On offense, Cameron Yoe senior lineman Tanner Andrews and Rockdale receiver Joe Sanders were selected. On defense, Rockdale linebacker Nic Hammett and lineman Logan David were selected.
Hammett and David were key forces for a defense that allowed 19.6 points per game. Hammett, a Rice commitment, was the District 24-3A MVP and made 128 tackles. David, a junior, added 68 from the tackle position.
On offense junior Sanders had 35 catches for 619 yards and 10 touchdowns in the run-based Tigers’ offense. Andrews was the top blocker for the Yoemen, who averaged 405 yards and 33 points per game.
Tyler Chapel Hill running back Matthew Tucker was voted offensive player of the year. He just finished his second 2,000-yard season and is headed for Texas Christian, the college home of LaDainian Tomlinson.
Not that they doubted him, but Tucker’s coaches weren’t sure what would become of him when he was a sophomore. They said he wasn’t nearly as strong, nor as fast, as the player he was this year.
“We knew he’d have a chance to be successful and be pretty special,” said Chapel Hill assistant head coach Matt Langley. “As far as how special, a lot of it depends on how much work they’re willing to put in. It didn’t surprise that he was willing to do all those things.”
Tucker didn’t stop trying to improve himself after rushing for about 2,300 yards his junior season, when he was honorable mention all-state. He dedicated himself to the football team’s summer workout program and went through special speed training on the side in Tyler.
The result was 2,260 yards and 27 touchdowns in nine games and a final total of about 2,700 yards for Chapel Hill.
Giddings senior safety Xavier Daniels was named defensive player of the year.
