Bulldawgs have five players named to 12-6A All-District Football Team

By TJ MAXWELL
Cove Leader-Press

It wasn’t the ending they envisioned coming into the season, going 1-9 for the second-consecutive season and missing the playoffs for the third-straight year. However, the Bulldawgs’ football team had some highlights along the way notching five spots on the 2021 12-6A All-District Football Team, with the leg of senior quarterback/punter Shane Richey leading the way for Cove’s five selections.
Richey had 15 punts for 600 yards for a 40 yards per punt average with four punts placed inside the 20-yard line and that landed him a spot as the First Team Punter. Richey also was 67 for 148 passing for 842 yards and three touchdowns with five interceptions and added eight more scores on 90 carries for 370 yards rushing.
Four more Bulldawgs landed on the Second Team with senior running back Malcom Roberts and senior wide receiver Wyatt Nelson earning the offensive nods with junior inside linebacker Kevin Pontious and two-way player Bra’Dyn Brooks-Smith earning spots on the defense.
Roberts led the team in rushing with 122 carries for 556 yards (4.6 yards per carry) and 11 touchdowns. Roberts also had five catches for 55 yards and 15 kickoff returns for 388 yards and a touchdown.
Nelson had 17 catches for 171 yards (10.1 yards per catch) to lead the Copperas Cove receivers.
Pontious led all tacklers with 67, including 7.0 tackles for losses. He also forced a fumble and recovered two.
Brooks-Smith finished with a fourth-best 37 tackles and four tackles for losses, despite making the switch to defense mid-way through the season. Brooks-Smith also had a blocked punt and two forced fumbles. He also had 10 kickoff returns for 271 yards and a touchdown on special teams and had 38 carries for 155 yards and five touchdowns on offense.
Senior defensive backs Chandler Gastelo and Jaylen Donnell, junior linebacker Coffa Tulensru, senior linebacker Aleczander Patterson, senior offensive linemen Riley Johnson, and junior offensive lineman Christopher Garcia all received Honorable Mention.
Harker Heights junior running back Re’Shaun Sanford was named Overall MVP. 
Temple junior Taurean York and senior Samari Howard were named Defensive MVP and Offensive MVP, respectively. The Defensive Newcomer of the Year nod also went to Temple in sophomore Ayden Brown with Karker Heights sophomore signal-caller Dylan Plake being named Offensive Newcomer of the Year while Temple was named the Coaching Staff of the Year.
The rest of the First and Second Teams are listed below:
First team offense: Quarterback — Reese Rumfield, Temple; Running back — Jamarius Stewart, Shoemaker; Dominick Allison, Ellison; Fullback — Aimeer Washington, Harker Heights; Wide receiver — Mikal Harrison-Pilot, Temple; Devan Williams, Temple; Seth Morgan, Belton; Marcus Maple, Harker Heights; Hunter Vivaldi, Bryan; Tight end — Bryan Henry, Belton; Center — Jose Faz, Temple; Jaydon Kaaloa, Harker Heights; Guard — Endrei Sauls, Temple; Etuni Ropati, Harker Heights; Tackle — Romeo Taua’a, Harker Heights; Jaydon Chatman, Harker Heights; Isac Gonzales, Bryan; and Utility — Terrance Carter, Harker Heights; Cade Searcy, Killeen
First team defense: Tackle — Tomas Torres, Temple; Brendan Bett, Ellison; Jaylin Morris, Bryan; Zavion Tibbs, Shoemaker; Defensive End — Jaylon Jackson, Temple; Devonte Tezino; Ellison; Inside linebacker — Faylin Lee, Temple; Nic Caraway, Bryan; Matthew Moore, Ellison; Outside linebacker — Zion Moore, Temple; Ezra Davidson, Harker Heights; Steve Albert, Ellison; Safety — Naeten Mitchell, Temple; Tyree Trammell, Harker Heights; Du’Wayne Paulhill, Bryan; Cornerback — Matthew Cooks, Bryan; Deaubry Hood, Harker Heights
First team special teams: Kicker — Danis Bajric, Temple; Deep snapper — Tanner Allen, Bryan; Returner — Tr’Darius Taylor, Temple; and Khamari Terrell, Shoemaker
Second team offense: Quarterback — Ty Brown, Belton; Omari Evans, Shoemaker; Running back — Elijah Warner, Belton; Emory Arthur, Killeen; Caleb Sims, Ellison; Fullback — Landon Halverson, Temple; Mason Munz, Belton; De’Van’Te Johnson, Killeen; Wide receiver — Khamari Terrell, Shoemaker; Zaire King, Ellison; Jacobia Thomas, Killeen; Eric Jackson, Harker Heights; Tight end — KeAndre Smith, Temple; Andrew Buban, Bryan; Center — Zach Erickson, Belton; Guard — Agustin Silva, Temple; Jamil Knight, Shoemaker; Conner Beeman, Killeen; Tackle — Jeremiah Mungia, Temple; Colby Rice, Temple; Jasper Werry, Belton; Jackson Engelke, Belton; Kevin Kopitski, Killeen; and Utility — Slade LeBlanc, Belton
Second team defense: Tackle — Gabe Kalama, Belton; Jaymeer Larkins, Killeen; Jamorian Sanford, Harker Heights; Defensive End — Eric Shorter, Temple; Braxton Haynes; Evan Collazo, Harker Heights; Tanner Allen, Bryan; Darrion Burleson, Shoemaker; Ishmael Ealoms, Bryan; Inside linebacker — Taylor Evans, Belton; Wriley Madden, Belton; Aaron Barnwell, Killeen; Valentino Greene, Shoemaker; outside linebacker — Donovan Thompson, Belton; Calvin Harper, Ellison; Cameron Gee, Killeen; Safety — Kaleb Hill, Temple; Aaron Bain, Belton; Tyson Turner, Bryan; Kobe Burgess, Shoemaker; Tyrone Osberry, Ellison; Cornerback — LeMichael Thompson, Temple; Kage Carmichael, Belton; and Elijah Armour, Ellison; Daniel Adams, Killeen; and Darmel Hollins, Shoemaker
Second team special teams: Kicker — Zach White, Belton; Jai’den Fletcher, Harker Heights; Punter — Will Hayes, Belton; Deep snapper — Wriley Madden, Belton; Anthony Millender, Harker Heights; and Returner — Hunter Vivaldi, Bryan.