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TEXAS STATE CHAMPIONS RANDLE LIONS CLASS 5A, DIVISION II

AN EXCLUSIVE LOOK AT THE ROAD TO VICTORY

CONTENTS 4

David Rigas PUBLISHER

SCHEDULE & SCORES

6

Sam Scinta Jr. SPORTS EDITOR

BI-DISTRCT ROUND

10

REGIONAL SEMIFINAL

12

REGIONAL FINAL

Ruby Sebesta ADVERTISING Rachel Cavazos GRAPHIC DESIGN

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STORY & PHOTO CREDITS

STATE TITLE GAME

Stories by Sam Scinta Jr. and Joel Luna.

Herald photos by Rhonda and Troy Taormina and Scott Reese Willey.

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AREA ROUND

Scott Reese Willey EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Subscribe to the Fort Bend Herald by calling 281-342-4474 or go online to fbherald.com.

A letter from the sports editor...

When I talked to Lions’ head coach Brian Randle before the season started, he told me his team had a chance to be special if it could stay healthy.

With the way everything played out, that was certainly putting it lightly.

All his Lions did this season was tear off a 16-0 record, winning every regular-season game by multiple scores and surviving tight games, rematches and state superpowers on the playoff path to the school’s first-ever state championship.

The defense held all opponents to 14 points or less, until making enough plays in

an instant-classic title game to seal the win.

Lions fans will no doubt look back fondly on those memories as they watch players like Chace Sims (Texas A&M) and Blake Thompson (Oregon State) play on Saturdays starting in 2025.

The offense, with its dominant rushing game and diverse passing attack, set school records, and then broke them, as the Lions were put on the map forever.

Of course, sophomore sensation Landen Williams-Callis, and his 2,108 yards and 45 total touchdowns, jump off the page. But Randle also had seniors like Keilan Swee-

ny, Sincere Timpson and Sean Smith who made big plays all year - especially in that fateful title bout.

Inside this magazine is the Fort Bend Herald’s definitive playoff recap - reliving all of the excitement from the postseason with some never-before-seen photos and insight from the Randle Lions.

We hope you enjoy flipping through the pages and enjoying the snapshots and looks back at the games as much as we enjoyed bringing it to you.

Sam

Scinta Jr.

On the Cover: Lamar CISD Superintendent Dr. Roosevelt Nivens (left), Randle head football coach Brian Randle (center) and Randle High School principal Brian Wilson (right) pose with the 5A-DII state championship trophy on the field at AT&T Stadium in Arlington after the Lions defeated Dallas-South Oak Cliff 38-35 Dec. 20, 2024.

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BUILDING A CHAMPION

How the Lions won a state title in just 3 seasons

by Sam Scinta Jr.

I

t was the first time Randle had put a varsity football team on the turf at Guy K. Traylor Memorial Stadium in Rosenberg.

Saturday, September 10th, 2022, Week 3 of the first varsity season for the Lions, was the home opener coming after Randle beat Pasadena Memorial and Calhoun.

And, for a while, it was looking as if the Lions would take Columbia down and start 3-0.

Until a miscue here. And a misstep there. And a handful of other errors, forced and otherwise.

All of it ended with a 36-35 loss to the Roughnecks in a game that coach Brian Randle said at the time was a key moment for his young program.

“We just gotta grow up,” Randle said after the game. “We have to grow up, bow up and get better. I asked them if they liked this feeling after the game. Our youth really showed today. We’re going to be good, it’s just going to take some time.”

Instead, the defeat was the first of four in a row, a losing skid that, along with dropping two of the final three games, resulted in the Lions narrowly missing the postseason in year one.

Now, just two years later and with many of the same players on the roster, the Lions stand atop their division in the state of Texas as champions in 5A-DII. A feat made possible by a perfect storm of coaching, talent and good fortune that ended with medals, and trophies, and postgame press conferences boasting "we did it" instead of "what could have been."

LEARNING TO WIN

The Lions may have been a little overmatched, and under-experienced, in that first varsity season.

Columbia surprised them with a late comeback effort, and twopoint conversion that tipped the scales.

Bryan, Lake Creek and Brenham were each significant favorites coming into the game and Lamar Consolidated won its first rivalry meeting with the Lions before Huntsville, in a matter of cosmic foreshadowing, ended the Randle season with a loss in the season's final week. Yet, there were still bright spots.

The Lions shook off four-straight losses to beat Montgomery, two weeks before throttling Bryan-Rudder for the program's firstever blowout win in a district game.

Names like Dacorian Rubin and Jaxon Montelongo started to show up in the offensive box score. Young bucks in Sh'Rhod Revis, Eric Strickland, Perry Kindred and Te'Shaun Williams were making tackles on the other side of the ball. And, man, did you see that sophomore defensive tackle they had in the middle? Chace Sims, was it? Worth keeping an eye on him.

But the team needed to learn how to overcome its youth, put the talent together and find a way to win ballgames.

STAYING ON THE FIELD If the 2022 season was about learning how to win as a football team, the Lions' 2023 season was all about how quickly a season can be lost.

Continued on page 21

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SCHEDULE & SCORES Week 1

Randle 35

Foster 14

Week 2

Randle 61

Alief-Elsik 14

Week 3

Randle 62

Fort Bend-Travis 7

Week 4

Randle 45

Fort Bend-Marshall 7

Week 5

BYE

Week 6

Randle 30

Iowa Colony 10

Week 7

Randle 45

Texas City 13

Week 8

Randle 69

Baytown-Lee 7

Week 9

Randle 58

Terry 0

Week 10

Randle 68

Santa Fe 0

Week 11

Randle 73

Lamar Consolidated 0

Rushing Leader -

Tackles Leader -

Landen Williams-Callis (So.) 226 carries, 2,108 yards, 43 touchdowns

Chace Sims (Sr.) 25 solo, 62 assist, 87 total, 28 tackles for loss

Passing Leader -

Interception Leader -

Tyler Skrabanek (Jr.) 139-220 (63.2%) 2,115 yards, 25 touchdowns, 6 INTs

Sh’Rhod Revis (Sr.) 6 Interceptions, 4 passes defended

Receiving Leader -

Sack Leader -

Dacorian Rubin (Sr.) 36 catches, 608 yards, 6 TDs

Cary Spires IV (Jr.) 12 sacks, 13 quarterback hurries

4 ★ Randle Championship Magazine 2025

Senior D'Shawn Burton may have been a newcomer for the Lions, coming in from Needville, but the running back scored a key touchdown in the state semifinal to give Randle a halftime lead.

Junior linebacker Cary Spires IV (left) and senior defensive end Wayne Kelly (right) were all about making the big play defensively this season for a Lions team that allowed more than 14 points just once all year.

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Randle Championship Magazine 2025 ★ 5

PLAYOFF GAME #1

PURSUIT OF PERFECTION Coaches demand excellence after Lions maul Tigers

R

by Sam Scinta Jr.

andle coach Brian Randle stood frustrated on the field following the Lions postseason opener against Belton at Guy K. Traylor Memorial Stadium.

Sophomore back Landen Williams-Callis finished with 160 yards and three touchdowns on just five carries, junior quarterback Tyler Skrabanek added four scores and the Lions rolled to a convincing 63-7 win over the Tigers in the Class 5A-DII bi-district round of the playoffs.

But it wasn’t a fourth-straight shut-out.

“It was a special team’s mishap, so the defense still hasn’t been scored on, but it’s very irritating to see seven points up there,” Randle said. “The biggest thing is execution. We’ve got to do better. My coaching staff, we do a good job, but we can do better.

“That’s the frustrating part is we’ve got quite a bit of talent. We don’t have all the talent in the world, but we’ve got some really good pieces. We just have to do a better job sometimes to put them in a position to be successful. The issue we’re having is being lackadaisical and being OK with good. We don’t want to be good, we want to be great.”

The Lions gave up a score in the first quarter following a fumble on a fake punt, the first points given up by Randle since an Oct. 17 road win over Baytown-Lee. Randle took its first lead on its second play from scrimmage when Williams-Callis found a hole in the middle of the Belton line and exploded untouched through the middle for a 69-yard touchdown run at the 11:35 mark of the first.

After forcing a Belton punt on the ensuing possession, Randle looked as if it was going to punt on a 4th-and-2 look from the Lions’ 49 before Graham Chambley scooped up the fumbled fake and took the ball 47 yards for a Tiger touchdown that tied the game 7-7 with 7:01 left in the first.

The Lions wasted little time getting the lead back, however, as Williams-Callis went around right tackle, found the sideline and flew upfield for a 66-yard score that put Randle up 14-7 with 6:45 to go in the frame.

Randle’s defense forced another punt attempt on the next Tiger drive, and that’s where the Lions’ special teams unit redeemed itself.

Forced to punt from its own end zone, Belton couldn’t get a kick away cleanly. The blocked punt was recovered by Randle’s Jalyn Burton in the end zone for a touchdown that gave the Lions a 21-7 advantage with 5:16 left in the first.

The Lion defense forced another Tiger punt and, two plays later, Skrabanek got the ball to an open Dacorian Rubin for a 58-yard

6 ★ Randle Championship Magazine 2025

gain that set Randle up 1st and goal from the Belton 10.

Two plays later, Williams-Callis found another hole for his third score of the game to put Randle up 28-7 with 2:40 left in the first.

Belton started moving the ball on its next drive, using seven plays to march 22 yards upfield, but recent Texas A&M-Commerce commit Sh’Rod Revis stepped in front of a Will Shepard pass on 4th and 5 for an interception that gave Randle the ball back at the Tigers’ 11 after a 49-yard return.

The Lions got another rushing touchdown two plays later when senior Sincere Timpson finished through contact from the 5 to push the lead to 35-7 with 10:50 left before halftime.

Randle got a fourth-down stop on the following possession when Ryan Mallory and Cary Spires IV combined for a sack to give the Lions the ball at the Randle 43.

After two passes from Skrabanek to freshman receiver Sean Smith, gaining 32 yards in total, the junior signal caller hit senior athlete Keilan Sweeny, making his return from an Oct. 12 shoulder injury, on a slant for a 35-yard touchdown and a 42-7 lead with 7:08 to go before the break.

The Randle special teams got another big play on the following Belton possession, as Burton got his hands on another punt for a block that resulted in a net gain of just two yards for the Tigers.

Three plays after, Skrabanek pulled the ball back on the read option and took it in himself from 12 yards out to put the Lions on top 49-7 at the 5:02 mark of the second.

Belton marched to the Randle 39 on the next drive, but Ja’Quin Parker got his hands on a Shepard pass for a pick that gave the Lions the ball back at the Tigers’ 40.

Skrabanek capped the following 5-play, 40yard drive with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Jaxon M o n telongo that pushed the lead to 56-7 with 19 seconds left in the half.

After forcing a three-and-out after halftime, Randle got one more quick-strike score

when Skrabanek found tight end Mason Mixon in the flat. Mixon cut upfield and out-ran the Tiger defense for a 50-yard touchdown and a 63-7 lead 3:17 into the second half.

That was the last possession played by Skrabanek, and other offensive starters, as Brady Bratscher handled duties under center the rest of the way for the Lions.

Bratscher completed two of three pass attempts for six yards, all in the second half.

Randle noted that the big plays his offense had — five plays of 35 or more yards — can put some added strain on a defense by shortening the number of plays run by the other unit.

“It puts a ton of stress on a defense, but it’s a good problem to have,” Randle said. “We can score the ball, but we should. We have a ton of talent out there. We’ve got three running backs that can start anywhere else, we’ve got a fourth-string running back that could start anywhere else, we’ve got some receivers that are pretty darn good.

“We have to expect to be successful and expect to be great, and that’s the biggest thing that we hold these boys accountable and take care of business.”

Skrabanek completed 9 of 12 pass attempts for 197 yards and three scores through the air to go along with one score on the ground. Timpson finished with 57 yards and one score on five touches.

Smith caught a team-high three passes, while Rubin (58 yards) and Mixon (56 yards) led in receiving yardage.

Randle said his team had plenty to work on during the week leading up to the second round.

“We have to execute,” Randle said. “We’re still turning people wide open. We’re running wide zone and we might not get a block on the back side or turn somebody wide and turn them open and

Senior linebacker Perry Kindred (No. 24) and sophomore lineman Caleb George (No. 91) helped keep the Belton offense off the board in the first round of the playoffs. not block everybody, which is frustrating.

“We’ve still got a couple kids banged up. We got a kid back and he got hurt again, so that’s frustrating, because you’re up 40 and you say don’t do that dumb stuff and don’t run that. The play wasn’t designed for him, but kids are kids and you see you’ve got a chance to take a shot.”

Randle improved to 11-0 with the win and advanced to the area round against Elgin. Belton finished its season with a record of 2-9.

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Randle Championship Magazine 2025 ★ 7

PLAYOFF GAME #2

RANDLE RAMPAGE CONTINUES

T

Elgin no match for high-powered Lions

by Sam Scinta Jr.

he Lions’ freight train of an offense made few stops in the second round.

That offense, behind a defense that pitched its fourth shutout in the last five games, pushed Randle to a 79-0 thrashing of Elgin in the Region III 5A DII area round at Merrill Green Stadium.

“A wise man told me, ‘Coach, you’d better start enjoying this, because it doesn’t happen often,” Lions’ coach Brian Randle said. “He’s 100% correct, because all I do is fuss.

I fuss at the kids, I fuss at the coaches, and yeah, we didn’t do everything correct but god doggit, 79-0, we did something right.”

Sophomore running back Landen Williams-Callis gained 198 all-purpose yards and scored five touchdowns on the ground, while junior quarterback Tyler Skrabanek completed 9 of 12 pass attempts for 143 yards and two touchdowns in leading an offensive onslaught that saw the Lions score in all but two possessions.

“We work hard all week at practice,” Skrabanek said. “Ultimately, we’re explosive because God is explosive. To God I give all the glory. We go as far as God wills us to go, and I think that’s state.”

The Lions ran for 273 yards in the contest.

Senior back D’Shawn Burton added 61 yards on eight carries, while junior Dacorian Rubin led the Randle receivers with three catches for 63 yards and a score.

After the Lions’ defense forced a Wildcat three-and-out on the first possession, the Randle offense wasted little time getting to work.

Skrabanek hit Rubin for a 34-yard catch-and-run score on the

8 ★ Randle Championship Magazine 2025

Lions’ first play from scrimmage, setting up a 21-yard touchdown for Williams-Callis on the next play to put Randle up 7-0 at the 10:35 mark of the first.

The Lions forced another Elgin punt when Jalyn Burton sacked Elgin quarterback and Texas-San Antonio baseball commit Jalen Owens for a loss of 10 on third-and-eight.

The punt gave Randle the ball at the Elgin 35, and three plays later Williams-Callis found the end zone again for his second touchdown of the night.

Elgin got first downs on back-to-back plays to open its next drive before an unsportsmanlike conduct call against the Lions put the Wildcats at first-and-10 from the Elgin 39.

The Lions’ defense made its stand three plays later when Owens was stripped of the ball on the sack, with Texas A&M commit Chace Sims getting his hands on the fumble for the turnover at the Wildcats’ 43.

Skrabanek made Elgin pay on the next play, hitting freshman receiver Sean Smith for a 43-yard touchdown to put the Lions up 21-0 with 4:25 left in the opening frame.

Randle’s defense made Elgin punt from its own 20 on the next drive, but the kick netted just 19 yards to set the Lions up with favorable field position.

Williams-Callis made sure that position paid off on the next play, out-running the Wildcat defense for an impressive 39-yard touchdown run that made it 28-0 at the 2:39 mark of the first.

On the next Randle drive, which came after another Elgin punt, Skrabanek found receiver Jaxon Montelongo for a nine-yard touchdown pass, but a holding penalty negated the score and pushed the Lions back to the Wildcats’ 15.

Randle decided it still liked the defensive match up on the senior receiver, however, as Skrabanek found him in the end zone on the next play for a 35-0 advantage.

Another Elgin three-and-out led to yet another touchdown from Williams-Callis, this time an eight-yard run with 7:19 left in the half.

On the next Wildcat drive, Camron Hypolite sacked Owens and stripped the ball to give Randle the ball at the Elgin 43.

After a missed field goal was negated by a Wildcat personal foul, kicker Christian Munguia made good on his second kick, but first official try, when he made a 35-yard field goal for a 45-0 edge at the 4:33 mark of the second quarter.

Randle’s defense forced another three-and-out and got good field position at the Elgin 25 following a shanked punt.

One play later, Williams-Callis tallied his fifth touchdown of the game when he exploded up the middle for a 25-yard touchdown that put the Lions up 51-0 with 2:20 left in the first half.

The Lions’ defense added another and surpasses the previous record of 73, highlight to its first-half reel when Wayne which the Lions tied Nov. 8 against LaKelly picked up a fumble and rumbled 17 mar Consolidated. yards into the end zone.

“They’re a very big team,” Randle said That touchdown gave Randle a 58-0 of Elgin. “They’re big, their O-line was lead going into the halftime break. massive. They have some skill guys, so Out of the locker room, Brady going into the game we figured it’d be a Bratscher took over under center for Sklittle more of a game. rabanek as the Lions moved in many of “We knew we were smaller than they their reserves. were, but we were faster than them. So The first Randle full drive of the second with us being faster than them, it was half led to the only drive without points in cool. That’s the one thing I knew going the contest, although the Lions’ defense in was we were fast. Speed kills. I’ll take forced another three-and-out on the enspeed over size any day of the week.” suing Elgin drive.

Four plays later, Bratscher hit Rubin Randle is still to allow a team to score for a 27-yard touchdown and a 65-0 admore than 14 games in a season and has Senior wide receiver Jaxon vantage with 4:08 remaining in the third not allowed multiple scores since Oct. Montelongo was a key piece quarter.

12, a 45-13 win over Texas City. of the offense all season.

After the ensuing Randle kick-off was Bratscher finished with 29 passing inadvertently downed at the Elgin 1, the yards on 2-4 passing, adding two total Wildcats were again forced to punt from touchdowns in the process. the shadow of their own goalpost.

Randle (12-0) advanced to take on Brenham (11-1) in a thirdThe kick found the hands of Cedrick McClintock, who broke a round contest at Daikin Stadium in Waller. tackle, reversed field and housed the 41-yard punt-return touch“We’re going to have to lock in and pay attention to how their down to give the Lions a 72-0 lead with 1:24 to go in the frame.

In the fourth quarter, Bratscher ran right and took it in himself defense is and how their offense is,” Williams-Callis said of preparing to face the Cubs. “We just have to keep doing what we’ve from the 2 for a 79-0 lead with 11:41 left in the contest.

Bratscher’s rushing score came one play after Hypolite blocked been doing all year.”

Elgin’s year, which included the program’s 15th-ever playoff win an Elgin punt and returned it to the 2-yard line.

The 79 points scored is the most-ever in a game for Randle in its 104th season, ended with a record of 6-6.

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281-232-8710 Randle Championship Magazine 2025 ★ 9

PLAYOFF GAME #3

TESTED FOR THE 1ST TIME Big-play sophomore saves Lions in brawl with Cubs

T

by Sam Scinta Jr.

he Randle Lions finally found themselves in a game late during the 5A DII Region III semifinal against Brenham at Daikin Stadium.

Randle, which had outscored its previous two playoff opponents 143-7, saw its once threescore lead dwindle to a single touchdown before a long scoring pass to its superstar back sealed the deal for a 28-14 win over the Cubs to catapult the Lions to their first-ever regional final.

“In the third round of the playoffs, everybody’s good,” Randle coach Brian Randle said. “Brenham is a tough team. They do a great job. It’s a one-horse town, so they’ve got everything they need. It’s a special place, Brenham, but our boys made the plays we had to. We took care of business when we needed to.”

The win was just Randle’s second-ever in a day game.

After trading punts to open the game, the Lions’ special teams unit made the first big play when Perry Kindred’s punt was downed at the Brenham 10, pinning the Cubs deep.

Four plays later, Kindred again made his presence felt when he hit Brenham quarterback Jordan Harvey for a sack and a loss of seven on 3rd-and-9 to force a punt.

Junior quarterback Tyler Skrabanek, who has started all three of the Lions’ postseason games, hit freshman receiver Sean Smith for a gain of 26 on the second play of the ensuing Randle drive.

The big pass play helped set up a 24-yard scoring strike from Skrabanek to senior receiver Jaxon Montelongo that put the Lions up 7-0 at the 2:21 mark of the first.

Three-straight incompletions forced a Brenham three-and-out on the following drive, giving the Lions the ball back at the Cubs’ 43.

Senior quarterback Keilan Sweeny, playing in his first action since re-aggravating a shoulder injury during the team’s firstround win over Belton, took matters into his own hands with the Lions facing 1st and 20.

Sweeny took two consecutive snaps and ran, gaining nine and 29 yards, respectively, to give the Lions a first down at the Brenham 29.

After Skrabanek came back in and hit Smith for a gain of 16 on 3rd and 7, sophomore Landen Williams-Callis ran around left tackle, made two cuts to his right and found paydirt from the 10 to put Randle up 14-0 with four seconds left in the opening frame.

The Cubs came out in the Wildcat offense on the following drive, with junior Xyran Upshaw running the ball on six-consecutive plays to puck up a total of 14 yards.

Brenham was forced to punt after Harvey’s pass to junior receiver Chris Guidry was stopped for a gain of six on 3rd and 10.

10 ★ Randle Championship Magazine 2025

Smith corralled the bouncing kick, made a move upfield and erupted for an 83-yard return touchdown that stretched the Randle lead to 21-0 with 7:32 left in the first half.

The Cubs had a chance to get back into the game in the second quarter when Harvey hit Guidry for a gain of 22 on 3rd and 16, but a bad snap from the Brenham 41 resulted in a loss of 23 yards.

Facing a 3rd and 33 after a pass breakup from senior linebacker Ja’Quin Parker, Brenham caught a break when a roughing-thepasser call gave the Cubs new life.

Brenham got some more free yardage after a defensive pass interference call on 2nd and 11 gave the Cubs a first down at the Randle 38.

Harvey connected with Guidry for a 20-yard completion to put the ball at the Randle 23, and after a seven-yard run on the QB scramble, the Cubs lined up for a 33-yard field goal attempt.

Sophomore kicker Bleu Cienega missed the kick wide left and the Lions went into the halftime locker room with a three-touchdown advantage.

Three punts opened the second half before Guidry elevated for a highlight one-handed grab and a gain of 27 to the Randle 37.

After a defensive holding penalty on 4th-and-10 kept the drive alive for the Cubs, Brenham again turned to the Wildcat for a 19yard touchdown pass from Upshaw to an uncovered Guidry to pull within 21-7 at the :53 mark of the third.

The Randle offense struggled again, getting just one first down on a defensive offsides call before punting back to the Brenham 37 with 9:37 left in the game.

With the Cubs facing 3rd and 7 from the 40, Guidry made yet another highlight reel-worthy one-handed catch to pick up 27 and put Brenham at the Randle 33.

The junior made another grab despite good coverage from Blake Thompson for a pick up of 11 and a first down at the 19 to help set up a seven-yard score from Harvey to junior Cartelle Brown.

An extra point from Cienega cut the Lions’ lead to 21-14 with 6:39 left in the contest.

Randle, facing third and 9 from its own 27, needed a play to hang on to its lead with 5:12 left.

Offensive coordinator Brooks Haack dialed up a play to get Williams-Callis the ball through the air, and Skrabanek hit him in space.

All Williams-Callis did from there was take the ball 73 yards, around two defenders and through contact at the goal line, for a back-breaking touchdown that took the air out of the Brenham sideline and gave the Lions a 28-14 lead with 4:58 remaining in

the game.

After that, the Randle defense made two fourth-down stops to secure the program’s first round-three win ever.

“You’re in there at halftime and you’re up 21-0 and you tell the boys second half, second half, second half,” Randle said. “But you know, they’re kids. When you’re dealing with kids, sometimes kids get lax. Sometimes coaches get lax and it’s just a natural thing, but today showed me something.

“We have grit and we can finish, so I’m really proud of the kids and I’m really proud of the coaches for taking care of business there at the end.”

Williams-Callis finished with 180 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns, with 107 of those yards coming on the ground across 26 carries.

Sweeny gained 59 yards on six rushes. Sweeny did not attempt a pass in the game.

The Lions were without senior tailback Sincere Timpson, who has worked as the No. 2 back in the backfield behind WilliamsCallis all season.

“I felt like I would have hurt my team more than helped them by playing today,” Timpson said. “So we also wanted to make sure we got my full recovery and didn’t hurt myself more.”

Timpson added that he’s been icing three times a day and noted he thinks the injury is just a bruise but that “if it isn’t feeling better, I will go to check it out.”

Skrabanek finished with 151 yards and two scores on 5-7 passing. The junior noted that the Lions tried using the pass to open up the run game, which gained 161 yards on 34 carries.

“So the second half, we wanted to run time off the clock, but we knew there were holes in our run-game plan, so we tried fixing them,” Skrabanek said. “We tried passing the ball a bit to open up the run, which we did.”

Parker finished with 12 total tackles, including six for loss, and a pass breakup, while Texas A&M commit Chace Sims finished with four tackles for loss as part of a 10-tackle performance. Fellow senior L’Jalen Miller recorded a sack and three tackles for loss.

Harvey finished the game completing 18 of 32 passes for 233 yards and a score. Guidry led the way with 10 catches and 180 yards to go along with his touchdown, while sophomore Ledrick Walker Jr. picked up a team-high 13 rushing yards on eight carries.

The Lions held Brenham to -15 rushing yards, despite the Cubs throwing for 252 yards through the air.

“They were blocking us up front,” Randle said of Brenham’s offense in the second half. “They did a good job up front. We weren’t getting much pressure late. (Guidry) is amazing. He made probably three catches where we went man-three and doubled him and he still came down with them one-handed. You have to tip your cap to that, he made plays.”

Despite getting experience in the team’s first close game since Week 5, Randle said he’d prefer if his group would have opened up a big lead early and put the game away without allowing the Cubs back into the game.

“I like when we come take care of business and we run them out of the stadium,” Randle said. “That’s my favorite. I’m old and I’ve got a heart condition, so these games take days and years off of your life a little bit.”

Randle (13-0) advanced to take on Iowa Colony (12-1) in the Region III final Saturday at 6 p.m. at NRG Stadium in Houston.

The Pioneers advanced with a 31-21 win over Fort Bend-Marshall in the semifinal Friday at NRG. The Lions defeated Iowa Colony 30-10 Sept. 26 in Week 5.

Brenham’s season ended with a record of 11-2.

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PLAYOFF GAME #4

PUNCHING A STATE TICKET

I

Lions Prevail in OT Rematch with Pioneers

by Sam Scinta Jr.

njuries derailed the Randle Lions’ quest for a first-ever berth in the state semifinal in 2023.

This time around, it was a player coming back from multiple in-season injuries who stepped up when it mattered most.

Senior quarterback Keilan Sweeny scored two touchdowns on the ground and pulled in the game-winning 10yard touchdown through the air in overtime as Randle claimed the 5A DII Region III crown with a 21-14 win over Iowa Colony at NRG Stadium.

“I just feel that play-makers have to make plays in big-time moments, on this stage at NRG,” Sweeny said. “It’s hard to beat a good team twice, but it’s harder to beat a great team once. That’s what we showed tonight.”

The win was the second on the year for the Lions over the Pioneers. Randle won the first game 30-10 Sept. 26 in Rosharon.

Sweeny finished the game with 111 all-purpose yards, going 9-11 through the air for 67 yards while rushing the ball 12 times for 44 yards and two touchdowns. The senior also caught two passes for 14 yards and the go-ahead score.

“Our biggest thing is adding value, we talk about that all the time,” Randle coach Brian Randle said. “Make sure you’re doing something to add value. Keilan does that.”

Randle won the toss and chose to defer to the second half, giving the Pioneers the ball first.

Iowa Colony responded by marching 54 yards downfield in seven plays, capped by sophomore quarterback Carson White’s three-yard touchdown run that put the Pioneers up 7-0 at the 9:03 mark of the first.

On the ensuing Randle drive, junior quarterback Tyler Skrabanek’s heave downfield on third and five was intercepted by junior Jeremy Garner II and returned to the Lions’ 43.

The Pioneers marched down to the Randle three-yard line, but a holding penalty backed them to the 13. One play later, White’s throw to the end zone was cut off by junior Lion linebacker Ryan Mallory, who took the return to the Randle 29.

Randle took advantage of the turnover, using the change in momentum to rip off a 14-play, 71-yard drive that was capped with Sweeny’s first touchdown of the game, a three-yard rushing score.

Senior kicker Christian Munguia’s point-after try tied the game 7-7 with 8:31 to go before halftime.

The Lions got another big stop on the following Iowa Colony possession, stuffing a Pioneer fake punt for no gain at the plus-27 with 6:43 left until the break.

Randle was forced to settle for a 38-yard field goal try from

12 ★ Randle Championship Magazine 2025

Munguia after the ensuing drive stalled at the Iowa Colony 21.

The kick missed wide left, but the Pioneers were flagged for a roughing-the-kicker penalty that gave the Lions first and 10 from the 11.

The penalty was the Pioneers’ second roughing-the-kicker flag of the game after being penalized on the Lions’ first point-after try.

Three plays later, Sweeny scored his second rushing touchdown of the game from seven yards out to give Randle its first lead of the night at 14-7 with 4:07 left in the second quarter.

Iowa Colony had an answer before halftime, however, as White’s 22-yard touchdown strike to Ian Hill tied the game 14-14 at the 2:24 mark of the second.

The pass capped a six-play, 75-yard drive for the Pioneers and tied the most points allowed in a game by the Randle defense this season.

Randle tried to make something happen on its next drive, but Skrabanek’s pass on fourth and nine was broken up for a turnover on downs that gave Iowa Colony first and 10 from the Pioneers’ 41.

The Lions’ defense stood up before intermission, however, as senior Texas A&M signee Chace Sims recovered an Aaron Tenner fumble at the Iowa Colony 47 with nine seconds left on the clock to preserve the tie going into the locker room.

After halftime, it was all defense.

The teams combined for three punts in the third quarter, with the Lions forcing another Iowa Colony kick to start the fourth.

On the next Randle possession, a missed connection on a halfback toss helped push the Lions back to fourth and 13 from their own 15.

The Lions didn’t get much help on the punt, as the kick netted Randle just 20 yards and set Iowa Colony up with a first-and-10 opportunity from the plus-35.

But, yet again, it was the Randle defense making a stop when White’s pass hit the turf on fourth and six from the Lions’ 31 with 8:00 left on the clock.

Randle got an opportunity to take the lead on its next drive, but a delay-of-game call pushed what would have been a 31-yard field goal try to a 36-yard attempt.

On the try, Munguia’s kick found the left upright before bouncing down and clanging off the crossbar and out, keeping the score 14-14 and giving Iowa Colony a first and 10 from the Pioneers’ 20 with 4:32 left in regulation.

The Lions’ defense again stood tall on the ensuing Iowa Colony possession, with the Pioneers picking up just one first down before being forced to punt the ball back to Randle with 2:28 remaining.

Randle looked to be at the very edge of Munguia’s field goal range at the Iowa Colony 34 on third and seven, but Adrian Porter Jr. got into the backfield and sacked Sweeny for a loss of 10 with six seconds left.

Instead of a desperate heave to the end zone, the Lions ran a hook-and-ladder play to Cedrick McClintock downfield, but the receiver was brought down at the Pioneers’ nine-yard line as time expired.

The Pioneers won the overtime coin toss and elected to play defense first.

On Randle’s first play of overtime, the Lions were whistled for their sixth false start penalty, part of a 12-penalty night that plagued the team all game long.

The Lions overcame the whistle, however, as Skrabanek hit a wide-open Sweeny on third and goal from the 10 to take a 21-14 lead.

After White was stuffed by senior defensive lineman L’Jalen Miller for no gain on first down, Miller made another big play when he hit Tenner in the backfield for a loss of three.

“We talked about it all week,” Randle said. “L’Jalen had to get going, Chace had to get going. Everybody had to come on, and they did. That’s the biggest thing is making sure we take care of business. L’Jalen played a heck of a game. When I tell you I’m proud of the entire football team, it’s because they persevered.”

A false start call against Iowa Colony pinned the Pioneers back to third and 18 from the 33, and that’s where the Lions’ defense made one more play.

Sims powered through Iowa Colony right tackle Adrien Clark-El and hit White from behind, knocking the ball free for safety Jalyn Burton to recover and end the game, sending the Lions pouring onto the field and on to the state semifinal.

“We’re one round away from where we need to be,” Sweeny said. “We’re one round away from Jerryworld.”

For the Lions’ head man, what matters most is that his team

survived and advanced.

“We found a way,” Randle said. “That’s the biggest thing. We’ve been finding ways. (Tonight) was growth. If this was played this time last year, we lose that ballgame. We took care of business when we had to, but we left a lot out there. We did not play well offensively.”

Skrabanek finished with 113 yards, one score and one interception on 7-12 passing, while sophomore back Landen WilliamsCallis led the Lions’ rushing attack with 131 yards on 28 touches.

Williams-Callis added 20 receiving yards to go with his rushing total.

Receiver Sean Smith caught a team-high four passes for 18 yards, while McClintock led in receiving yardage with 45. Montelongo caught three balls for 34 yards, including a couple of key throws late in the second half.

“I was looking at my coach and I just told him let’s call this and I got the job done,” Montelongo said of stepping up late. “My confidence is something that carries me through making big plays in big situations. In practice, I make those kinds of plays 20 to 30 times a week, so when we get into games, I already have the confidence and I don’t have to think about them.”

Miller led the defense with two tackles for loss, while Sims, JaQuin Parker and Te’Shaun Williams each had one. Sims had a team-high nine total tackles, while Williams, Miller and Parker each had seven.

Randle out-gained Iowa Colony 318-221 in the contest and held the Pioneers to just 43 yards and two first downs in the second half and overtime.

Randle (14-0) advanced to its first-ever state semifinal, where the Lions took on Boerne at McLane Stadium on the campus of Baylor University in Waco. The Greyhounds advanced with a 6550 win over Corpus Christi-Miller at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

Iowa Colony’s season ended with a record of 12-2.

Junior safety Jalyn Burton, a highlight-maker all season long, secured the Lions' win, and trip to the state semifinal, by recovering an Iowa Colony fumble in overtime.

Randle Championship Magazine 2025 ★ 13

PLAYOFF GAME #5

LIONS OUT-RACE GREYHOUNDS Defense, 2nd-Half Surge Send Randle to Title Game

P

by Joel Luna

laying through a drizzle to start the Class 5A DII state semifinal contest at McLane Stadium, the game turned into a Randle Lion deluge thanks to 28 unanswered points in a 42-7 victory against the Boerne Greyhounds.

In its third year of varsity sports, Randle advance to the 5A DII championship game against DallasSouth Oak Cliff (13-2) at AT&T Stadium this Friday night.

“When I tell you it is has been a grind, it has been a tough grind, but I am happy for these kids and this community,” Randle head football coach Brian Randle said afterwards. “I am so excited, I am so excited for them.

“But at half-time we had to make some adjustments and we had to take care of business. That’s what coaching is and that’s what I told our coaching staff that they were talked about being so well coached and they do everything perfect. But they didn’t say anything about our coaching staff and how well we coach.

This coaching staff coached their asses off and I am so proud of them.”

Oak Cliff beat Argyle 37-3 in the other semifinal game.

In a tight battle at halftime, the Lions went into the locker room leading 14-7 thanks to two 32-yard passing touchdowns to Keilan Sweeny and Da’Shawn Burton.

But the Lions also had five penalties for 55 yards.

“We knew that we didn’t play our best in the first half and we knew that we had to pick it up,” Randle tight end Mason Mixon said. “We wanted to go to the state championship and we knew we had to play the best 24 minutes in the second half to get it done.”

Randle came out of a that locker room putting together a 12play, 77-yard drive, with Sweeny knocking it in from four yards out, 21-7.

“Coach Randle, in the locker room, he got after us and he just talked us into coming out play better in the second half,” Landen Williams-Callis said. “He just kept telling us to pick it up and wake up. So we had to.”

After the Lion defense held the Greyhounds on three downs, the Lions went back to work.

In their second drive of the second half, the Lions went 68 yards on six plays, with junior quarterback Tyler Skrabanek finding senior Jaxon Montelongo on third and 10 with an 18 yard gain to the 37 of the Greyhounds.

Two plays later it seemed like Landen Williams-Callis had weaved himself in from 19 yards out but a low blocking penalty sent the Lions 15 yards back instead.

Randle didn’t twitch, instead doing a double reverse on its next

14 ★ Randle Championship Magazine 2025

play with Sweeny finding Mixon in the end zone 28-7 after Christian Munguia’s extra point.

There was no breathing room for Boerne, because defensively the Lions just were not allowing it. On second and 10, Greyhound quarterback Hank Hendrix threw a side pass to his receiver which bounced off his foot and Sh’Rod Revis was right there for the pick-6 and a 35-7 lead.

Boerne only mustered 33 yards of offense in that third quarter with two first downs.

The Greyhounds’ longest drive in the second half went 12 plays but ended on downs with the Lions taking over at their own 22 yard line.

Hendrix who threw for 105 yards in the first half was only 2-of-9 for 20 yards in the second half.

Randle finished the scoring with a seven play 78 yard drive with Williams-Callis punching it in from the 1-yard line.

Though the run game has played a huge part during the season, in this particular one it was the passing game from Skrabanek, who went 20-of-29 for 256 yards and three touchdowns.

“The game plan was simple we had to pass the ball and we had to work around some of their linebackers,” Skrabanek said.

“Which was exactly what we did and we executed it very well.

“We also knew that we could attack the corners and the safeties and that’s what we did.”

Boerne’s Hendrix started the game by completing 5-of-6 passes but could only get the Greyhounds to the 50 yard line in their first two drives.

Randle started its second drive at their own 24 yard line with Skrabanek finding Sweeny for an eight yard completion on third and seven to keep the drive going. A 15 yard run from Sincere Timpson placed the ball at the 50.

Facing a third and three, Montelongo snagged an 11-yard catch from Skrabanek to have them at the 32 of Boerne.

Skrabanek then veered back on first down and laid a perfect pass for Sweeny in the left side flat which he dove for in the end zone, 7-0 with 2:18 left in the period.

Using a short field on the Greyhounds’ only score, the home team started at the 20 yard line of the Lions after a personal penalty.

With a fourth down and 17 from the 27 yard line Hendrix and the Greyhounds got a free play when Randle jumped offsides, but Boerne kept playing and completed a pass to Eligah Hanks in the end zone, 14-7.

Randle improved to 15-0 on the season and this was quite a present for the Lions head coach, who celebrated his birthday the night of the game.

Senior safety Sh'Rhod Revis (No. 3) put the state semifinal against the Greyhounds away with a pick-six, sealing the Lions' first-ever trip to AT&T Stadium and the state championship game.

Congratulations to Tyler Skrabanek Quarterback, Love Grams for Winning Texas State Champions for the Randle High School Lions and also receiving the honor of being selected First Team All District Quarterback for his District 5A.

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TITLE GAME

PRIDE OF TEXAS Lions stun state power, win 1st championship

A

by Sam Scinta Jr.

s it turned out, the new kids on the block had running back, told me ‘Coach I’m a running back.’ Nah, you’re a some tricks of their own. linebacker, babe. Look at him, he’s a linebacker. And be bought The Randle Lions, unbeaten but still heavy in.” underdogs against 5A DII state-powerhouse It looked as if Randle would give the ball back to SOC after its Dallas-South Oak Cliff, got an historic special ensuing possession, but the Golden Bears muffed the punt, with team performance and held on in the end to Camron Hypolite recovering at the South Oak Cliff 20. win a thrilling 38-35 instant classic at AT&T Four plays later, Offensive MVP Landen Williams-Callis crossed Stadium and bring home the school’s first-ever UIL state cham- the goal line from the one to put Randle up 14-0 at the 6:45 mark pionship. of the first.

“I’m extremely proud,” Randle coach Brian Randle said. “I’m South Oak Cliff, making its fourth-straight appearance in the extremely happy for the boys, happy for the community. The kids state title game, didn’t roll over down two scores. worked their tails off. When I say they worked hard, they worked Instead, the Golden Bears ripped off a 13-play, 76-yard scoring hard. drive capped by Kopecky’s 17-yard dot to Jaylen Moore with 1:38 “They are very deserving. They had to put up with my crap for left in the first.

16 weeks. That’s a lot.”

On the next Randle drive, the Lions had a 66-yard touchdown For the players, the emotions were running strong. run from Williams-Callis called back on a hold.

“To be honest with you, I’m kind of at a loss for words,” senior Randle got points to end the drive anyway when kicker Chrisdefensive tackle Chace Sims said. “It’s a lot of emotions going tian Munguia hit a 44-yard kick for a 17-7 lead with 10:19 left on. I don’t even know how to feel right now, I’m just glad we went before halftime.

16-0.”

The Golden Bears got a score Randle won the game making a back when Mikail Trotter survived little more history of its own, as the initial contact and stretched the Lions’ special teams scored two ball across the goal line to pull SOC touchdowns and recovered a turnwithin 17-14 at the 6:29 mark of the over to lead the Black and Silver to second. their biggest win ever.

That run capped a 10-play, 75“It’s funny because we probably yard drive and matched the previwork in an extra 20 minutes (on ous high mark in points the Randle special teams),” Randle said. “We defense had allowed. worked that fake reverse all week.”

After punting on the ensuing drive, The Lions got the fireworks startRandle got a key stop when defened early when senior Sincere Timpsive end Wayne Kelly got his hand son faked the reverse on the openon Kopecky’s throw on fourth and ing kick-off and instead housed the three from the Golden Bears’ 41. return 82 yards for the score that put The incompletion resulted in a Randle up 7-0 just 13 seconds into turnover on downs and, less than the game. two minutes later, points when seDefensive MVP Ryan Mallory nior Keilan Sweeny hit tight end Mamade his first impact play on South son Mixon for an 11-yard score that Oak Cliff’s second play from scrimstretched the Lions’ lead to 24-14 mage, sacking Golden Bears quargoing into halftime. terback Carter Kopecky for a loss of South Oak Cliff out-gained Ranfive that helped set up a three-anddle 186-137 in the first half, and that Senior Sean Smith gave the Lions the lead for out. margin expanded in the early mogood with his fourth-quarter kick-off return “Mallory just works his tail off,” ments of the third quarter. touchdown, Randle's second of the game.

Randle said. “He wanted to play Trotter took the first touch of the 16 ★ Randle Championship Magazine 2025

second half for a 75-yard score, pulling the Golden Bears within 24-21 13 seconds into the frame.

Despite getting a fourth-down conversion on a direct snap to Williams-Callis, the Lions turned the ball over when junior Tyler Skrabanek’s throw was short and intercepted by Kendrick Carter at the SOC 15-yard line.

Just two plays later, Damond Williams cut left before breaking back right and evading tackles upfield for an 85-yard touchdown run that gave SOC its first lead at 28-24 with 9:28 to go in the third.

The 160 rushing yards on two touches in the half took just 34 seconds for the Golden Bears.

After trading punts, South Oak Cliff had a chance with the ball at its own 40, but Kopecky’s pass was tipped and corralled by linebacker Perry Kindred for the interception.

The pick started a brief four play scoring drive, capped by Keilan Sweeny breaking the plane from 22 yards out to regain the lead at 31-28 at the 1:09 mark of the third.

SOC regained the advantage with 9:02 left in the game, when Kopecky kept the ball on the read option and ran right for a 22yard score and a 35-31 lead.

That lead would ultimately be short lived, as the Lions’ special teams made a play that will be talked about in the halls of Randle High School forever.

Receiver Sean Smith took the kick-off, made some cuts and hit space with speed, erupting for a 72-yard return touchdown that put the Lions up 38-35 with 8:51 left.

Smith’s return tied the 11-man championship-game record with two return scores set in 1976.

The Lions forced a punt with 6:06 left in the game, but Jamarion Phillips stopped Williams-Callis short on third-and-two as Randle had to give the ball back.

Senior tailback Sincere Timpson (right) is overcome with emotion while hugging coach Mark Washington (left) after the Lions were crowned as state champs.

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Kindred’s punt landed at the Randle 44, giving the Golden Bears a short field down three with 3:36 remaining.

Then, for a moment, it looked as if SOC had re-gained the lead when Williams cut left for a 42-yard rushing score.

Fortunately for the Lions, a holding flag wiped the touchdown off the board.

SOC was able to convert a fourthand-10 opportunity, but a two-yard run from Kopecky spun the clock with no Golden Bear timeouts remaining.

The Golden Bears sprinted out kicker Ceasar Olavera for a 45-yard field goal try as time expired, but the kick missed well left as the Lions poured onto the field in jubilation.

In the end, the Lions just weren’t afraid of a South Oak Cliff team making its fourth-straight trip to the title game.

“South Oak Cliff is amazing,” Randle said. “To get here four years in a row, that’s a big deal. Those guys are great coaches, they do an outstanding job.

Our biggest thing was not to flinch.

“We have a saying — we bully bullies. So, last year when we played (Fort Bend-Marshall) in the first round, we were a 24-point (underdog) and nobody really gave us a chance. We talked about that. It’s easy to rally behind that when you’re the underdog.”

Williams-Callis finished with 106 yards and one score on the ground.

For the sophomore, who is the cousin of Lamar Consolidated legend and 2007 state champion Jacquizz Rodgers, the win affords him, finally, the right to talk some smack.

“It feels great,” Williams-Callis said.

“He’s been bragging about (winning a title). He said ‘you can’t talk to me unless you win the state game,’ so you know I just had to win it.

“I’m going to call him after this. I’m going to call him after this and brag.”

Sweeny threw for 29 yards and a score while rushing for 28 and a touchdown.

Mixon and Dacorian Rubin each caught three passes.

Mallory finished with a game-high 12 tackles, including two tackles for loss.

Trotter led South Oak Cliff with 172 yards and two scores on 19 carries, while Williams gained 139 yards and a touchdown on 13 touches.

The Golden Bears out-gained Randle 461-211, had 19 first downs to Randle’s 11, and lost.

For the Lions, the win is about validating the belief those in the program have had since day one — this was a championship-caliber team.

18 ★ Randle Championship Magazine 2025

Senior cornerback Blake Thompson (No. 8) played lockdown defense in the secondary all season for the Lions in helping lead the Randle defense to the championship.

Senior defensive tackles Chace Sims (No. 59) and L'Jalen Miller (No. 12) made up one of the best defensive lines in the state, with their disruptive play up the middle at times being too much for the Golden Bears to handle in the title game.

Randle students and fans made the 288-mile drive from the school to AT&T Stadium in Arlington to see their Lions win the crown.

Randle Championship Magazine 2025 ★ 19

Junior linebacker Ryan Mallory may have wanted to play running back this season, but the decision to move him to defense paid dividends for the Lions, as Mallory was named Defensive MVP of the state title game after leading Randle in tackles. He also recorded a sack in the contest.

Landen Williams-Callis was more than just the hype. The sophomore, named Offensive MVP of the title bout, scored a touchdown and ran for more than 100 yards in the win.

20 ★ Randle Championship Magazine 2025

Continued from page 3

Although, just by glancing at Randle's record, it might be tough to tell the Lions learned a difficult lesson that year.

Flying high at 4-0 heading into a highly anticipated showdown with district-favorite Lake Creek, the other Lions were just too much in a humbling 59-34 defeat that gave LC the inside edge on the league race.

Randle got its first playoff test in November of that season when the Lions took on Fort Bend-Marshall in the Bi-District round, getting a 35-24 win in a game coach Randle said not many had given them a chance in.

And then the injuries started piling up, and just two weeks later the Lions were bounced in a 14-13 third-round playoff loss to Huntsville.

11 wins and a second-place finish in the district race, just to be dropped out of the playoffs before the regional final.

Of course, there was still plenty of reason for optimism.

All of the players who started to emerge the year before took another step and, when on the field, showed they were a force.

Not to mention the freshman sensation at running back who racked up more than 1,900 yards in his first foray into varsity action.

But Landen Williams-Callis and the Lions would have to wait for their day in the sun.

THE MOUNTAINTOP Most picked the Lions to win Region III in 2024.

Many picked the Lions to play for the state championship in 5A-DII and some tabbed Randle as the best team in the division, anywhere in the state. Those last people were right.

But in talking to coach Randle before the season, one thing had to happen to ensure any of the rest could follow - the Lions had to stay healthy.

“The biggest thing is staying healthy,” coach Randle said before the year. “If we can stay healthier than we were last year, because that killed us, we could be really special; really special. We have all the talent in the world, we just need to keep them on the field.”

And, early on at least, it looked as if Lady Luck was not on Randle's side.

The Lions lost big-time contributors like Strickland and Noriel "Pac Man" Dominguez early in the season, and after senior and part-time quarterback Keilan Sweeny got hurt against Texas City, it looked as if perhaps the attrition of the season would be too much to overcome.

Then Sweeny came back against Belton in the first round of the playoffs before getting hurt against Belton in the first round of the playoffs. And Williams-Callis, along with senior speedster Sincere Timpson, dealt with bumps and bruises after the Elgin and Brenham games.

But something changed over the course of those three years.

Between fielding a talented team with no seniors that regularly dropped winnable games, faltering in the big moments, and the Region III Final against Iowa Colony at NRG Stadium in Houston, the Lions learned how to win.

Because that 2022 team loses to the Pioneers well before overtime. The 2023 squad might have made it to the extra period but lacked, in the playoffs, that get-over-the-hump play to make a difference on the final scoreboard.

The 2024 team, however, had none of those problems.

Sweeny came back from his injury and made huge plays, scoring all three Lion touchdowns in the regional final. Sims did what Sims does, knocking the ball out in overtime for Jalyn Burton to recover and win the game.

Then, a blowout in the semifinal and a win in a back-and-forth thriller that was perhaps the highlight of championship weekend at AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

In just three seasons, the Lions got the right players lined up in the right spots at the right time. It was, simply, their time. Their season.Their state.

CONGRATULATIONS! Randle High School Lions For Winning The Texas State Championship!

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Randle Championship Magazine 2025 ★ 21

RANDLE LIONS 2024 1. Landen Williams-Callis So. RB 2. Dacorian Rubin Jr. ATH 3. Sh’Rhod Revis Sr. DB 4. Keilan Sweeny Sr. ATH 5. Te’Shaun Williams Sr. LB 6. Sean Smith Sr. ATH 7 Jaxon Montelongo Sr. WR 8. Blake Thompson Sr. DB 9. Noriel Dominguez Jr. LB 10. Eric Strickland Sr. DL 11. Ryan Mallory Jr. LB 12. L’Jalen Miller Sr. DL 13. Jaquin Parker Sr. LB 14. Sebastian Garza Sr. S 15. Cary Spires IV Jr. DE 16. Brady Bratcher Fr. QB 17. Cedrick McClintock Jr. WR 18. Mason Mixon Jr. TE 19. Tyler Skrabanek Jr. QB 20. David Jakande Sr. DB 21. Patrick Oliver So. DB 22. D’Shawn Burton Sr. RB 23. Jace Norman Sr. WR 24. Perry Kindred Sr. LB 25. Jayden Williams Jr. DB 26. Sincere Timpson Sr. RB 29. Jeffrey Thomas Sr. RB 30. Brandon Avila Sr. QB 31. Charles Boggess Jr. DB 32. Matthew Louison Sr. LB 33. Jael Benard So. DE 34. Jason Ike Jr. CB 35. Wayne Kelly Sr. DE 36. Justin Black Sr. CB 37. Rodney Fox Jr. DB 40. Camron Hypolite So. DT 42. Giovanni Madrid Sr. S 43. Kyron Cooley So. LB 44. Oscar Francis Sr. LB 48. Kaden White So. DB 50. Jamori Levi So. DL 51. Chad Reed So. LB 52. Contancio Pena Sr. LB 53. Claude Jackson Sr. OL

54. Corey Stewart Sr. DL 55. Chris Taylor Sr. OL 57. Caiden Hurd So. OL 57. Isaiah Odebele Jr. LB 59. Chace Sims Sr. DL 60. Rozrick Purvis Fr. WR 62. Avery Ford Fr. RB 63. Ronnie Hill So. OL 64. Ezekiel Buford Jr. OL 65. Eugene Gardener Sr. OL

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66. Kaden Pennygraph Jr. OL 67. Brendan Sargent So. OL 70. Logan Reed Jr. OL 71. Samuel Theirgood So. OL 73. Nicholas Ortiz Jr. OL 74. Henry Akindele Sr. OL 75. Bryce Hoelzel Jr. OL 76. Joseph Nwoko Sr. OL 78. Kendall Cummings Jr. OL 79. Jaiden January Jr. OL

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22 ★ Randle Championship Magazine 2025

Congratulations to The Randle High Lions for Winning The Texas State Championship!

281-341-8800 | 3900 B.F. Terry Blvd • Rosenberg, Texas, 77471 Hwy 59 South at FM 2218, Ten minutes South of Hwy 6

W W W. D AV I S G R E E N L AW N F H .C O M

4 FOOTBALL ROSTER Head Coach

Brian Randle

Assistant Coaches Preston Rambo Brooks Haack Jalon Leviege

Christopher White Franklin German Stephen Hill

Joey Jackson Michael Jinks Brian Layton

Thomas Pickerill Jayson Vigne

Mark Washington Carey Wright Pat Rosette

Manager - Journey Bailey

Athletic Trainer - Morgan Pope Student Trainers-

Even Sereno, Kiara Orellana, Sage Sims, Doris Osidele, Chastinee

Thompson, Karina De La Fuente, Tanjanae Whitney, Angel Nwoko,

Sofia Erazo, Mia Santiago, Brooklyn Fisher, Mya Valdez

80. Jalyn Burton Jr. DB 81. Ashton Johnson Jr. WR 82. Judah Edomobi Fr. WR 84. Ja’Kendryck Collins Sr. WR 85. Goodluck Akinlosotu Sr. WR 87. Quienton Carter Sr. WR 88. Xavier Greene Jr. WR 88. Christian Munguia Sr. K 90. Elijah Brown Sr. DL 91. Caleb George So. DL 92. LJ Gonzales So. LB

93. Makayden Doucet So. DL 94. Barack Decuir Fr. DL 95. Jaysen Smith Jr. DL 96. Jayis Barnes Fr. WR 97. Keelan Allen Fr. WR Kam Oderbert So. Brayden Odum So. David Sanyalou Jr.

Congratulations to Randle High Lions!

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Congratulations to Randle High Lions for Winning The Texas State Championship!

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Randle Championship Magazine 2025 ★ 23

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