Vote: Who should be SBLive's Southeast Texas High School Football Player of the Week? (10/16/2023)

We gathered the region's top performers. Now you decide who had the best week

Texas high school football Week 8 is officially in the books.

SBLive is taking a look at the top high school football performers across the Houston area and all of Southeast Texas over the weekend's slate of games. We gathered the best of the best — offense, defense and special teams — and now it’s your turn to cast your vote on a winner.

Congratulations to Katy sophomore Jeremiah Smith, the winner of SBLive's Week 7 Southeast Texas football player of the week poll. The budding star won with 9,184 votes — more than 4,000 votes more than second place. 

Here are SBLive’s Southeast Texas Football Player of the Week nominees for Oct. 12-14 (Week 8). Scroll down to read about this week’s list and cast your vote in the poll below. Voting remains open until Sunday, October 22, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. Central time.

Know of a performance worthy of recognition we may have missed? Let us know who we missed. Drop a note to andy@scorebooklive.com or @SBLiveTX on Twitter and Instagram and back it up with stats.

SOUTHEAST TEXAS FOOTBALL PLAYER OF THE WEEK NOMINEES

Kaleb Bailey, jr., Galena Park North Shore

The Mustangs rolled up 529 yards in a 62-14 win over Beaumont West Brook and Bailey was perfect on the night passing going 9 for 9 for 285 yards and four touchdowns — two to Terrance Guillory.

Alex Barrs, sr., Waller

The Bulldogs snapped a four-game losing streak and a 10-game losing streak in district play end with a 38-21 win over Klein on Saturday. Barrs had three touchdowns on the ground, including the go-ahead score in the second half.

Bryce Burgess, sr., Pearland Dawson

The running back had 167 yards on 25 carries and a touchdown with 1:50 left helped the Eagles secure a 21-7 win over Pearland on Friday. He also had two catches for 64 yards, including a 55-yard touchdown in the first half.

Austin Carlisle, jr., Missouri City Ridge Point

The signal caller completed 16 of 22 attempts for 254 yards and three scores — putting his season tally to 24 touchdowns compared to three interceptions in 7 games. The Panthers beat Fort Bend Clements 63-0 to move to 6-0 in District 20-6A play.

Larry DeBose IV, sr., Conroe Oak Ridge

The running back/wide receiver had two touchdown catches — 38 and 37 yards — and also had a 63-yard touchdown run to help the War Eagles to a 61-6 win over Cleveland on Thursday.

Quanell X. Farrakhan Jr., jr., The Woodlands

Sporting black gloves with the Tennessee logo on them, the wide receiver hauled in two passes for 48 yards and both of them went for touchdowns as the Highlanders beat The Woodland College Park, 49-0, on Friday.

Joseph Floyd, sr., Santa Fe

The running back had three touchdown runs to help the Indians overcome a 23-14 deficit in the third quarter for a 50-23 win on Friday night. Floyd had scoring runs of 11, 2 and 5 yards.

Brock Foster, sr., Friendswood

The Mustangs quarterback was 14 for 23 passing for 362 yards and had six combined touchdowns in a 59-14 win over Rosenberg Terry on Friday.

Brett Garcia, sr., Fort Bend Travis

In a Saturday matinee, the quarterback had a pair of touchdown passes and added two long completions that set up touchdown runs in a 35-13 win over Fort Bend Austin.

D.J. Lagway, sr., Willis

The Miami pledge had another big day throwing completing 26 of 30 passes for 543 yards and five touchdowns in a 69-3 win over Conroe Caney Creek on Friday. The 543 yards were the most yards he’s thrown for in high school.

Ethan Lea, jr., Tomball Memorial

The linebacker hit double-digit tackles for the third time this season and had 10 stops in a 27-21 win over Tomball on Friday in a District 15-6A showdown.

Donte Lewis, sr., Houston St. Thomas Catholic

The senior accounted for five touchdowns in a 49-21 win over Concordia Lutheran on Friday. He had three touchdown passes — for 70, 35 and 47 yards — and added two touchdowns on the ground, including a 75-yard keeper in the first quarter.

Trey Owens, sr., Cy-Fair

The future Texas Longhorn quarterback threw five touchdowns in the first half to five different receivers in a 56-0 win over Houston Northbrook on Thursday. Owens was 13 for 15 passing and this was his third game with five touchdown passes this season.

Ty Powell, jr., Fulshear

A Texas State baseball commit, he had two interceptions in a 53-14 win for the Chargers over Magnolia West on Thursday. He held Brandon Taylor, who had 8 touchdowns this year, without a catch.

Jordan Reeves, QB, Houston Lamar

The senior was 5-for-5 passing for 128 yards and a pair of scores and then ran for 146 yards and two touchdowns on only three carries in a 72-0 win over Houston on Saturday.

Joseph ‘JoJo’ Stewart, jr., Fort Bend Hightower

He threw for a career-high five touchdowns, completing 15 of 21 passes for 314 yards in a 62-24 win over Richmond George Ranch. Three of his scores went to Jeremy Payne, all 56 yards or longer.

Justis Thomas, sr., Galveston Ball

The Tornadoes running back had four scores on the ground in a 56-7 win over Houston Milby on Friday in a District 9-5A Division I win.

Tyler Tillman, sr., Houston Sterling Aviation

In a 39-31 win over Houston Waltrip on Thursday, he had 13 carries for 183 yards and two touchdowns and also had three catches for 53 yards and another score.

Muizz Tounkara, jr., League City Clear Springs

After Clear Lake pulled within 20-7, the junior returned the kickoff 105 yards for a touchdown in a 41-10 win on Friday in District 24-6A play.

Ty’Vone Whitehead, sr., Columbus

The Texas Southern pledge had five touchdowns — including a 94-yarder — to help No. 2-ranked Columbu spic up a 52-24 win over No. 4 Hitchcock on Friday. Whitehead had 313 yards on the ground on 25 carries. 

-- Cody Thorn | codythorn1981@gmail.com | @sblivetx

Photo by Dana Strange, for SBLive Sports