Brenham never completely shifted into high gear on the Cubs' drive to the Class 4A Division II state championship game.

They rode the clutch.

The Cubs rallied late in games and played their best in the high-pressure portions of their playoff games to earn a spot in the state title game.

Five key member of that 2009 Brenham squad have been named to the first team on the 34th annual All-Brazos Valley Football Team, with head coach Glen West sharing the top coaching honors.

The Cubs also had the rare honor of placing two receivers on the first team. Derek Edwards and Terrell Reese combined for 199 receptions, 1,704 yards and 15 touchdowns

Brenham's do-everything linebacker Michael Walker is a first-team pick—38 of his 130 tackles were for losses. The Cubs had a player at each position on defense. Malcom Brown, who had 11 sacks, is in the defensive line with Jeremy Hall (7 interceptions) at defensive back.

West shared the Coach of the Year award with Caldwell's Dale Williams. Williams led the Hornets to a third straight playoff appearance, the first time that has happened since the 1930s. Brazos Valley coaches selected that award, with those two coaches easily outdistancing any others mentioned.

The backs were back in 2009.

It's not as though the spread offense and the outstanding quarterbacks that run them went away, but there was a renewed emphasis on the running game and success came to the teams that highlighted that aspect of their game.

A deep list of running backs made that position the hardest to achieve on the 34th annual All-Brazos Valley Football Team.

Kysan Woolverton was a unanimous choice as the 24-3A Most Valuable Player after leading the Caldwell Hornets to the district title and a spot in the Class 3A Division II regional semifinals. It took the eventual state champion Carthage to knock the Hornets out of contention. Woolverton ran for 31 touchdowns to cap off his 1,675 yards.

Bryan junior Nate Jones was the point man for the Vikings' renewed option and power game and led the Vikings the postseason by averaging 8.2 yards per carry and scoring 20 touchdowns.

A&M Consolidated fullback Clinton Banks did most of his running between the tackles, but the 212-pound junior did it with authority, getting many of the key first-down pickups for the Tigers. He rushed for 1,154 yards and 15 TDs.

The quarterbacks could play some football, too, and many of them were top runners. Navasota's Kye Hildreth led the Rattlers to their third straight quarterfinal appearance after throwing for 1,751 yards and rushing for 1,219. Doing both, he accounted for 38 touchdowns.

Alex Castilleja filled the utility back role perfectly. The St. Joseph quarterback had the best passing total in the Brazos Valley (2,876 yards) but also ran for 785.

Chad Peevey, who fell 11 yards short of a 1,000-yard receiving season, is on the first team at two positions -kicker and punter. He could also have been placed there for his receiving prowess.

It was far more than coincidence that some of the best running backs ran behind some of the Brazos Valley's top offensive linemen.

Bryan guard Colton Barnes, A&M Consolidated Patrick Bettiol and Caldwell's Trent Meckel are first-team selections, along with Leon's Cason McCune and Rockdale's Le'Raven Clark, who are both juniors. Consol's Kyle Doll is at tight end.

Sophomore DeKendrick Jeffrey had four kickoff returns for touchdowns for the Hearne Eagles and is the return specialist.

Bryan's sole first-team defender earned his spot with 145 tackles. Johnnie Goosby got them from his safety spot. Madisonville's Howard Harris (5 interceptions) and Lexington's Chace Sherrill (135 tackles) join Goosby and Hall.

A&M Consolidated's Nelson Devin (138 tackles), Navasota junior Kendrick Jones (21 tackles for losses) and Somerville's Tony Negrete (17 tackles for losses, 2 interceptions) round out the linebacker corps.

Big Logan David of Rockdale continued to post bigger defensive numbers for an interior defensive lineman with 92 tackles. Bremond's Jeffrey Drymalla and Centerville's Clay Hardee completed the defensive front.

The running back depth carried over to the second team and even the honorable mention list. Fullback Seth Noey (1,508 yards, 18 TDs) helped the Leon Cougars into a playoff team. Franklin's Scott Sanders (1,236 yards, 20 TDs) lifted the Lions to the 20-2A title. A&M Consolidated junior Chris Nutall (1,236 yards, 13 TDs) was a key component of the Tigers' 12-5A co-championship.

That left the likes of Brenham's playoff hero Troy Green, Madisonville's speedy Brock Taylor, Caldwell's Nelson Scott and Hearne's Kenneth Jones on honorable mention. In many seasons, they could have been first-team selections.

Ty Schlottmann's tough and timely play the Class 4A playoffs earned him the second-team quarterback spot, and serious consideration for the No. 1 spot. He threw 30 touchdown passes.

Cameron quarterback Steven Townsend was the second-team utility back with his teammate Tommy Anderson and Navasota's Tevin Creeks as the pass-catchers. The second-team offensive line consists of Brenham Christian's Jordan Lightfoot, A&M Consolidated's Shawn Dunham, Hearne's LaFrenzo Thomas and Somerville's David Wiggins.

The defensive front included Navasota's K.D. Nickerson, Burton's Taylor Gibson, St. Joseph's Evan O'Connell and Milano's Sam Walker.

Matthew Jentsch of Milano was at linebacker, along with Aaron Mueller, who led Caldwell's outstanding defense. Chance Sherrill from Lexington and Bremond's D.Ray Morgan completed the linebacking group.

In the secondary, Rudder safety Will Johnson, Navasota's Alfon Taylor, Rockdale's Tyler Wright and Ryan Rekieta of Bremond rounded out the team.

Rudder had three specialists named to the second team -- punter Kyle Danford and kicker Will Johnson. Instead of a return specialist, a kick blocker took the second-team spot. The Rangers' Domonique Robison blocked five.