VYPE Fort Bend ISD August 2022

aligned in a district with schools from Houston ISD like Northside, Waltrip, Sharpstown, Austin, Sterling, and Madison. Madison and Sterling each went 6-5 and made the playoffs last year, but Northside, Waltrip, Sharpstown and Austin went a combined 6-33. Only once during the regular season last year, Week 1 against Eisenhower, did Marshall’s starters play into the second half of a game. “You don’ t want a schedule where you just run through and beat everybody easily,” Williams said. “You need adversity. You need stress. You need games that force a team to develop, improve, and fight . You’ve got to have those before you get to the playoffs, and I believe the teams in this district are going to give us that .” Twelve starters (seven on defense) are back for Marshall. The cornerstones are senior quarterback Ja’Koby Banks (1,358 yards, 22 TDs passing; 1,093 yards, 19 TDs rushing), senior defensive lineman Trent Thomas (45 tackles, 9

opponents are Fort Bend ISD rival Willowridge and Galena Park. Otherwise, it ’s a new slate of competition. The district includes Dayton, Nederland, Port Neches-Groves, Santa Fe, and Texas City. Texas City and Port Neches-Groves each made the playoffs last year and went multiple rounds. Nederland finished 6-4, but 3-4 in district and out of the playoffs. Dayton went 2-8 overall last year, 1-6 in district , and Santa Fe went 0-10. Galena Park finished second to Marshall in district last season, and Willowridge barely missed the playoffs after making it in 2020. “The quality is there,” Williams said. “Nederland is a perennial playoff team. PNG is in the playoffs every year. Texas City is always a good team. Willowridge is a rivalry. Galena Park always plays us solid. Dayton can turn their program around. It ’s going to be a competitive district across the board. I really believe that . You can’ t overlook anybody.” That will be a change for Williams and Marshall. They had previously

senior offensive tackle Peyton Farmer, senior

had in our sub-varsities and what we have coming back , and I just believe in our kids. I know we lost a lot of ‘famous people’, but I believe we have a lot of people who are going to introduce themselves. When you look at the North Shores and Katys, that ’s what they do year in and year out . “I want us to be in the same conversations with state-wide schools, not just in our district or the region,” LaFavers continued. “It ’s the culture we’re trying to create here at Ridge Point . I want to play the best people we can when we can. It doesn’ t get much better than Austin Westlake.” Thirteen starters—eight on defense—return for Ridge Point . LaFavers likes his team’s overall speed and athleticism, playmaking and defense. Depth on the O-line is a concern. Leading the pack for the Panthers are senior defensive back Taylor Davis (87 tackles, 4 INTs, 2 pick-6s in 2021), senior running back Ezell Jolly (864 yards, 12 TDs), senior defensive back Ryan Ramey (32 tackles, 4 fumble recoveries, 2 INTs),

linebacker James Walley (73 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 4 sacks) and junior athlete Mason Dossett (433 yards, 5 TDs rushing; 127 yards, 3 TDs receiving). Senior defensive tackle DK Kalu will be welcomed back with open arms after missing most of last year due to injury. BUFFS RE ADY FOR NEW D I STR I CT Marshall has been where Ridge Point wants to go. The Buffs made it to the State Championship game in 2018 and 2019. They were Regional Finalists in 2012 , 2016, 2017 and 2020. Last season, however, was humbling. Marshall tore through the regular season, going 10-0 and outscoring opponents 581-69. But it was stunned in the first round in a shocking 42-21 setback to Barbers Hill. So, though Marshall was placed in a more difficult district (9-5A Division II) at February’s realignment , coach James Williams welcomed it . Gladly. The only returning district

tackles for loss, 2 sacks), senior defensive

lineman Zachary Chapman (37 tackles, 2 sacks) and senior defensive

back Michael Patterson (30 tackles, 3 INTs). Williams expects the D-Line to be one of the best the Buffs have had in his 12 years at Marshall. Here’s a look at what else Fort Bend ISD football has to offer this year.

Ridge Point’s [Back Row]: Gabriel Breaux and Peyton Farmer; [Middle Row]: Ryan Ramey, Ashton Bethel-Roman and Taylor Davis; [Front Row]: James Eaglin, Payton Doucet, Ezell Jolly, DK Kalu and Cortez Nichols

f o r t b e n d i s d . c om / / A U G 2022 / / F O RT B E N D I S D / / 19