HS Countdown to Kickoff: Rattlers visit Maroons, high-powered offense

Austin High had a rough beginning to the 2019 season, going 2-6 overall with a 1-5 record in district play. The Maroons showed promise in their last two games of the season, though, stealing a 28-26 win at Austin Bowie on Oct. 25 and sending their seniors off with a 41-30 home victory in the regular season finale against Austin Akins on Nov. 1.

The team will hope that momentum carries over into 2020 and help the program earn its first playoff berth since 2017. Austin High graduated 28 seniors in the offseason but retain 23 lettermen from last year’s squad, including a district-high 13 starters — five on offense and eight on defense.

The offense should continue to run through the arm of senior quarterback Charles Wright, a three-star, pro-style recruit committed to Iowa State. Wright completed 482 passes on 821 attempts over the past two seasons, racking up 8,371 yards, 53 touchdowns and 21 interceptions. He’ll have senior wide receiver Nick Anderson back, who caught 52 passes and led the team with 1,010 yards and seven touchdowns last year, as well as experienced offensive linemen Harrison Donovan and Riley Woods.

The biggest question mark for the offense will come at the running back spot after losing bellcow Grayson Davis, who put up 1,372 yards and 15 scores on 220 carries. Junior Esau Lopez was the team’s main backup but received just 31 touches for 83 yards.

Austin High’s defense gave up 60-plus points in five games last year, including two games with 70-plus points, but should be better with another year of experience. Junior defensive back Zach Mercado will continue to patrol the secondary after tallying 108 tackles last season. Senior defensive lineman Abrion Boudreaux remains a destructive force, earning 10 quarterback hurries, 5.0 sacks and 65 tackles, 15.0 of them for a loss. Junior linebacker Andrew Mosser should also continue to be a playmaker after picking up 57 stops and scooping up three fumbles.

San Marcos is scheduled to visit the Maroons at House Park Stadium on Oct. 30 at 7:30 p.m. Dave Campbell’s Texas Football (DCTF) magazine predicts Austin High to finish sixth in District 26-6A, ahead of the Rattlers in seventh place.