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Frisco ISD gets No. 5 rolling with Jackson taking reins

The boom-town growth of the Frisco ISD in the last decade has the long-time one high school town name the head coach of its fifth high school at Monday night's school board meeting.
The Frisco Heritage Era of Kent Jackson will start in Class 3A for varsity play in 2010 and 2011 before being expected to grow into 4A . Heritage will play the '09 season with a junior varsity schedule with ninth and 10th graders.
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Heritage will be Frisco's fourth high school added in the last six years. Centennial finished its fourth season of varsity football this year while Liberty had its first. Wakeland played two years in Class 3A before moving to Class 4A this year.
Lone Star will name another coach about this time next year to open in 2010. Frisco ISD athletic director David Kuykendall said there likely will be a good gap of time before the ISD opens a seventh high school.
Jackson takes over after eight successful playoff seasons at Sweetwater. The Mustangs had a 10-3 record in 2008 and were eliminated in the second round of the 3A playoffs by Liberty Hill. Sweetwater had a 73-26 record under Jackson and has qualified for the state playoffs every year since 1999. Jackson led the Mustangs to the Class 3A Division II semifinals in 2005.
"We interviewed Kent early in the process when we were looking at openings at Wakeland and Liberty but he decided the timing for a move wasn't right," Kuykendall said. "We had about 175 applicants for Heritage and Kent decided to get back in the mix. It's not so much about what kind of offense or defense he runs, but finding the right peg to fit in the right hole."
Jackson has been a Wishbone coach at Sweetwater but is open to multiple offenses depending on the players arriving at Heritage, which will draw students from Frisco and McKinney in northeast Frisco.
Jackson ('86 Lubbock Christian) is from Seminole. He was a head coach at Olney before taking over at Sweetwater. He was a track coach who led Odessa High to the 5A state title in 1992.
Frisco ISD update
Frisco: Coach Vance Gibson has done a good job keep the program competitive as the ISD growth expands and splits students and resources.
Centennial: Baby brother arrived for its first varsity season in '04 and now has a third new sibling. Coach Mark Howard has built a well-balanced athletic department and QB Ryan Mossakowski signs with Kentucky in February.
Wakeland: Coach Marty Secord arrived from Abilene Cooper to open Wakeland with two three seasons in 3A before venturing into 4A in '08. Marty's son Will Secord is an Arkansas commit.
Liberty: Coach Joe McBride had a great first season with a 5-5 record in Class 4A and a season-ending victory over McKinney.
Heritage: Named Kent Jackson of Sweetwater as football coach and opens 3A varsity play in 2010.
Lone Star: Scheduled to open in Class 3A in 2010 to name coach in early next year.
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