Wide receivers capture first-team all-state honors

BY MIKE FORMAN - MFORMAN@VICAD.COM

Originally published December 14, 2009 at 10:45 p.m., updated December 14, 2009 at 10:55 p.m.

Yorktown's Jayden Barefield and Rice Consolidated's Mario Hull played a number of roles for their respective teams.

But one of their primary duties was to catch the football and their performance this season led to their selection on the first-team of the Associated Press Sports Editors all-state football teams.

Barefield was chosen on the Class 1A team and Hull was picked on the Class 2A team.

Barefield, a sophomore, had 54 receptions for 1,164 yards and 14 touchdowns, while leading the Wildcats to an 8-2 record and a third-place finish in District 31-1A.

Barefield also had a kickoff return for a touchdown and was the co-offensive player of the year in the district.

"He's a great athlete," Yorktown coach Kerry Huddleston said. "He's got a lot of natural ability. I don't know if he knows how high he can jump. He has good instincts and he breaks to the ball well."

Barefield started as a freshman and made great strides this season.

"He improved quite a bit," Huddleston said. "He had a better understanding of what we were trying to do. He also matured physically. He got a little faster and got a lot stronger. He's pretty tough physically."

Hull, a senior who has committed to Texas-San Antonio, caught 44 passes for 1,077 yards, while leading the Raiders to a 8-1 record and the District 26-2A championship.

Hull also returned two kickoffs and one punt for a touchdown and started three games at quarterback while being named the district's MVP.

"He was our main go-to guy," Rice Consolidated coach Brad Dumont said. "We'd pitch him the ball a little bit and do a little bit of everything with him. He's a great route runner who has good hands. Every day he worked hard to get better."

Refugio junior Danny Hernandez and Rice Consolidated senior Chris Dorsey, who has committed to Texas-San Antonio, were selected to the defensive line on the Class 2A team.

Earning honorable mention on the Class 2A team were Refugio's Jourdan Ortiz at wide receiver and defensive back and Dylan Klare on the offensive line, Industrial's Travis Franz at linebacker, Rice Consolidated's Damian Stevens at linebacker and Schulenburg's Kyle Bludau at punter.

Honorable mention selections on the Class 1A team were Ganado's Josh Labay at running back and defensive back, and Shiner's Dustin Boedeker on the offensive line, Drew Stafford at kicker and Justin Wiese on the defensive line.

Bushland quarterback Sawyer Cornelius was the offensive player of the year on the Class 2A team, and Leonard lineman Tevin Daniels was the defensive player of the year.

Cayuga running back Traylon Shead was the offensive player of the year on the Class 1A team, and Canadian lineman Ryan Alexander was the defensive player of the year.

The selections were based on a player's performance during the regular season.