SPRING FORWARD: Senior-to-be wide receiver/quarterback/safety Mikal Harrison-Pilot and the Temple Wildcats will play their annual Blue-White spring game at 5 p.m. today at Wildcat Stadium. The four-star recruit and three-year varsity starter has helped Temple record back-to-back District 12-6A championships with 7-0 records. The 2022 season opener for head coach Scott Stewart's Wildcats is on Saturday, Aug. 27 against McKinney at McKinney ISD Stadium. (File photo by Mike Lefn

TACKLING MACHINE: Temple junior linebacker Taurean York tackles Rockwall-Heath running back Zach Evans during the Wildcats' 45-33 loss to the fifth-ranked Hawks in a Class 6A Division II area-round playoff game last Nov. 19 in Burleson. The Baylor-committed York made 141 tackles last year while earning his second straight District 12-6A Defensive MVP award for Temple, which began its four weeks of spring practice on Tuesday afternoon. (File photo by Mike Lefner, Temple ISD/Sp

FULL SPEED AHEAD: Senior-to-be receiver/quarterback/safety Mikal Harrison-Pilot and the Temple Wildcats will defend their District 12-6A football championship in 2022 against returning league opponents Bryan, Copperas Cove and Harker Heights and new district foes Waco Midway, Hutto and Pflugerville Weiss. The Wildcats defeated Hutto 60-53 in non-district action last September. (File photo by Mike Lefner, Temple ISD/Special to TempleBeltonSports.com) By GREG WILLE TempleBelton

BITTERSWEET FEELING: The Temple Wildcats will welcome back team captains Naeten Mitchell (4), Mikal Harrison-Pilot (7) and Taurean York (5) as seniors for the 2022 season, but they must say goodbye to senior captains Tommy Torres (90) and Samari Howard (8). The Air Force-committed Howard was voted District 12-6A's Offensive MVP after rushing for 1,728 yards and scoring 22 total touchdowns, and he became Temple's all-time leader in TDs (57) and points (360). York, a three-year

SENIOR SUCCESS: Blake Bundy produced a strong all-around senior season for Academy, helping lead the 11-2 Bumblebees to the Class 3A Division I Region III semifinals. Bundy made 105 tackles and three interceptions as a safety, caught 13 passes for 167 yards and two touchdowns at receiver and kicked nine field goals and 44 extra points to finish with 89 total points. He also averaged 40.2 yards on 24 punts for head coach Chris Lancaster's team as Academy played 13 games in a s

REWARDING EXCELLENCE: Temple senior running back Samari Howard was voted Offensive Most Valuable Player of District 12-6A, one year after he shared the league's overall MVP award. The Air Force commitment rushed for 1,728 yards and 20 touchdowns and scored 22 total TDs to help head coach Scott Stewart's Wildcats (9-3) go 7-0 in 12-6A for the second straight season. Howard became Temple's all-time leader in touchdowns (57) and points scored (360). (File photo by Mike Lefner, T

SENIOR SURGE: After playing his junior season at Wichita Falls City View, wide receiver Devan Williams returned to Temple for his senior year and led the Wildcats (9-3) with 37 catches for 777 yards and 11 touchdowns as they went undefeated in District 12-6A. He returned a kickoff for a touchdown in Temple's 28-14 bi-district playoff win over Waxahachie and caught a 7-yard TD pass from Mikal Harrison-Pilot in the Wildcats' 45-33 area-round loss to Rockwall-Heath last Friday i

PHYSICAL BATTLE: Temple junior linebacker Taurean York tries to tackle Rockwall-Heath senior running back Zach Evans during a Class 6A Division II area-round playoff game Friday night at Burleson ISD Stadium. Evans carried 38 times for 207 yards and scored two touchdowns as the fifth-ranked Hawks (11-1) recorded a 45-33 victory that stopped a nine-game winning streak for the District 12-6A champion Wildcats (9-3). Rockwall-Heath, guided by former Temple head coach Mike Spradl

IN HOT PURSUIT: Temple junior linebacker Taurean York (5) chases Waxahachie junior quarterback Roderick Hartsfield Jr. during the Wildcats' 28-14 victory in last Friday's Class 6A Division II bi-district playoff game at Wildcat Stadium. District 12-6A champion Temple (9-2) clashes with 10-6A champ and fifth-ranked Rockwall-Heath (10-1) in an area-round battle at 7:30 Friday night at Burleson ISD Stadium. It's a rematch of the Hawks' 56-28 second-round win last December in Wac

GETTING BETTER ALL THE TIME: In his first full season as a varsity starter, Temple junior strong safety Zion Moore has contributed 47 tackles and two interceptions as a versatile, productive member of the Wildcats' defense. Moore and Temple shut out Waxahachie in the fourth quarter last Friday at Wildcat Stadium to prevail 28-14 in a Class 6A Division II bi-district playoff game. Coach Scott Stewart's District 12-6A champion Wildcats (9-2) battle fifth-ranked 10-6A champ Rock

OFF TO THE RACES: Temple junior wide receiver/quarterback Mikal Harrison-Pilot sprints for a long gain against Waxahachie as senior tight end KeAndre Smith (left) and other teammates block during the Wildcats' 28-14 home win over the Indians in a Class 6A Division II bi-district playoff game last Friday at Wildcat Stadium. Harrison-Pilot has scored 14 touchdowns (eight rushing, six receiving) this season for Temple (9-2), which battles fifth-ranked Rockwall-Heath (10-1) in an

RELENTLESS PURSUIT: Temple junior defensive end Jaylon Jackson tackles Waxahachie junior quarterback Roderick Hartsfield Jr. as junior linebacker Taurean York closes in during the Wildcats' 28-14 victory in a Class 6A Division II bi-district playoff game Friday night at Wildcat Stadium. The game was tied 14-14 entering the fourth quarter before senior Samari Howard scored two touchdown runs to help Temple (9-2) earn its ninth straight win. Coach Scott Stewart's Wildcats advan

ALWAYS ATTACKING: Temple defenders such as senior end Eric Shorter (13) and junior linebacker Taurean York will contend with a talented, versatile Waxahachie offense when coach Scott Stewart's District 12-6A champion Wildcats host coach Shane Tolleson's Indians (6-4) in a Class 6A Division II bi-district playoff game at 7:30 Friday night at Wildcat Stadium. Winner of eight straight games, Temple has allowed 48 total points in its last four contests. Temple beat Waxahachie 38-

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK: Despite having only one returning starter, Temple's offensive line of junior right tackle Jeremiah Mungia (left), junior right guard Agustin Silva, senior center Jose Faz, sophomore left guard Endrei Sauls and senior left tackle Colby Rice has paved the way for the Wildcats to produce 440 yards and 55 points per game during their eight-game winning streak. District 12-6A champion Temple (8-2) hosts the Waxahachie Indians (6-4) in a Class 6A Division II

RISE AND SHINE: Temple junior receiver Mikal Harrison-Pilot jumps above Copperas Cove defender Jaylen Donnell to make a 30-yard touchdown catch from sophomore quarterback Reese Rumfield during the Wildcats' 77-12 win last Friday at Wildcat Stadium. Harrison-Pilot scored three touchdowns against Cove and has 13 TDs overall this season for District 12-6A champion Temple (8-2), which hosts Waxahachie (6-4) in a Class 6A Division II bi-disteict playoff game at 7:30 p.m. Friday at

IN THE HISTORY BOOKS: Temple senior running back Samari Howard reacts as he scores on a 3-yard rush against Copperas Cove in the second quarter Friday night for his 53rd career touchdown, breaking the Wildcats program record of 52 TDs that Lache Seastrunk set from 2007-09. On the first of his four first-half touchdown runs in Temple's 77-12 victory, Howard broke out of a tie with Seastrunk for the most points in Wildcats history at 312. Howard now has 336 points in his three-

ON THE VERGE OF HISTORY: Senior running back Samari Howard sprints through the Killeen defense as Temple linemen Endrei Sauls (left), Colby Rice and Jose Faz look on during the Wildcats' 44-6 win over the host Kangaroos last Friday at Leo Buckley Stadium. With his 10-yard rushing touchdown, Howard moved into a tie with Lache Seastrunk at 312 career points, the most in Temple program history. Howard can take sole possession of that record when first-place Temple (7-2, 6-0) hos

STEADY AS HE GOES: Temple senior Jalen Robinson is a valuable player at running back and on special teams for the District 12-6A-leading Wildcats. He's rushed for 277 yards and three touchdowns on only 24 carries despite missing time because of a concussion, and he blocked two first-quarter punts in a win at rival Belton. Robinson is motivated by the memory of his late brother Jervontrae Robinson, who was shot and killed in Killeen at age 14 in September 2020. Jalen Robinson

BRINGING THE HEAT: Temple senior defensive tackle Tommy Torres puts pressure on Killeen sophomore quarterback Roderick Norman during the Wildcats' 44-6 victory last Friday at Leo Buckley Stadium. Torres recorded six tackles, one sack and a forced fumble as first-place Temple (7-2, 6-0) clinched at least a share of its third straight District 12-6A championship. Before they begin the Class 6A Division II playoffs at home next week, coach Scott Stewart's Wildcats seek to comple

FANCY FOOTWORK: Temple senior receiver Tr'Darius Taylor keeps his feet in bounds in the back of the end zone to catch a 28-yard touchdown pass from sophomore Reese Rumfield late in the first half as Killeen sophomore safety Jaeshaun Peyton defends during the Wildcats' 44-6 victory over the Kangaroos on Friday night at Leo Buckley Stadium. Rumfield fired four TD passes to help Temple (7-2, 6-0) clinch at least a share of its third consecutive District 12-6A championship with i