Brauny's Best: Highlighting top high school performances from Week 11
The final week of the regular season in the Lone Star State saw some heroic performances as teams get ready for a playoff push to AT&T Stadium and a state championship. Here is this week's version of Brauny's Best.
Texas A&M’s Class
Jasper LB Tyanthony Smith
- 13 tackles, 9 solo, 1 interception
- 24 rushes, 243 yards, 2 touchdowns
I was getting texts on Friday nights from a couple of people in southeast Texas alerting me about the game Smith was having as Jasper nearly pulled off the upset against No. 2 Silsbee. One of my contacts down there described his effort as "heroic," and the stat line would indicate as much.
Smith's linebacking traits have always shown up on tape, but I think his newfound role on the offensive side of the ball has given him a chance to showcase his overall athleticism.
When you couple his skill set with his frame and approach to the game, it's hard to imagine this kid not emerging as an impact ‘backer at the next level. The Jasper coaching staff raves about his mentality, maturity and work ethic. It's similar to what we heard about Taurean York coming out of Temple. I'm sure the folks at Texas A&M (along with the 12th Man) wouldn't mind if the similarities continue once he gets to campus.
The State of Texas
Summer Creek RB Lloyd Avant
- 34 rushes, 301 yards, 4 touchdowns
The 5-foot-10, 190-pound Tulsa commit was an absolute menace on Friday night in an upset win over Atascocita. To be honest, he has been one of the top backs in Houston for a couple of seasons, and I know folks around that Summer Creek program aren't surprised one bit with the success he has had. Avant has been a workhorse for the Bulldogs. He wears defenses down with his unrelenting style of carrying the football. I like his overall power and contact balance, as well. He's a direct, decisive runner who seems to continually fall forward. Avant is also a major factor in why many people are picking Summer Creek to come out of Region III in 6A Division II and potentially find themselves in a state championship game. He has been that good.
My Coverage
2026 Willis CB/ATH Jermaine Bishop
- 4 rushes, 46 yards, 7 catches, 83 yards, 1 touchdown
- 8 tackles, 1 TFL, 1 forced fumble, 2 interceptions, 1 touchdown
Simply put, sophomore standout Jermaine Bishop turned in the most impressive performance of any game I've been to this season.
Sure, I've seen some ridiculous statistical nights over the course of the fall, but I haven't witnessed any player take over a game on both sides of the ball as Bishop did in a 49-35 win over Conroe Oak Ridge.
He was all over the yard.
He made game-changing plays at corner, nickel, wide receiver and as a returner.
Keep in mind there were three SEC commits on the field with him, and while DJ Lagway continued to play at an extremely high level, it was Bishop who stole the show.
On a night full of quality, two plays really stood out for me. The first was an incredible one-handed catch on a slant pattern that he plucked out of the air and then cruised into the end zone for a 24-yard touchdown pass. The second was him sniffing out a trick play in the red zone, flying downhill, and forcing a fumble to quell a scoring opportunity. The former showed off his jaw-dropping athleticism. The latter demonstrated his innate feel for the game. This kid is a really good player and is on track to be one of the top prospects in the state and the country.