By Jim Irish
Photo by Jim Irish
Ramonz Adams was too talented to come out of football games for Bastrop this season.
The 6-foot-1, 160-pound senior lined up at wide receiver, cornerback, and punt returner. He plays both sides of the football in an era where athletes are specialists at one position.
He’s a throwback to the pioneer days of football when athletes wore leather helmets and no facemasks. And rarely left the field.
Adams made major contributions for Bastrop, which was undefeated in District 11-5A Division II, captured bi-district and finished with a 9-3 record. He was recently voted the unanimous MVP by district coaches.
”Since I was new here, I thought Keyshon (Moore) had a better chance,” Adams said about his selection as MVP.
A glimpse of Adams’ accomplishments:
On offense, 48 receptions for 815 yards and 13 touchdowns;
On defense, four interceptions.
The best is yet to come for Adams, who transferred to Bastrop his senior year after playing at Smithville. Football is not the only sport in which Adams excels. Last spring, he earned the silver medal in the triple jump at the Class 5A state track meet.
After initially committing to Texas Tech, he withdrew his commitment and signed with the University of Washington earlier this month. Adams said he received about 17 offers from Division I schools.
The Huskies (6-6 overall) will compete against Louisville in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl at 1 p.m. on Dec. 31 in El Paso.
”I felt it was a better fit for me, the style they play,” said Adams about signing with Washington.
"I can definitely cover whoever."
-- Bastrop's Ramonz Adams
Most colleges have turned more and more to passing offenses. As a result, defenses such as Washington use a rotating nickel (five defensive backs) or a dime (six defensive backs) alignment.
Adams graduates this month and will enroll at Washington in January.
Asked if he requires more weight on his frame to cover bigger receivers, Adams said, “I can definitely cover whoever.”
With his 4.4 speed in the 40-yard dash and his physical resemblance to former Longhorn Xavier Worthy, Adams should be also considered as a wide receiver at Washington.
In addition to Adams, quarterback Weston Nielsen was a unanimous Offensive MVP; tackle Tiki Hola, Co-Defensive MVP; and linebacker/edge Austin Moilan, Co-Defensive Newcomer.
Nielsen, a 6-2, 170-pound sophomore, completed 177 passes (67%) for 3,185 yards and 37 touchdowns with seven interceptions.
Hola, a 6-3, 290-pound junior, led the Bears with 102 tackles, 10 for losses. He also had two fumble recoveries, three caused fumbles, one blocked punt and two blocked field goals.
Moilan, a 6-2, 210-pound sophomore, led the team with nine sacks and made 58 tackles.
Earning first-team selections were senior receiver Keyshon Moore, senior receiver Jaelyn Gratten, senior offensive tackle Jaxon Taylor, junior defensive tackle Kenyon Moore, junior defensive end Val Regalado, senior outside linebacker Andy McCarus, senior safety Jayden Riley, and defensive utility player Bryan Pauley.
Moore, an Air Force Academy signee, eclipsed 1,000 yards in receptions for the second consecutive year, Despite missing two games with an injury, he caught 50 passes for 1,056 yards and six touchdowns.
Gratten hauled in 34 passes for 636 yards and nine touchdowns.
At 6-7, 300 pounds, Taylor signed with New York’s Fordham University, where Vince Lombardi, coach of the Super Bowl champions Green Bay Packers, was one of the “Seven Blocks of Granite.”
McCarus was a pedal-to-the metal player with 72 tackles, 14 for losses, three fumble recoveries, and four caused fumbles.
Regalado contributed 85 tackles and four sacks.
Pauley was second on the squad with 90 tackles, five for losses.
Moore totaled 42 tackles, four for losses.
Riley accumulated 65 tackles, five for losses, one interception, and one fumble recovery.
The Bastrop coaching staff was selected the best in district with a 7-0 record.
"... I think football is one of the few things left where right is right and wrong is wrong."
-- Bastrop head coach Jake Griedl
As far as motivating young athletes, head coach Jake Griedl said, “I thing football is hard. We’re in a world where things are getting less and less hard and (there are) more choices of what is right and wrong. I think football is one of the few things left where right is right and wrong is wrong.
“There is only one right answer, and kids are wanting to be part of that. They want to grind … knowing that it’s going to benefit them.
“The reality is that if you want to hit the goals that we set — these high standards — it’s gonna be hard. But kids are starting to learn that doing hard things and achieving hard things is a lot of fun.”
Jim Irish is a freelance writer in Bastrop, Texas
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