Only one DFW player has over 800 yards receiving this season and he’s from Fort Worth
Imagine having over 1,200 all-purpose yards through five games.
No, he’s not a quarterback.
That’s an average of 249.4 yards per game, which includes a Dallas-Fort Worth leading 825 yards receiving.
Now imagine him being at North Side High School in Fort Worth.
Well, it’s true.
Junior Da’Wain Lofton may be the last name you hear of, but the Steers’ versatile play-maker has led the Metroplex this season. He’s coming off five catches for 213 yards and three touchdowns as North Side eased past Carter-Riverside, 58-6, on Sept. 27.
“Da’Wain is a great kid that genuinely wants to do the right thing on a daily basis,” said North Side head coach Joseph Turner,, who played at TCU. “His 3.8 GPA will show the type of student that he is during school and the teachers love him. His play on the field speaks for itself. We’re honored to coach a kid of his caliber.”
Against Carter-Riverside, Lofton added two rushing TDs. He scored all five times in the first half.
He was voted Week 5 offensive player of the week.
“He’s one of the most impressive young men I’ve had the pleasure of coaching,” defensive coordinator Irwin Garcia said. “We all saw the explosive plays, the one handed catches and video game moves throughout practice and fall camp. Shocked is not the right word because what he does on game days is what he does every day at practice for us.”
In the Beginning
Lofton, who also plays in the secondary, began playing football when he was 6 for the Pee-Wee team Golden Eagles.
“I wasn’t the most explosive, but I had to keep working hard everyday and try to improve. I continue to do the same things today,” he said. “The thing that makes me unique is that I try my best at any position that my coach needs me at and I try to make myself as versatile as possible.”
Born and raised in Fort Worth, Lofton went on to attend J.P. Elder Middle School, where the North Side coaches took notice.
“We’ve all known him since he was in the seventh grade and he’s been the same hardworking, straight A-student since then,” Garcia said. “Never has too much to say, but has always let his actions speak for himself. There’s this quiet confidence about the kid that just let’s you know, OK, this guy is the real deal”
“I’ve also been able to get to know his family since then as well. He has a great support system,” Turner added.
Lofton played quarterback in middle school while North Side starting QB Isaak Rosales was at Kirkpatrick Middle. The duo has quickly become one of the top tandems in DFW.
And you could say Lofton is Rosales’ favorite target.
The Steers’ QB has 927 yards passing and all nine TDs have gone to Lofton.
“I knew the day they stepped on campus what positions they were going to play. Isaak is also an extremely hard worker that wants to be just as successful,” Turner said. “It’s been really fun coaching them and watching them play.”
“Isaak and I have played with each other since freshman year and we’ve built our chemistry throughout that time,” Lofton said. “We worked on our timing all summer to make sure we had everything down. He knows where to place the ball and I know where to get it. He also knows how to make plays when I’m not available.”
Keeping the train going
Against Diamond Hill-Jarvis in Week 3, Lofton had 222 of the team’s 399 yards of total offense.
He scored four touchdowns.
“You could see the flashes of his athleticism when he was younger and he continued to get better,” Turner said. “None of his success surprises me because I have seen him work hard every day since the seventh grade. Da’Wain has done everything that I have asked of him and more. His best plays are at practice where he’s doing stuff that’s starting to become normal for us to see. We’ve become accustomed to the big plays by now.”
Lofton has 18 TDs this season (9 receiving, 8 rushing, 1 return).
He’s averaging 23.5 yards per catch and has seven touchdown returns in the past 15 games, dating back to last season.
“I just make sure I perform to the best of my ability when my number is called,” Lofton said. “I would say that listening to my coaches and trusting them has molded me into becoming the player I am today.”
The Steers (2-3, 1-0 District 4-5A Division 2) have a bye this week, but return to play Fort Worth Southwest at 7 p.m. on Oct. 10 at Farrington Field.
“Preparing for an athlete like Da’wain is one of the hardest things to do because if you don’t know where he’s at on the field on every play he might be going for 80. He’s that explosive,” Garcia said. “During the Wylie East game, they had tripled covered him at one point. They had an off corner, underneath linebacker and over the top safety, and he still went for over 200 yards. So game planning for him, thankfully, is not a problem I have because I know he would keep me up at night.”
This story was originally published October 3, 2019 at 7:00 AM.
