Houston school has junior talent

Lining the locker room of Houston Willowridge High School's are photos of NFL and collegiate alumni and a composite picture of the 1982 Class 5A state championship.

From NFL running back Thurman Thomas to Texas A&M great Eric England, dozens of frozen-in-time faces peer down at the kids in the weight room.

While Willowridge has not enjoyed another state championship, a group of underclassmen have aspirations for the next few seasons.

"There has been some unbelievable talent come out of here," Willowridge coach Darrell Scurlock said. We have a junior, sophomore and freshman class that are going to produce some wins and some college prospects."

Jittery junior running back Reginald Dotson leads an option-style attack with 309 yards on 32 carries and six touchdowns. Dotson (5-9, 175-pounds) is joined by another junior -- bruiser Chris Aguneri (6-0, 205-pounds) in the backfield.

"The are a good one-two punch," Scurlock said. "They give us a good change of pace. Dotson has quick feet and can catch the pitch. They both run track."

Rounding out the offense is a corps of juniors including tight end Justin Williams (6-2, 230-pounds), offensive lineman Adrian Davis (6-2, 230-pounds) and receiver Jeremy Walker – considered the best athlete on the team. Sophomore wide receivers Dominique Andrews (6-3, 190-pounds) and Mark Ellis (6-4, 200-pounds) are the first-player-off-the-bus athletes. Ellis plays basketball and already knows how to use his body to get to the fade route.

"He is going to be a major Division I athlete," Spurlock said. "Colleges may be looking at him for basketball and football."

Willowridge, once a football school, turned into a basketball school with the emergence of T.J. Ford, Daniel Ewing and Ivan McFarland earlier this decade. The athletic department is allowing both sports to intermingle, which is benefiting Scurlock.

Another basketball stud on the ponderosa is junior Keaton Hagins (6-3, 200-pounds), who also plays AAU basketball.

"I'd like to play both in college, but I'd probably have a better chance to play football," he said. "I like a lot of schools, but Southern California is my favorite."

Junior Devin Taylor (5-11, 185-pounds) and sophomores Willie Freeman (5-11, 185-pounds) and Marquise Roundtree (5-11, 190-pound) anchor the linebacking corp, while junior Keon Leonard (5-11, 175-pounds) is the lockdown corner.

"We should be good in years to come," Scurlock said. "We are the smallest Class 5A in the region but I think our school will not be picked over anymore."