Instead of being picked to claim the District 20-5A championship, Westside is a middle-of-the-pack team. In fact, Dave Campbell’s Texas Football Magazine ranked the Wolves only fourth in the league in its preseason poll.
Second-year head coach Mark Byrd doesn’t disagree with the assessment. Westside has one of its most inexperienced squads in recent memory.
“We only have two (players) back on offense and three on defense,”
Byrd said. “But, at the same time, our depth and team speed has never been better.”
Byrd said Westside used spring practice as early tryouts, with unproven players trying to lock up starting positions.
One of the biggest question marks was quarterback, with several candidates trying to replace record-setting passer Michael Goodnight. Junior Otis Seals (6-foot-4, 195 pounds) has the slight edge over senior Stephon Nelson.
“Otis is real raw,”
Byrd said. “He was a (baseball) pitcher in California, but he’s tall, athletic and has the potential to be a good quarterback.”
If Seals isn’t ready, Nelson is fully capable of taking the snaps.
“Otis is more of a running quarterback, while Stefon is more of your traditional dropback passer,”
Byrd said. “He did some good things in the spring.”
Although Westside is breaking in a new quarterback, the Wolves have some talent at the skill positions.
Senior Kevin Brooks (5-10, 180) is the top returning receiver. Brooks, who has already committed verbally to Southern Methodist University, was often the second or third option in the Wolves’ pass-first offense, but he still grabbed 52 passes for 600 yards and eight touchdowns.
“Kevin is an incredible receiver,”
Byrd said. “What makes him so special is his yard after catch. Most of his receptions went for 10 or more yards, and he did most of the yardage on his own.”
Junior running back Frank Williams (5-6, 170) gave the Wolves balance with the running game. Williams rushed 185 times for 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns to earn district newcomer of the year.
“Frank reminds me a lot of (former standout) Semaj Johnson,”
Byrd said. “He’s not a very big guy, but he plays hard and with a lot of desire.”
Senior receiver Mauricio Vasquez (6-2, 210) is another possible playmaker for the Wolves. He had a breakout spring, and his combination of size and speed makes him a threat.
Westside must rebuild its offensive line. Junior Shalin Hadi (6-2, 220) and junior Chris Herbert (6-2, 270), both off the junior varsity, are possible candidates at left tackle and right guard, respectively. The other positions are up for grabs.
The defense is in a slightly better situation, although there are a few holes.
On the defensive line, the Wolves are led by senior end Eric Dago (6-3, 220). Dago has already committed to the University of Utah.
“Eric has speed and great explosion to the ball,”
Byrd said.
“He’s an outstanding football player.”
At linebacker, juniors Chad Thompson and Stephen Thompson (no relation) are the standouts. The secondary is solid, too, with seniors Keith Davis at free safety, Chris Redman at strong safety and James Annassi at cornerback.
Westside will return for two-a-days on Aug. 11, with the season opener at 7 p.m. Aug. 28 against Sharpstown at Delmar Stadium.
“Being a darkhorse isn’t so bad,”
Byrd said. “We’ve got time to work on a few things and get better. We plan to get into the playoffs this year, but we think 2009 will be our year.”
