H.M. King High School’s varsity football team had over a dozen players recently selected for the All-District 31-4A team.

Jordan Boone (safety, wide receiver) was named as 31-4A’s Newcomer of the Year.

Named to the first offensive all-district roster were Vando Gonzalez (running back) and Marcus Ramirez (wide receiver).

Picked for the second alldistrict roster were Nathan Westbrook (center), David Lewis (tight end), William Cumberland (offensive tackle), Blake Sugarek (defensive end) and Fabian Gonzalez (inside linebacker).

Receiving Honorable Mention were Mike Benavides (offensive lineman), B.J. Ripoyla (cornerback), Luis Garza (outside linebacker), Sean Cantu (safety), Joey Lee (cornerback) and Hunter Woodall (tight end).

“These boys have done a great job, they have been with the program since their freshman year and I am very proud of them for making the all-district team,” Head Coach Andrew Hrncir said.

“We had a great senior group this year which makes things bitter-sweet because they were so close to making the playoffs these last couple of years - missing it by one game - but I think they have established this program to where people are going to know about H.M. King and realize we are an up and coming team.”

Boone receiving Newcomer of the Year as a sophomore came about by his exceptional play this past season.

“You have to be a first year varsity player either as a freshman or sophomore in this district and perform well (to be named Newcomer of the Year),” Hrncir said.

“Jordan did a great job for us this season and we are expecting a lot of good things from him these next two years, he is a very good football player.”

With an ample number of seniors graduating in May, the Brahmas are counting on a large crop of younger players to replenish their varsity roster.

“We have a lot of seniors that we are losing in May, this was our biggest senior class since I have been here,” Hrncir said.

“We are going to miss those kids but we have a lot of guys who cannot wait to fill their shoes so we are very excited about next year. We have a good freshmen group coming up and our eighth grade has a lot more numbers than usual so we are excited about the future here.”

Also up in the air is which district H.M. King will play in 2010 with the University Interscholastic League probably realigning Texas’ districts this coming February.

U.I.L. last redrew district boundaries in 2008; bringing Laredo schools Cigarroa, LBJ and Nixon into 31-4A while moving Robstown down to 3A.

“You really do not know for sure what is going to happen until that (realignment) day comes,” Hrncir said.

“But I have a feeling the Laredo schools will move out of District 31-4A - because each one of them has over 2,000 students so they will go back to 5A - and we will either have a big district here or we could go south.”