Abilene Eagles
3-5A
Coach: Steve Warren.
Lettermen R/L: 22/35.
2009: 15-0 DII state champion/6-0 district.
Starters returning O/D: 4/4.
Players to watch: RB Herschel Sims (5-10, 190, 4.4), QB Ronnell Sims (5-9, 180, 4.4), RB Tony Curtis (5-9, 195, 4.5), WR Darius Joseph (6-1, 185, 4.5), OL Ben Kittley (6-2, 245, 4.9), S Jake Brooks (6-1, 180).
Top juniors: WR Tyler McGary (5-11, 165, 4.6), RB Paxton Grayer (5-8, 165, 4.6).
Top sophomores: WR Peyton Brooks (5-9, 160, 4.6).
Other prospects: LB Josh Jones, LB Sawyer Tallant, LB Anthony Carriola, TE Jacob Martinez, LB Chris Horton, S Gibson Aguirre, DL Luke Gibson, OL Anthony Flores, WR Kirk Mann.
2010 notes: How sweet it is - after several years of being just a contender, runnin' and gunnin' Abilene finally broke through for a title with a brilliant offense and a stout defense, both of which flexed their muscles in an impressive win over state power Katy in the DII state finals. But that's all last year's stuff: on to 2010. Although Abilene graduated most of its OL and DL, the Eagles still return all of their top skill-position players. Abilene missed by just 10 yards of having three 1,000-yard rushers in 2009. Opponents this fall will still have to figure out a way to corral the Eagles' speed, led by RB Herschel Sims (267-2,352, 33 TDs rushing; 27-436, 5 TDs; 2 KO returns for TDs), QB Ronnell Sims (146-1,181, 17 TDs rushing; 120-188 -1,742-9, 18 TDs passing), RB Curtis (110-990, 16 TDs) and WR Joseph (18-348, 4 TDs). LBs Jones, Tallant (90 tackles) and Carriola and S Brooks (5 INTs) return from a defense that limited opponents to 251 yards and less than 12 points per game last season.
