DISTRICT 8-2A DI
On the up and up
From Staff Reports
Head Coach: Ronnie Striplin
2019 record: 10-3
Last Playoff Appearance: 2019
DAWSON — If anyone thinks coach Ronnie
Striplin or his Dawson Bulldogs are satisfied after
having one of the best season’s in the school’s
history then they just don’t know Striplin or the
Dawson kids.
Sure, the Bulldogs put the town on their backs
and carried just about everyone in that end of
Navarro County with them on their inspirational
and emotional ride through the playoffs.
Sure, they marched all the way to the third
round in the postseason, becoming the first Dawson
team to drive that far since 2005 and only the
third from Dawson to make it to the third round
since they began playing football there in 1960.
But after that memorable ride, no one was
celebrating on the first day of practice in August.
“On Day 1, our attitude on the first day of
practice was to go four rounds in the playoffs,”
Striplin said. “We saw what it takes to go three
rounds. Now we want to go to the fourth round.”
Don’t be surprised if (and when) they get there.
Striplin has already surprised every fan and
critic of the Bulldogs, who were struggling when
Striplin arrived to take over four years ago. The
once-proud program had fallen on hard times and
was climbing out of a four-year losing streak and
had won just three games in seven years before
Striplin arrived.
This year’s seniors were freshman on Striplin’s
first team and he and the Dawson faithful couldn’t
be prouder of this group, which has been to the
playoffs the last two years and looks ready for
another history-making season. The Bulldogs
bring back at least seven starters, including several
two-way starters, on each side of the ball -- and
they bring back a brand of confidence they earned
in the trenches under the harsh glare of the Texas
playoff lights.
“I think last year gave them a lot of confidence,”
said Striplin, who has to find a quarterback to
replace four-year starter Brendan Horner, who
was the heart of the team and leader at QB and
linebacker, and four-year starter Jakoby Moore, an
electric tailback and cornerback and kick returner
who could light up any game. Horner was the
Golden Circle Dick Gibbs Leadership award
winner, and Moore was the GC’s Most Versatile
Player in 2019. Both will be greatly missed.
But the cup (board) runneth over with a ton of
talent and heart — and everyone is hungry.
The Hamilton Twins — Ja’Mariyea and
Da’Mariyea — return on both sides of the
ball. Texas Football picked D’ Hamilton as its
preseason Defensive Player of the Year in District
8-2A DI and the magazine could have easily
chosen J Hamilton as the preseason Offensive
POY. J Hamilton rushed for 867 yards and nine
touchdowns, averaging 14.7 yards a carry, and D
Hamilton ran for 802 yards and 11 touchdowns
for an offense that saw four players run for 700
yards or more. The Bulldogs scored 460 points,
scored 49 TDs and rushed for 3,961 yards, Guess
what? They’re going to run the ball again.
“They have both worked really hard to get to
this position to lead the team,” said Striplin, who
knows the elusive Hamiltons will be running
behind an experienced and talented offensive line
that is led by four-year starters Cameron Spain
and Seth Springer as well as Levi Elkins, Hunter
Boatright and Josh Encinio.
Both Hamiltons, who were both all-district
and All-Golden Circle players as juniors, will play
defense, where nine starters return. D’ Hamilton, a
safety, will be a key.
“D Hamilton to me is the cog. He’s a tackle
machine,” Dawson defensive coordinator Matthew
Fonville said. “He’s got a nose for the
football and he’s got great instincts. He’s fast and
he just finds the football.”
There’s talent all over the field, and everyone is
expecting senior Bodey Martinez, an all-district
and All-Golden Circle player who starts on the
OL at tight end and plays outside linebacker, to
have another monster season.
“He plays all over the field,” Fontville said. “He
came into his own down the stretch and in the
playoffs he was a man among boys. He has been
with us since Day 1 (in 2017). He bought into
what we were doing since Day 1. He’s one of our
big leaders from the start and makes sure no one
skips on anything. He’s just an old cowboy. He’s a
nice kid and he’s tough as nails.”
Springer is a big-hit linebacker and Isaiah
Johnson, who made five interceptions last year,
returns in a fast and opportunistic secondary. The
Dawson defensive line is led by senior defensive
tackles Spain and Encinio while Boatright, a
junior, and sophomore Payton McCormick play
the defensive end spots up front.
2019 SCHEDULE
Axtell W 36 - 14
Bartlett W 53 - 6
at Valley Mills W 41 - 19
at Thorndale L 36 - 8
Ranger W 42 - 0
at Hubbard* W 42 - 36
at Meridian* W 58 - 0
Frost* W 56 - 0
at Mart* L 48 - 6
Wortham* W 28 - 12
Evadale** W 42 - 2
Mt. Enterprise** W 34 - 22
Muenster** L 24 - 14
*District Game
2020 SCHEDULE
Thorndale Aug. 28
Leon Sept. 4
At Wortham Sept. 11
At Bremond Sept. 18
Hubbard Sept. 18
Kerens * Oct. 2
At Axtell * Oct. 9
Cayuga * Oct. 16
Marlin * Oct. 23
At Italy * Oct. 30
Bye Week Nov. 6
*District Game
“Cameron is an unstoppable force. He’s quick
and fast and just a nightmare to play against,”
Fonville said. “And Encinio is a very large tackle
at 6-2 and 310 pounds. Once he gets rolling it’s
impossible to block him. Most of our seniors
have been with us four years. It’s night and day
from what we were four years ago. It’s a different
animal.”
The Bulldogs, who went 10-3 last year and only
lost to state champion Mart in district play, have
moved up from 2A DII to 2A DI, where they
are picked second in the 8-2A DI race behind
Italy. Striplin will make sure his kids are ready
for district play. He has scheduled his first four
games against playoff teams, starting with state
power Thorndale, which beat Dawson last season.
Dawson will be ready.
“We’ve had these seniors for four years,” Striplin
said. “They know what to expect.”
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