Vote: Who was best Southeast Texas high school football player in area round? (11/19/2023)
The Texas high school football area round is in the books.
SBLive gathered the top high school football performers across the Houston area and all of Southeast Texas in the second week of the postseason.
We gathered the best of the best — offense, defense and special teams — and now it’s your turn to cast your vote for the winner.
>> Texas high school football playoff scores: Everything you missed in 2023 UIL area round
Here are SBLive’s Southeast Texas Football Player of the Week nominees for Nov. 16-18 (area round). Scroll down to read about this week’s list and cast your vote in the poll below. Voting remains open until Sunday, November 26, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. central time.
Know of a performance worthy of recognition we may have missed? Let us know who we missed. Drop a note to andy@scorebooklive.com or @SBLiveTX on Twitter and Instagram and back it up with stats.
SOUTHEAST TEXAS 2023 AREA ROUND TOP FOOTBALL STARS
Taji Atkins, Spring Westfield
Atkins ran for more than 200 yards last night and scored four touchdowns in a 55-41 win over Klein Cain. He eclipsed the 2,000-yard mark on the season in rushing. Atkins had scoring runs of 63, 44, 80 and 11 yards.
Jermaine Bishop, Willis
He hauled in five touchdown passes from DJ Lagway in a 42-21 win over Tomball Memorial on Friday.
Trae’Shawn Brown, Huntsville
The sophomore had a 61-yard rushing score early and later added a 9-yard touchdown catch from Austin Taylor in the Hornets’ 54-28 win over Austin Lyndon B. Johnson on Friday.
Darius Clark-James, C.E. King
The senior completed 18 of 26 passes for 206 yards and four touchdowns in a 37-20 win over Clear Falls on Friday.
Colby Dawson, Tomball
The 6-foot-4 tight end caught a pass from running back Koby Fosher on a 2-point conversion to give Tomball a 25-24 win over Conroe Oak Ridge on Saturday.
Quanell X Farrakhan Jr., The Woodlands
He had the go-ahead touchdown and two-point conversion to help the Highlanders pull away for a 28-27 win over Spring Klein Collins on Friday.
D’Andre Hardeman, Galena Park North Shore
The running back for the Mustangs had a pair of first-half touchdowns and added a 90-yard score to give North Shore a two-score lead in a 49-21 win over Clear Springs.
Cash Harris, Houston Second Baptist
The junior linebacker had a 90-yard interception return in the Eagles’ 49-13 win over San Antonio Christian. It came in the school’s first game since assistant coach DJ Hayden died in a car wreck.
Cardae Mack, Humble Atascocita
The sophomore, who has an offer Texas Tech, ran for four touchdowns in a 61-35 win over Pearland on Friday.
Kaleb Maryland, Galena Park North Shore
With quarterback Kaleb Brown injured, Maryland stepped up. His 1-yard touchdown broke a tie. He later added a touchdown pass in a 49-21 victory against Clear Springs.
Ladamion McDowell, Pearland
McDowell helped the Oilers pull within a touchdown early in the third quarter in what was an eventual 61-35 loss to Atascocita. McDowell finished with four scores on the ground.
Enrico Moore-Espinoza, Houston Lamar
The lone Houston ISD school stayed alive in the playoffs after Moore-Espinoza caught a 25-yard touchdown with 2:21 left to help Lamar beat Fort Bend Ridge Point, 31-28.
Michael Moshier, Silsbee
Playing without standout Dre’lon Miller, the junior quarterback threw touchdown passes on his first three passes — two to Raydrian Baltrip — in a 35-10 win over Gatesville.
Jamel Nickerson, Cy-Fair
The Trinity University pledge ran for a 3-yard touchdown to help the Bobcats pull away in overtime, winning 28-21, and handing Katy its first area game loss since 2001.
Trey Owens, Cy-Fair
The Texas pledge threw for 298 yards and three touchdowns — two to Rice pledge Owen Carter. The latter came with 43 seconds left to force overtime. Cy-Fair won 28-21 in overtime.
Darius Rodgers, Spring Klein Cain
The Hurricanes’ running back had 32 carries for 262 yards and scored three times in the first half during a 55-41 loss to Spring Westfield on Friday.
Keilan Sweeney, Needville
The junior quarterback had a part in five touchdowns in a 52-28 win over Lumberton on Friday. He threw three touchdowns and ran for 131 yards and two more scores.
-- Cody Thorn | @sblivetx
