Paradise’s Ayden Winters, La Vega’s Warren Richardson voted Texas Football Players of the Week (12/8/2024)

Winters was voted Offensive Player of the Week; Richardson earned Defensive Player of the Week honors

Paradise quarterback Ayden Winters. / Ronald W. Erdrich/Reporter-News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Congratulations to Paradise’s Ayden Winters and La Vega’s Warren Richardson for being voted Texas Offensive High School Football Player of the Week and Defensive Player of the Week, respectively, for Dec. 5-7.

Winters, a senior quarterback, passed for 142 yards and three touchdowns while carrying it 31 times for 178 yards in a 33-15 victory over Shallowater. 

Richardson, a senior defensive end, notched nine total tackles, two sacks and a forced fumble as La Vega defeated Sealy, 48-30.

Winters earned 42.81 percent of the vote, beating out North Shore’s Kaleb Bailey, who finished with 30.11 percent. 

The offensive poll received more than 17,000 votes. 

Richardson got 50.12 percent of the vote to finish above Parish Episcopal’s DC Crane, who earned 25.79 percent.

The defensive poll received more than 23,000 votes. 

We are accepting Texas Football Athlete of the Week nominations. If you would like to nominate an athlete, email bob.lundeberg@gmail.com.

Editor’s Note: Our Athlete of the Week feature and corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. However, we do not allow votes that are generated by script, macro or other automated means. Athletes that receive votes generated by script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified.

Here were the top five vote-getters in each poll:

Texas Offensive High School Football Player of the Week voting

1. Ayden Winters, sr., Paradise

Paradise’s season came to an end with a 27-19 semifinal loss to Malakoff. Winters received 42.81 percent of the vote. 

2. Kaleb Bailey, sr., North Shore

Bailey had 10 carries for 261 yards and two touchdowns in a 49-21 win over Atascocita. The senior quarterback also completed 16 of 19 passes for 202 yards and a pair of TDs. He received 30.11 percent of the vote. 

3. Collin Smitherman, sr., Franklin

Smitherman had 16 carries for 213 yards and four touchdowns as Franklin fell to Columbus, 62-42. He received 13.3 percent of the vote. 

4. Bryson Roland, sr., La Vega

Roland carried it 22 times for 301 yards and three touchdowns in a 48-30 win over Sealy. He received 11.59 percent of the vote.

5. Chase Garnett, sr., Liberty Christian

Garnett, a South Florida signee, ran for 234 yards and two touchdowns as Liberty Christian downed Parish Episcopal for the TAPPS Division I title, 45-24. It was Liberty Christian’s second straight state championship. Garnett received 1.71 percent of the vote.

Texas Defensive High School Football Player of the Week voting

6. Warren Richardson, sr., La Vega

La Vega punched its ticket to the Class 4A Division II championship with a 62-35 win over Wimberley. Richardson received 50.12 percent of the vote. 

7. DC Crane, sr., Parish Episcopal

Crane finished with 18 total tackles in a 45-24 loss to Liberty Christian in the TAPPS Division I title game. He received 25.79 percent of the vote.

8. Grayson Peschel, jr., Argyle

Peschel had an 80-yard pick-six as Argyle defeated Lovejoy, 42-17. He received 12.06 percent of the vote.

9. Elliott Schaper, sr., Westlake

Schaper, a Duke signee, had six total tackles and two interceptions in a 24-17 win over Lake Travis.  He received 8.91 percent of the vote.

10. Kordae Houston, jr., South Oak Cliff

Houston dominated with seven total tackles, an interception and a forced fumble in a 56-14 rout of Port Neches-Groves. He received 2.85 percent of the vote.

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-- Bob Lundeberg | @sblivesports