Aledo Bearcats
5-4A
Coach: Tim Buchanan.
Lettermen R/L: 31/35.
2009: 15-1 DII champion/7-0 district.
Starters returning O/D: 5/6.
Players to watch: CB Rylan Riney (5-10, 170, 4.6).
Top juniors: RB Johnathan Gray (5-10, 185, 4.4), QB Matthew Bishop (5-11, 170, 4.8), OT Michael Wilson (6-6, 250, 5.1), DT Ryan Dawsey (6-4, 270, 5.5).
Top sophomores: LB Gunner Johnson.
Other prospects: FS Dayne Davis, CB Cameron Cunningham, WR Michael Mann, LB Brady Lambert, C Garrett Young, DE Slaiter Vancertuin, SS Rob Blowers, G Kevin Frantz, DT Cody Brooks.
2010 notes: People talk about the dominance of Lake Travis in Division I, but Aledo played a level above the competition, too. Outside of the 26-23 second-round win against Stephenville, Aledo beat every team in the postseason by double digits. Aledo started a lot of underclassmen last year, so this year's team could be even better. That should make Aledo, which had been in the state semifinals three times since winning the 3A title in 1998, the favorite to repeat in 2010. In a year loaded with great senior RBs, the best in all the state might be Bearcats junior RB Gray (2,813 yards, 50 TDs; 479 yards, 9 TDs receiving). He was all-state on both the AP and TSWA teams; MaxPreps named him the national sophomore of the year. And since Gray played as a freshman, it allowed teammate QB Bishop (2,366 yards, 20 TDs passing) to be named the district's newcomer of the year after his sophomore season. They can make a case as being the best backfield in the state. Now throw in WR Mann (34-479, 3 TDs), another junior, and once Aledo rebuilds its OL, it can likely surpass last year's 37 ppg average. The defense doesn't have stars player like the offense, but it might be in better shape. All-district picks CB Riney (74 tackles, 2 INT), FS Davis (106 tackles, 4 TFL) and SS Blowers fortify the secondary, while the line returns two all-district second-teamers, DT Brooks and DE Vancertuin. The 'Cats will need to find two new LBs to pair with all-district LB Lambert, though LB Johnson should get his shot, even though he's a sophomore. Because as last year proved, Aledo can not only play with underclassmen, it can beat anyone with a young squad.
