Early's McCullough, Comanche's Wilkerson chosen for THSCA 3A Super Elite Team

January 31, 2023 at 5:48 pm Derrick Stuckly

Early’s Caleb McCullough (left) and Comanche’s Sawyer Wilkerson (right)

Early Longhorn senior linebacker Caleb McCullough and Comanche Indian sophomore running back Sawyer Wilkerson were chosen this week to be members of the Texas High School Coaches Association Class 3A Super Elite Team.

According to the THSCA website, Super Elite Teams consist of high school players nominated by current professional members of the Texas High School Coaches Association. The player must meet the THSCA award criteria to be nominated. The award recognizes student athletes across the state of Texas for their exemplary athletic achievement in their respective sport.

The criteria consists of being of good moral character; a varsity competitor; a member of the team in good standing at the time of nomination; and excelling as an elite member in their respective sport.

McCullough recorded 113 tackles, including 31 for loss, with 12 sacks, 1 interception, 6 forced fumbles and 2 fumble recoveries for a Longhorn defense that gave up just 21 points and 240 yards – 131 rushing and 109 passing – per game during Early’s 7-5 bi-district championship campaign.

Wilkerson amassed 2,601 yards and 29 touchdowns on the ground, rushing for 217 yards per game and 10 yards per game for the Indians, who generated 46 pointsand 476 yards – 327 rushing and 149 passing – and en route to a 10-2 record and district and bi-district championships.

Each nomination will go to the S.E.T. (Super Elite Teams) Committee to determine the finalists who have made the Super Elite team in each classification. Super Elite teams will be honored after the state championships have been announced. This award began in the Fall of the 2022-23 school year.

Other members of the THSCA 3A Super Elite Team are Offensive MVP Bryson Washington of Franklin; Defensive MVP David ‘Trey’ Haynes of Whitney; Utility Player Brock Baker of Bells; defensive picks Matthew Bridges of Bushland, Koby Dickens of Paradise, Carson Finney and Camden Harris of Brock, Joe Nathan Guzman of Poteet, Jaxen Johnson of Holliday, Boone Morris of Mount Vernon, Easton Paxton of West, Colton Pitchford of Columbia, Jace Sanders of Whitesboro and Cooper Smith of Bells; offensive choices Johnny Joe Acosta and Joshua Suarez of Taft, Kason English of Grandview, Jaxon Lange of Llano, Kasen Long and Lorenzo Nino of Shallowater, Case Peacock of Ponder, Canyon Massengale of Whitney, Dawson Pendergrass of Mineola, Brock Riker and Trace Roger of Brock; and special team selections Luke Martinez of Lamesa and Carlos Perez of Paradise.