2014 High School Football Preseason Top 25 Early Contenders presented by Eastbay: No. 1 Cedar Hill

Cedar Hill stunned Katy 34-32 in the Class 5A-II state final last season, avenging a loss to the Tigers in the same game in 2012.

The team improved leaps and bounds from a 2-2 start in which it endured losses to state titans Allen and DeSoto to win 12 straight games and capture the program's first state title since 2006.

Bolstered by a talented group of sophomores and 12 returning starters from a year ago, Joey McGuire's 2014 Cedar Hill squad debuts as the nation's No. 1 team in the MaxPreps Top 25 Early Contenders. The man lining up behind center for the nation's top team will be Justin McMillan, a 6-foot-2, 185-pound quarterback in his second season as a starter.

As a junior, he tossed for 2,372 yards and 25 touchdowns despite Cedar Hill's run-first approach.

Larry Hill and Peter Lewis took most of the team's carries last year, but both have moved on. Aca'cedric Ware should be assuming the feature running back role after he led the team with 1,289 yards despite 60 carries fewer than Hill.

Denvre Daniels is another potent weapon that McGuire will utilize in a variety of ways.

Occasionally lining up behind center in the Wildcat formation will be senior receiver Damarkus Lodge. Lodge was nothing short of superb against Katy, proving why he is arguably the nation's best receiver. The 247Composite places Lodge as the No. 4 receiver and No. 34 recruit overall. He was a runner-up for National Junior of the Year honors a year ago.



Randy Crystian is back up front on the offensive line, alongside Justice Powers. Kobe Idumwonyi, a 6-foot-3 tight end, is a huge support in run blocking.

Cedar Hill's talent is nicely divided on both sides of the ball. The defense, which returns four starters, improved dramatically through the course of last season. Richard Moore, a 6-1 linebacker, figures to be the heart and soul of the unit. He holds offers from the likes of Texas A&M after being in on a whopping 182 tackles and making eight sacks in 2013.

Joining him in the second wave of defense is Demarcie Perry, who accounted for 73 tackles a year ago.

The secondary is loaded. Darrell Miller and Kyle Goss are back and both gained tremendous experience with the Longhorns playing 16 games a year ago. Keep an eye on 6-3 Dimitri Moore, one of the team's super sophomores. He could earn a starting spot and be an impact player from Week 1.

When he's not competing for time at receiver, fellow 10th grader Jaylon Jackson could also be in the secondary fray.



The defensive line will be green to start the year, but it's the team's only real, discernible question mark at this point.

The margin of separation between Cedar Hill and the other teams in the Top 5 is slim. It will need to pick up in Week 1 where it left off against Katy to maintain its ranking. Games are won and lost on the field, and that's what dictates the ebbs and flows of rankings. However, with three months remaining before kickoff, there is not a better team on paper than Cedar Hill.


"Cedar Hill's defense needs to plug some holes, including a big one made by defensive end Xavier Washington, who was dominant against Katy in the state title game. But that defense should have some leeway because the Longhorns' offense is loaded. They return their starting quarterback, Justin McMillan, they have a rising star at running back, Aca'Cedric Ware, and their top receiver is the epitome of the big-play guy. DaMarkus Lodge, whose junior year ended with a touchdown reception and a 61-yard TD run in the state championship game, will strike fear into opponents whether he's split wide, set up as a running back or taking direct snaps. And the way he effortlessly rises to snag fade passes in the end zone is a thing of beauty."
- Matt Wixon, Dallas Morning News (@mattwixon)