| EAST BERNARD - Mike Hayes might not have been selected as the most valuable player for football in District 27-2A, but that doesn't mean someone else doesn't think that.
Namely, Dave Campbell's Texas Football.
The winter edition of the magazine, which recently hit newsstands, selected EB's Hayes as the Player of the Year of District 27-2A. Hayes, a running back and defensive back, helped lead the Brahmas to the Division II Region III-2A semifinals before losing to bowing out to Refugio, 21-14. East Bernard finished 9-4 and advanced to the third round of the playoffs for the first time since 1996.
East Bernard coach Jerry Long said he thinks the Brahmas' run in the playoffs helped Hayes win the MVP honor from the magazine. District coaches pick the MVP of the district after the season ends, Long said.
Anthony McClain of Hitchcock was MVP of the district while B.W. McLeod of Boling was the district's offensive MVP and John Trevino of Brazos was defensive MVP. Hayes made the district's second team for running back and the first team as a defensive back.
“It's a great honor for Mike and our program in general,” Long said about the magazine's honor.
Hayes' absence from a couple of games in district play because of an ankle injury hurt his standing for district MVP honors, Long said, but he thinks East Bernard's run in the playoffs factored into Hayes winning the MVP honor from the magazine. For the season, Hayes rushed for 1,295 yards and 18 touchdowns.
“He started getting healthy at the right time,” Long said, pointing out that Hayes had productive games against Hallettsville and Troy in the playoffs.
“I just think it's a great honor,” Hayes said, adding that appreciated the award in light of how he missed a couple of games this season.
Long said he also thinks Hayes' appearances at football camps last summer also meant he raised his visibility.
“That information gets around,” Long said. “Kids don't really know how important that is.”
If a player has designs on a college career, it would be beneficial for him to attend the summer camps and get his name out there, Long said.
DCTF staff writer Travis Stewart said the magazine took several factors into account in deciding to hand the award to Hayes: his 8 yards per carry, his 1,000-plus rushing yards and his other versatility as a ballcarrier, such as his catching the ball out of the backfield or his running the ball back on kick returns. Plus, the magazine also considered Hayes' potential and overall ability.
“He just had a great year,” Stewart said.
Hayes has not had an offer at this point from any colleges but “he's probably going to end up somewhere,” even at a junior college, Long said, adding that Hayes is working on getting his academic credentials, such as taking college entrance exams, up to date.
Long said Hayes was a game-breaker who had enormous ability, but apart from that, he shined off the field, too, with his work ethic that set an example for other players in whatever sport he plays.
“He works his tail off and the kids feed off that,” Long said.
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