VALLEY (6-5 in 2015)
Coach: Alan Campos (first season).
Starters back: Offense 6, defense 7.
Class: 4-A, District 3.
Players to watch: Senior wide receiver Devious Brooks is coming off a breakout junior season after being recruited off the school’s basketball team. The 6-2 182-pounder was the top pass-catcher in 4-A last year, when he hauled in 63 passes for 1,122 yards and 17 TDs in earning C-J All-State honorable-mention honors. “I feel like I can do way better than last year,” Brooks said.
Other top players: QB Brayden Campos (Jr.), RB/LB Brandon Neely (Sr.), OG Anthony Rader (Sr.), SS Montre Reynolds (Sr.), TE/OLB Caleb Lane (Jr.), RB Chaz Stinson (Sr.), WR Alex Wierville (Sr.).
Outlook: The Vikings went from 0-10 in 2014 to 6-5 last year. Campos, last year’s defensive coordinator and a former standout linebacker at the University of Louisville, hopes to continue the turnaround. “Last year we had a little bit of success. That’s the first time we’ve had that in a while, and I was happy for the kids,” Campos said. “We want to improve on last year. We want to take last year and build on it.” He has plenty of building blocks. His son, Brayden, was the fourth-ranked passer in 4-A last year, when he threw for 1,969 yards and 21 TDs. Neely was the team’s top rusher in 2015 (822 yards, 12 TDs) and Rader returns to anchor the O-line. The defense will be led by Reynolds and Lane, who had 54 and 52 tackles, respectively, last season.
Schedule:
8/19 at PRP
8/26 ATHERTON
9/2 at Iroquois
9/9 at Moore
9/16 FAIRDALE
9/29 SHAWNEE
10/7 *at Western
10/14 *JOHN HARDIN
10/21 *BRECKINRIDGE COUNTY
10/28 at Waggener
*-District game