Five players to watch during the Texas high school football playoffs' area round

6A: Southlake Carroll RB TJ McDaniel After moving from Coppell to Southlake Carroll during the offseason, McDaniel has turned into a star in the Dragons’ backfield. Really, it comes as no surprise given the success his older brothers Cam and Gavin had at running back at the high school level before moving on to play in college. The latest McDaniel has rushed for 1,643 yards and 21 touchdowns this season, leading the Dragons into the area-round of the playoffs. But with DeSoto on the slate this week, McDaniel will have to have to be at his best. He rushed for 316 yards and five touchdowns on just 16 carries last week, and will look to follow that effort up with another big night as the Dragons aim to pull off the upset. 5A: Richmond Foster DB Christian Young Young has a lot of talent in the Richmond Foster secondary, and he made the decision to commit to Arizona last week before the Falcons’ first round game against Burbank. Foster followed that announcement up by snagging an interception in the blowout 69-6 win, but the Foster secondary will be tested by a more talented offense in the area round. Dripping Springs quarterback Trevor Greenman has accounted for more than 3,330 total yards and 45 touchdowns this season while throwing just two interceptions. Young will likely matchup against WR Johnny Hoyle (804 yards, 13 TDs) on the perimeter, and will need to come up with a big play when given the opportunity if Foster is going to advance past the Tigers. 4A: Wichita Falls Hirschi RB Daimarqua Foster Foster has had one game this season in which he rushed for less than 100 yards – in a 48-0 season opening win over Life Oak Cliff. On the year, he’s tallied a ridiculous 2,760 yards and 37 touchdowns on just 201 carries – an average of almost 14 yards per carry. It has seemed as though Foster can score just about whenever he wants, which will be key for the Huskies as they take on Lubbock Estacado. The Matadors have a potent backfield tandem of their own in Jeremiah Dobbins and Kamadrick Williams, and enter the area-round having lost just one game on the season. For Hirschi to continue its postseason run, Foster will need to have another big performance on the ground to lead the offensive attack. 3A: Goliad RB Logan Bland Several members of the DCTF team picked Goliad to advance all the way to the Region IV final based on the talent in the Tigers’ backfield. Rocky Morris has been stellar at quarterback, but Goliad is going to need Logan Bland to step up as he has all season at running back if the team is going to move past a loaded Hallettsville squad this week. Bland, who has rushed for 1,253 yards and 25 touchdowns, has six games with at least three touchdowns this season. If he can approach a stat line of that nature, Goliad will be well on its way to a long playoff run. 2A: Valley View RB/LB Clint Epperson Valley View is no stranger to the area round of the playoffs. But while the Eagles have been crowned bi-district champions in three consecutive seasons, they’ve been bounced in the second round each of the last two years. It’s a streak the team is hoping to put an end to this time around as they take on Crawford, and Valley View will rely on Epperson to have another big game on both sides of the ball. Epperson rushed for 179 yards and four touchdowns last week and added a 92-yard INT return for a touchdown, and that playmaking ability will be key for the Eagles as they look to down a Crawford squad that’s 9-2 in its last 11 playoff games.

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