Want to build a championship football team?
On offense, you might want to start with a strong-armed quarterback who has championship skins on the wall. Defensively, put a guy up front that is a dominant force of nature who makes the jobs of everyone else on the line easier.
That was the thinking of those in charge of selecting the 11th annual East Texas High School Football Preseason Dream Team.
Carthage quarterback Gunner Capps, who led the Bulldogs to the Class 4A Division I state championship a year ago as a junior, is this year's preseason offensive Most Valuable Player.
Carl Williams, who has already given a verbal pledge to the University of Arkansas after anchoring the Panthers defensive line last season, is the preseason defensive MVP.
The elite team consists of players from the combined coverage areas of the Longview News-Journal, Marshall News Messenger, Tyler Morning Telegraph, Texarkana Gazette, Kilgore News Herald, Lufkin Daily News and Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel.
Selecting the 11th annual team were Jack Stallard, Hayden Henry and George Whitley (Longview), Nathan Hague (Marshall), Josh Richert (Texarkana), Brandon Ogden (Tyler), John Krueger (Nacogdoches), Josh Havard (Lufkin) and Mitch Lucas (Kilgore).
Previous Dream Team offensive MVPs inclulde Carthage's Keaontay Ingram (2017), Mineola's Jeremiah Crawford (2016), Tyler Lee's Zach Hall (2015), Sulphur Springs' Larry Pryor (2014), Whitehouse's Patrick Mahomes (2013), John Tyler's Greg Ward (2012), Henderson's Del Barnes (2011), Whitehouse's Trey Metoyer (2010), Cayugaps Traylon Shead (2009) and Sulphur Springs' Tyrik Rollison (2008).
On the defensive side, previous MVPs include Demarvion Overshown of Arp (2017), Lagarryon Carson of Liberty-Eylau (2016), Demarco Boyd of Gilmer (2015), Daylon Mack of Gladewater (2014), Josh Walker of Gilmer (2013), DeMarkus Lathan of Longview (2012), Dalton Santos of Van (2011), Steve Edmond of Daingerfield (2010), Ashton Dorsey of John Tyler (2009) and Jamarkus McFarland of Lufkin (2008).