A poll from Dave Campbell’s Texas Football has projected the Livingston Lions as a playoff pigskin squad for the upcoming season. Many of the recent playoff participants are found within the coveted top four spots, but the order is a bit different.
The Lions are hoping to build on 2023, when they were 2-3 in district play and bi-district finalists. “It is pretty indicative of where we are and where we should be,” Livingston coach Finis Vanover said of the grouping. “We’ve been a heck of a lot worse before, but people are recognizing our talent and seeing us for what we are, and how far we’ve come. That part feels better. You would sure like to be picked at the top, but that also gives everybody a target on your back. It is a good logical spot, especially for what we have coming back, where we finished the year and how we finished the spring. We know who we are and what we have, and we are really pleased right now with what is taking place. It gives us something to shoot for.”
Vanover said he has had a chance to measure athleticism and see what everyone returns for the 2024 season through spring sports of track and field, powerlifting, baseball and 7-on-7. He was not surprised to see Little Cypress-Mauriceville leading the pack in Texas Football’s poll.
“It is a great multisport district of competitors,” he said. “The part that everybody has missed the last three years was that Lumberton was a dominant track and field program. They won everything, with two or three medalists in each event. That fell by the wayside this spring. This was a great senior class that dominated every sport in this entire region since they were in the eighth grade. The coach left in January for Palestine.
“Little Cypress had a great finish last year. They have tons of kids out and get lots of move-ins because they are so close to the Louisiana border and right there on I-10 in the Orange County schools. They lost their coordinators, so they have had to replace some great coaches. I think them and Vidor should be the top teams, while us and Lumberton are the next two. It is a good mix.”
There should be plenty of reason for Lion fans to get excited about the upcoming season. A deep team should have the ability to start fast and rely on experience at several key spots.
“We’ve got some fabulous depth at some skill positions and that is what is carrying us right now, Vanover said. “We are two-deep at every position with returning players and starters – quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, linebackers, all the defensive backs and two defensive ends. Our offensive line is where we are really going to have to put impetus on. They are big, fine looking young kids, but they are young kids. They have to develop fast. The offensive line has been where our focus for the entire spring and summer was being placed to get to the same level the skill guys have.”
Livingston returns two tailbacks who each rushed for nearly 900 yards apiece in Trenden Williams and Jerren James. Damorian Hill had 500 yards rushing and returns at quarterback. Jatarius Randolph is expected to line up at fullback, over from tight end, after a solid playoff rushing performance. Nearly 85% of the offensive production is expected to suit up in the fall.
“The kids know it and feel it and sense it. That is why their workouts are so good and that is why our 7-on-7 went so well this spring. We had a local (7-on-7) with a great opportunity to run, jump, catch, throw and handle the speed of competition with Woodville, Shepherd and New Waverly. We went four weeks of it, and played three games per night. It was great for us. We played from freshman, all the way up.”
The prognostications have been placed in the fieldhouse to use as motivation for those working through the summer to improve. The question put to Lions was, “Are you satisfied, or not?”
“The real ones will see it and know it, and the pretenders will think, ‘So what?’ I think it has been a good thing and I heard a little chatter about it last week in our workout programs. We have had four great weeks of workouts. It always drops off a little bit after the Fourth of July, but we still had around 90 boys and 30 girls all summer. For us, we are tickled to death on that part. They are working their tails off. We will pick back up on Monday July 8, and we have four weeks that goes right into that first Monday in August.” With realignment, eight teams will be the most the district has seen in some time. However, there is a feeling that it could also be the deepest and most competitive district in recent history.
“There are some fine programs in there, with good athletes and coaches in all sports. From an athletic director’s point, it is really nice, because we have some great competition in every sport. Through the last five or six years, We have basically played everybody in there all the time anyway.”
With a strong summer finish, the coaching staff has a bright outlook for 2024. Scrimmages begin Aug. 15 with Coldspring at Trojan Stadium. The first non-district game will also be a road contest two weeks later at Mercer Stadium with Fort Bend Austin.
“I think we are going to be a big surprise to a lot of folks, including some of our own folks here. The kids have done the things that they need to do to have a chance to win. That is all you can ask for. They have really tried bettering themselves and they have learned what it is to do everything with a purpose. They come to work every day with the purpose in mind to get better at something. The next day is the same thing. We ask them every day what it is they will try to get better at. We hold them to that, so we think that attitude, physical development and returning talent pool that we have will be the biggest areas of improvement.”
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