PANews.com | Published 10:01 pm Sunday, December 23, 2018
Day at the museum
Not that long ago, Roschon Johnson took the field for his first varsity football game at Port Neches-Groves.
He completed 9 of 12 passes for 154 yards and a touchdown and rushed eight times for 75 yards and the Indians’ first three touchdowns of the 2016 season in a 54-27 win over Silsbee.
That was just the tip of the iceberg for things to come and the start of a long, rewarding journey that will in a few weeks begin in Austin, with his high school degree already in tow.ADVERTISING
After three seasons at The Reservation, Johnson — who has graduated early — has just enjoyed one of the best weeks ever by signing with the University of Texas and being named The Port Arthur News’ Super Team Most Valuable Player for the third year in a row.
“If I was a young cat and somebody told me that [I’d three-peat as MVP], I don’t know if I’d really believe it,” Johnson said. “That’s kind of what I set out to do. That was the goal all-along, was to dominate as many chances as I get at the varsity level.”
Those 219 total yards and four touchdowns Johnson accounted for on Aug. 26, 2016, blossomed into Texas-sized numbers: 4,846 yards rushing and 7,616 yards passing for 12,462 career yards of offense resulting in 169 touchdowns. As a senior, Johnson amassed 1,619 yards and 27 touchdowns rushing and 2,338 yards and 22 scores passing.
“Coach [Brandon] Faircloth’s offense, I’m utilized a lot of ways,” Johnson said. “He lets me use my talents as much as I can. Coach Faircloth, credit to him and the plays he calls. The guys I played with over the past few years, they provided me an opportunity to showcase my talents.”
And, for the fourth year in a row, the Indians have won a share of a district championship, this time sharing it with Nederland in District 12-5A Division II. PNG has the last laugh, however, having won the Bum Phillips Bowl at home over the rival Bulldogs and going three rounds deep in the UIL playoffs.
A three-time district MVP and 2018 Associated Press Sports Editors honorable mention all-state performer, Johnson will go into the Longhorns’ spring drills for the 2019 season hoping to challenge the likes of Sam Ehlinger and Shane Buechele for playing time under center.
“It’s going to help me a lot,” Johnson said. “I’m going to get a jump on things, just the overall atmosphere of college from working out to classes to scheduling and stuff like that.”
But first, Johnson gets to play All-American. He will compete in the Under Armour All-America Game Jan. 3 in Orlando on ESPN2, the second from Jefferson County in three years to be honored as such (Memorial cornerback Kary Vincent Jr., now at LSU, played in the 2017 game).
Johnson looks forward most to the overall All-American experience along with what he calls “a taste” of what college football will be like with so many high-echelon players competing.
“Not a lot of kids get to play in a game like that with so many great guys,” Johnson said. “… It’ll be fun.”
PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
Marcus Morris’ game as Hamshire-Fannett’s quarterback is similar to Johnson’s, and it paid off as the Longhorns enjoyed a turnaround season in Mark Waggoner’s first season at the helm.
Morris, a junior, was named the Super Team Offensive Player of the Year following a year when he rushed 195 times for 1,569 yards and 16 touchdowns and passed for 1,240 yards and 13 touchdowns against four interceptions. He was voted District 10-4A Division II’s offensive MVP.
Morris said he models his game after Heisman Trophy winner Kyler Murray of Oklahoma. It’s not why he wears No. 1, however.
“That’s just me,” Morris said. “I like wearing No. 1.”
The Longhorns finished 5-6 (1-3 in 10-4A-II), but won three more games than the previous season and returned to the playoffs for the first time in three years. Two of the Longhorns’ district losses came by a combined four points, including a one-point setback at state semifinalist Silsbee.
The turnaround began when Waggoner was first hired in the spring, the quarterback believes.
“Coach Waggoner has brought a lot of energy to the table,” Morris said. “Everyone improved from then on. Nobody’s been down. Everyone’s up.”
Senior Lazarus May became the third straight Memorial Titan to be named Super Team Defensive Player of the Year after becoming the second in a row to win similar accolades in district play. Jomard Valsin won both honors in 2017.
“It didn’t really cross my mind” May repeated what Valsin did, he said. “I’ve just been trying to play hard and staying focused.”
Aside from team goals in 9-5A-I play, May pursued something else on a personal level:
“To stand out, to make a name for myself and get a good reputation,” he said.
May achieved it while leading a Titans’ line that collected more than 40 sacks in 11 games. May earned 12 of them, pressured quarterbacks 11 times and made 22 stops for losses.
Oh, yeah, he also blocked four punts.
“I didn’t think my stats were that good,” said May, an APSE honorable mention all-stater. “I’m often underrated.”
Not this time, Lazarus.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Nederland’s Monte Barrow won the outright Super Team Coach of the Year honor after sharing it with then-Memorial coach Kenny Harrison and PNG’s Faircloth following a Tropical Storm Harvey-battered 2017 season.
Barrow already has an 18-5 head coaching record in two seasons after spending the previous 24 as an assistant to Larry Neumann. Nederland also has reached the area round of the 5A-II playoffs in both seasons after missing the postseason in 2016.
“That goes to your entire program,” Barrow said. “Our coaching staff does a wonderful job, and I’m blessed to be able to work with guys. Sometimes, you’re managing, and it’s a job to coach coaches, but I do not have that problem, whatsoever. They’re ready every day. I’m blessed to be with them and have great kids to work with every day.”
Barrow’s Bulldogs started the season 9-0 while battling injuries to key playmakers and finding success rushing the football with sophomores Kade Scott, a Super Team selection, and Josh Mazyck. Senior quarterback Blaysin Fernandez surpassed 1,000 passing yards and accounted for 20 offensive touchdowns despite having to give way to junior and stepbrother Bryce McMorris due to various in-game injuries.
“We felt pretty good about what we had offensive line-wise, which kind of secures you offensively,” Barrow said. “You never know what’s going to happen to you with injuries and things like that.”
Nederland’s defense also ranked second in total defense at 336 yards per game, just 3.3 behind PNG.
“Our defense came out blazing,” Barrow said. “They came out fast and letting it fly. It spread throughout our whole team. They came out and played. Coach [and defensive coordinator Chris] Theriot, in his first year [as coordinator] and his defensive staff did a great job. Those kids were ready to play every week. I think that sparked us through the rest of our season.”
Super Team honorees were invited to the Museum of the Gulf Coast to have their photos taken for this edition, as is tradition with this annual honor. This year, those that participated had the option of selecting a part of the either the Sports or Music Hall of Fame (on the second floor) for their background.
Many of the athletes picked 2011 Super Teamer and Memorial graduate Elandon Roberts, now a New England Patriots linebacker, for their background since he is a recent sports hall inductee.
Special thanks to museum director Tom Neal and his staff for allowing access to everyone involved in the shoot. All had a fun time and received certificates for their placement on the Super Team.
— I.C. Murrell
