Mineral Wells Area News

By DAVID MAY / Special to Mineral Wells Area News

The 2023 football season certainly did not go the way the Santo Wildcats thought it would.

Hopes were high as the Wildcats were the pre-season favorite in District 8-2A-II. But the season took a horrible turn in game three when senior quarterback Hut Thornton was lost for the season after sustaining a catastrophic knee injury while making a tackle from his defensive secondary position.

While the team fought on with a less-experienced quarterback charged with executing Santo’s flexbone offense, the team would win just two more games to finish fifth in district (3-8, 2-4) and out of the post-season.

While Head Coach Devon Mann and his staff are figuring out who will go under the center this year at quarterback, there aren’t a whole lot of other questions. Santo returns eight starters on both sides of the ball.

The Wildcats’ ground-and-pound offense has running back Memphis Prosser and fullback Justin Hollingsworth returning along with powerful linemen Luke Sides, Michael Lockwood, Brody Chapman, Andress Astello, Rudolfo Vega and Jordan Faubion. At 6-2 and 265 pounds, Chapman anchors the line.

Those linemen also form Santo’s returning defensive front. Hollingsworth returns at linebacker while Prosser prowls the secondary as a safety.

That returning experience will bode well for Santo this season as it seeks to return to the playoffs. Working in the Wildcats’ favor is the departure of Celeste, which was moved in the off-season’s realignment to District 9 – where they are favored to finish on top.

That leaves six teams in District 8. Look for Muenster and Collinsville to again battle it out for district top honors. Collinsville beat Muenster last season, sweeping through the district slate undefeated at 6-0. The Pirates (12-2) then went four rounds deep in the playoffs before eventual state champion Albany soundly defeated Muenster in the Class 2A-II quarterfinals.

Like Santo, Collinsville returns all of their offensive and defensive line players from 2023. The Pirates also feature linebacker Garrett Trevino, selected as Dave Campbell Texas Football’s pre-season Defensive Most Valuable Player in District 8. But Collinsville is replacing skill players on the offensive side of the ball.

Muenster was also bounced from the playoffs by Albany, coming a week earlier in the regionals round. The Hornets return seven starters on offense and defense. Muenster’s returning quarterback Casen Carney is DCTF’s pre-season district Offensive MVP.

That leaves Lindsay, Era and Chico. Santo defeated Era and Chico last season by a combined score of 74-0. While Era does return eight starters on offense and defense, Santo should be able to win those games to finish no worse than fourth and make the playoffs. That is if they can stay healthy and execute efficiently and consistently on offense. A win over Muenster, Lindsay or Collinsville would improve the Wildcats’ post-season position.

Santo 2024 Schedule

08/30 – at Electra 7 p.m.

09/06 – vs Valley View 7 p.m.

09/13 – at Bruceville-Eddy 7 p.m.

09/20 – vs Rio Vista 7 p.m.

09/27 – at Millsap 7:30 p.m.

10/11 – vs Era* 7 p.m.

10/18 – at Chico* 7 p.m.