Check out the MVPs of your favorite Frisco ISD school from the 2013 and 2014 season!
Frisco High School Raccoons—RB Idrees Ali
For the second consecutive year, Raccoons Head Coach Vance Gibson had to replace not only his top running back, but a reigning Lifestyle Frisco MVP. And for the second time in a row, he had no problem in filling what could be a crippling void.
Whereas last year it was Paul Terry to tote the load, replacing Max Steitle, this season it was the incomparable Idrees Ali that took the reigns of the Wing-T and guided the ‘Coons into the playoffs.
As Terry’s backup in 2014, Ali rushed for 718 yards and four scores, but this season, with most snaps going his way, he managed a whopping 2,194 yards and 22 touchdowns. Numbers like that make crowning him the ‘Coons MVP a no-brainer.
Last year’s MVP: Paul Terry
Paul Terry transferred to Frisco from Canyon Randall following his sophomore season and decided to return to Amarillo for his senior season. Terry’s talent didn’t stay behind in Frisco, as he scored six touchdowns and rushed for 234 yards during an area round win for Randall late last year.
Frisco Heritage Coyotes—Amare Jones
Despite another stellar season from RB Kene Nwangwu (1,470 yds, 17 TDs), as well as fellow senior WR Bubba Ogbebor, who has 11 Division-I offers to consider, QB Amare Jones gets the nod for this year’s Coyote MVP. Jones, who had the unenviable task of replacing Malik Walker, had an excellent start to his varsity career.
Jones uses his foot speed to add another element to Heritage’s running game, and also steadily improved in the pocket as the season progressed. Just a sophomore, Jones combined for 2,700 total yards of offense (1,566 passing and 1,134 rushing) and contributed a robust 33 total TDs.
With both Nwangwu and Ogbebor starting their college careers in 2016, the Coyotes offense–as well their success–will start and finish with Amare Jones. And as Jones proved last season, Heritage will be in good hands.
Last year’s MVP: Kene Nwangwu
Nwangwu certainly had another MVP-caliber season, rushing for 1,470 yds and 17 TDs, so it’s no surprise the senior RB will be taking his talents to Ames, Iowa, to play for the Iowa State Cyclones.
Frisco Independence Knights—Kyle Saddler
Saddler truly flipped the switch on last year’s productivity at quarterback. In 2014, he completed just over half of his passes (51%) and threw eight more picks than TDs (22:14). As they say, there is no substitute for experience, and the full year of varsity a year ago helped Saddler improve by leaps and bounds.
Noticeably more poised in the pocket this season, Saddler improved his TD:INT ration immensely, throwing for 15 scores while surrendering 10 picks. All told, he threw for 2,460 yards and led the second-year Knights to their first district win in their young history. Look for Saddler to improve even more as he returns to next fall for his senior season.
Last year’s MVP: Myles Russell
Russell was one of Saddler’s favorite weapons this year, as his 628 receiving yards was tops on the team for the second-straight season.
Frisco Liberty RedHawks—Chris McPhaul
For the Liberty RedHawks, the 2015 campaign must be viewed as a letdown. Granted, it’s never easy to replace a quarterback, especially one as talented as Udgam Goyal.
ATH Chris McPhaul was the clear favorite for RedHawks MVP, although QB Grant Buss (1,483 yds, 13 TDs, 10 INTs) had a few bright moments, and senior RB Reggie Hubbard (826 yds, 13 TDs) ended his high school career on a high note.
McPhaul was the do-it-all guy on a team short on premium talent. His 582 yards rushing was second only to Hubbard, and his 539 yards receiving came in close behind WR Reggie Chaney’s 641 yds. All told, McPhaul combined for 1,121 total yards and nine TDs.
Last year’s MVP: Udgam Goyal
Goyal, whose explosive athleticism was always equaled by his astute mind, is a Computer Science major at MIT. Football is still very much in the mix for Goyal, too, as he saw time in three games for the Engineers this year, passing for 469 yards while throwing three touchdowns.
Frisco Centennial Titans—Anthony Pegues
It’s hard to improve upon a 2014 campaign that sees you rush for 1,792 yards and 16 TDs…but that’s exactly what the super-speedy Anthony Pegues managed to do for his senior season last year.
Pegues ended up just shy of the 2K mark, as he lit up the opposition’s defense for 1,888 yards and 17 TDs. His robust rushing totals were eclipsed only by fellow MVPs, Idrees Ali (2,194 yds) of Frisco and Jay Orji (1,917 yds) of Wakeland.
Last year’s MVP: Anthony Pegues
Although Pegues’ high school football days are behind him, it’s a safe bet that he will be playing college football come next season, as he has been offered at least a partial scholarship from multiple major programs, including: Air Force, Butler, Montana State, Navy, Northern Arizona and Yale.
Frisco Lone Star Rangers—Jason Shelley
Multi-faceted QB Jason Shelley gets the nod as the MVP of the Lone Star Rangers for the second straight year. Shelley, also a member of the All-Area First-Team Offense, had a season for the ages, as he led the Rangers all the way to the UIL State Championship; an unprecedented feat for Frisco ISD.
His numbers are astounding: 5,377 total yards (3,716 yds passing, 1,661 yds rushing) with 60 total touchdowns (39 in the air, 21 via the ground). An MVP in every sense of the word, Lone Star likely would not make it all the way to the State Final without Shelley behind center.
And what’s even better is that he’ll return for one more year, calling the shots on a Lone Star team that is hungry for a State Championship after falling just short in 2015.
Last year’s MVP: Jason Shelley
Frisco Wakeland Wolverines—Jay Orji
RB Jay Orji put together one of the best seasons of any rusher in the area, as he rumbled to 1,917 yds and 20 TDs. Averaging nine yards per carry, the argument can be made that he was the District’s premier ball carrier.
Regardless, Orji more than tripled his offensive production from 2014 (629 yds, 6 TDs), his sophomore season, when he was in the shadows of last year’s MVP, Brent Altieri.
Last year’s MVP: Brent Altieri
Altieri was a two-time Lifestyle Frisco MVP, as he won it back-to-back during his junior and senior seasons. He is currently attending Central Arkansas.
Frisco Legacy Christian Eagles—Chase Eisenmann
Like Lone Star’s Jason Shelley and Centennial’s Anthony Pegues, Chase Eisenmann followed up a 2014 MVP season with yet another superlative showing in 2015. This year’s MVP might be even sweeter for the fleet-footed junior as he led his team to their first playoff berth since the Eagles jumped up to TAPPS 2-II to begin the 2014 season.
All told, Eisenmann rushed for 1,414 yds with 10 TDs, and picked up another 117 yards in the air, averaging 13 yds per catch. Just for kicks, he also threw for a TD, on his only completion in four attempts at QB.
Last year’s MVP: Chase Eisenmann
