Stands packed to the brim, clapping and cheering resound from Walsh Gym. Every eye gazed toward center court, not for a basketball game but rather national signing day.

This past Wednesday, December 18, Branson Hickman ’20 signed his letter of intent to SMU, and EJ Smith ’20 signed his to Stanford.

Branson Hickman ’20

Hickman has been part of the Jesuit’s football program every since birth. He started going to games in fifth grade and planned on playing for the Rangers in high school. During his career at Jesuit, Hickman received numerous awards and helped lead a dominant offensive line at the Center position. To start everything off, Hickman started in all 36 games while playing at Jesuit. He accumulated an insane amount of pancake blocks throughout those games. For his senior season, Hickman was voted to be one of the four captains on the team. Hickman was also named the unanimous First Team All-District Center. By doing so, he became the first offensive lineman at Jesuit to be recognized by the UIL all three years at the varsity level. Hickman said that “[the ceremony] was a cool experience especially with the whole community coming out to support.” He signed to Southern Methodist University also known as SMU. He plans on studying sports management while also playing football. The Mustangs are currently 10-2 this year and play in the American Athletic Conference. SMU is also located right here in Dallas, so Hickman won’t have to go far to continue his football career. This will also allow his dad and former coach, Hickman, to watch him play every Saturday. It will be very exciting to see what Hickman will do in the future at SMU. Pony up!

Here’s a link to Branson’s senior season highlights 

EJ Smith was a crucial part of the Jesuit Ranger football team. EJ produced a substantial amount of offense against some of the best teams in the state of Texas. Smith rushed for 3082 total yards over the course of his three year varsity career. That’s like running back and forth on the football field 30 times. Except there’s gigantic defenders trying to stop you. EJ also played wide receiver and racked up a total of 1650 receiving yards. He also managed to throw the ball for 43 yards. All of this offense can be topped off with 79 touchdowns. 12 of those were scored in the Rangers’ historic playoff run this year. He came back from hand surgery to do so. EJ did it all. Because of his performance, EJ received many awards. During his sophomore season, EJ was named the Newcomer of the Year in the district. For his junior year, he was named the All District Second Team running back. This year, EJ was unanimously named the First Team All District running back and the Offensive Player of the Year. He was also invited to the Under Armour All American game. EJ is ranked #96 in the ESPN 300 and ranked #13 out of all the wide receivers. ESPN was present for the signing and broadcasted it on live television. EJ had not told anyone what school he would be going to until the actual signing. He chose to sign with Stanford University over University of A&M, University of Florida, University of Georgia, Ohio State University, and many other universities. Before announcing his decision, EJ stated a couple words of gratitude, “First and foremost want to thank my family and God for putting me in this position. I want to thank Jesuit, my coaches, my teachers, and everybody for helping me through my journey. I also want to thank Shelton for all of the things that they’ve done for me in order for me to be in this position.” Stanford is currently 4-8 and plays in the Pac 12 conference. Stanford is also one of the top universities in the country. EJ will be getting a remarkable education while also balling out on the football field. Good luck to EJ and his future in California.

Here’s a link to the ESPN broadcast

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lkbjQIw5O4 

Both of these athletes have touched many lives during their four years at Jesuit, both on and off the field. The numbers may show the successes of both Branson and EJ, but they do not show how they formed special bonds with their teammates and classmates. Senior Matt Noble, who was present at the signing, said that “[He] is very proud of his classmates and he can’t wait to see what they do in college.” They have left their legacy for the Jesuit Ranger football program, and they made school history by going to the Regional finals. Congratulations to both of them for their hard work and dedication. Go Cardinals and go Mustangs!

Stay tuned to The Roundup for more Ranger commits!

“Freedom and brotherhood service and friendship…” The faces of the players lit up with smiles as the beloved alma mater was played by the Jesuit-Ursuline Ranger Band. The Jesuit flag waved back and forth and was thrusted into the ground as the song came to an end. The Jesuit Rangers finished off the regular season with a glorious 41- 34 victory against Plano East. This is the first time Jesuit has beaten East since 2014, and the victory gives Jesuit one last home game this Friday against Lakeview Centennial in the Bi-District Championship. Here is a breakdown of how the Rangers defeated the Panthers.

Offense

There were many stellar performances on the offensive side of the football. Led by the renowned QB1, Rance Holman ‘20, the Ranger offense amassed 318 yards and 6 touchdowns. The dual threat quarterback had 130 passing yards and 96 rushing yards. Holman started off the game with a 3 yard touchdown run and a 14 yard touchdown pass to Christian Allocco ‘20. That’s not all though. He also managed to run in 2 more touchdowns in the second quarter. The phenom quarterback has been recognized as the Ranger of the Week due to his exceptional performance last Friday night. Holman said “I am very grateful for the recognition, but I wouldn’t be able to do it without my offensive line.” After going scoreless in the third quarter, Jhalen Spicer ‘20 sparked the offense by returning a kickoff for a whopping 74 yards, giving the Rangers optimal field position. When asked about the return Spicer said “I felt like I was flying.” Jake Taylor ‘21 then punched in the touchdown from the 1 yard line. He finished the game with 78 total yards. Taylor would also score later in the fourth quarter to put the Rangers ahead by a touchdown with 6 minutes left in regulation. The 7 point lead was just too much for the Plano East Panthers. The offense showed out on Friday night and got the job done.

Defense 

The Ranger defense also had a spectacular night. They were able to force turnovers and stop the Panthers in their tracks when it mattered the most. In the first quarter, Jack Barton ‘20 made a diving catch to intercept Plano East’s quarterback.This interception set the tone for the offense who would score again, increasing the lead to 14-0. Barton would finish the game with 9 tackles along with the interception. Ford Buckner ‘20 also had a night for the defense. He had 8 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, a sack, and a forced fumble. Unfortunately, the forced fumble was recovered by Plano East, but it set up 2nd and 37 for the Ranger defense. The Panthers were only able to score twice in the first half because of the superb defensive effort. Playing safety for the first time, Chase Walker ‘20 would also have a pick in the third quarter. Turnovers were a very important factor in the game and the Jesuit defense helped produce 2 of them. Tackles are also a vital component in the game of football. Tommy Roy ‘20 had 15 tackles, a season-high! Roy said that “It was a team effort. We all worked together for this win.” A very humble response from the senior linebacker. In the end, the Ranger defense was able to stop the Panthers on their final drive in order to seal the victory. 

Special guest 

Inspired by Will Garoutte ‘20 and authorized by the coaches, an ogre mask made its rounds on the football field. Many schools may have a turnover chain or a turnover bucket to celebrate turnovers. Jesuit has a Shrek mask. Hopefully, the Jesuit Rangers will protect the swamp (Postell Stadium) and will wear the bright green mask again next Friday. As for the regular season, it’s all ogre now. Welcome to the playoffs.

The days are getting shorter and the weather is getting colder. Football season is nearing the playoffs and everyone is on the edge of their seat to see how district 9-6A will unfold. Last Friday, Jesuit travelled to McKinney ISD Stadium to face the McKinney Lions. Jesuit was fighting for the #1 seed in the playoffs and home field advantage. The Rangers fought until the very end, but they could not tame the Lions and lost by a mere 3 points. A lot can happen in 4 quarters so let’s review what happened.

Offense

The Jesuit offense faced off against a scrappy and physical McKinney defense. The Rangers struggled to find the endzone in the first quarter, but the offense persevered and continued to drive the football down the field. Towards the end of the second quarter, Rance Holman ‘20 was able to hit Wyatt Garrett ‘20 for a 16 yard pass that resulted in a touchdown. Holman would finish the game with 3 touchdown passes and 155 passing yards. The offense heavily relied on their passing game in order to move the ball down the field. This is because EJ Smith ‘20 left the field in the first quarter due to injury and was unable to return to the game. However, Jake Taylor ‘21 continued to make an impact in the running game with a team leading 86 yards. In the third quarter, Garrett would again find the endzone with a saucy one handed grab over a defender to secure the touchdown. When asked about his performance, Garrett said that “his number was called and he was ready to play.” Kyle Heckel ‘21 also managed to score late in the fourth quarter to put the Rangers in the lead. The Ranger offense totaled 286 yards and put up a bold effort against the McKinney defense. 

Defense

The Jesuit defense was up against a versatile McKinney offense that was able to establish the run game and pass the football in previous games. Starting off the game, the Jesuit defense was able to hold the Lions to a 3 and out and a missed field goal in the first quarter. The Rangers continued to battle against the Lions until McKinney eventually scored on a touchdown pass towards the end of the second quarter. The Ranger defense only allowed 7 points in the first half. In order to score in the third quarter, the McKinney offense had to move the ball 98 yards down the field. The persistent defensive effort helped the Rangers hold off the Lions until the very end when McKinney scored the final touchdown of the game. Some standout performances from the defense include Jack Barton ‘20 who had 10 tackles during the game. Barton also recovered a muffed punt which put the offense in a position to score. Peter Melle ‘21 had 7 tackles, 2.5 tackles for a loss, and an 11 yard sack. Sadly, injuries also plagued the defense. Will Garoutte 20’ tore his ACL late in the 4th quarter. Hopefully he has a swift and easy recovery #PrayersUpForGaroutte. Zach Pendola ‘20 also left early in the game due to a strained groin. Defensive captain Jack Barton spoke on the injuries, saying that “the underclassmen will have to step up and fill in the gaps that injuries have created.”

Looking forward 

This Friday, the Jesuit Rangers are playing the Plano East Panthers. The Rangers are still in contention for the playoffs and home field advantage, which makes this a very important game. It is also Senior Night and the last regular season home game. Outside linebacker Ford Buckner ‘20 expressed his excitement for Senior Night by saying “I’m ready to finish the regular season with a dub.” Come out and support the Rangers!