Sharks face challenging non-district schedule
July 4, 2023
Football season has three layers which consist of non-district, district, and the playoffs which is ultimately where a team wants to advance.
Shadow Creek will face a challenging non-district schedule that includes the Manvel Mavericks (8-4), Clear Springs Knights (8-4), and the Bridgeland Bulldogs (6-5). All three teams advanced to the post-season in 2022.
Manvel Mavericks vs Shadow Creek Sharks
Friday, August 25
Freedom Field at 7:00 p.m.
The season opener for Shadow Creek will be when they face Manvel on Friday, August 25 at Freedom Field at 7:00 p.m.
Manvel welcomed former head coach Kirk Martin back to the fold when coach Kevin Hall announced his retirement back in the spring. For Martin, it was a natural move back to a place he call home from 2006 to 2018 when he became the quarterback coach at Syracuse University.
Martin's next step was back to Texas as the head coach at Colleyville Heritage for three years where his teams made the playoffs each year.
Martin saw Manvel advance to the Class 5A state title game in 2017 and 2018 where they lost to Highland Park each year.
Manvel is a pre-season pick to finish second in the tough District 10-5A DI. This district is probably the toughest 5A district in the state.
The Mavs return five offensive and eight defensive starters and 29 lettermen from an 8-4 team that advanced to the area round.
Manvel will have one of the most talent defensive units in the Houston area and they will look to LB Tyler Cooks (6-0, 215, 4.7) and LB Kaleb Blanton (6-3, 220, 4.7) to provide team leadership along with DE Jalen Charles (6-3, 225, 4.7). All three have multiple FBS offers.
Offensively, OL Micah Williams (6-2, 300) will anchor the line in the trenches as well as OL Jaxson Timon (6-4, 265), OL Alan McCarter (6-4, 265), and OL Elijah Cantu.
WR Andre Thompson (5-8, 165, 4.5) will provide leadership in the receiving corps as well as WR Antoine Wilder (5-11, 165, 4.6), and WR Derius Clerkly.
Clear Springs Chargers vs Shadow Creek Sharks
Friday, September 1
at Challenger-Columbia Stadium
Clear Springs is a pre-season pick to finish in third place in District 24-6A behind Dickinson and Clear Falls. The Chargers were 8-4 in 2022 and were an area finalist in the playoffs.
The Chargers will return eight offensive and five defensive starters with 28 lettermen for the 2023 season.
Offense will be a strong suit in their arsenal as they will be led by RB Raymond Xai' Shawn Edwards (5-11, 190, 4.6) who rushed for 1,195 yards, 18 TDs while catching nine passes for 181 yards and one score last year. Edwards is a four-year varsity standout who holds numerous FBS offers.
Edwards will be complimented by QB Julian Salazar (6-0, 180, 4.6) who threw for 1,123 yards and 21 TDs as a sophomore and possesses a strong arm passing while also showing the ability to run when the opportunity presents itself.
Salazar will have two talented targets in WR Jarius Williams (6-3, 180, 4/6) who caught 21 passes for 405 yards and 1 TD and WR Mu'izz Tounkara (6-6, 200, 4.6) who had 20 grabs for 295 yards and 2 TDs.
Other offensive players include OL Blake Ivy (6-5, 275, 4.9) who holds multiple FBS offers and will anchor the offensive line. OL Logan Latham and OL Cody Grash also look to be a part of the battle in the trenches.
LB Michael Sylvalie (6-3, 215, 4.7) will anchor the defensive unit as he had 77 tackles, 14 TFL, and two sacks as the 24-5A Defensive Player of the Year. Sylvalie is the stalwart of the Chargers' 3-4 defense and will receive support from DB Gavin Collins (5-10, 165, 4.5), DB Peyton Miller, DB Ali Schuster, LB Ethan Fountain, DL Ze'Qwuan Nunn (6-1, 245, 4.8) and DL Isaiah Johnson.
Bridgeland Bears vs Shadow Creek Sharks
Friday, September 8
at Freedom Field
Bridgeland will present a tough challenge as the Bears return eight offensive and eight defensive starters with 33 lettermen that will make them a district contender. The Bears were 6-5 in 2022 as a bi-district finalist.
While the Bears are a pre-season pick to finish third in the district race, there is no question that they are loaded to compete against Cypress Ranch and Cypress Falls who are picked to finish in front.
The Bears will be led by an experienced offensive line led by OL Jonte Newman (6-5, 265) and OL Ben Mullholland (6-3, 300) who are both college recruits while getting help from OL Jamerson Mallon-Echols.
The passing attack will be strong with two experienced receivers in Mason Simmons (6-1, 185, 4.7) who had 15 grabs for 288 yards and 3 scores and WR Oscar Nwanna (5-10, 170, 4.5) who had 23 catches for 212 yards and one TD. Nwanna will also see duty on the defensive side of the ball at CB.
Junior QB Tyler Begeal (6-2, 175, 4.8) and Jett Lewis (6-2, 175, 4.7) will battle to direct the offense while junior RB Noah Allen Cuellar will lead the ground attack.
Leading the defense will be LB junior Cole Fattig (6-0, 180, 4.7) who had 33 tackles and one INT last year. Other key players will be DL Omar Khan (6-4, 285), DB Phillip Myers (6-1, 190, 4.6) who had 52 tackles and one INT, LB Karson Krause, DE Andre Roy, DT Devion Baptiste, LB Aiden Hall, CB Chaison Shorts, and CB Edward Nelson.
