Projected Playoff Teams:
O'Connor, Warren, Jay, Clark

Vitals:

    
   The O’Connor Panthers start 2007 as the favorite to take the 28-5A title.  O’Connor finished in a three-way tie for second place last year behind first place Marshall.  The Panthers’ top returning player is senior DL Erik Salinas (6’1 230).  Salinas earned first team all-district honors as a junior.  All-district senior OLB Ricky Anderson  will also help O’Connor’s defense.  Senior QB Bruno Reno leads the offense again this fall.  Reno’s supporting cast is strong.  Fellow seniors Aaron Casanova (RB) and Sean Luchnik (WR) are proven players.   O’Connor’s toughest district test could come in their home game versus Warren.  Warren beat O’Connor 31-14 last year, so the Panthers need to flip that result if they’ve got plans of finishing first.

    Speaking of Warren, they’re the only team in the district that can compete with O’Connor as far as the volume and quality of returning talent is concerned.  Junior OLB Tyler Smith is one of the top young players in the district.  Senior TE Marquis Hollie and OL Jared Ellis (6’3 310) are two more of Warren’s best players.  The backfield also has experience in the form of senior RB Keith Lawson.  Warren can definitely be strong enough to win this district.  It’s tough to see them finishing any lower than second

    The final two playoff spots are less clear.  Jay, Clark and Marshall are all looking to reload after fielded senior dominated rosters a year ago.  Jay’s senior DB Roy Branch is one of the top secondary players in the city.  Also, Jay returns a pair of top notch offensive linemen in seniors Ernesto Tornel and Mike Slayden.  Jay lost coach John Campbell to Katy Taylor in the off-season, so it will be interesting to see how they do under new direction.   

    Marshall is the defending champ in 28-5A,but have to do a big reloading job to repeat that feat in 2007.  Junior TE Trey Anderson (6’4 220) is their best player.  Clark could also figure into the mix for the last playoff spot, and they have one of the top kickers in the district in senior Michael McCarroll. 

    Holmes and Taft are probably the best equipped of the bottom half of the district to play the spoiler role.  Taft returns one of the district’s top linebackers in senior OLB Laderek Tolefree.  Stevens, a new school, went 0-10 last year but could be in a position to move up a spot with a year of experience under their belt.  Stevens competed very well in two of their district games last season losing by one to Holmes and seven to Del Rio.  O’Connor and Warren form a pretty clear cut top two.  The final two playoff spots could come down to a battle between Jay, Clark and Marshall.