayes, Rockport-Fulton, sr.
- OL — Joaquin Montes, Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial, sr.
- ATH — Lucian Cruz, Alice, jr. (2,169 yards passing, 18 TDs, 134 carries, 654 yards rushing, 10 TDs)
- ATH — Cody Seller, Three Rivers, sr. (2,244 yards passing, 30 TDs, 135 carries, 665 yards, 12 TDs)
- K — Ryan Carmona, Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial, jr. (54 for 55 PATs, 2 FGs)
DEFENSE
- DL — Micah Mitchell, Corpus Christi Flour Bluff, jr. (64 tackles, 13 TFL, 5 sacks)
- DL — Shawn Burdick, Corpus Christi Tuloso-Midway, sr. (38 tackles, 5 TFL, 2.5 sacks, 3 FF, 2 FR)
- DL — Keno Reynolds, Orange Grove, sr. (47 tackles, 8 sacks, 10 QB hurries)
- DL — Jesse Villareal, Alice, sr. (101 tackles, 9 TFL, 3.5 sacks, 2 FR)
- LB — Joe Palacios, Kingsville King, jr. (65 tackles, 22 TFL, 10.5 sacks)
- LB — Trevor Garcia, Rockport-Fulton, sr. (96 tackles, 6 TFL, 7 QB hurries, 1 INT)
- LB — Jacob Freeman, Victoria West, jr. (108 tackles, 23 TFL, 12.5 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles)
- LB — Trajhaun Vurns, Corpus Christi West Oso, so. (123 tackles, 8 TFL, 3 FF)
- DB — Jordan Smith, Ingleside, sr. (6 interceptions)
- DB — Jonah James, Sinton, sr. (7 interceptions)
- DB — Chris Vasquez, Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial, sr. (5 interceptions, 68 tackles, 3 pass breakups)
- DB — Tay’vian Peoples, Victoria West, jr. (87 tackles, 6 INT, 4 pass breakups)
- P — Jeziel Ovalle, Harlingen, jr. (43.6 yards per punt)
- QB— Geoffrey Creighton Lefevre, Edinburg Vela, sr.
- QB — Domonick Martinez, Victoria West, sr.
- QB — Calvin Harris, Mission Sharyland, jr.
- QB — Cody Sells, Three Rivers, sr.
- QB — Diego Salinas, Mission, sr.
- QB — Sebastian Dennis, Corpus Christi Calallen, sr.
- QB — Dylon Everett, Kingsville King, sr.
- QB — Jaxon Garcia, Falfurrias, sr.
- RB — Jonathan Flores, Edinburg Vela, wr
- RB — Nicholas Luera, San Diego, so.
- RB — Eddie Slovak, Brownsville Lopez, sr.
- RB — Fischer Franck, Port Lavaca Calhoun, sr.
- RB — Derrick Reagie, Corrigan-Camden, so.
- RB — Robert Sanchez, Mercedes, jr.
- RB — Jose Fernandez III, Laredo Alexander, sr.
- RB — Damarius Montgomery, Kingsville King, so.
- RB — Alvin Edwards, Harlingen South, sr.
- RB — Diego Garza, Orange Grove, sr.
- RB — McKenzie Yanta, Yorktown, fr.
- RB — Daniel Martinez, Santa Maria, jr.
- WR — Colt Lozano, Laredo United, so.
- WR — Jeret Swanson, Victoria West, jr.
- WR — Chris Luna, Weslaco, jr.
- WR — Tristan Bernard, Victoria West, jr.
- WR — Gabriel Rios, Brownsville Lopez, sr.
- WR — Brandon Coates, Gregory-Portland, sr.
- WR — Darius Elizalde, Ben Bolt, sr.
- WR — Juan Garza, Edinburg Vela, sr.
- WR — Julio Pineda-Garcia, Kingsville King, fr.
- WR — Jason Galey, Three Rivers, sr.
- TE — Kyle Wuenschel, Odem, sr.
- OL — Kade Alston, Rockport-Fulton, sr.
- OL — Ethan Barrientos, Corpus Christi Tuloso-Midway, so.
- OL — Pedro Garcia, Corpus Christi Mary Carroll, jr.
- OL — Chris Turner, Three Rivers, sr.
- ATH — Mykah Green, Sinton, jr.
- ATH — Jasiah Rivera, Kingsville King, sr.
- ATH — Paxton Soliza, Three Rivers, fr.
- DL — Sawyer Chalk, Ingleside, sr.
- DL — Adrian DeAses, Sinton, sr.
- DL — Andrew Rendon, Corpus Christi London, sr.
- LB — Delson Cavaness, Corpus Christi Miller, sr.
- LB — Aiden Galvan, Sinton, sr.
- LB — Tristan Wilson, Corpus Christi Flour Bluff, jr.
- LB — Andrew Silva, Sinton, sr.
- LB — Dom Garza, Orange Grove, sr.
- LB — Jacob Rivera, Kingsville King, sr.
- LB — Frank Soliz, San Diego, jr.
- DB — John Cason, Kingsville King, jr.
- DB — De’Shaun Porter, Corpus Christi Mary Carroll, so.
- DB — Ryder Reeve, Corpus Christi Callen, so.
- DB — Hayden Trejo, Alice, jr.
- DB — Alberto De La Garza, Uvalde, sr.
- P — Jose Limon, Los Fresnos, sr.
- P — Chase Schanen, Skidmore-Tynan, sr.
- P — Ryder Harrison, Gregory-Portland, jr.
- K — Leo Quezada, Rio Hondo, sr.
- K — Ethan Van Dusen, Victoria West, jr.
