SportzBuzz - September 2025 | The Buzz Magazines

By Todd Freed, Staff writer | August 27, 2025

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SUPER SPARTAN Senior offensive lineman Foard Polley is a powerful presence for the Stratford Spartans. The 6-foot-5, 300-pound offensive tackle is a pre-season All-Greater Houston selection.

After advancing to the second round of the UIL 6A football playoffs last season, the Stratford Spartans have high expectations for another successful season. “We have one of our biggest senior classes ever with about 60 seniors,” said Spartans head coach Todd Rankin. “It’s a group we expect to continue to improve as the season moves forward.”

The Spartans will move forward literally behind a powerful offensive line led by pre-season All-Greater Houston selection Foard Polley. A 6-foot-5, 300-pound offensive tackle, the highly touted senior has committed to play collegiate football at the University of Pennsylvania. In addition, 6-foot-5, 280-pound offensive tackle Clayton Nonhof offers an imposing force up front for the Spartans.

The Spartans also feature a dynamic running back in senior Davis Kendall, who has committed to play college football for the Air Force Academy. “Davis is a very quick and explosive player,” said Rankin. “He did a great job for us last year when our starting running back got injured.”

On defense, the Spartans are led by standout cornerback Johnathan Joseph Jr., who is coming off a spectacular junior season with five interceptions, two kickoff returns for touchdowns as well as a punt return for a touchdown. The son of former Houston Texans defensive back Johnathan Joseph, the Spartans senior has offers from several major collegiate football programs. “Johnathan is an extremely dynamic player who also broke a couple of short pass receptions into long touchdowns on offense for us last season,” added Rankin.

MIGHTY MAVERICK A major Division 1 recruit in baseball, senior linebacker Jack Stanger is also one of the Mavericks' top returning players in football this season. (Photo: Jack Chavez)

The St. John’s Mavericks enter the football season with what head coach Kevin Veltri describes “as the Mavericks’ most talented team from top to bottom in my seven seasons at St. John’s. We’ve become better and better every season, and I couldn’t be more excited about this year’s team.”

While the Mavericks will have to overcome the loss of dynamic all-purpose player Cole Allen, who’s now playing at Harvard University, there are several key returnees led by senior quarterback Shea Quinn. “Shea is everything you would want in a quarterback. He’s a talented senior captain with extremely high academics and has collegiate offers from several Division 3 schools,” said Veltri.

Blocking up front for Quinn is senior standout offensive lineman Will Lane who will also see playing time on the defensive side of the ball. The 6-foot-4, 305-pound senior has committed to play college football for the Air Force Academy.

Also, Coach Veltri says senior tight end Andrew Christensen is a big weapon who’ll also play college football.

Defensive lineman Jack Stanger, a major Division 1 recruit in baseball, is among the Mavericks’ top returning players as are senior linebackers Nick Verducci and Winston Silsby. “Nick is coming back from a knee injury so we’re extremely excited to have him healthy and ready while Winston is another senior captain with great academics,” added Veltri.

HARD-HITTING TEXAN Lamar Texans defensive end Martin Davis-Wheatfall (#92) is among several key returning starters for Lamar this upcoming season.

It has all the makings of another big season ahead for a Lamar Texans football team coming off its 15th district championship in the last 16 seasons. The Texans followed up last season’s undefeated district title with a great playoff victory over the Cy-Fair Bobcats.

“We’ve got a really good group of players coming back including five returning starters on both offense and defense,” said Texans head coach Mike Lindsey. “We have a lot of offensive weapons and some big-time players defensively.”

One of those offensive weapons is senior running back Larry Sanders, who led the team in all-purpose yards last season. In addition, the Texans welcome the return of highly touted wide receiver Enrico Moore-Espinoza, who missed much of last season with a knee injury. “Enrico may very well be the best player on our team,” said Lindsey. “He’s a great player and just a tremendous athlete. Enrico was also the district Newcomer of the Year back in his sophomore season.”

On the offensive line, 6-foot, 290-pound Jayden Cook is a three-year starter who Coach Lindsey describes as an “elite offensive guard and a fantastic player.” Cook will also see playing time on defense for the Texans.

The Texans’ highest recruited player entering the season is senior defensive back Robert McFarland, who has several offers from major college programs and is also a pre-season All-Greater Houston selection by the Touchdown Club of Houston. In addition, 6-foot-4, 250-pound defensive end Martin Davis-Wheatfall has collegiate offers from Division 1 football programs.

Editor’s note: Todd Freed is the host and executive producer of H-Town High School Sports, which airs Saturday at 10:30 p.m. on CW39 and Monday-Thursday on AT&T SportsNet SW. To submit high school sports news for possible inclusion in SportzBuzz, please email [email protected].