Lance Connot thinks the foundation laid in his first season at Brownsboro can be a springboard for good things in 2022 . The Bears finished 5-6 in 2021 , earning a playoff trip .

“ Year two , obviously is when you ’ re able to get ahead a little bit ,” Connot said .

“ The kids retained a lot from last season and our install this spring . I ’ ve been very pleased ,” Connot said .

Connot said he ’ s excited to have some key Bears back for another year .

“ Our quarterback Jackson Rogers returns after throwing for 21 touchdowns last year and a little over 2,400 yards ,” Connot said . “ That was a big deal for him last year , going from a run heavy offense to throwing it as much as we did . Having him back this year , his reads and footwork are more consistent and coming a little bit more natural this year .”

Connot said senior Payton Stevenson is able to bounce around and play some different spots on offense .

“ We also have back our receiver Kyle Baker after catching for more than 1,100 yards last year . He ’ s got a couple of Division 1 offers ,” Connot said .

With three starters returning on the offensive line , Connot likes the Bears ’ chances of moving defenders off-the-ball

I knew coming to Brownsboro I wanted to move up to 4A level where there are more players and more resources . Brownsboro has all that . — Lance Connot

LANCE CONNOT HEAD COACH this season . Defensively , some players are back who were unavailable due to injuries last year .

“ Linebacker Levi Oliver is also back ,” Connot said . “ He was one of our top tacklers last year and we ’ re excited .”

Connot became a head coach at an early age and has delivered at his previous stops . At 24 Connot took the head coaching job in the North Texas town of Detroit and quickly fielded a winner .

“ I was able to turn that into the Rivercrest job and hire my dad there to come on with me . We ’ ve been blessed with some really good players over the years ,” Connot said .

Connot went 74-37 in stops at Detroit and Rivercrest before making the move up to Class 4A .

His dad , Rick Connot , is Brownsboro ’ s head baseball coach and a member of his football staff .

“ I ’ ve had some good mentors during my life . My father is on the staff here as our defensive coordinator ,” he said .

“ He ’ s in year 37 and we ’ ve been able to spend 9 years together on staff . He ’ s been huge with how to deal with players and how to deal with people .

“ I knew coming to Brownsboro I wanted to move up to 4A level where there are more players and more resources . Brownsboro has all that .” The Bears are now in District 8-4A Division II . Van and Canton are familiar faces . The District favorite is state power Carthage , coming off an 11-1 year with nine offensive starters back .

“ There ’ ll be a little more competition there this year going to seven teams and playing those six district ball games ,” Connot said .

“ We don ’ t have any control of who the UIL puts in our district . We ’ re going to focus on our effort , or attitude and things we can control .”

BROWNSBORO BEARS

GAME CHANGERS

Quarterback Jaxyn Rogers kept the ball moving at a fast clip last year , throwing for nearly 3,000 yards , often to Wide Reciever Gekye Baker , with more than 1,000 yards in receptions . Brownsboro scored 28.8 points per-game last year and will need to continue that production and tighten the defense to produce a winning year .

Rogers

32 | Fanfare 2022

2022 SCHEDULE