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With the 2021 Texas high school football postseason in the rearview mirror and the start of spring practices quickly approaching, it’s time to reflect on the standout players and teams that defined the 2021 campaign.

SBLive will recognize standout players throughout the state from this past season by unveiling All-Region teams and awards for Central, East, North, South and West Texas, respectively, leading up to the release of SBLive’s 2021 All-State Texas High School Football Team.

We started last week by releasing our All-Central Texas Football Teams. Now, we shift our attention to the Brazos Valley, Golden Triangle and Houston-area to reveal SBLive’s All-East Texas Football Teams.

The Houston area’s two state-championship winning programs, Galena Park North Shore and Katy Paetow, headline our All-East Texas teams while Paetow head coach B.J. Gotte and Mustangs’ freshman quarterback Kaleb Bailey also nabbed All-East Texas Coach of the Year and Newcomer of the Year, respectively.

In his fourth season at the helm, Gotte guided the Panthers to their first state title in program history. Bailey, meanwhile, took over under center halfway through his freshman year to lead North Shore to its third Class 6A Division I state championship in the last four seasons.

Here’s a complete look at SBLive’s All-East Texas teams and awards:

(Editor’s note: Our East Texas region is defined by the highlighted section of the featured graphic.)

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All-East Texas Awards

MVP — Cale Hellums, Tomball (1,950 passing yards, 22 TD passes on 160-of-254 completion rate; 1,828 rushing yard, 17 TD runs on 224 carries in 15 GP)

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Offensive Player of the Year — Bishop Davenport, Spring (3,807 passing yards, 41 TD passes on 234-of-342 completion rate; 766 rushing yards, seven TD runs on 114 carries in 13 GP)

(Photo by Andrew McCulloch)

(Photo by Andrew McCulloch)

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Defensive Player of the Year — Anthony “AJ” Holmes, Spring Westfield (96 total tackles [52 solo], 26 TFLs, 16 sacks, three forced fumbles, two pass deflections, one interception, one fumble recovery, one defensive TD and one blocked punt in 13 GP)

anthony aj holmes spring westfield

(Photo by Andrew McCulloch)

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Newcomer of the Year — Kaleb Bailey, Galena Park North Shore (928 passing yards, 12 TD passes on 61-of-90 completion rate; 783 rushing yards, seven TD runs on 110 carries in 10 GP)

(Photo by Tommy Hays)

(Photo by Tommy Hays)

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Coach of the Year — B.J. Gotte, Katy Paetow

(Photo courtesy of Katy ISD)

(Photo courtesy of Katy ISD)

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First Team All-East Texas

QB — Bert Emmanuel Jr, Fort Bend Ridge Point (2,654 passing yards, 31 TD passes on 157-of-261 completion rate; 1,040 rushing yards, 15 TD runs on 149 carries in 13 GP)

RB — Reuben Owens, El Campo (2,989 rushing yards, 46 TD runs on 248 carries; 252 receiving yards, two TD catches on 15 receptions in 13 GP)

RB — Marquise Collins, College Station (2,826 rushing yards, 39 TD runs on 346 carries; 263 receiving yards, three TD catches on 12 receptions in 16 GP)

RB — Seth Davis, Katy (2,422 rushing yards, 28 TD runs on 230 carries in 14 GP)

(Photo by Tommy Hays)

(Photo by Tommy Hays)

FB — Paxton Hancock, Centerville (2,085 rushing yards, 19 TD runs on 228 carries in 13 GP)

WR — Cameron Price, Houston St. Thomas (1,549 receiving yards, 17 TD catches on 80 receptions in 11 GP) 

WR — Matthew Golden, Klein Cain (1,416 receiving yards, 12 TD catches on 74 receptions in 12 GP)

TE — Donovan Green, Dickinson (734 receiving yards, 11 TD catches on 33 receptions in 12 GP)

OT — Kam Dewberry, Humble Atascocita (21-6A First Team All-District selection)

OT — Kelvin Banks, Humble Summer Creek (21-6A All-District Offensive Player of the Year)

G — Christian Williams, Fort Bend Marshall (11-5A DII First Team All-District selection)

G — Demetrius Hunter, West Orange-Stark (Unanimous 11-4A DII First Team All-District selection)

C — Ethan Vasquez, Katy Tompkins (Unanimous 19-6A First Team All-District selection)

DT — Cavan Tuley, Tomball (131 total tackles, 19.5 TFLs, 10.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one interception and one defensive TD in 15 GP)

(Photo by Tom Dendy)

(Photo by Tom Dendy)

DT — Kristopher Ross, Galena Park North Shore (48 total tackles, 5.5 sacks, six TFLs, five pass deflections, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one interception in 16 GP)

DE — Malick Sylla, Katy (61 total tackles, 18 TFLs, eight sacks, two forced fumbles, one interception and one defensive TD in 15 GP)

DE — McCoy Casey, Crosby (164 total tackles [102 solo], 43 TFLs, 16 sacks, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and one defensive TD in 15 GP)

LB — Leslie Williams, Montgomery (216 total tackles [108 solo], 12 TFLs, two sacks, two pass deflections, one interception and one forced fumble in 12 GP)

LB — Jaxson Slanker, College Station (194 total tackles, 12 TFLs, five sacks, four pass deflections, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and one interception in 16 GP)

LB — Tyler Cooper, Crosby (147 total tackles [98 solo], 45 TFLs, 19 sacks, two pass deflections, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one interception, one defensive TD and one blocked FG in 15 GP)

LB — Alex Kilgore, Katy Paetow (116 total tackles [78 solo], 24 TFLs, 10 sacks, three fumble recoveries, two pass deflections, one forced fumble, one interception and one defensive TD in 16 GP)

DB — Jaylon Guilbeau, Port Arthur Memorial (31 total tackles, three TFLs, three pass deflections and one sack in 11 GP)

DB — Dejuan Lewis, Alvin Shadow Creek (93 total tackles [69 solo], eight pass deflections, five forced fumbles, four TFLs, two fumble recoveries and two interceptions in 12 GP) 

DB — Graham Gillespie, Cypress Bridgeland (88 total tackles [51 solo], 13 pass deflections, nine interceptions, seven TFLs, one forced fumble and one blocked FG in 14 GP)

DB — Kentrell Webb, Katy Paetow (44 total tackles [36 solo], 10 interceptions, six pass deflections, six TFLs, three defensive TDs, one sack and one fumble recovery in 10 GP)

K — Carter Brown, Pearland Dawson (15-of-18 FG kicks, 38-of-43 PAT kicks; season long 51-yard FG in 12 GP)

P — Brook Honore Jr, Manvel (1,583 kick yards on 38 punts; 68-yard season long; 20 downed inside 20-yard line in 13 GP)

ATH — Harold Perkins, Cypress Park (1,352 rushing yards, 21 TD runs on 78 carries; 325 receiving yards, three TD catches on 14 receptions; 35 total tackles, three TFLs, three interceptions, two sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, one defensive TD and one pass deflection in 10 GP)

KR/PR — Deqarius “Shug” Calhoun, Spring Westfield (858 return yards, three special teams TDs on 32 KR/PRs; season long 51-yard KR; season long 49-yard PR in 11 GP)

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Second Team All-East Texas

QB — Conner Weigman, Cypress Bridgeland (2,587 passing yards, 29 TDs on 191-of-306 completion rate; 754 rushing yards, nine TD runs on 107 carries; 62 receiving yards, two TD catches on three receptions in 11 GP)

Conner Weigman, Cypress Bridgeland

(Photo by Andrew McCulloch)

RB — Richard Reese, Bellville (2,261 rushing yards, 35 TD runs on 218 carries; 38 receiving yards, TD catch on four receptions in 13 GP)

RB — Jalen Washington, Montgomery (2,281 rushing yards, 31 TD runs on 278 carries; 110 receiving yards, TD catch on 10 receptions in 12 GP)

RB — Jerrell Wimbley, Houston C.E. King (2,018 rushing yards, 25 TD runs on 226 carries; 114 receiving yards on 11 receptions in 13 GP)

FB — Robert Briggs, Bellville (1,381 rushing yards, 22 TD runs on 124 carries; 562 receiving yards, eight TD catches on 21 receptions in 13 GP)

WR — Chase Sowell, Humble Atascocita (1,378 receiving yards, 16 TD catches on 72 receptions in 14 GP)

WR — Louis Williams III, Conroe (1,367 receiving yards, 16 TD catches on 70 receptions in 11 GP)

TE — Leland Smith, Houston Strake Jesuit (845 receiving yards, nine TD catches on 50 receptions in 10 GP)

OT — P.J. Williams, Dickinson (Unanimous 24-6A First Team All-District selection)

OT — Isaiah Villanueva, Katy Paetow (Unanimous 11-5A DI First Team All-District selection)

G — Mateo Ortiz, Jersey Village (Unanimous 16-6A First Team All-District selection)

G — Tre Brooks, Cypress Falls (Unanimous 16-6A First Team All-District selection)

C — Cade Farrar, College Station (8-5A DI All-District Offensive Lineman of the Year)

DT — Lukia Rawls, Klein Cain (84 total tackles [62 solo], 41 TFLs, 17 sacks, three forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in 12 GP)

Lukia Rawls, Klein Cain

(Photo by Andrew McCulloch)

DT — Zach Cooper, Montgomery (98 total tackles [46 solo], five TFLs, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one sack in 12 GP)

DE — Isaiah Bogerty, Stafford (107 total tackles [75 solo], 21 TFLs, 11 sacks, four interceptions, two pass deflections, one forced fumble and one defensive TD in 12 GP)

DE — Nic Caraway, Bryan (97 total tackles [58 solo], nine TFLs, four forced fumbles and three sacks in 11 GP)

LB — Ty Kana, Katy (101 total tackles, 11 TFLs, four pass deflections and one sack in 15 GP)

LB — Justin Medlock, Manvel (97 total tackles [67 solo], 12 TFLs, 3.5 sacks, two pass deflections and one fumble recovery in 12 GP)

LB — Connor Been, Klein Cain (132 total tackles [105 solo], 20 TFLs, eight sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in 10 GP)

LB — Leighton Foster, Newton (168 total tackles [109 solo], 10 TFLs, three sacks, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and one pass deflection in 13 GP)

DB — Bryan Olvera, East Bernard (132 total tackles [76 solo], six interceptions, three fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and two pass deflections in 11 GP)

DB — Darius Byrd, Hamshire-Fannett (131 total tackles [107 solo], four sacks, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and one blocked FG in 12 GP)

DB — Julian Payne, Fort Bend Hightower (100 total tackles, 20 TFLs, four sacks, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, one interception and one defensive TD in 13 GP)

DB — Fordham Parks, Katy Cinco Ranch (99 total tackles, 11 pass deflections, 10 TFLs, five interceptions and three forced fumbles in 13 GP)

K — Jonathan Dimas, Spring Westfield (12-of-15 FG kicks, 75-of-76 PAT kicks; season long 52-yard FG in 13 GP)

P — Dawson Schremp, College Station (1,142 kick yards on 28 punts; 74-yard season long; 12 downed inside 20-yard line in 16 GP)

ATH — Bryson Washington, Franklin (1,500 rushing yards, 29 TD runs on 102 carries; 212 receiving yards, four TD catches on five receptions; 119 total tackles, eight pass deflections, three TFLs, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, two defensive TDs and one interception in 16 GP)

KR/PR — Roger Gradney, Rice Consolidated (750 return yards, four special teams TDs on 24 KR/PRs; season long 93-yard KR; season long 94-yard PR in 8 GP)

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Third Team All-East Texas

QB — Owen McCown, Rusk (3,362 passing yards, 36 TD passes on 262-of-388 completion rate; 371 rushing yards, 11 TD runs on 88 carries in 12 GP)

RB — Lloyd Avant, Humble Summer Creek (1,794 rushing yards, 27 TD runs on 190 carries; 20 receiving yards, TD catch on two receptions in 14 GP)

RB — De’monte Seymore (1,729 rushing yards, 27 TD runs on 177 carries; 81 receiving yards, TD catch on seven receptions in 13 GP)

RB — Keedrick Reescano, New Caney (1,542 rushing yards, 22 TD runs on 217 carries; 333 receiving yards, three TD catches on 23 receptions in 11 GP)

FB — Jacob Brown, Katy Paetow (1,558 rushing yards, 27 TD runs on 159 carries in 10 GP)

(Photo by Tommy Hays)

(Photo by Tommy Hays)

WR — Xavier Neal, Houston Heights (1,209 receiving yards, 15 TD catches on 77 receptions in 11 GP)

WR — Traylen Suel, College Station (1,142 receiving yards, 17 TD catches on 92 receptions; 262 return yards, two special teams TDs on 20 PRs in 16 GP) 

TE — Houston Thomas, College Station (650 receiving yards, seven TD catches on 65 receptions in 16 GP)

OT — Zachary Rymer, Alvin Shadow Creek (Unanimous 23-6A First Team All-District selection)

OT — Tyler Lee, Tomball (Unanimous 15-6A First Team All-District selection)

G — Mykel Janise, Beaumont West Brook (Unanimous 21-6A First Team All-District selection)

G — Tevin Shaw, Manvel (Unanimous 10-5A DI First Team All-District selection)

C — Jackson Felkins, Klein Collins (Unanimous 15-6A First Team All-District selection)

DT — Carmello Jones, West Orange-Stark (79 total tackles, 11 TFLs, 10 sacks and three forced fumbles in 14 GP)

DT — Kam Bizor, Houston Yates (71 total tackles, 36 TFLs, 20 sacks and six forced fumbles in 8 GP)

DE — Jake Ferree, League City Clear Springs (94 total tackles [71 solo], 19 TFLs, six sacks, two pass deflections, two forced fumbles and one blocked punt in 12 GP)

DE — Jaden Shamar, College Station A&M Consolidated (96 total tackles [53 solo], 12 TFLs, nine sacks, two forced fumbles and one blocked punt in 13 GP)

LB — Jamal Gray, Texas City (127 total tackles [79 solo], 20 TFLs, three sacks, two interceptions, two pass deflections, two blocked punts, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble in 12 GP)

LB — Roy Morris, Houston C.E. King (107 total tackles [69 solo], 20 TFLs, 4.5 sacks, three fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and two defensive TDs in 11 GP) 

LB — Jayden Fisher, Port Arthur Memorial (100 total tackles, 27 TFLs, six sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery in 11 GP) 

LB — Kent Battle, Galena Park North Shore (101 total tackles, 21 TFLs, 10 sacks, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and one defensive TD in 16 GP)

(Photo by Andrew McCulloch)

(Photo by Andrew McCulloch)

DB — Jaiden Walker, Pearland Dawson (75 total tackles [62 solo], seven TFLs, five pass deflections, five interceptions, three defensive TDs, one fumble recovery and one blocked FG in 11 GP) 

DB — Caleb Flagg, Galena Park North Shore (68 total tackles, 11 pass deflections, 5,5 TFLs, four interceptions and three forced fumbles in 16 GP)

DB — Chris Noble, Jersey Village (51 total tackles [36 solo], 4.5 sacks, six interceptions, two pass deflections, one blocked punt, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in 12 GP)

DB — Taylor Davis, Fort Bend Ridge Point (87 total tackles, four interceptions, two TFLs, two pass deflections, two defensive TDs and one sack in 13 GP)

K — Trevor Helburg, Crosby (9-of-12 FG kicks, 74-of-75 PAT kicks; season long 46-yard FG in 15 GP)

P — Ross Pohlmeyer, Cypress Bridgeland (1,599 kick yards on 40 punts; 72-yard season long; 11 downed inside 20-yard line in 15 GP)

ATH — Jamarion Evans, Center (1,001 receiving yards, 10 TD catches on 73 receptions; 70 total tackles [56 solo], 8 pass deflections, six interceptions, one TFL, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery in 10 GP)

KR/PR — Gage Peterson, Beaumont Kelly (676 return yards, four special teams TDs on 2 KRs; season long 90-yard KR in 9 GP)