Young group plans to keep Graham playoff berth streak intact
Earning a playoff berth has become a right of passage for Graham under coach Kenny Davidson. The Steers have made the playoffs an impressive 13 consecutive seasons, including all 12 under Davidson.
The winning tradition didn’t begin with Davidson’s arrival, with Graham only missing the playoffs twice (‘05 and ‘08) since 1999. However, his teams have been a pillar of consistency.
The 2022 Steers begin the season with more question marks than answers after losing 20 seniors from last year, including eight starters on defense. While the roster hasn’t been finalized, Davidson said his squad could have 12 sophomores on varsity.
“They say for every sophomore equals a loss. If that's the case, we're in trouble,” Davidson said. “We have good players, they're just young, and they have to get used to the speed of the game.”
One of those sophomores, however, is not short on experience. Quarterback Ty Thompson started 10 games last season and finished with 1,251 yards passing. Davidson has seen his young signal-caller improve in multiple areas, but his work in the weight room is where Davidson has seen the most improvement.
“He's grown a lot, and he's put the work in, and hopefully, that'll pay off. He’s put on some muscle and has a really strong arm,” Davidson said. “He just needs more reps, but he has the tools to be a great player.”
Thompson missed one game last year due to an injury suffered against Hirschi. Davidson and his staff plan to continue to take advantage of Thompson’s dual-threat capabilities while trying to keep him protected.
Graham’s sophomore class may not have as much experience as previous teams, but they already understand the standard. They also know how to win, with the freshman and junior varsity teams losing only one game last year.
“We have a tough schedule this year, and hopefully, all these non-district games against quality competition will help us when we begin our district play,” Davidson said. “Our first goal every year is to win the district championship, and that hasn’t changed.”
OFFENSE
One position the Steers weren’t expecting to find a replacement was at running back after Noah Jilek gained 1,149 yards rushing last year. However, Jilek is focusing on his baseball career during his senior season.
Sophomore Ryland Monsey is the favorite to earn the starting nod after spending time on the freshman and JV teams last year.
“He’s a tough kid and really came on last year on the freshman team,” Davidson said. “Then he continued to play well when he was moved to JV, so we think he will be really good for us.”
DEFENSE
Two of the three returning defensive starters from last season are in the defensive backfield, and Davidson expects his secondary to be solid this year. The other returner on defense is nose guard Stephen Brown.
“We have a lot of experience in our secondary, and Stephen Brown returning on the defensive line can take up a lot of space in the middle, which will help our entire defense.”
EXTRA POINT
Graham has won eight district titles and made the playoffs every season since Kenny Davidson became head coach in 2010 while compiling an impressive 111-42 record.
Graham Steers
Head Coach: Kenny Davidson
Last year’s record: 7-5
Returning starters: 5 offense, 3 defense
Base offense/defense: Spread/3-3-5
Last playoff appearance: 2021 (Lost to Snyder in area round)
Last district title: 2021
SCHEDULE
Aug. 26 vs Bowie 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 2 at Springtown 7 p.m.
Sept. 9 at Glen Rose 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 16 vs Iowa Park 7 p.m.
Sept. 23 vs Mineral Wells 7 p.m.
Sept. 30 at Wichita Falls 7 p.m.
Oct. 7 vs Hirschi* 7 p.m.
Oct. 14 at Snyder* 7 p.m.
Oct. 21 vs Sweetwater* 7 p.m.
Oct. 28 at Midland Greenwood* 7 p.m.
PLAYER TO WATCH: OL Aaron McBride (Sr.) – McBride provides critical senior leadership on an offense that will feature a lot of sophomore talent. He’ll be the anchor of an offensive line that must help keep QB Ty Thompson upright.
GAME TO WATCH: Oct. 7 vs Hirschi – This long-time rivalry returned in 2021 with a Huskies win following a two-year layoff. The winner of this year’s game will be in the driver’s seat for a district title.
This article originally appeared on Wichita Falls Times Record News: Graham Steers 2022 high school football preview and schedule
