13-5A DII REGION 4
LOCKHART
By Rodney Rodriguez The Lockhart Lions will look to contend for a district championship in the new mega competitive 13-5A DII. The Lions return 21 lettermen from the 2021 2-8 team including 7 offensive and 6 defensive starters. In his 4th season at Lockhart after many successful seasons at Abilene Cooper head coach Todd Moebes appears to be on a great path to “Restore the Roar” in Lion Country. Senior ATH- Diante Jackson a 4-year letterman will draw lots of attention after a 2021 that saw 50 tackles and 374 yards tallied for the 1st team safety and 2nd team receiver. Fellow senior and 3 year letterman RB Sean McKinney will look to carry the ground game once again after 1,029 rushing yards and 1,200 all-purpose yards in 2021. Junior QB Ashton Dickens, a 2-year letterman and 2021 Newcomer of the Year passed for 1,449 yards and 15 TD’s while rushing for 940 yards and 2,389 total yards will guide the Lion’s offense. Senior LB Treveon Hopkins, a 2-year letterman, will help anchor the defense as well as working in the backfield on the offensive side after registering 39 tackles, 3 sacks and 3 PBUs in the 2021 season. Junior DE Trent Holcomb will be a force on the edge off of ‘21 season that included 12 tackles and 2 sacks.
LIBERTY HILL By Jake Herman
In his first full season as the head coach, Kent Walker led Liberty Hill to the state championship game. A loss to South Oak Cliff at Cowboys Stadium meant that the Panthers finished their year with a 13-3 record. “With everything that’s taken place here at Liberty Hill, to be able to fight our way back to the state championship game meant a lot to not only me, but our community,” Coach Walker told IHSFAN. “I’m extremely proud of our kids, and that sets the tone for this year.” The Panthers’ slot-T offense will once again give opponents fits, returning 9 of its starters. As Coach Walker told IHSFAN, it all starts up front for Liberty Hill -- who returns a pair of senior all-district offensive line stalwarts in Hudson Stillwell and Jackson Harrison. Sr. 2nd team all-district QB Reese Vickers may not get much recognition given the Panthers’ run-heavy tendencies but has impressed Coach Walker this offseason. IHSFAN Top Ten running back Noah Long will shoulder a heavy load in his junior season, but opponents must also account for all-district backfield mates Sr. Logan Dyer and Jr. Joe Pitchford. New faces will be asked to step up on a defense that returns only 3 starters. All-district seniors DT Wyatt Sprinkle, S Carlton Schrank and CB Aden Burrell have worked extremely hard in the offseason, but Coach Walker knows he’ll need all 11 to get up to speed and replace some of the talent they lost. With realignment imposing more travel on the Panthers in 2022, Coach Walker and his staff are excited for the competition. As a program seeking state championships every year, Liberty Hill has embraced being “the hunted” every week. “Our kids don’t really care who comes out of the opposing locker room, they just want to play the game,” Coach Walker said. “It says a lot about them and our tradition.”
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