Burkhalter, Estes head AOW winners
Burkhalter, have been named for the PineyWoodsSports.com
Athletes of the Week for the week of Oct. 10-16. (Photo by Rusty
Wilson)
Two Piney Woods squads are on a collision course early on in District 10-1A D-I play are getting big-play performances by athletes who are taking their play to the next level. Garrison and Shelbyville could be in a showdown for the league title and in their contests on Oct. 15. It was Nathan Burkhalter and Brad Estes that were keys to their respective teams' wins.
Garrison's Burkhalter and Shelbyville's Estes helped their teams to 2-0 league starters and kept their chances for a district championship alive. For their efforts they have been named the PineyWoodsSports.com Co-Athletes of the Week for events played on Oct. 10-16.
Nine other area athletes received 'Superlative' recognition for their play during the week. Those athletes included Center cross country runner Daniel Woodhatch, Tenaha's Reginald Davis and Keitron Smith, along with the Dragons' Jesten Brown, Garrison cross country runner Megan Davidson, Carthage volleyball player Shelby Soape, Mount Enterprise quarterback Zach Moore, along with Carthage quarterback Anthony Morgan and wide receiver Jalen Claiborne.
Center varsity cross country runner Rebeca Medrano was named to the PineyWoodsSports.com Honor Roll for her contribution to her team, along with Center quarterback Cameron Cloudy, Garrison cross country runner Austin Edwards, Carthage volleyball player Hannah Hildebrand, Mount Enterprise running back Marlon White and Garrison back Desmond McKibbens.
PineyWoodsSports.com Co-Athletes of the Week
Brad Estes - Football - Shelbyville High School
Brad Estes had an excellent all-around game for the Dragons as he helped them to a convincing 41-8 victory over Cushing last Friday to remain in a tie with Garrison for first place in the District 10-1A D-I race with a 2-0 mark. Shelbyville also improved to 6-1 on the season with the victory.
Estes completed 18-of-23 passes (78.2%) for 230 yards and five touchdowns in the team's sixth win in seven games this year. He also rushes for 26 yards on five carries, averaging 5.2-yards per attempt.
Defensively, Estes recorded seven tackles, with four of them being solo stops.
On the season he is averaging 175.4-yards per contest, completing 91-of-157 passes (58%) for 1,228 yards, 18 touchdowns and only seven interceptions.
He is also sixth on the squad in tackles with 32, with 20 of those being solo tackles.
Nathan Burkhalter - Football - Garrison High School
Nathan Burkhalter was instrumental as the No.22-ranked Garrison Bulldogs knocked off the No.6-ranked Alto Yellowjackets on the 'Jackets home field on Sept. 15. He not only kicked what turned out to be the winning extra points, but he picked off a pass in his own endzone in the final minute to preserve the 18-27 victory.
Burkhalter tallied five tackles on the night, to go along with his key pick late in the contest. He also had one tackle for a loss, while carrying the ball eight times on offense for 66 yards rushing.
Trailing by one, Alto took over on its own 1-yard line with 1:06 remaining and drove deep in Garrison territory. But Burkhalter preserved the win when he intercepted a Jacoby Whitaker pass that would have given the 'Jackets the victory.
PineyWoodsSports.com 'Superlative' Efforts
Keitron Smith - Football - Tenaha High School
Tenaha linebacker Keitron Smith is another stellar performer among county athletes. Smith recorded 14 tackles on defense, while picking up one reception for eight yards.
Smith leads the Tigers with an average of 15.4 tackles per contest, or 108 for the season.
He has also recorded seven pass receptions for 73 yards and 17 yards rushing.
Reginald Davis - Football - Tenaha High School
Tiger quarterback Reginald Davis keyed the offensive performance in the team's dramatic 22-20 win over Mount Enterprise on the road Saturday night. Davis rushed for a game-high 154 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries, averaging seven yards a haul.
Davis also completed 6-of-11 (54.5%) passing for 60 yards and no picks. He also recorded five tackles as the Tigers improved to 4-3 on the year, 1-0 in District 12-1A D-II action.
Zach Moore - Football - Mount Enterprise High School
Wildcat quarterback Zach Moore completed 10-of-13 passes (76.9%) in the Mount Enterprise homecoming for 91 yards and a touchdown against Tenaha. He also ran for 17 yards on four carries and registered one tackle as Mount Enterprise came up just short, 22-20.
Anthony Morgan - Football - Carthage High School
Carthage quarterback Anthony Morgan connected on 15-of-28 passes (53.6%) for 256 yards and a touchdown as the Bulldogs rolled over Gilmer, 38-21, to snap the Buckeyes' 45-game district winning streak.
Jalen Claiborne - Football - Carthage High School
Carthage wide receiver Jalen Claiborne is part of a deadly 1-2 punch between quarterback Anthony Morgan and himself. Against Gilmer Claiborne caught six passes for 116 yards and a touchdown and recorded a tackle on defense as the Bulldogs kept their District 16-2A mark unbeaten at 2-0.
Jesten Brown - Football - Shelbyville High School
Shelbyville running back Jesten Brown continued to perform at a steady pace this season as he rushed for 96 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, while catching two passes for eight yards and a score.
Brown also was shining bright on defense, registering nine tackles, with eight of those being solo stops, with two tackles for losses and one hurry of the quarterback.
Daniel Woodhatch - Cross Country - Center High School
Center cross country runner Daniel Woodhatch set a new personal record on Saturday at the Lufkin Classic Coke Meet when he finished the event in 19:34.
Shelby Soape - Volleyball - Carthage High School
The Carthage Lady Bulldog volleyball could be on their way to a playoff run this year and Shelby Soape is one of those reasons. In two matches she recorded 27 digs, three kills and a block as CHS went 1-1.
Megan Davidson - Cross Country - Garrison High School
A fifth place finish by Megan Davidson of the Garrison cross country team helped the Lady Bulldogs to the third place team finish in varsity girls competition at the Lufkin Classic Coke competition.
PineyWoodsSports.com Honor Roll
Cameron Cloudy - Football - Center High School
Center quarterback Cameron Cloudy completed 69.2% of his passes against Diboll in the key District 18-3A victory by the Roughriders as they improved to 4-4 on the season, taking over sole possession of first place in the District 18-3A race with a 2-0 record.
Cloudy hit 9-of-13 passes, while running nine times for 32 yards.
Rebecca Medrano - Cross Country - Center High School
Center Lady Rider cross country runner Rebecca Medrano set a new personal record at the Lufkin Classic Coke Meet when she finished the event in 15:33. She helped the Lady Riders to a 9th-place finish out of 15 teams.
Austin Edwards - Cross Country - Garrison High School
Garrison cross country runner Austin Edwards posted the 14th-best time in the varsity boys' competition at the Lufkin Classic Coke meet on Oct. 16. He posted a time of 18:41.
Rebeca Medrano - Cross Country - Center High School
Center's Rebeca Medrano set a new personal record in the Lufkin Classic Coke cross country meet, posting a time of 15:33.
Hannah Hildebrand - Volleyball - Carthage High School
Carthage's Hannah Hildebrand had an outstanding week, posting 42 assists, 19 digs, five aces and a pair of kills as the Lady Bulldogs went 1-1.
Marlon White - Football - Mount Enterprise High School
Wildcat running back Marlon White carried the ball 26 times in the District 12-1A D-II meeting with Tenaha on Oct. 16, picking up 81 yards and a pair of touchdowns for Mount Enterprise against Tenaha. He also caught one pass for 11 yards and recorded seven tackles.
Desmond McKibbens - Football - Garrison
Garrison's big win over Alto was fueled by the play of running back Desmond McKibbens as he rushed for 95 yards on 11 carries.