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Coach of the Year: In just his second season, Rush took the War Eagles to the Class 5A playoffs after back-to-back 1-9 seasons. Oak Ridge won its first seven games before losing to A&M Consolidated, The Woodlands and Lufkin to close its District 14-5A schedule. Westfield eliminated the War Eagles in the first round of the Class 5A Division I playoffs.
“Dereck was able to change the culture a little bit at Oak Ridge,” said Schmid, who was The Courier’s choice for Coach of the Year in 2012. “You could tell his kids played in a classy manner, and that he got his kids to believe they could win.”

Offensive MVP: The Woodlands junior Patrick Carr had a tough act to follow in 2013. His own.  Carr became the first Highlander to rush for more than 2,000 yards in a single season last year, taking The Courier’s Player of the Year honor in the process. This time, with opposing defensive coordinators knowing Carr’s value to the Highlanders, he earns The Courier’s nod for Offensive MVP. The 5-foot-9, 190-pound Carr carried the ball 230 times for 1,635 yards and 15 touchdowns. He added seven receptions for 38 yards as The Woodlands reached the third round of the playoffs.

Defensive MVPs: The Woodlands defensive end Zak Krolczyk and Magnolia West defensive end Xavier Jones have a few things in common. Most of all, though, they’re a quarterback’s worst nightmare. They share The Courier’s Defensive MVP award. The 6-foot-3, 240-pound Krolczyk, in his first full season as a starter, was a team captain for the Highlanders. He finished the season with 70 tackles, including 15 for losses. He had 11 sacks, 18 quarterback hurries, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.