Morton Ranch broke through last season.

The Mavericks fought their way through district and clinched their first playoff berth since 2016, breaking the longest playoff drought in Katy ISD to do so and upping the standard in the program.

“That was huge for this program,” said Morton Ranch head coach Ron Counter. “We had come in fifth place three of the last five years so to get over that hurdle was big for us. We’re hoping that experience from last year and these guys seeing how to do things the right way will help us this year. We had a really good spring and summer so we’re excited to get going.”

Morton Ranch did that with a strong senior class that included some special players. But this year it will be a turning of the guard, as they bring back just three starters both offensively and defensively, with only 17 total letterman returning.

But there are important players returning for the Mavericks and the coaching staff has a bright outlook on this season.

On offense, the running game should be a strength for the team. Ryan Hall will be a huge piece as he takes the reigns as the No. 1 running back after rushing after splitting the duties over the past two seasons. Hall comes off a year where had 79 yards on the ground with 10 touchdowns, averaging over 6.5 yards per carry.

Mike Gerald will be an impact player wherever he is put on the field. He has been used primarily at wide receiver over the past two years but has a quarterback background and his athleticism should shine at the position. Jeromy Ryans is expected to step up at the wide receiver position while Adrian De La Garza and Hashim Jaffa will lead the offensive line.

“Mike has looked fantastic through the offseason so far,” Counter said. “He is so composed back there and is very smooth and finds the right guy. He’s been as good as we could hope for back there and we think he can be as good as we’ve had at the quarterback position.”

Defensively, Dean Ford will be a huge presence to have back both on the field and in the locker room. He led the team in tackles last season with 95, including 36 solo tackles, while also adding 13 tackles for loss and two sacks. Jermaine Martin and Ryans will both be key in the secondary in shutting down opponents pass attacks and Bra’Shii Brown will help lead the defensive line.

“Dean is such a great player and he cleans up everything,” Counter said. “Having a three year starter to lead the defense is a big thing. We have him and a couple guys in the secondary back and they are going to be really important for us. The biggest thing is we have to stay healthy, if we do that I think we have a team that can compete for a playoff spot.”

Another key for the Mavericks will be finding a way to continue to have success on the ground and defensively despite not having the numbers that some other schools in the districts do. They will start the season by playing Eisenhower and Kingwood Park before going through some tough, key district games early against Paetow, Katy and Cinco Ranch.

“Ryan is going to carry the ball as much as anyone in the district for us,” Counter said. “He’s a hard guy to tackle and can bring the load so we are expecting a big year from him. We had one of the best run games in the area last year and we think that we have a chance to be able to do that again with he and Mike back there running the ball.”