Friday, September 22
at 7:00 p.m.
Pearland ISD Stadium
District 23-6A Opener
This will be the District 23-6A opener for both teams as the real 2023 season begins with all teams with their sites set on making the playoffs.
Dawson and Hastings will both be looking for their first win this season and both were 0-3 in non-district competition. However, Dawson lost two games by only one point.
The Eagles lost to Hightower (20-19), No. 4 Klein Collins (30-17), and Tomball (17-16) while Hastings lost to Jersey Village (27-13), Cypress Falls (39-14), and Stratford (35-13).
Despite the 0-3 start last year, Dawson rallied to win 6-of-8 games to advance to the post-season while Hastings finished 1-9 and 1-6 in district to miss the playoffs.
The Eagles are a pre-season pick to finish third in the district race but they have been picked third before and captured the district crown as head coach Mike Allison knows games are won on the field and not on paper.
Who to Watch for Dawson
Allison believes that QB Gage Greene (6-2, 180) is able to provide the leadership and skill set for the Eagles offense. So far this season, Greene is 33-of-71 passing for 427 yards and two TDs and two INTs. He also has 108 yards rushing on 29 carries and one TD.
“Gage (Greene) had a strong spring showing and I believe he has the talent to take over at quarterback,” Allison said. “The players have a lot of confidence in him and I like what I saw in our spring game.
“He is an unselfish leader of this team that will be a big part of the success we are looking for on offense.”
Greene will have a lot of help as senior running back Bryce Burgess (5-6, 160, 4.5) returns to lead the ground attack.
Burgess was named the District 23-6A “Offensive Player of the Year” last season. The speedster has 190 yards rushing on 36 carries for two scores.
“Offensively, we have some dynamic athletes in the skill positions,” Allison said. “They have the ability to line up in different positions and do some different things to help the team.
“We have some experience coming back on the O-Line, and have a few of the underclassmen stepping up and competing for the open spots.”
WR Noah Rhodes is the top receiver for the Eagles with 12 catches for 225 yards and one score.
The defensive foundation will begin with the two bookend defensive ends in Charles Anderson (6-7, 245) and Edward Smith (6-6, 240). Both have committed to Texas Tech.
Other key defensive standouts include first-team All-District Bryson Burgess (5-6, 165), DB Max Menedez (5-10, 170), DB Chase Davis (5-10, 165), DB Gabe McFarland (5-10, 160), LB Jerimiah Treadaway, LB Hudson Winsor, and LB Jordan Harrison.
Who to Watch for Hastings
The strength for Hastings will be on the defensive side with eight returning starters with two players at defensive end and a linebacker being their team leaders.
DE Smith Orogbo (6-4, 225, 4.8) and LB Reese Bender (5-10, 200, 4.6) are the defensive leaders while DE Collins Okafor (6-4, 250. 4/8) also provides defensive talent.
Offensively, the Bears will have RB Jae’Don Webster (5-11, 205 4.5) that has speed and size as one of their top threats.
Webster will have a talented teammate in RB Syncere Nealy (5-8, 225, 4.6) that will provide a 1-2 punch on offense.
The Bears will be young offensively as sophomore QB Madden Harvey (5-9, 165, 4.7), who started 10 games as a freshman, will be looking to gain more experience.
Dawson should pick up their first win of the season against Hastings for a 1-0 mark in district. The Eagles could easily be 2-1 this year against some top quality teams. But the real season begins Friday, September 22 at 7:00 p.m. at Pearland ISD Stadium.
