He arrived from Gainesville with as much media hype as any small-school athlete in the Big Country. But over the course of four months, Cisco quarterback Jacob West confirmed every syllable, winning the 2006 Abilene Reporter-News Class 2A Big Country Most Valuable Player and Newcomer of the Year awards.

West, who led the Loboes (14-2) to the 2A Division II title game, had done the same thing at Class 3A Gainesville a year earlier. His performance, and those of several of his teammates, highlighted a 2006 campaign which also saw memorable efforts from the programs at Early (10-3), Coleman (8-5) and Haskell (10-1).

All four programs are well-represented on the 2006 Class 2A All-Big Country Team, along with a healthy sprinkling of players from throughout the Big Country.

Jacob West, Most Valuable Player / Newcomer of the Year

School: Cisco

Position: Quarterback/Defensive Back

Class: Senior

Height: 5-10

Weight: 185

Strength: Quick on his feet and equally quick to make sound decisions; West is a constant threat while running or throwing the football, but is also adept at dissecting defenses

2006 highlight: Having thrown two early interceptions in a Nov. 24 area-round game vs. Lone Oak, West closed the first half with an 87-yard touchdown run. He finished with 164 yards rushing and two touchdowns, and was 13-of-18 through the air for 160 yards and two more scores to lead the Loboes to a 31-29 win.

Coachspeak: ''A lot of kids can say they've been to a state championship game. But not very many kids can say they've been to two in a row with two different programs, and in a leadership position. He's been very fortunate to have accomplished this, but he's done it with his talents and abilities.'' - coach Brent West.

• West was the driving force behind Cisco's option attack, accounting for 2,827 yards in total offense, of which more than 1,600 was on the ground and over 1,200 was through the air.

His presence gave the Lobo offense an immediate shot in the arm, helping Cisco to a 14-game winning streak and a trip to the Class 2A Division II title game. West was also a force on the other side of the ball, earning All-Big Country honors as a defensive back with 104 tackles.

The son of defensive coordinator Kelly West, Jacob began his varsity career at Mineral Wells as a sophomore. The family moved to Gainesville prior to the 2005 season, where he led the Leopards to the Class 3A Division I title game.

Josh Conely, Offensive Player of the Year

School: Early

Position: Running back

Class: Senior

Height: 5-7

Weight: 165

Strength: Conley, who stands only 5-7 and weighs 165 pounds, is a quick runner with excellent field vision and the ability to make people miss, but it is his fearlessness which allows him to apply these talents, despite often being the smallest player on the field

2006 highlight: With his team leading 17-6 in the fourth quarter against Class 3A Clyde on Sept. 15, Conely put the game out of reach when he broke a 60-yard run for a touchdown.

Coachspeak: ''He was a workhorse for us. He was the guy we gave the ball to in our I-back and one-back situations. He was a game-breaker - a guy who could score from anywhere on the field.'' - coach Robbie Tindol

• Teaming with quarterback Eric Skaggs (155-291-12, 2,265, 22 TDs) Conely was the perfect compliment to a potent passing game, rushing for 1,423 yards on 195 carries and 13 scores.

With Skaggs throwing and Conely running, the Longhorns rolled to a 9-3 overall record, including a 6-1 mark in District 6-2A.

One of Conely's top efforts came in a 35-28 win over archrival Bangs in Week 5, when he rushed for 287 yards on 28 carries, including a 63-yard touchdown run. A week earlier, he had rushed 17 times for 236 yards and three scores in the Longhorns' 41-21 win over Jim Ned.

Dustin McClure, Defensive Player of the Year

School: Bangs

Position: Defensive lineman

Class: Senior

Height: 5-10

Weight: 210

Strength: Very strong, with a low center of gravity, making him very difficult to block

2006 highlight: With his team's record standing at 0-5, McClure was all over the field in a Week 6 game with Ballinger, helping the Dragons to a 30-25 win. Charting 19 tackles (seven for losses), four sacks, three quarterback hurries, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery, McClure's effort against the Bearcats was one of the top defensive performances in the Big Country this year.

Coachspeak: ''He's not a very big kid, but he's quick off the ball and he's very strong and very intelligent. Those three ingredients helped him to overcome his lack of size. He was a very integral part of our defense, for sure. He's the type of kid you can't replace.'' - coach Eddie Pettitt

• Despite a 4-6 finish for the Dragons, McClure was dominant from the beginning of the season to end. Posting 95 tackles on the year, McClure recorded a whopping 32 tackles for loss, including 14 sacks. A four-year varsity letterman, McClure also forced four fumbles and recovered four others.

A straight-A student, McClure is described by Pettitt as ''a self-motivator and an excellent role model in our community.''

''If we had eleven kids like him, we (coaches) could sit around watching movies and eating popcorn all day, because they could go out and run practice by themselves.''

Brent West, Coach of the Year

School: Cisco

Years: Seven

2006 highlight: An incredible 14-game winning streak which began after a season-opening loss to Early, and ended with a 23-13 loss to Mart in the Class 2A Division II title game.

Strength: Patient and methodical, West is a firm believer in the running game and a physical brand of football, which has helped his Loboes reach a state title game twice since 2001.

Playerspeak: ''Coach West has us ready to battle every week. Even if we're playing a team that is more talented than we are, we're always ready.'' - junior linebacker Caleb Busby

• West enjoyed one of his finest seasons in 2006. That's saying a lot, considering his Cisco clubs have posted records of 15-1, 10-2, 10-2, and 8-3 in the four previous seasons prior to last year.

West's 2006 club punched through most of its competition with ease, but showed heart when things got rough. Included in the team's 14-game winning streak were difficult wins over Paradise (39-36), Boyd (12-7), Lone Oak (31-29) and Holliday (14-10).

Cisco racked up more than 600 points on the year, while posting shutouts against Merkel (48-0), Eastland (43-0), Millsap (52-0) and Olney (48-0).

OFFENSE

• Jacob West

Quarterback

Cisco

5-10, 185, Senior

Passing: 1,611 yards, 23 TDs

Rushing: 1,216 yards, 12 TDs

• Josh Conely

Running back

Early

5-7, 165, Senior

Rushing: 1,423 yards, 13 TDs

Receiving: 165 yards, 2 TDs

Kick returns: five for 171 yards, 1 TD

• Josh Stevens

Running back

Hawley

5-10, 175, Senior

Rushing: 1,525 yards, 13 TDs

• Tyler Roberts

Wide receiver

Bangs

6-1, 160, Senior

Receiving: 784 yards, 10 TDs

• Matt Sellers

Wide receiver

Cisco

6-1, 200, Senior

Receiving: 574 yards, 7 TDs

• Dalton DeLeon

Wide receiver

Coleman

5-9, 135, Sophomore

Receiving: 664 yards, 6 TDs

• Austin Adkins

Offensive line

Hawley

6-0, 260, Senior

Graded at 90 percent, helped team to 3,379 rushing yards

• Josh Kimmel

Offensive line

Haskell

5-10, 190, Senior

Graded at 92 percent, recorded 39 pancakes and 71 takedowns

• Chance Darby

Offensive line

Jim Ned

6-0, 200, Senior

Two-year starter had just two bad snaps in his career

• Gary Frierson

Offensive line

Haskell

6-3, 235, Senior

Graded at 90 percent, recorded 21 pancakes and 52 takedowns

• John Proud

Offensive line

Early

6-3, 250, Senior

Recorded 30 pancakes and didn't allow a sack all season

• Frankie Rohr

Kicker

Jim Ned

5-9, 150, Sophomore

Went 28-of-29 on PATs and 3-of-6 on field goals, including at 38-yard OT winner

DEFENSE

• Cordero Kuykendall

Defensive line

Cisco

5-8, 185, Senior

Stats: 136 tackles (42 solo), 14 TFL, 4 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 14 QB hurries

• Caleb Sellers

Defensive line

Cisco

Stats: 118 tackles (39 solo), 6 TFL, 4 sacks, 1 forced fumble, 3 fumble recoveries, 4 QB hurries

• Matt Sellers

Defensive line

Cisco

6-1, 200, Senior

Stats: 109 tackles (28 solo), 6 TFL, 4 sacks, 1 INT, 3 pass breakups, 4 forced fumbles, 6 fumble recoveries, 4 QB hurries, 1 defensive TD

• Dustin McClure

Defensive line

Bangs

5-10, 210, Senior

Stats: 95 tackles, 32 TFL, 14 sacks, 4 fumble recoveries, 4 QB hurries

• Josh Kimmel

Defensive line

Haskell

5-10, 190, Senior

Stats: 58 tackles, 9 sacks, 9 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery

• Jory Hernandez

Linebacker

Cisco

5-7, 155, Junior

Stats: 183 tackles (79 solo), 2 TFL, 5 pass breakups, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 2 QB hurries

• Caleb Nies

Linebacker

Merkel

5-8, 160, Senior

Stats: 146 tackles (30 solo), 5 TFL, 4 sacks, 1 fumble recovery, 7 QB hurries

• Jeffrey Lisle

Linebacker

Stamford

6-3, 205, Senior

Stats: 111 tackles (41 solo), 19 TFL, 5 sacks, 1 INT, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 15 QB hurries

• Levi Walls

Defensive back

Early

5-7, 165, Senior

Stats: 132 tackles, 2 INTs, 11 pass breakups

• Jordan Coffman

Defensive back

Jim Ned

6-1, 170, Junior

Stats: 65 tackles, 6 INTs (1 for an 86-yard TD)

• Bronson Buzzard

Defensive back

Coleman

5-11, 185, Junior

Stats: 92 tackles, 4 INTs, 1 forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries

• Chase Bellah

Defensive back

Merkel

6-3, 190, Senior

Stats: 102 tackles (47 solo), 1 TFL

• Chase Bellah

Punter

Merkel

6-3, 190, Senior

Stats: Averaged 34.4 yards per punt with a long of 50 and nine inside the 20-yard line

HONORABLE MENTION

OFFENSE

Quarterback - Eric Skaggs, senior, Early; Colton Buzzard, sophomore, Coleman; Matt Brown, senior, Haskell

Running back - Bronson Buzzard, junior, Coleman; Travis Adams, junior, Haskell; Greg Guzman, junior, Haskell; Joe Traweek, senior, Cisco; Derich Mays, senior, Stamford; Justin Rodriguez, senior, Haskell; Philip Perez, senior, Jim Ned

Wide receiver - Jordan Coffman, junior, Jim Ned; Stephen Hopkins, senior, Early; Jacob Mendez, senior, Merkel; Michael Shelton, senior, Jim Ned; Kit LeFevre, senior, Jim Ned

Offensive line - Casey Lofton, junior, Coleman; Billy Lusk, senior, Haskell; Kaleb Hopson, junior, Early; Kenny Dye, senior, Merkel

DEFENSE

Defensive line - John Proud, senior, Early; Rhyn Cason, senior, Early; Gary Frierson, senior, Haskell; Derek Agraz, junior, Haskell; Bryan Schulle, junior, Jim Ned

Linebacker - Stanley Cole, sophomore, Coleman; Brandon Jimenez, senior, Stamford; Robert Medina, Cisco; Caleb Busby, Cisco; Justin New, senior, Hawley; Taylor Singleton, senior, Early; Josh Rodriquez, senior, Haskell; Aaron Rodriquez, junior, Haskell; Kolby Kelly, junior, Jim Ned; Colt Sansing, senior, Jim Ned

Defensive back - Jacob West, senior, Cisco; Sam McClure, Cisco

SELECTION PROCESS

The Abilene Reporter-News sports staff solicits nominations from Big Country football coaches at the end of the season. Those nominees are then evaluated backed upon regular-season and playoff statistics, and intangibles based upon game performance as witnessed by the staff and importance of each nominee's contribution to his team's success.

Super Team players are picked based on their selection to a particular class' first team and/or their overall performance during the season.