2013 East Texas Football Games of the Year, No. 25: Tatum at Center

ETSN.fm's list of the top 25 games of the 2013 football season kicks off with an interesting cross-classification non-district matchup.

Center won last year's encounter 43-30 in Tatum behind tailback K.J. Garrett's 245-yard, four-touchdown performance, but the Roughriders must find a new way to beat the Eagles in 2013 with Garrett bound for a college career at Texas A&M-Commerce.

Although Garrett is gone, Center coach Kevin Goodwin won't be without his share of weapons when the teams meet Sept. 27 at Roughrider Stadium.

Junior quarterback Dalton Horton returns after throwing for 1,144 yards and 12 touchdowns as a first-year starting sophomore. DeJalen Preston proved he can make plays on both sides of the ball in 2012, when he snagged more than 20 passes and picked off four passes from the secondary.

Then there's veteran linebacker Kiounis Williams, who led Center with more than 130 tackles a year ago, and junior Johnny Shaw, a safety who is already committed to Texas.

Tatum coach Andy Evans lost a lot of talent to graduation, but everyone knows the Eagles are always ready to usher in a new crop of playmakers. Junior receiver Deyanta Roberson promises to be one of those, along with classmates Devon Boyd (athlete) and Kyshaun Smith (linebacker). The Eagles also have high hopes for sophomore quarterback J.D. Taylor.

But the players aren't all non-seniors. Athletes Jaylen Shans and Klifton Willis will once again be key pieces for the Eagles in 2013.

In other words, there will be plenty of talent on the field when Tatum visits Center at the end of September.