Troup High School’s Bryce Wallum was the Whataburger / ETBlitz.com Player of the Week just a couple of weeks ago.
This past weekend, he brought home another honor, this one statewide.
Bryce was named the Built Ford Tough Award-winner for Class 3A, for his performance in the Tigers’ regular season finale against Buffalo, a 57-21 Troup win.
Wallum, no stranger to fantastic performances, put on a show in the game. He ran for 246 yards on just six carries, scored twice (from 71 and 97 yards out), completed 5-of-8 passes for 97 yards and two touchdowns (63 and 29 yards), returned a kickoff 82 yards for a touchdown, and then kicked all of his extra points: 7-of-7 in doing so.
“Bryce is an amazing young man,” Troup coach Sam Wells said. “He is not only a great athlete, leader and teammate, he is in the top 10 of his class with a 4.0 GPA. He had another amazing game last week, a true dual threat. Not only is he our quarterback, he is our corner, punter, kicker and returner. He is very valuable to our team in all of his roles. He has had an incredible year and career.”
Since 2006, Ford’s Built Ford Tough program has recognized outstanding student-athletes throughout the regular season. For 19 years now, the program has celebrated many future college and professional standouts during their Texas High School football careers.
Also honored as players of the week in their respective classes (with notes from a press release from Built Ford Tough):
Class 6A: Elijah McCoy, senior running back, Midland Senior High School
McCoy is helping the Bulldogs accomplish special feats with his physical running style and blazing speed. He ran for a touchdown and gained 67 rushing yards to lead Midland to a 21-18 win over rival Odessa Permian, which snapped a seven-game losing streak in the series dating back to 2017. The Dawgs finished the regular season with a 7-3 record.
McCoy’s 1,882 rushing yards this season are threatening the school record of 1,990 yards set by Dave Wafford in 1936 and his 29 touchdowns this year are closing in on the school record of 33 set by Tyler Middleton in 2010.
The UTEP commit is also one of only two runners in school history with 3,000 career rushing yards as his 3,613 yards trail only Jay Francis, who ran for 4,267 yards from 1937-39.
McCoy’s 54 all-purpose touchdowns rank second in school history, trailing only Francis with 65.
He is a major reason why the Dawgs and their triple-option offense have set the regular season team record with 4,156 yards on the ground.
Just last month, McCoy set single-game school records with 360 rushing yards and seven touchdowns during a 56-47 win over San Angelo Central.
“I’m just really proud of him and excited for him,” Midland coach Thad Fortune said. There’s been some really good running backs that have come through Midland High and so for him to be on top of that (single game rushing) list just speaks to the work he’s put in the weight room, the work that he has put in the offseason on the track and then the work he puts in every day at practice. When something like that happens, there’s a lot of things in play and you have to start with Elijah. You have to start with the abilities he has been given. That he is humble enough to work hard, that he’s humble enough to lead and in practice, he practices hard every single day. He works in the weight room. You start there and then you have great O-line play, you have great blocking downfield from the receivers and that’s kind of how big nights can happen. Those things are definitely team efforts, but also you couldn’t take some average Joe off the street and do what Elijah did. He’s a special young man and a special player.”
Class 5A: Karece Hoyt, sophomore quarterback, Lone Star High School
With a share of the district championship at stake, Karece Hoyt met the moment. The sophomore quarterback accounted for 507 yards and five touchdowns in Frisco Lone Star’s 41-30 win over Frisco Reedy. Hoyt was 21 of 31 passing for 301 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 206 yards and two touchdowns. Lone Star, ranked in the top 10 in the state, opens the Class 5A Division I playoffs against W.T. White on Thursday.
“I was impressed with how Karece led us all game long against Reedy,” Lone Star coach Jeff Rayburn said. “It was a back-and-forth game. I was impressed with his leadership and will to win. In the offseason in our quarterback school, Karece was really locked in on learning the fundamentals and techniques. He has improved as a quarterback every single week this season.”
Class 4A: Wyatt Holmstrom, senior quarterback, Seminole High School
Holmstrom has developed a reputation for his accuracy, completing 76.1 percent of his passes this season. He put on another performance of precision passing during the Indians’ 50-20 win over Monahans in the District 1-4A Division II finale. Holmstrom completed 32 of 39 passes for 438 yards and five touchdown passes to help Seminole finish the regular season with a 9-1 record. He had an 82.1% completion percentage in the win. Holmstrom also ran for 22 yards and added a rushing TD against the rival Loboes.
He burst onto the scene as a junior in 2023 by throwing for 3,221 yards, 41 TD passes and eight interceptions. Holmstrom has followed that up by passing for 3,184 yards and 38 TD passes, while cutting his interceptions in half with only four. Holmstrom is described as a fierce competitor.
Indians head coach Greg Poynor says Holmstrom has developed a good rapport with offensive coordinator Brian Poynor to learn the nuances of the Seminole offense.
“He has meant everything to us,” Poynor said. “Not only has he played at a super high level, but his leadership, what he does off the field, how he is in the locker room (has stood out). He’s just the total package in every single way. He’s meant so much to us even just in the weight room and everywhere he goes. In everything he does, he’s such a good leader for us. He’s done everything you could ask for and more.”
Class 2A: Jessie Castillo, senior defensive lineman / wide receiver, Hale Center High School
Hale Center High School senior Jessie Castillo had a game to remember in the Owls’ 40-30 win over the Indians, putting together an all-around performance that showcased his incredible versatility as a two-way player. The standout wide receiver and defensive lineman was everywhere on the field, playing a key role in both the offense and defense.
On defense, Castillo was a force to be reckoned with, finishing with 7 tackles, 1 punt block, 1 punt block recovery, and an interception. His highlight play came when he returned that interception 53 yards for a touchdown, giving the Owls a momentum-shifting score. He also recovered a punt block for a touchdown, further cementing his reputation as a game-changer on special teams.
Offensively, Castillo wasn’t to be outdone. He hauled in 3 catches for 131 yards and 2 touchdowns, making big plays in critical moments to help propel Hale Center to victory. His explosive performance on both sides of the ball was a key factor in the Owls’ 40-30 triumph.
Off the field, Castillo remains just as busy, serving as the President of the FCCLA (Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America). In addition to football, he’s a member of the basketball, baseball, and track teams.
“Jessie had one of those games that does not occur very often,” coach Mar Puente said. “He was due for a special game like this. We started slow and he was the spark with his interception return for a touchdown. When we needed a play, he was there to make it happen. He had a punt block for a touchdown and 3 catches for 131 yards and 2 TDs. Very proud of him to help our program secure our first district championship in 30 years. Big time players make big time plays when it matters most.”
Private School: Cooper Murr, sophomore quarterback, Brazos Christian School
Cooper Murr, a standout sophomore at Brazos Christian School, has proven to be a key player in his team’s remarkable success this season. His performance has helped propel the Eagles to a historic 10-0 start—marking the first time in school history the team has achieved such a milestone. As the team celebrated senior night, it was clear that Cooper’s growth and leadership were central to the Eagles’ success.
A key part of the team’s back-to-back district championships, Cooper stepped into the starting quarterback position last season midway through the year and has only continued to improve since then. This season, he put together an impressive stat line during a standout game, completing 15 of 21 passes for 199 yards and 6 touchdowns. He also contributed on the ground, rushing 6 times for 81 yards, showing his dual-threat capability as a quarterback.
Off the field, Cooper is just as driven. He remains active in multiple extracurricular activities, including participation in the National Federation of High School Associations (NFHS), as well as being involved in basketball and track. His versatility as an athlete and his commitment to his studies and extracurricular activities highlight his well-rounded character and dedication to personal and team development.
“Cooper had an outstanding performance, both in the passing game and with his ability to make plays on the ground. He completed passes to 5 different receivers and showcased impressive accuracy, despite the rainy conditions,” coach Correy Washington said. “As only a sophomore, he already possesses many of the intangibles needed to excel at the next level. I’m excited to see what the future holds for Cooper and our team.”
Fans, coaches, and media can nominate players at FordPlayeroftheWeek.com, as well as catch up with winners, view video clips of players in action and get the latest program details. Fans will be able to follow the conversation on social media by using #FordPOTW and share the recognition of these outstanding individuals each week.
The Built Ford Tough Texas High School Football Player of the Week program recognizes one high school student-athlete in six of the state’s athletic classifications each week of the regular season.
Nominees must excel in three categories:
- Individual performance on the field, including significant statistics from that week’s game
- Contribution to the team’s success through individual leadership abilities
- Performance off the field, including academic success and good community citizenship
At the end of the regular season, Ford and its advisory board will select one student-athlete from the 11 weekly winners to be the Built Ford Tough Texas High School Football Player of the Year in each classification. Following the championship games, honorees will be recognized at a banquet next year.
