Reagan County Owls look to carry spring success into 2022 football season
BIG LAKE – In winning a district championship in boys basketball last year, the Reagan County High School Owls might seem like a team that happily left a three-win football season in the dust in mid-November to forget about it until late spring.
What actually happened was the immediate start of preparation for the 2022 football season, and because the Owl athletes were also able to succeed on the hardcourt as well as the tennis court, baseball field and track field in the spring, they are riding a wave of confidence they hope carries over into a new era of Reagan County football.
“We hope so,” said second-year head coach Kyle Brown. “As soon as football was over, we implemented our offseason program so they were in it for the whole year.”
Brown took it further, having his team vote on team captains just as school ended, hoping they could carry it through the summer.
“This summer, we had more kids in the weight room than we’ve had in a while. … It has to do with the kids buying in. There’s a core group of those varsity kids, they did everything you wanted them to do. Our strength is going to be our chemistry. We’ve got a bunch of kids who get along and who want to be here.”
Reagan County was realigned into Class 2A Division I at the last UIL reorganization of districts in the spring. So, the Owls, who struggled to a 3-7 overall record and an 0-5 mark against one of the toughest 3A Division II districts in the state, are hoping their athletes fit better in the lower division.
Senior Dylan Odom and junior A.J. Avalos were the team picks to guide the Owls through offseason workouts, through basketball team camps, through 7-on-7 football and even some prospect camps.
Brown said the players couldn’t have picked better leaders.
“Both those guys were in the weight room nonstop,” the coach said.
Odom, who was new to Reagan County last year after playing two seasons at six-man Eden, said the adjustment from 1A to 3A was tough, especially considering district competitors Lubbock Roosevelt and Abernathy played in the Region I final.
“It was real tough playing against (Division I) recruits coming from a 1A,” said Odom, who has blossomed to a 6-foot-4, 200-pound tight end/defensive end.
“He’s a big kid and over the summer, with basketball and 7-on-7, he’s really confident in what he’s doing now and we expect him to have a big year,” Brown said.
Avalos (5-10, 170) will be making the switch from slot receiver to running back, and Brown thinks he has the tools to be the featured back in the “run-and-gun” type offense the Owls continue to develop.
“A.J.’s put on about 15 pounds and he’s gotten a lot stronger, gotten a lot faster,” Brown said. “He’s one of our fastest kids. He had a good year in track and we expect him to have a breakout year.”
Avalos, although just a junior, takes the responsibility of captainship seriously.
“We have a lot of young players and we’re trying to prepare them,” Avalos said. “We got voted team captains. That means something to us.”
In addition to Odom and Avalos, others like seniors Eli Hernandez, Angel Botello, Angel Martinez, Eduardo Encinas, Angel Flores and Alexavier Reyes have been part of a strong tradition of Reagan County athletes competing in youth summer sports of all varieties. Junior Raymond Saldibar along with sophomores Kason Brown and Jarrett Brown are also part of the core.
“They’ve always done something, competed together,” the coach said.
While the Owls have depth and experience at the skill positions, their weakness lies in numbers with experience along the line. Hernandez (5-9, 225) is the most experienced player on the team and will be counted on to lead the way.
There also will be a bit of a hiccup as the season grows closer for the Owls. Returning starting quarterback Kason Brown (6-4, 180) is just a sophomore, and the doctor said he’s still growing. He’s had some nagging injuries that could keep him out of the scrimmages but hopefully not too late into the start of the season, the coach said.
Instead, the Owls will call on Jarrett Brown, the quarterback’s younger brother who was a top defensive back last year, to pace them through the scrimmages behind center while Kason recovers. When Kason returns to the lineup, Jarrett will go back to his regular position at receiver on offense.
While Reagan County is moving down into what should be a more competitive district, the Owls still haven’t convinced most preseason pollsters they can contend for a district title against the likes of Sonora and Christoval, along with Forsan and Ozona. Odom and Avalos aren’t buying it.
“Honestly, we’re going for a district title,” Odom said.
Reagan County Owls
District: 3-2A Division I
Head coach: Kyle Brown (3-7; all at Reagan County)
Last year’s record: 3-7, 0-5 district
Last district title/playoff appearance: 1993/2019
Enrollment: 232
Stadium: James H. Bird Memorial Stadium
Returning lettermen: 15
Returning off./def. starters: 7/7
Base offense: Spread
Base defense: 3-3
Team strength: Experience
Team weakness: Lack of recent success
Players to watch
QB Kason Brown, OL/DL Eli Hernandez, TE/LB Dylan Odom, RB/DB AJ Avalos, WR/DB Raymond Saldibar, OL/DL David Saucedo, OL/DL Aaron Esquivel, WR/DB Angel Flores, RB/LB Angel Botello, RB/LB Alexavier Reyes, TE/LB Abraham Fraga, OL/DL Bryan Gutierrez
2022 schedule
Date Opponent
Aug. 26 Wink
Sept. 2 at McCamey
Sept. 9 Crane
Sept. 16 at Iraan
Sept. 30 Kermit
Oct. 7 at Forsan*
Oct. 14 Sonora*
Oct. 21 at Ozona*
Oct. 28 at Anthony*
Nov. 4 Christoval*
*District game
2021 results
Merkel L 15-24
Iraan W 67-0
Ozona W 14-12
San Angelo TLCA W 40-14
Forsan L 0-43
Abernathy L 18-70
Lubbock Roosevelt L 0-58
Coahoma L 7-55
Idalou L 7-49
Stanton L 0-24
This article originally appeared on San Angelo Standard-Times: Reagan County looks to carry spring success into 2022 football season
