Milby High School’s football team has a problem. The Buffs have two seniors who are so good at football that they might spoil the rest of the team. Isaiah Washington and Artavion Davis are the wide receivers who set the pace for everyone else on the squad, and they are doing it with a combination of talent, work ethic and quiet leadership that has caught the eye of their coach and their teammates alike.
The goal for this season is simple. As senior defensive back Melvin Simeon put it, “We want to go past the first round (in the playoffs).” To get there, Washington and Davis will lead the way.
The Partnership That Runs the Route
Washington is the big, strong, fast, physical presence on the outside. He knows exactly what his teammate brings to the field. When asked about Davis, Washington laughed and described him as “Tough receiver. I mean…laughter…He’s making me laugh.” The laughter was genuine, but the assessment was serious.
The two receivers operate as a unit. Washington explained the dynamic clearly: “If they double his side, I’m open, and if they double my side, he’s open.”
“When those types of players are leading your team, it does well, especially for the young kids,” Coach Puente said.
That partnership is the foundation of Milby’s offense. When one receiver draws double coverage, the other is free. When both are involved, the defense has a problem.
Davis’s Season of Pain and Production
Davis is the best receiver in the Houston area that you probably have never heard of. His production makes that hard to believe. He finished the season with 1,602 yards, the most regular-season receiving yards in the state of Texas.
But the story is not just about the numbers. It is about how he got there. Last year, Davis broke his thumb in the first half of the first game of the season. He did not let it slow him down.
“To be honest, I really didn’t know about his thumb until about two weeks later,” junior quarterback Gabriel Gutierrez said. “He was just playing through it real well, I guess.”
That toughness is part of who he is. Davis spoke about what he enjoys most about the game: “Most I enjoy my football is the winning, the helping my team, the grit, the confidence of working hard of it.”
Humility, Faith and the Work Ethic
Davis’s humility is the other side of his story. He does not talk about himself, and he does not let the attention change him. Coach Matthew Puente described him as a player who just goes about his work every day.
“He gets a lot of attention, but you would never know by the type of kid he is,” Puente said. “You know, he just goes about his work every day, always getting in some extra work and things like that, and guys just kind of try to be like Tae.”
Davis put it more simply: “Yes, sir, I just like to stay humble and keep God first.” He added, “Me putting God first and not being too big-headed about it.”
That balance is rare in a player with his production. He leads by example, not by proclamation.
What the Team Is Building Toward
The Buffs have a clear target for the season. They want to advance past the first round of the playoffs. For a program with two seniors who can dominate a game, that is the right ambition.
Coach Puente sees the leadership as a strength. When Washington and Davis step forward, the younger players on the team have a model to follow.
The two seniors are looking to make the playoffs and set a great example for the younger players on the team.
The Numbers Behind the Story
- 1,602 — Davis’s regular-season receiving yards, the most in the state of Texas.
- First half of the first game — when Davis broke his thumb last season.
- About two weeks later — when Gutierrez first found out about the injury.
- Past the first round — the playoff goal for Milby, as stated by Simeon.
The Case for Davis
Artavion Davis is the best receiver in the Houston area that you probably have never heard of. He is a standout performer who has stayed grounded throughout it.
His season included a broken thumb, a record-breaking yardage total and a commitment to humility that Puente says sets him apart from other stars. Those three things do not often come together in one player.
Washington’s assessment of Davis was blunt and affectionate. Davis’s own words were about winning, helping the team, grit and working hard. His faith and his humility are part of what makes him a leader, not just a stat line.
The Buffs have a chance to make a deep playoff run. Washington and Davis will be the ones setting the pace.
Source material: “Milby High School senior receivers set example for Buffs football team,” ABC13 Houston.
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