This school district has a monopoly on standout defensive backs
Defensive back is one of the hardest positions at any level of football. You have to run top-speed in heavy traffic, tracking both your assigned receiver and the ball. You almost need eyes in the back of your head, yet for some reason, the Mansfield ISD features a bunch of top-notch safeties and corners.
Mansfield Summit’s Enoch Ardern is no exception. The Jaguars safety was a first-team all district selection in 2016 as a sophomore, and coach Channon Hall said he is a force in the defensive backfield.
“He knows exactly where to be then he gets there with bad intentions,” Hall said.
Ardern has missed a game and half this season, but he already has 12 tackles.
“He is one of the leaders on the team,” Hall said. “He is one of those guys that puts his entire body into every tackle, meaning he’s not afraid of contact. He is a super-intelligent player, which I believe is one of the main reasons he is successful on the football field.”
Over at Mansfield, Cam’Ron Jones has been lighting up opposing defenses, with 27 tackles, including three for loss, and two quarterback sacks.
“He is doing a great job for us,” coach Dan Maberry said. “He was injured in the game against Cedar Hill, so he was limited on [Sept. 15], but he still had nine tackles.”
Maberry might even be selling Jones a bit short — after all, he left the Cedar Hill game in an ambulance.
I want to thank everyone for the prayers and support love y'all ❤️ i'll be ok !
— CAM JONES (@camgonework15) September 9, 2017
Trejon Hugue has been a force for Mansfield Lake Ridge, this season, picking up “sixteen or seventeen tackles for us on [Sept. 15],” said coach Kirk Thor last Saturday.
“He’s doing a really good job for us at safety,” Thor added.
Lake Ridge moved to 3-1 with its victory over Lancaster.
Over at Mansfield Timberview, D’Anthony Boone is leading the way in the secondary for the Wolves, with 18 tackles, four pass break-ups and an interception.
“He’s a great young man,” coach James Brown said.
Timberview crushed Red Oak 49-0 in its district opener last Thursday.
And finally, last year’s 5A All-State Defensive MVP, Mansfield Legacy’s Jalen Catalon, appears to be picking up right where he left off with 36 tackles, two interceptions, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and three pass break-ups.
Legacy is also 3-1 as district is getting underway.
This story was originally published September 29, 2017 at 5:28 PM with the headline "This school district has a monopoly on standout defensive backs."