Several Whitharral Panthers have earned UIL Region I, Class 1A-2, District 2 football honors. The Panthers overcame a number of obstacles on their way to a 9-2 season with UIL Class 1A- 2 football district and bi-district championships.
“This season has been a season I will never forget,” said Head Football Coach Jeremy Holt.
The loss of seven seniors to graduation, including all-district and all-region offensive most valuable player Shamadrick Weaver, created several openings and required some adjustments by the returning players.
In addition, the team lost two coach’s kids to moves and another two athletes to transfers or moves.
“Starting the season, we knew we had to replace a total of nine varsity players from the previous year,” said Holt.
“We were going to have to grow up fast, and we did,” he added.
The Panthers only losses came to the Springlake-Earth Wolverines, then ranked 11 th in UIL Class 1A-1, 56-42 in week one and then third ranked class 1A-2 Klondike in the area round of the playoffs, 64-16.
“The first game of the year taught us so much,” Holt said. “Our season started rolling along pretty good, then we had the loss of our teammate, Tucker Parkinson.”
The loss of Parkinson to a tragic automobile accident midway through the season not only meant the loss of a solid center, but was an emotional blow over which many teams would not have recovered.
“That is the toughest thing any team can go through, but we knew we had to press forward,” said Holt. “That is what Tucker would want us to do.”
In the case of the Panthers, they dedicated their season to Parkinson and played the game as they thought he would have wanted, winning every game after that until the area loss to Klondike.
Holt said several things contributed to the loss.
“One is that they are a great team that is well coached,” he said. “Another thing is that I believe this season emotionally drained us.”
“I don’t know if we would have beaten Klondike, but us being out of juice emotionally kept us from playing our best game.”
“We will continue to learn and grow from it and come back stronger next year.”
Parkinson was voted first team all-district center.
Holt, in his second year as the Panthers’ head coach, was Coach of the Year also for the second year.
Jack Griffin was all-district offensive most valuable player, first team kicker and first team safety.
Griffin went 70-for-137 for 1181 yards and 25 touchdowns with five interceptions. He had eight catches for 107 yards and two touchdowns. He also carried 32 times for 245 yards and four touchdowns.
Griffin went 55-for-69 on point-after-touchdown kicks and averaged 43.3 yards per punt on three attempts. Defensively he had 40½ tackles with 110 yards on tackles for loss and five interceptions.
Nomar Gomez was all-district defensive most valuable player for the second year in a row. He was also second team all-district running back. Gomez had 66 tackles. Offensively, he had 12 carries for 91 yards and three touchdowns. He also had 10 catches for 155 yards and two touchdowns.
Brolin Kennedy was newcomer of the year, going 11for-23 passing for 179 yards and three touchdowns. He also had 16 catches for 140 yards and a touchdown.
Defensively he had 48 tackles with 47 yards in tackles for loss and two interceptions.
Dawson Rodgers was first team all-district utility back and linebacker.
Rodgers had 41 carries for 235 yards and five touchdowns. He also had 19 catches for 261 yards and another five touchdowns. Defensively, he had 54½ tackles and one interception. Brent Robinson was first team alldistrict spreadback and second team all-district safety.
Robinson led the team in rushing with 93 carries for 1103 yards and 17 touchdowns with three fumbles.
He also went 26-for-32 passing with 395 yards, eight touchdowns and an interception. He caught 11 passes for 220 yards and five touchdowns.
He led in kickoff returns with seven for 163 yards. Defensively, he had 11½ tackles.
Rayden Potter was first team all-district safety and second team all-district center. Potter had 88 tackles, 106 yards in tackles for loss and had five interceptions.
Nate Sansom was first team all-district tight end and second team defensive end. He had 11 catches for 247 yards and five touchdowns. Defensively he had 26½ tackles.
Copper Popelka was first team all-district defensive end and second team all-district tight end. Popelka had 17 tackles on defense. On offense, he had two catches for 34 yards with a touchdown.
Landon Lee was second team all-district wide receiver and utility player. He had seven catches for 145 yards and five touchdowns. He also had 17 carries for 141 yards and three touchdowns.
Defensively he had 17½ tackles with 15 yards in tackles for loss and an interception Carson Bates was second team defensive end with 16 tackles on the season.