Houston high school football set to start

The five Houston area storylines to watch for the upcoming prep football season:

1. Can Katy make it back to state for a fourth straight season?
The Tigers played for the Class 5A Division II championship in 2007, 2008 and 2009. Whether they can return will be something everyone will be watching. The Tigers return just four starters on offense and four on defense but they have experience in key spots. Running back depth is plentiful led by Donovan Young and Vernon Jeffries and junior quarterback Brooks Haack picked up valuable starting experience in the state semifinals and state championship game last season to prepare him for his first full season as a varsity starter. The defense will be solid as usual, led by linebacker Grant Clifton and cornerback Colt Atwood. The determining factor may be which bracket the Tigers are in — they traditionally compete in Division II but it appears likely that with the changes in their district, they could go to Division I, making their road to a title game more challenging come the postseason.

2. Can North Shore (Houston) return to dominance after a down year in 2009?
The Mustangs went 113-13 from 2000-2009. Four of those losses came last season. Their state record 78-game regular season winning streak was snapped and their district winning streaks also went by the wayside as they didn't win their district for the first time in nearly a decade. But with seven starters back on each side of the ball, a strong offensive line led by one of the nation's top-ranked guards, Sedrick Flowers, and a quick, fast, talented defense, the Mustangs are hungry to return to the top. The changes they made offensively, in staff and scheme, may go a long way in determining how well they bounce back.

3. Can the young programs continue to win?
Several new, young varsity programs, including Clear Springs (League City), Cy-Woods (Cypress) and Dawson all had tremendous success quickly as they all reached at least a regional final within their first two varsity seasons. Whether they can sustain that success is worth keeping an eye on. And will any of the new schools entering varsity play, including Cypress Lakes (Katy), Cypress Ranch (Houston), New Caney Porter and Summer Creek (Houston) experience similar success?

4. Can the Houston-area provide another private school champion?
Episcopal (Bellaire) broke a brief drought of private school champions from the area by claiming the Southwest Preparatory Conference championship last season. The Knights are loaded again and could repeat. Perennial TAPPS power St. Pius X (Houston) could make another run at a title as well, as the Panthers are loaded with Division I prospects.

5. How will the split-conference setup affect Class 2A?
The most recent University Interscholastic League realignment created a split-conference alignment for the first time in Class 2A. Teams will be split into Division I and Division II prior to the season, rather than before the playoffs. It could possibly create travel headaches for coaches during district play.

FIVE KEY COACHING CHANGES:
Alief Taylor (Houston): After the best season in school history, defensive coordinator J.D. Jordan takes over for Trevor White, who took the job at new school George Ranch (Richmond), which is in Lamar Consolidated ISD. Despite that, many opposing coaches feel that Alief Taylor will be the favorite to win its district this year and they have a capable, experienced quarterback-receiver combo of Jordan Are' and Devonta Felder to lead the way.

Barbers Hill (Mt. Belvieu): The Eagles replaced former coach Don Price with Ronnie Gage, who won two state championships at Lewisville in the 1990s and most recently was at Austin College. In his 22-year coaching career, Gage is 154-85-8 overall and he will install a flexbone offense for the Eagles.

Fort Bend Hightower (Missouri City): Former coach Shane Hallmark, who was the Touchdown Club of Houston's 2008 Coach of the Year and led the Hurricanes to a Class 5A Division I title game appearance, left to take the head coaching job at Klein. Offensive coordinator Barry Abercrombie was promoted to take over and expectations remain high.

Klein: After an appearance in the Class 5A Division II state semifinals and a narrow loss to eventual state champion Abilene, Klein coach Stan Labay retired. Shane Hallmark came over from Hightower to begin a new era for the Bearkats.

Lamar Consolidated (Rosenberg): Alum Lydell Wilson, who led the Mustangs to a Class 4A Division I state championship in 2007 and may be best known for coaching Jacquizz and James Rodgers (now at Oregon State), exited to take the head coaching job at King (Houston). The Mustangs responded by hiring Cypress Ridge defensive coordinator Ronald Patton, who has had marked success with the Rams.

FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH AT EACH POSITION:
Quarterback
Matt Davis, Klein Forest (Houston) — He's just a junior but he has already become one of the most coveted prospects in the area. Davis was one of the most explosive offensive players in the area as a sophomore, throwing for 1,393 yards and 14 touchdowns and rushing for 1,427 yards and 22 scores last season. To date, he has 14 verbal scholarship offers from colleges.
Colton Huntsman, Cy-Woods
Bram Kohlhausen, Lamar (Houston)
Peter Maetzold, Friendswood
Ty Schlottmann, Brenham

Running back
KC Nlemchi, Cinco Ranch (Katy) — He's verbally committed to SMU and exploded onto the scene as a junior, with 2,388 yards, 28 touchdowns and 321 receiving yards to lead the Cougars to the Class 5A Division I semifinals.
Leroy Dobbins, Montgomery
Daniel Lasco, The Woodlands
Jermichael Selders, Cypress Creek (Houston)
Trey Williams, Dekaney (Houston) (junior)

Wide receiver
Marcus Vaughn, Dawson — He's big, he's strong and he's fast. A two-time all-district pick who's entering his third year as a starter, he caught 53 passes for 945 yards and nine touchdowns as a junior.
Derek Edwards, Brenham
Jafus Gaines, Chavez (Houston)
Christian Jones, Westfield (Houston)
Nathan Mourik, Pasadena Memorial

Offensive line
Garrett Greenlea, Klein Collins (Spring) — He's 6-7, 305 and is a punishing run blocker. He was a first-team all-district pick last season and is committed to Texas.
Kourtlandt Akins, Lamar
Sedrick Flowers, North Shore
Nathan Gutekunst, Atascocita (Humble)
Carter Wall, Fort Bend Travis (Richmond)

Defensive line
Nathan Hughes, Klein Oak (Spring) — He is verbally committed to Oklahoma and recorded 82 tackles (51 solo) and 11 sacks last season on his way to first-team all-district honors.
Desmond Jackson, Westfield
Cedric Reed, Cleveland
Samuel Ukwuachu, Pearland
Darrian Wright, Dayton

Linebacker
Trevon Randle, Clear Springs — He does a lot for the Chargers. He recorded 152 tackles, had three interceptions, led the Chargers in rushing and had 11 touchdowns last season en route to all-state honors. He's an LSU commitment.
Donnie Baggs, Clear Springs
Grant Clifton, Katy
Derrick Mathews, North Shore
David Santos, Klein Collins

Defensive back
Quandre Diggs, Angleton — He's mostly known for his offensive exploits as a quarterback (1,214 rushing yards, 14 touchdowns, 478 passing yards), but his future is as a defensive back, where he's a hard hitter and a leader for the Wildcats. He's committed to Texas as a defensive back and is entering his fourth year as a starting quarterback. He'll also play special teams again.
Sheroid Evans, Fort Bend Dulles (Sugar Land)
Charles Jackson, Klein Collins
Myles Kanipes, Pearland
Leroy Scott, South Houston

KEY GAMES TO WATCH, WEEK BY WEEK:
Week 0: Aug. 27, Katy vs. North Shore, 7 p.m. at Galena Park ISD Stadium
Week 1: Sept. 3, The Woodlands vs. Hightower, 7:30 p.m. at Woodforest Bank Stadium
Week 2: Sept. 11, Clear Springs vs. Cinco Ranch, 6 p.m. at Rhodes Stadium
Week 3: Sept. 17, Atascocita vs. La Porte, 7 p.m. at La Porte's Bulldog Stadium
Week 4: Sept. 23, Klein Oak vs. Klein Collins, 7 p.m. at Klein Memorial Stadium
Week 5: Oct. 1, Dawson vs. Friendswood, 7 p.m. at Friendswood's Henry Winston Stadium
Week 6: Oct. 8, Lufkin vs. The Woodlands, 7 p.m. at Woodforest Bank Stadium
Week 7: Oct. 15, West Brook (Beaumont) at North Shore, 7 p.m. at Galena Park ISD Stadium
Week 8: Oct. 22, Cypress Woods vs. Cypress Creek, 7 p.m. at Pridgeon Stadium
Week 9: Oct. 29, Crosby vs. Dayton, 7:30 p.m. at Dayton's Bronco Stadium
Week 10: Nov. 6, Katy vs. Cinco Ranch, 11 a.m. at Rhodes Stadium

AREA RANKINGS:
Class 5A Top 20
1. Katy
2. The Woodlands
3. Cinco Ranch
4. Klein Collins
5. West Brook (Beaumont)
6. North Shore
7. Clear Springs
8. Cypress Creek
9. Hightower
10. Klein Forest
11. Lufkin
12. Brazoswood (Texas)
13. Memorial (Houston)
14. Pearland
15. Lamar
16. Eisenhower (Houston)
17. Pasadena Memorial
18. Westside (Houston)
19. Alief Taylor
20. Westfield

Class 4A Top 10
1. Brenham
2. Angleton
3. Dawson
4. Friendswood
5. Dayton
6. Stratford (Houston)
7. Crosby
8. Huntsville
9. Montgomery
10. Humble
11. Ball (Galveston)
12. Terry (Rosenberg)
13. La Marque
14. El Campo
15. Lamar Consolidated

Class 3A/under Top 10
1. Sealy
2. Royal (Brookshire)
3. Rice Consolidated (Altair)
4. Episcopal
5. St. Pius X
6. Cleveland
7. Coldspring-Oakhurst (Coldspring)
8. Needville
9. Sweeny
10. Kinkaid (Houston)

Sam Khan Jr. is a reporter who covers Greater Houston area high school sports for the Houston Chronicle. You can reach him at sam.khan@chron.com. You can also follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/skhanjr. The Chronicle's comprehensive Houston-area high school football preview magazine, Game Plan 2010, hits newsstands on Aug. 26.