Chain Gang dominates All-District team

WOS Mustang lineman Joseph Morris, seen above carrying the 2016 state football championship trophy, has been selected as Div. II 12-4A Most Valuable Player

For The Record

West Orange-Stark’s “Chain Gang” defense dominated Class 4A Division II football in the state of Texas and the same was true for the All-District team for 12-4A Division II.

Morris Joseph, a two-way tackle for the back-to-back state champions, was named as District Most Valuable Player on the honor squad chosen by the coaches of the district’s five teams.

Nose tackle Mandel Turner-King was named Defense MVP and seven other Mustangs were named to the All-District first team after a 16-0 season ended in last Friday’s 24-6 win over Sweetwater.

Eight is also the number of offensive touchdowns allowed by the WO-S defense in 16 games. The Chain Gang dealt complete shutouts to eight opponents.

The only points the Mustangs allowed in the state title game were scored by Sweetwater on a fumble return.

Overall, WO-S outscored opponents 811-69 and seven of its players were named first-team all-district on offense.

Cornel Thompson, who led the Mustangs to their first 16-0 record, was named coach of the year.

Orangefield, fourth-place finisher in 12-4A-II, placed three players on the first-team offense, two on first-team defense.

Besides the recognition of Joseph, another two-way Mustang lineman, Teron Brown, was a first-team all-district pick on both offense and defense.

Jarron Morris of WO-S earned two spots on the first-team defense, at cornerback and punt returner, and teammate K.J. Miller earned two spots on the first-team offense at wide receiver and kick returner.

Other Mustang defenders named first-team all-district were lineman Jalen Powdrill, linebackers Corey Skinner and Ronald Carter, cornerback Malick Phillips and safety DeMorris Thibodeaux.

Mustangs picked to first-team offense, in addition to Brown and Miller, include quarterback Jack Dallas, running back Jeremiah Shaw, receiver Keion Hancock, and linemen Ryan Ragsdale and Paul Ivory.

Running back Christopher McGee, tight end Michael Teeples and kicker Jacob Rainey were Orangefield’s first-team offense picks while linebacker Blake Bradley and safety Zack Dischler were first-team defense picks.

WO-S placed linebacker Davien Tate and Keyshawn Holman, safety Teshaun Teel and K.J. Miller at punt returner on second-team offense, while Orangefield’s second-team picks included lineman Mason Gonzalez, linebackers Hunter Evans and Andrew Hoyland, cornerback Zack Norman and punter McGee.

On the second-team offense for WO-S are running back Kavyn Cooper, receivers Dominique Tezeno and Blake Robinson, tight end Rufus Joseph, lineman JaCorry Brady and kicker Chad Dallas. Offensive linemen Kaden Head and Aaron Galitz are second-team offense picks for Orangefield.