HARKER HEIGHTS, Texas — The 2021 season ended in heartbreak for Harker Heights, whose only two losses came against eventual 12-6A District Champion Temple and Bi-District Playoff foe DeSoto. This year, the Knights have reloaded and hope to finally pull in an elusive district crown.
Harker Heights will be loaded on offense once again in 2022. The Knights bring back the all-time single-season rushing leader in Killeen ISD history, senior Re'Shaun Sanford, who ran for 2,330 yards as a junior.
He will have a strong offensive line to run behind. The Knights have four returning starters on the line, including Texas Longhorn commit Jaydon Chatman.
Dylan Plake, the reigning 12-6A newcomer of the year, will lead the offense from the shotgun. He burst onto the scene with nearly 2,000 passing yards and 30 touchdowns in 2021. Now, he will try to improve an already-potent offense and bring some inexperienced receivers into the fold.
"The guys that you hear the headlines about are the first guys who show up every morning," Head Coach Jerry Edwards said. "They're the first guys in the weight room. They didn't miss a day all summer. So, when you have that kind of senior leadership, the younger guys follow.
The Knights will look to avenge a tough district loss to Temple Oct. 21. Harker Heights led the Wildcats by multiple scores during their meeting last season, but they ended up on the wrong side of the scoreline in what became the de facto district championship game.
"It's got the whole team motivated this year," Chatman said. "Everybody's locked in and wants to go further this year. We've got the talent to. We just have to go show it."
Multiple players told 25 Sports they are working to take care of "unfinished business."
"These guys are on a mission and they're actions speak louder than words," Edwards said. "It's what I tell them all the time, and they really put it into action."
2022 SCHEDULE:
8/25 at Killeen Ellison 7:00
9/2 at Smithson Valley 7:00
9/9 vs RR Cedar Ridge 7:30
9/16 at Odessa Permian 7:00
9/22 at Pflugerville Weiss* 7:00
9/30 vs Hewitt Midway* 7:30
10/7 at Hutto* 7:30
10/14 Open
10/21 vs Temple* 7:30
10/28 at Copperas Cove* 7:30
11/4 vs Bryan* 7:30
*District Game
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