No. 10 Irion County looks for first playoff win since 1971 and more

Amy McDaniel
San Angelo Standard-Times

MERTZON – Some might see only The Big Three when looking at Irion County High School’s football program.

The reason the No. 10-ranked Hornets believe their time is now is because of the Big Eight in the senior class. And the Big 30 on the high school roster.

For a school with an enrollment of 89, it’s probably Irion County’s depth and experience that has made observers take notice of a program that has not won a playoff game since 1971.

“We definitely have some depth, which is what we were missing last year,” said senior quarterback Trevin Coffell, who has earned all-state honors in football and basketball, in addition to qualifying for the state track meet two times. “Now we have 10 or 11 players that could come into the game at all times, versus six or seven that you’re comfortable with.

“We’ve got the team to do it this year; it’s our season.”

Irion County High School's Bo Morrow, from left to right, Jordan Harrison and Trevin Coffell lead a class of eight seniors for the Hornet football team into the 2022 season.

Coffell (6-foot-3, 180 pounds) will be joined on the field by two other all-state level athletes. Bo Morrow (6-4, 180) was a first-team all-state wide receiver, in addition to earning all-region honors in basketball. Jordan Harrison (6-1, 155) earned all-region honors in football before being named first-team all-state in basketball and finishing sixth at the state track meet in the triple jump.

“This season is probably our most motivated,” said Morrow. “I don’t even think it’s that (it’s our senior year). It’s that we have our best shot this year.”

Both Morrow and Coffell are preseason all-state picks by Texas Football magazine.

Head football coach Don Coffell – father of Trevin and winner of 106 games in his 19-year career – said it’s remarkable to have three special athletes in one grade at the Class 1A level.

“But it extends past those three,” the coach said. “We’ve got eight seniors and they are all spectacular young men. Not just football players but spectacular young men with great leadership abilities.”

Coffell said his seniors have eaten breakfast together before two-a-day workouts followed by lunch, and he believes that comradery will go a long way for the Hornets.

“They actually enjoy being around each other and that does not happen everywhere," he said.

Coffell was hired to build the six-man program after more than four decades in 11-man ball for Irion County. Since arriving on campus, the coach has compiled a 24-8 record and led the Hornets to two second-place finishes in district play.

Irion County High School's Brendan Akingbolagun (4) and Jordan Harrison (3) are top returners for the Hornets in 2022 and part of a senior class that numbers eight.

But each of the past two seasons has ended in a first-round playoff loss to none other than May, the preseason No. 3 team in the state and participant in the last two state title games. Not only are the Hornets aligned in a district that will meet May’s district again in the first round, but it’s not just May. There’s also preseason No. 4 Jonesboro.

“Give us May again,” said Harrison, who along with Coffell and Morrow helped Irion County reach the UIL State Basketball Tournament last season for the first time since 1961. It was the Hornets’ best season ever on the hardcourt.

After a strong spring on the track, the Hornets are at their most confident.

“We’re licking our chops to hopefully play (the May Tigers) again,” the quarterback said. “That’s our goal, to win district and hopefully play them again in the first round.”

“Now we know we can do it, and just getting through games, one by one, and making it as far as we can go,” said Morrow, who caught 33 passes for 944 yards and 21 TDs last year. “And I think we can go pretty far.”

At cornerback, Morrow had 41 tackles, four fumble recoveries and four interceptions.

Coffell passed for 1,729 yards and 35 TDs last year with just three interceptions. He also rushed for 495 yards and 10 TDs as well as hit 45-of-57 PAT kicks and nine PAT passes. At linebacker, he had 128 tackles and forced seven fumbles.

Irion County High School's Bo Morrow (6) is one of the top receivers in West Texas and part of an eight-man senior class for the Hornets, who are ranked No. 10 in the state, in Class 1A Division I.

Harrison rarely comes off the field. At his running back position, he had 938 yards and 16 TDs but also caught 13 passes for 365 and nine TDs, and threw two TD passes. He returned 10 kicks for 359 yards and six TDs. At defensive line, Harrison had 109 tackles, nine fumble recoveries, one interception and three defensive TDs.

The three are joined by seniors Cameron Feller (6-4, 225) and Brendan Akingbolagun (6-2, 220), both all-district linemen last year. The senior class is filled out by Lee Collins, Fred Mayberry and Schraeder Seahorn.

Top underclassmen will be sophomore running back/linebacker Parker Posey (5-10, 195), who was an All-West Texas selection last year after being named district newcomer of the year, and Wyatt Morris, a newcomer to the varsity as a junior.

While the coach said playoff experience, at least in football, is a weakness for the Hornets, it’s tempered with basketball playoff experience and an experienced coaching staff.

“We have three coaches (defensive coordinator Shawn Harrison, head boys basketball coach John Morrow and head boys track coach Derek Schoen) on the football staff that could all be a head coach somewhere, have been head coaches somewhere, and our athletic director (Jacob Conner), he isn’t listed on the staff, but he’s a huge help and we can always bounce things off him. He’s got a great mind for football. “

The coach is also not worried about the high expectations and how it will affect his players.

“Squeaking into the Top 10 has created some excitement, but the kids have done a good job of keeping it level,” Coffell said. “They want to prove they’re better than No. 10. I tell them in the end, if you win the last game of the season, or you lose, you’ve got to be able to look in the mirror and say, ‘I did everything I could do. I had my brothers' back and we worked together and it just wasn’t our turn.’ The kids understand that, and their maturity level is growing every day. It’s by far the best since I’ve been here.”

Irion County High School seniors Trevin Coffell (middle) and Cameron Feller (52) are top returners for the Hornet football team going into the 2022 season.

Irion County Hornets

District: 13-1A Division I

Head coach: Don Coffell (106-80; 24-8 at Irion County)

Last year’s record: 8-3, 3-1 district

Last district title/playoff appearance: 2004/2021

Enrollment: 89

Stadium: O.K. Wolfenbarger Field

Returning lettermen: 8

Returning off./def. starters: 5/5

Base offense: Spread

Base defense: 3-3

Team strength: Returning starters, depth

Team weakness: Lack of playoff experience

Players to watch

QB/LB Trevin Coffell (6-3, 180), RB/DL Jordan Harrison (6-0, 155), WR/DB Bo Morrow (6-4, 175), C Cameron Feller (6-2, 220), OL/DL Brendan Akingbolagun (6-2, 210), RB/LB Parker Posey (5-10, 190), OL/DL Lee Collins

2022 schedule

Date     Opponent

Aug. 26 Buena Vista

Sept. 1 vs. Spur (at Blackwell)

Sept. 9 Roby

Sept. 16 at Highland

Sept. 23 Rotan

Sept. 30 Leakey

Oct. 14 Eden*

Oct. 21 at Robert Lee*

Oct. 28 Menard*

Nov. 4 at Veribest*

*District game

2021 results

Buena Vista L 73-84

Robert Lee W 61-16

Fort Davis W 53-8

Grandfalls W 61-6

Bronte W 53-6

Blackwell W 67-40

Water Valley L 32-78

Paint Rock W 49-0

Veribest W 65-8

Eden W 91-62

May L 20-68

WATCH: Six-Man Films Archival FootageMertzon Irion County vs. Highland, 1971 regional championship game