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matchup. Back in 2021 Canadian got surprised by Abernathy early in the playoff run but that season is defiantly an anomaly. As we all know 2020 was a rough year but Canadian put the difficulties aside and took down Gunter (33-6) before advancing to win their last state championship. A single touchdown and PAT separated the two rivals in 2019 as Gunter beat Canadian (27-20) in the semi-finals. The year before Canadian claimed bragging rights with a (17-7) victory but the Wildcats lost to Newton in the 2018 state title game. Newton has played spoiler before beating Gunter for the 2017 championship a week after the Tiger took down Canadian (27-56) to reach the final game. In all, Gunter has won five of the seven matchups, including a (44-34) win in the first meeting back in 2016 when Canadian was the defending back-to-back champions. The Tigers and the Wildcats. Two rivals that never appear on the season schedule yet do battle on an almost annual basis. Canadian and Gunter rivals that never have to face each other on enemy ground as the games have been played on neutral fields. Two programs, some five and a half hours apart by car, are forever linked by their own dominance and will to add to the trophy case. Will 2024 see the next installment of this great rivalry? Only time will tell, but a smart fan would never count out either of these fierce programs.24

An Unlikely Rivalry Of Cats, Claws & State Titles

Friday’s nights are for rivalry, and every fall, Texans are treated to some great grudge matches that fans look forward to and discuss all year long. Most of the time, these rivalries are born from proximity. The next town over, the crosstown rivalry, the foe your school must battle each year for a shot at a district championship. However, one of the state’s best rivalries, and arguably the one with the most at stake in recent years, is none of these things. The communities of Canadian and Gunter are just shy of three-hundred and forty miles apart, but no two teams have met in as many games with huge consequences as the Wildcats and Tigers these last eight years. The two schools have battled seven of the last eight years, with the winner of each contest advancing to the State Championship. Before their last meeting back in December, Gunter Tiger head Coach Jake Fieszel was quoted as saying, “It speaks to how these programs are so similar in many ways. The players are bought in to do anything to win and be coached hard.” Fieszel went on to add, “That says a lot to both communities. There’s much more to it than good coaching and players. Everyone has to be all in.” Canadian head coach Andy Cavalier, who took over for the legendary Chris Koetting also shared his view of the battle. “It has to be one of the most unique rivalries in the entire state. To get matched up in the semifinals so many times is really cool. Gunter does a phenomenal job, and we just can’t wait.” These comments were, of course, made before Gunter went on to beat Canadian 38-17 on the way to their fourth state championship since 2016. Gunter has made six appearances in the championship game in all. Canadian has won six state titles though only three of those championships have come since the 2016 season when the rivalry with Gunter began. The Wildcats won two as a 1A school and one a 2A title back in 2007. The dominance of these two schools has been impressive as year in and year out, the road to the championship has gone through one or both of the programs. Last season, Canadian was a perfect 14-0 until they suffered that decisive loss to the Tigers. The year before was even more heartbreaking as the Wildcats fell by a single point in their 2022

Tahoka Tandem Thrill Bulldog Faithful The Tahoka tandem of Ruben Arguello (WR 5’10 145 4.6 SR.) and Brogan Stone (QB 6’1 150 SR) is one to watch in 2024. This talented duo of seniors will most likely grace every passing and receiving record there is for the Bulldogs when their high school careers end. Every quarterback has their favorite outlet, and when the two of them truly click, it can be infectious for the rest of the team as they feed off that chemistry. Tahoka will look to ride that wave and make a deeper playoff run than they have in recent years. Stone completed 114 of his 197 passing attempts for 1,932 yards and 25 TDs a season ago. Arguello hauled in 69 of those passes for 927 yards and a dozen touchdowns. Opposing defenses will no doubt key in hoping to shut down this prolific dua though both Stone and Arguello will be working to bolster those numbers in their final season at Tahoka.

Tiger Ball Is In Great Hands

Following Footsteps To Football Excellence

The Frenship Tiger will only have four starters back on offense this season, but the skill of those four is enough to make opposing defenses wary of the firepower. The wide receiver tandem of Leyton Stone (WR 6’3 190 SR.) and Chase Campbell (WR 6’2 185 JR.) is as talented of a one-two punch as you can find anywhere. Stone hauled in 95 catches for 1658 yards and 23 TDs a season ago and Campbell added another 84 catches for 1411 yards and 17 TDs. Both players will be thrilling football fans beyond high school. Stone, rated as a three-star recruit by most services, has already verbally committed to Texas Tech after receiving offers from Arizona and Baylor. In his twenty-three varsity games for the Tigers, Stone has amassed 158 receptions for 2835 yards and 37 touchdowns. Plenty of eyes will be on him for his senior

Chase Campbell

The best high school football programs, and communities as a whole, tend to be tight knit almost as if everyone were family. Sometimes they in fact are. No one that has been paying attention would question the closeness of the Stratford Elks football program. You can’t achieve the kind of success the school has had on the gridiron without it. Legendary coaches, talented players, and an involved community have kept the program humming along year in and year out. Scratch that, we are talking about decades, not mere years of deep playoff runs and additions to the trophy

case. Family has always been a big part of Stratford’s identity and it still is. Both in the broader, almost metaphorical sense and the literal. Head Coach Jon Murphy noted this and said, “The Lantelme family continues to make a big impact on our program.” David Lantelme is the Elk’s longtime defensive coordinator, and his 3-4 Defense should be good again this

Ty Thompson To Join Elite Company In Graham

Leyton Stone

campaign to watch not only the excitement on the field but also if he can be persuaded to reopen his recruitment before signing day. Entering his junior season Campbell holds eight offers from schools such as Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado State, and Kansas State. Of course, Texas Tech is also in the mix after being the first to make an offer on this incredibly talented four-star recruit right in their own backyard. Campbell will be one of the state’s top recruits for the 2026 class. Arkansas could be considered the favorite given both his parents are former Razorbacks though the looming presence of the Red Raiders will no doubt be in the mix when Campbell makes his final decision where to play next. While Stone and Campbell are enough to keep defensive coordinators up late, they are not the only outlets Frenship will look to. Noah Ingram (WR 6’0 190 SR.) is a talent more than capable of punishing opposing teams on the gridiron or the baseball diamond. The Tiger pipeline also boasts Isiah Gilliam (WR 6’1 185 Soph.) to add even more depth and talent. The biggest problem Frenship’s passing game has landed on Holden Phillips’s (QB 6’1 185 SR.) shoulder pads as he decides which of these talented receivers to look at first.

Ty Thompson to Join Elite Company in Graham Case McCoy established himself as a Graham Steer legend by starting four straight seasons (2006-2009) at quarterback for teams his father Brad McCoy coached. Older brother Colt was already a known quantity. Both players went on to play for the University of Texas Longhorns. When Ty Thompson (QB 6’2 200 4.72 SR.) takes to the field this fall, he will become the first quarterback to start four seasons for Graham since Case McCoy. The Steers finished 34-17 during McCoy’s era, which culminated in a tight one-point loss to Carthage in the 2009 State Championship game. Graham’s record during Thompson’s three years under centers stands at 23-11 and the Steers return eight offensive starters so eleven or more wins is certainly possible with a good postseason run. Only time will tell if Thompson is able to lead Graham to more wins, or that final trophy but it’s clear that the tradition of strong quarterback play is alive and well in Graham.

coming season, given eight starters return. Not to be outdone, Offensive Coordinator Casey Lantelme will also have eight starts back to man Stratford’s Split Back brand of offense. Casey Lantelme is David’s son, but not his only offspring involved in the football team. Chase Lantelme (WR/FS 6’0 150 4.7 Soph.) will start at both Safety and Wide Receiver for the second straight season while being coached by his dad and older brother. Chase recorded 72 tackles and 339 receiving yards as a freshman and his impact for the team is only expected to grow as he develops into an upperclassman. The Lantelme name is one that will be pivotal to the success of the Elks this coming season and no doubt that makes for some interesting Sunday dinners as well.

This coming season Camren Cavalier will be a member of the Harding University football team in Searcy, Arkansas. The Bison are the defending NCAA Division II National Champions and are again ranked number 1 entering the season in some polls so earing playing time will be tough, but Cavalier has proven his talent and toughness so his fans will be eagerly watching for him to earn his shot at the next level. Honors: Amarillo Globe News Player of the Year ... Padilla Poll First Team All-State ... MaxPreps Second Team Small School All-American ... PressPass Sports Player of the Year ... District MVP ... holds Texas high school record for combined rushing and passing TD in a season (83) Stats: 3,951 passing yards, 59 TD and 1,494 rushing yards, 24 TD as a senior ... 9,650 passing yards, 113 TD and 3,059 rushing yards, 66 TD in his high school career ... 12,709 total yards and 179 TD

The Cavaliers Continue To Shape Panhandle Football

Shamrock QB Is Ready To Cook

Last name aside, quarterback Philip Cook of Shamrock looked more like a chef than a line cook while serving up an array of yards and touchdowns last season. The 5’10 170 pound senior is a dual threat that can cook in more ways than one as his forty time of 4.5 attests. Shamrock has bounced back in recent years making three straight postseason appearances proving the program has dialed up the wining ingredients it takes to compete in a competitive district and area. This coming season could be special for the team at large and Philip Cook as he looks to put that added flavor on his senior campaign after dazzling fans in his junior season. Cook finishes with 2779 passing yards while competing 192 passes on 318 attempts for a 60.3 % completion percentage. Add in 29 touchdowns via the air, 3 more TDs via the ground, and 512 yards rushing, and Cook’s impact on the team is undeniable. Averaging almost six yards per carry, defenses are left with the difficult task of containing Cook and Shamrock’s offense. Head Coach Nate Skelton said, “Philip, broke all our school passing records last year. I look forward to seeing his growth as a leader and quarterback.” The bar has been set, and expectations are high, but Cook could very well re-establish school records for a second straight season in 2024. Gruver has eliminated the Irish two of the last three seasons and Shamrock is hungry to advance beyond the Bi-District round of postseason play. This region has some of the best 2A teams in the state so the road is difficult but expect Cook and the Shamrock Irish to be in the mix of teams vying to escape and play teams from down south.24

The Canadian Wildcats have the type of program that doesn’t rebuild so much as retool. That said some players leave a lasting mark that etches its way into he hearts and minds of fans, teammates and coaches. Camren Cavalier is such a player. The Wildcats say goodbye to their stellar QB. For Head Coach Andy Cavalier, the departure is, no doubt, bittersweet as he watches his son move forward with his playing career while also being tasked with replacing the production and leadership. Camren graduated after three years of being the starting QB in Canadian. Camren amassed 12,709 total yards and 179 total touchdowns during that span and earned his many honors. Amarillo Globe News Player of the Year, Padilla Poll First Team All-State, MaxPreps Second Team Small School All-American, PressPass Sports Player of the Year, District MVP. He finishes his high school career holding the Texas high school record for combined rushing and passing TDs (83) in a single season.

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A Cheer For The Cheerleaders For more than fifty years now we here at Top O’ Texas have strived to bring you the best coverage of the teams, athletes, and coaches that make up our readership area. And we have done so as avid fans of both the game and the region. There truly is nothing quite like a fall Friday night underneath those lights. The excitement in the air, the aromas drifting from the concession stand, the murmur of the crowd. The rhythm of the drum line, and of course the chants, cheers, and shake of the pompoms brought to us all by the cheerleaders. What would a high school game be without the revelry and rivalry roused at each and every school by the cheerleaders? Not only do they add to the ambiance, they inspire and instigate, they lift and they throw not only each other but shirts, footballs, and spirits. They are the ambassadors of the game the Link between what is going on on the field and in the stands. They are also most often the link between us and you, our cherished readers. Without cheerleaders helping us in the many communities we reach we could not bring you such a big and robust magazine each year. Through ad sales, which also serve as a fund-raiser for a variety of groups, but especially the cheerleaders, our community ambassadors help us to feature more teams and more athletes. We realize there are other magazines out here but not devote as much time, attention or page space to the players and coaches in our area. We thank each of you for reading, for buying copies for friends and family, for placing adds of support for your community. And we especially thank the cheerleaders for leading in this endeavor each and every year. GO Cheerleaders!

On The Cover

Childress Bobcats 2023 Record: 8-4 Area Finalist

2024 Top O’ Texas Football Magazine

Super Cheer Squads

Stanton Buffaloes

Crane Golden Cranes

Idalou Wildcats 6

2024 Top O’ Texas Football Magazine

New Sales Group

Sunray Bobcats

TOP O’ TEXAS

No. 56

The Contents

Weaknesses, etc. Class 4A Top Five Teams........................................ 67

Top O’ Texas Points Of Interests................................. 2

4A Teams: Rosters, Schedules, Strengths,

Top O’ Texas Super Sales Squads.............................. 6

Weaknesses, etc.

Top O’ Texas Super Teams......................................... 9

Class 3A Top Five Teams...................................... 102

College Roundup........................................................ 16

3A Teams: Rosters, Schedules, Strengths,

Class 6A Top Five Teams........................................ 22

Weaknesses, etc.

Teams of Abilene, Teams of Amarillo & Canyon,

Class 2A Top Five Teams...................................... 265

Teams of El Paso Area, Teams of Lubbock,

2A: Rosters, Schedules, Strengths, Weaknesses, etc.

Teams of Midland & Odessa, Teams of San Angelo

Class A 6-Man Top Five Teams............................. 405

Rosters, Schedules, Strengths, Weaknesses, etc.

A 6-Man Teams: Rosters, Schedules, Strengths,

Class 5A Top Five Teams........................................ 23

Weaknesses, etc.

5A Teams: Rosters, Schedules, Strengths,

• All-School Index..................................................... 480

Andrew Velasco

Kemyd Faciane

Jaesen DeBouse

Ryan Monsey

192-1728 Yards 12 TDs

173-1719 Yards 17 TDs

103-2236 Yards 24 TDs

205-1721 Yards 24 TDs

Denver City 5-06, 160 4.6

Wink 5-10, 195 4.7

Andrews 5-10, 180 4.4

2024 Returning Stat Leaders

Name H W Year 40 Carries Yards YRD per carry TD Jaesen DeBouse 5-10 180 11 4.4 103 2236 21.7 24 Xavier Jimenez 5-08 208 12 4.8 262 2000 7.6 20 Andrew Velasco 5-06 160 12 4.6 192 1728 9.0 12 Rylan Monsey 5-07 172 12 4.78 205 1721 8.4 24 Kemyd Faciane 5-10 195 10 4.7 173 1719 9.9 17 JP Carbajal 5-07 165 1594 20 Bobby Ross Jr 6-03 215 12 4.58 149 1565 10.5 22 Brylyn Lopez 5-09 175 12 248 1504 6.1 13 Travon Lewis 172 1278 7.4 14 Cole Pittman 5-07 170 12 4.7 150 1277 8.5 16 Caden Cargile 5-09 165 12 4.8 181 1224 6.8 15 Zamar Vargas 5-08 175 12 4.8 184 1204 6.5 15 Julius Atherton 183 1187 6.5 10 Tristan Griffin 5-07 160 12 4.8 119 1169 9.8 6 Josue Sigala 5-10 175 10 4.5 94 1133 12.1 22 Korda Moore 6-00 205 12 4.67 154 1056 6.9 24 Alan Mota 153 1029 6.7 11 James Bozeman Jr 5-08 155 11 4.35 92 1029 11.2 17 Arnold Mendoza 5-09 185 12 4.8 146 974 6.7 5 Israel Licon 5-06 175 12 4.8 118 933 7.9 14 Angel Lara 5-10 200 11 4.6 140 856 6.1 5 Ryan Estrada 5-11 191 11 4.47 84 807 9.6 10 Julian Munoz 5-07 135 12 4.6 120 804 6.7 10 Christian Davalos 5-08 185 12 4.64 132 780 5.9 8 Gentry Pounds 5-09 180 12 4.7 88 703 8.0 11 Caton Cramer 6-03 195 11 4.6 123 699 5.7 13 Huston Stockton 6-01 205 12 4.7 686 7 Walker Maupin 5-10 160 12 4.5 95 681 7.2 8 Brayson Choate 5-11 175 12 4.4 87 667 7.7 14 Kaston Vega 5-11 185 12 61 629 10.3 11 Miguel Rubio 170 566 3.3 1 Cle’ Whitfield 5-10 185 12 60 548 9.1 9 Seth Turner 6-01 180 12 4.8 100 543 5.4 7 Jackson Austin 5-10 175 12 4.6 59 526 8.9 6 Rolando Martinez 6-00 165 12 4.6 58 400 6.9 7 Luke Dexter-Quinn 5-07 155 12 4.5 38 348 9.2 5 Sire Garcia 6-00 215 11 4.7 85 326 3.8 8 Kobe Sims 5-11 160 12 4.45 26 229 8.8 3 Za’Cory Fisher 12 33 168 5.1 2 Xavier Vargas 5-08 165 11 4.7 14 89 6.4 1 Darrell Bayona 5-09 205 11 4.8 Chris Silerio 5-09 190 11 4.9 Daenin Smith 5-10 170 12

Graham 5-07, 172 4.78

Class 4A 2A 3A 4A 2A 2A 4A 4A 2A 4A 2A 4A 2A 2A 3A 3A 4A 4A 2A 2A 2A 5A 2A 3A 3A 4A 2A 2A 2A 2A 5A 2A 2A 5A 2A 5A 3A 3A 5A 5A 3A 2A 3A

School Andrews Lockney Denver City Graham Wink Spearman Estacado Hereford Wellington Monahans Ralls San Elizario Wheeler Iraan Muleshoe Sweetwater EP Bowie Estacado Sunray Stratford Bovina EP EL Dorado Seagraves Odessa Compass Idalou Seminole Forsan Gruver Panhandle Stamford EP Jefferson Stamford Sterling City Lubbock Cooper Abernathy EP Burges Grape Creek Childress Tascosa Caprock Denver City Vega Snyder

Brizan Wilmoth Canadian 6-00, 250

Jae Harrison West Plains 6-03, 325

Shetonde Polepole Abilene High 6-03, 270

Wesley Maupin Gruver 6-04, 240

Jon Conley Sudan 5-11, 300

2024 Offensive Line Honor Roll Name H W year 40 Class School Grayson Page 6-01 270 12 6A Frenship Aiden Ortiz 6-03 250 12 5 6A Odessa High Shetonde Polepole 6-03 270 12 5.1 5A Abilene High Tanner Ragan 6-03 240 11 4.9 5A EP El Dorado Damian Callejas 6-00 260 12 5.7 5A EP Burges Blake Williams(NP) 6-03 305 12 5A Palo Duro Marcus Deleon(NP) 6-00 260 12 5A Palo Duro Hudson Hamilton(NP) 6-04 290 12 5.2 5A Lubbock Cooper Maverick Lopez 6-00 260 12 5 4A Borger Vershaunndrick Smith (NP)6-04 330 10 5.2 4A Estacado Noah Gonzalez(NP) 6-03 310 10 5.5 4A Estacado Rolando Roman 6-02 255 11 5.3 4A SA Lakeview Jae Harrison 6-03 325 12 5.6 4A West Plains Brizan Wilmoth 6-00 250 11 5.2 3A Canadian Drew Fisher 6-00 250 12 5 3A Dalhart Noel Madrid 6-00 215 12 4.9 3A Denver City Daniel Vasquez 5-08 220 12 4.9 3A Denver City Holt Humphrey 6-01 265 12 5.1 3A Bushland Orlando Villagas 3A Crane

Colton Hurst 5-10 250 12 4.8 Baine Jenschke 6-03 235 12 5.2 Eric Solis 6-04 290 10 5.2 Kolden Averette 6-01 335 12 5.4 Wesley Maupin 6-04 240 12 4.9 Michael Thomas Mason Rodriguez Jack Sinclair 6-00 190 11 5.4 Ethan Alcala 5-11 275 11 5.4 Reid McCaleb 6-04 270 12 5.3 Evan Martinez 5-09 225 12 5 Angel Robles 6-03 350 Jon Conley 5-11 300 12 5.4 Grayson Ellis 5-10 220 12 5.3 Daniel Barrera 6-03 275 12 Diego Cantu 5-10 270 12 Kelton Carver(NP) 6-04 275 12 5 Rudy Jimenez 5-11 262 12 5.16 Julio Villado 6-01 240 12 5.2 Deacon Smith 6-06 320 11

3A 3A 2A 2A 2A 2A 2A 2A 2A 2A 2A 2A 2A 2A 2A 2A 2A 2A 2A 2A

Idalou Wall Bovina Forsan Gruver Memphis New Deal Panhandle Ralls Ropes Seagraves Stratford Sudan Wink Goldthwaite Stamford Abernathy Lockney Sunray West Texas

2024 Returning Stat Leaders

Tell Bryant Hereford 6-01, 210

Name H Tell Bryant 6-01 Camden Ables(NP) 6-05 Lane Lyon 6-00 Brayden Williams 6-01 Riggs Pennington 6-06 Gatlin Green 6-03 Blayne Klafka 6-00 Lane Stansberry 6-05

Blayne Klafka Spearman 6-00, 210

40-573 Yards 6 TDs

W Year 40 Rec Yards TD Class 210 12 40 573 6 4A 215 10 28 530 5 2A 180 12 4.6 18 184 2 2A 220 12 4.9 4A 210 11 5 3A 225 12 4.9 2A 210 2 2A 215 12 4.8 3A

School Hereford Hawley Morton Andrews Canadian Vega Spearman Wall

Armando Lujan

Reid Macon

Bryce Braden

286-438 Passes for 4233 Yards 61 TDs

258-362 3306 Yards 35 TDs

123-203 1968 Yards 25 TDs 1398 Rushing

Sunray 6-00, 190

West Plains 6-0,170

Stratford 6-03, 230

2024 Returning Stat Leaders

Name H W Year 40 Passes Completions Yards Comp % Rushing Yards INT TD Class School Armando Lujan 6-00 190 12 4.68 438 286 4233 65% 1042 8 61 2A Sunray Keagan Ables(NP) 6-01 220 12 327 201 3453 61% 284 3 44 2A Hawley Reid Macon 6-00 170 11 4.7 362 258 3306 71% 7 35 4A West Plains Wyatt Holmstrom(NP) 6-00 185 12 4.7 377 269 3221 71% 576 8 41 4A Seminole Philip Cook 5-10 170 12 4.6 318 192 2779 60% 512 18 29 2A Shamrock Broxton Robinson 6-01 185 11 4.8 179 117 2352 65% 1558 7 27 2A Panhandle Ty Thompson 6-02 200 12 4.72 295 188 2331 64% 4A Graham Nathan Martens 6-02 180 12 4.5 250 166 2331 66% 12 21 3A Muleshoe Dallas Sumner 265 160 2321 60% 5 24 2A New Deal Caiden Ortiz 5-09 170 10 4.8 254 150 2304 59% 11 20 3A Sweetwater Briggs Satterfield 6-00 165 11 4.6 285 194 2281 68% 1033 7 26 2A Gruver Kalub Ramirez 5-09 175 11 264 148 2253 56% 7 26 4A Hereford Drake Rabe 6-01 185 12 4.6 306 181 2224 59% 15 19 3A Childress Kyler Read 6-02 220 12 4.9 234 129 2085 55% 1278 7 21 3A Dalhart Mikey Cota 5-09 180 12 4.6 354 205 2054 58% 155 9 37 6A Odessa High Bryce Braden 6-03 230 12 4.7 203 123 1968 61% 1398 10 25 2A Stratford Brogan Stone 197 114 1932 58% 9 25 2A Tahoka Colton Mills 5-08 145 10 4.5 203 105 1871 52% 9 19 4A Dumas Kade Franklin 6-03 185 11 5 206 122 1839 59% 12 16 2A Ropes Boston Bell 177 109 1722 62% 8 10 4A Canyon Ryan Rodriguez 5-11 180 11 4.9 161 108 1652 67% 5 22 5A Lubbock Cooper Ty Henderson 6-00 172 179 95 1615 53% 1199 12 2A Floydada Chip Green 5-10 165 12 4.5 204 117 1587 57% 944 8 20 3A Littlefiled Cooper Schilling 6-00 180 10 4.7 179 113 1507 63% 8 17 4A Perryton Christian Duran 5-07 160 12 142 104 1470 73% 6 20 2A Stamford Nicholas Holloway 5-09 148 12 4.8 163 75 1337 46% 2A Forsan Lincoln Madrid 5-10 170 11 4.7 209 101 1262 48% 504 14 4A Greenwood Gunnar Dillard 5-11 190 12 4.6 153 81 1197 53% 673 6 17 3A Wall Jakob Garcia 6-00 175 11 4.6 1182 13 6A Permian Ethan Beltran 5-10 155 11 181 92 1159 51% 180 14 10 2A Sanford Fritch Dyllan Thiebaud 5-11 170 12 4.65 110 54 957 49% 840 2 10 2A Lockney Abraham Carrasco 98 50 926 51% 4A EP Bowie Coltyn Fulton 11 69 29 619 42% 856 2 9 5A Tascosa Nate Casarez 6-01 185 12 4.6 66 31 523 47% 1020 4 4 3A Roosevelt Bryaden Henry 5-08 155 11 4.4 64 34 331 53% 851 0 2 5A Abilene High Clay Kendall 6-00 175 12 4.8 32 15 177 47% 402 0 2 3A Canadian William Blaylock II 6-03 210 11 4.7 6 2 60 33% 0 1 4A Estacado Holden Phillips 6-01 185 12 6A Frenship Gavin Broome 6-01 175 12 4.6 2A Plains Tyson Brents 3A Crane

Chase Campbell

Rayland Bradford

Leyton Stone

Julio Valdez

84-1411 Yards 17 TDs

60-900 Yards 12 TDs

94-1658 Yards 23 TDs

47-1065 Yards 11 TDs

Frenship 6-02, 185

Midland High 6-00, 190

Frenship 6-03, 190

Stratford 6-1, 190

2024 Returning Stat Leaders Class

Name H W Year 40 Rec Yards YRD per Rec TD Leyton Stone 6-03 190 12 94 1658 17.6 23 Edgar Quinones(NP) 6-02 175 12 4.5 77 1630 21.2 22 Chase Campbell 6-02 185 11 84 1411 16.8 17 Logan McCormick(NP) 5-10 155 11 4.5 78 1193 15.3 22 Julio Valdez 6-01 190 12 4.6 47 1065 22.7 11 Dawson Bennett 5-07 165 12 4.8 63 996 15.8 14 Ruben Arguello 5-10 145 12 4.6 60 927 15.5 12 Rayland Bradford 6-00 190 12 4.4 60 900 15.0 12 Kagan Davis 5-11 170 12 4.9 54 885 16.4 10 Jaibryn Omelas 6-00 165 12 4.5 40 870 21.8 8 Jalen Warren 5-08 170 12 4.6 47 704 15.0 9 Michael Dever 6-02 175 12 4.5 40 672 16.8 6 Andrew Rodriguez 6-01 180 11 4.6 37 658 17.8 7 Bryce Lynn 5-11 175 12 4.5 33 637 19.3 6 Cedric Ross(NP) 5-09 175 11 4.38 33 635 19.2 7 Reese Williams 6-02 175 12 4.6 35 634 18.1 6 Hayden Bowlin 5-09 150 11 4.5 29 631 21.8 9 Cade Rowoldt 5-10 180 12 4.6 37 560 15.1 2 Gordo Estrada 5-10 155 10 4.6 26 521 20.0 5 Jacob Burris 25 500 20.0 6 Tripp Wright 29 499 17.2 3 Tyler Brooks 6-00 180 12 4.6 19 489 25.7 3 Ethan Gonzales 6-01 185 12 17 482 28.4 7 Drew Faulks 5-08 160 12 28 460 16.4 5 Brendon Garcia 28 460 16.4 5 Johnny Marquez 5-09 170 12 4.4 17 405 23.8 5 Elias Munoz 5-11 170 12 4.5 21 404 19.2 4 Javier Hernandez 5-10 145 12 4.6 16 382 23.9 5 Javier Hernandez 5-10 145 12 4.6 16 382 23.9 5 Camden Cook 6-00 150 12 4.6 25 370 14.8 3 Cooper Bowman 6-02 165 12 4.8 27 333 12.3 2 Kutter Houchin 6-00 150 12 4.5 24 330 13.8 7 TJ Tillman 12 17 313 18.4 4 Jaden Carrillo 5-09 165 11 4.7 36 313 8.7 2 Ryan Smith 6-00 165 12 4.6 17 293 17.2 5 Britt Blackshear 5-10 180 12 4.5 28 288 10.3 5 Zavian Alexander 5-10 150 12 4.6 21 282 13.4 2 Malachi Barnes 5-08 175 12 4.7 22 229 10.4 Adrian Olivas 5-07 165 11 4.7 22 214 9.7 1 Bracin McCarty 6-02 185 12 4.5 13 165 12.7 2 Ben Meyer 6-04 190 12 4.8 Kenny Cole 6-01 185 12

6A 2A 6A 4A 2A 2A 2A 5A 2A 2A 6A 5A 6A 4A 4A 2A 2A 4A 4A 4A 4A 4A 4A 2A 2A 4A 6A 4A 4A 3A 2A 3A 5A 5A 2A 4A 5A 4A 5A 4A 3A 2A

School Frenship McCamey Frenship Seminole Stratford Sunray Tahoka Abilene High Sunray Sudan Odessa High Lubbock Cooper Odessa High Pampa Estacado Ropes Forsan Greenwood Perryton Canyon Canyon Borger Hereford Stamford Wellington Dumas EP Franklin Fabens Fabens Canadian Iraan Idalou Tascosa Abilene Cooper Smyer Perryton Abilene Cooper Monahans EP El Dorado Borger Dalhart Hawley

Bryce Braden

Gatlin Green

Wyatt Davis

Julio Valdez

184 Tackles 16 TFL

134 Tackles 15 TFL

173 Tackles 22 TFL

149 Tackles 14 TFL

Stratford 6-03, 230

Vega 6-03, 225

Canadian 5-11, 190

Stratford 6-1, 190

2024 Returning Stat Leaders

Name H W Year 40 Tackles TFL Sks Int Fumbles Class Bryce Braden 6-03 230 12 4.7 184 16 11 1 2 2A Wyatt Davis 5-11 190 12 5 173 22 4 2 3A Julio Valdez 6-01 190 12 4.6 149 14 7 2 2A Kaston Vega 5-11 185 12 137 18 2 3 2A Gatlin Green 6-03 225 12 4.9 134 15 4 2A Jackson Jones 5-08 165 12 134 2A Kanon Buckner 5-07 185 11 4.9 126 12 2 1 2A Ethan Michalewicz 6-01 180 12 4.6 126 13 6 2 3A Hudson Morgan 6-01 190 12 4.8 124 12 1 1 2A David Martinez 5-10 175 12 4.9 122 4 3.5 1 5A A.J. Navarrette 5-09 175 12 4.8 122 4 5 4 4A Christian Davalos 5-08 185 12 4.64 122 8 3 3 3A Cade Lyon 6-00 185 12 4.7 121 14 3.5 2 1 2A Alex Palmateer 5-10 165 12 4.59 117 11 1 4A Kade Jenkins 5-08 175 12 4.9 111 1 3A Brayson Choate 5-11 175 12 4.4 108 1 4 1 2A Cole Stanzione(NP) 5-11 210 12 4.8 108 6.5 3.5 5A Matthew Willock 5-10 220 12 5 105 24 5 2 4 2A Xaine Soliz 5-11 175 11 4.8 104 10 1 2 2A Jeremiah Luna 5-09 185 12 4.8 102 12 1 1 2A Matheu Corder 5-09 190 12 4.6 101 14 1 0 1 2A Victor Flores 5-07 175 11 100 5 2A Carson Curry 6-01 215 12 4.9 98 1 2 2A Eli Arredondo 6-00 190 11 97 3 4A Jose Holguin 5-10 200 12 4.9 96 6A Broxtone Robinson 6-01 185 11 4.8 91 1 2 1 2A Damian Sanchez 5-11 175 12 4.7 90 2 1 3A Christian Davalos 5-08 170 12 4.5 90 12 5 2 4A Mason Mangum 6-02 205 12 4.7 85 8 3 1 1 4A Abram Rocha 5-08 165 12 4.9 84 11 3.5 3A Kincaid Boehning 6-01 175 11 4.9 82 5 1 2A Tryston Hernandez 6-04 190 12 4.7 79 15 1 1 2 4A Angel Lara 5-10 200 11 4.6 78 4 1 2 2A Noah Sarabia 5-08 170 12 4.9 78 15 7 2A Lane Lyon 6-00 180 12 4.6 71 9 2.5 1 2A Treven Turner 6-00 180 12 4.7 68 2 5A Adrian Olivas 5-07 165 11 4.7 59 6 3 1 5A Korda Moore 6-00 205 12 4.67 57 14 3 3A Joseuberto Bondoni-Guzman 6-01 210 11 4.8 56 6A Kaden Riker 6-02 180 10 4.9 54 8 5 1 2A Major McNeese 5-10 180 12 4.7 54 2 3 3 3A Eli Norvel 12 52 1 5A Xavier Vargas 5-08 165 11 4.7 37 3 5A Brady Kelley 6-01 175 12 4.5 4A Daylon Jeffcoats 6-02 215 12 4.5 4A Sammy Saldivar 5-10 195 11 4.5 4A Ben Meyer 6-04 190 12 3A Jaxon Fetsch 5-09 170 12 4.8 3A Colton Reynolds 5-11 175 12 4.8 3A Sammy Sanchez 3A Gracin Huertas 3A Coeyn Lovelady 5-10 200 12 2A

School Stratford Canadian Stratford Stamford Vega Wellington Ropes Wall Wink EP El Dorado Monahans Odessa Compass Morton Monahans Childress Panhandle Lubbock Cooper Iraan Ralls Shamrock Smyer Spearman Abernathy Hereford EP Franklin Panhandle Friona Pampa Borger Friona Sudan West Plains Bovina Seagraves Morton Abilene Cooper EP El Dorado Sweetwater EP Franklin Ropes Littlefield Tascosa Caprock Andrews Andrews Andrews Dalhart Bushland Bushland Crane Crane Hawley

Evan Martinez

Jeremiah Martinez

Denzel Valverde

Gavan Brookshire

82 Tackles 22 TFL 3 SKS

54 Tackles 1 SKS

62 Tackles 6 TFL 4 SKS

80 Tackles 6 TFL 10 SKS

Seagraves 5-09, 225

Hereford 6-2, 230

Gruver 6-01, 230

Panhandle 6-0, 225

2024 Returning Stat Leaders

Name H W year 40 Tackles TFL Sacks Fumbles Class Evan Martinez 5-09 225 12 5 82 22 3 2A Gavan Brookshire 6-00 225 11 80 6 10 2 2A Joseph Venzor 5-08 230 11 5 69 2 4A Denzel Valverde 6-01 230 12 62 6 4 2A Jakson Sewell(NP) 6-02 240 12 4.9 61 11.5 5 5A Jacob Ross 6-00 195 12 5 58 2A Jeremiah Martinez 6-02 230 12 54 1 4A Damarion Ausbie 6-0 210 12 4.9 53 11 2.5 2A Masen Rehkopf(NP) 5-11 260 12 5.28 42 14 1 2 2A Jon Conley 5-11 300 12 5.4 40 6 2A Michael Thomas 36 6 1 2A Maverick Lopez 6-00 260 12 5 35 4 3 4A Jackson Arrington 5-09 235 12 5 34 9 2 2 2A Justin Morales 6-03 260 11 4.9 34 1 6A Noel Madrid 6-00 215 12 4.9 26 11 5 3A Ethan Alcala 5-11 275 11 5.4 26 7 2 2 2A Eric Solis 6-04 290 10 5.2 5 2A Tanner Ragan 6-03 240 11 4.9 3 2 5A Ethan Davila 6-01 260 12 5 3A Johnny Badillo 6-00 195 12 4.8 2A Holt Humphrey 6-01 265 12 5.1 3A

2024 Returning Stat Leaders

Name

Jackson Graves Wheeler 6-04, 225

78 Tackles 6 Sacks 24 TFL

Derrion Howard Tascosa

54 Tackles 6 TFL

School Seagraves Panhandle Monahans Gruver Lubbock Cooper Goldthwaite Hereford Forsan Lockney Sudan Memphis Borger Abernathy EP Franklin Denver City Ralls Bovina EP El Dorado Dalhart Plains Bushland

Year

Tkls

Jackson Jones

5-08

165

Brylan White(NP)

6-01

215 4.9

Dycin Davis (NP)

6-04

235 4.75

Jackson Graves

6-04

Arnold Mendoza Huston Stockton Seth Turner

Sks

TFL

Int

Class

School

134

Wellington

Wall

Ab Cooper

225 4.9

Wheeler

5-09

185 4.8

Sunray

6-01

205 4.7

Forsan

6-01

180 4.8

2A Sterling City

JP Rangal

Luca Jarnagin

New Deal

6-03

190 4.6

Iadalou

Colton Teichelman 5-10

190 4.57

Childress

Derrion Howard

Tascosa

Blake Bergeson

6-00

215 4.83

Graham

Luke Fails

6-00

205 4.9

Greenwood

Esteban Lozano

6-00

180 4.65

Ab Cooper

Layne Wauson

5-11

185 4.7

Greenwood

Braden Bailey

Immanol Marquez

Tyler Brooks

Austin Olivas

142 Tackles 3 Ints

103 Tackles 2 Ints

90 Tackles 2 Ints

81 Tackles 4 Ints

Seminole 5-10, 170 4.7

Dumas 5-08, 165 4.4

Borger 6-00, 180 4.6

Seminole 6-3, 170 4.7

2024 Returning Stat Leaders

Name H W Year 40 Tackles TFL Sacks Interceptions Fumbles Class School Braden Bailey 5-10 170 12 4.7 142 9 3 2 4A Seminole Stephen Cowan 5-10 160 12 138 9 3 2A Gruver Isaac Gutierrez (NP) 122 1 1 5A EP EL Dorado Immanol Marquez 5-08 165 12 4.4 103 0 2 2 4A Dumas Luke Sanderson 5-09 165 12 4.5 97 2A Goldthwaite Santi Ibarra 5-07 170 12 4.5 91 2 5 2A Stratford Tyler Brooks 6-00 180 12 4.6 90 2 1 4A Borger Kolter Dockery 5-07 145 10 4.5 89 1 5 2A Ropes David Aguirre 87 2 2A New Deal Camron McComack 87 6 2 2A Olney Caiden Crook 86 1 1 2 2 2A Panhandle Brayden Villarreal 5-11 175 10 4.5 82 5 4 2 2A Morton Austin Olivas 6-03 170 11 4.7 81 7 1 4 1 4A Seminole Donivan Torrez(NP) 5-10 175 11 4.4 76 1 5 4A Estacado Josue Sigala 5-10 175 10 4.5 76 4 5 3A Muleshoe Caden Cargile 5-09 165 12 4.8 76 1 2 2A Ralls Bruin Wright 6-03 190 12 4.72 73 1 4A Graham Jeremiah Appel 5-11 175 12 4.6 72 1 1 1 5A Abilene Cooper Kasen Brooks 6-02 180 11 4.6 70 2 1 4A Greenwood Jose Quintero 6-00 150 10 4.51 68 3 3A Sweetwater Javier Hernandez 5-10 145 12 4.6 67 1 1 4A Fabens Landon Wilkerson 6-00 165 12 4.7 66 1 6A Odessa High Ryder Taylor 6-01 180 12 4.64 61 4 4A Graham Johnny Marquez 5-09 170 12 4.4 60 0 4 0 4A Dumas Hugo Rascon 5-08 155 11 4.8 50 4 2A Seagraves Roman Gonzalez 5-11 160 12 4.5 39 1 6A EP Franklin Braxton Morris 6-01 165 11 4.72 38 4 3 2 3AOdessa Compass Jayden Acosta-Lewis 5-11 165 12 4.74 34 0 2 0 5A Caprock Kamren Hannah 5-07 150 12 4.6 34 2 5A EP Burges Briggs Jones 5-07 155 12 4.4 27 4 3A Wall Elias Munoz 5-11 170 12 4.5 14 6A EP Franklin Malik Epps-Keller(NP) 6-00 160 12 4.5 13 1 5A Lubbock Cooper TJ Tillman 12 3 5A Tascosa Jayden Bowser 5-07 150 12 4.5 3 5A EP Burges Bryce Garza 6-02 185 12 6A Frenship Maverick Allen 6-01 185 12 6A Frenship Zephaniah Silvas 6-03 160 11 4.6 2A Morton AJ Mendoza 6-01 165 12 4.7 2A Morton Jaibryn Omelas 6-00 165 12 4.5 5 2A Sudan Ty Purcell 6-01 175 12 4.6 3A Bushland Max Rodriquez 6-00 170 12 4.6 3A Bushland Braden Garcia 6-00 180 11 6A Permian Aaron Russum 6-00 165 12 4.5 2A Abernathy

Where Does Texas Tech Sit On The Big 12 Mountain?

Maybe. If their injury-prone QB Jalon Daniels can stay health, Kansas has weapons on offense to win the conference. But can their defense make the next step? Utah This is another team dealing with quarterback injuries, but the roster has experience up and down both sides. Staying healthy will be important, but if Utah can keep their best out on the field and out of the training room, this veteran-laden team will be tough week in and week out. The Utes come over from the Pac 12, which means the old guard would love nothing more than to show these vagabonds that they have to earn their way to the top. Iowa State The Cyclones have definitely moved up the hierarchy in the last decade, though longtime college football fans still have trouble not recalling Iowa State as the homecoming team of choice from both the old Big 8 and original Big 12 days. This team is young on offense with Rocco Becht (QB) and Abu Sama III (RB) coming off successful freshman seasons. If those two talents can avoid a sophomore slump the Cyclones will be battling for one of those top two spots within the conference to play in the title game. Arizona Most pundits have Arizona higher than this, but a late cycle coaching change and the departure of some key talent has me a little less optimistic about the Wildcats. Factor in the adjustments of a new conference and new opponents every week and this simply feels like too much to overcome. But if Arizona gels quickly under new Head Coach Brent Brennan there is still plenty of talent. Arizona could surprise me and win the conference in their first Big 12 campaign.

The Big 12 bears little resemblance to the conference it once was. Texas Tech is one of the seven remaining teams from the original twelve. The Red Raiders share that distinction with Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Oklahoma State, and Colorado. Though Colorado barely counts as an original, given they spent more than a decade out of the conference. Head Coach Deion Sanders and his Buffaloes aptly represent the now mercenary culture of college football, but Colorado certainly isn’t the only defector from the Pac 12 looking to cash in. Arizona State, Arizona, and Utah will also be joining the fray. TCU and West Virginia have been members of the Big 12 since 2012. The other four members of the now sixteen team conference joined last season. BYU, Cincinnati, Houston, and UCF will be competing in their second Big 12 season in 2024. All sixteen teams will be engaged in a televised and closely watched game of King of the Mountain as they battle to state their claim as the conference’s premier team. One season will not decide that, but for recruiting purposes and for polling the reputation of a school is more important now than ever. Since its inception, the Big 12 has always had several so-called blue bloods battling it out, but defining the top programs right now is tricky. Texas, Oklahoma, and original member Nebraska are all in the top ten in all-time wins, but all three are gone, so which school is now king of Big 12 Mountain? Who Will be King of the New Big 12

As one of the conferences original schools, Texas Tech is certainly in the mix. Add in all the recent facility upgrades and the strong recruiting ties here in the Lone Star State and the Red Raiders are positioned for success. Many of our readers will be hoping to see the Tech make such an ascension, but it won’t be easy and right now today a handful of other teams will be favored over Tech to take home the 2024 Big 12 Championship. Lets look at some of them as likely candidates to take an early lead in the race to the summit.

The Climbers Looking to Surprise These next group of teams will need some luck to make it to the title game, but its not out of the question. A surprise player or two, key injuries from the team at the top of this list, even a fortunate bounce or two and suddenly the tide of a season turns. I wouldn’t call them longshots, but neither are they among the early favorites. Oklahoma State The Pokes have played in OU shadow for so long it will be interesting to see how they handle being Oklahoma’s only Big 12 representative. The run game has Doak Walker winner Ollie Gordon II back and a seventh year QB, but the passing game will need to take a big step up for the Cowboys to truly be a threat. Head Coach Mike Gundy is a love’im or despise’im kind of guy, and maybe the Cowboys can ride that us against the world mentality to the top. Texas Tech The Red Raiders bring momentum after winning four of their last five, but the offseason is long and sometimes that doesn’t translate from one season to the next.

Kansas State Avery Johnson is back after creating a spark for a very good Wildcat team. A strong young QB puts any team one leg up. Yes, K State has questions at receiver. The biggest question however remains, can a program that has been solid, but perennially played second fiddle to other teams truly step up and be the big dog on the block year in and year out? That remains to be seen, but for this coming season the Wildcats are certain to be in the mix of teams vying to lift the trophy come December. Some are already closer to the top than others. Kansas The Jayhawks would love to spoil their instate rivals’ coronation, but are those aspirations any more than rock chalk squawk?

Coach McGuire needs prize WR recruit Micah Hudson is a star on day one, because the passing game was anemic at times last season. Quarterback Behren Morton takes over the signal caller duties and he will need to show Coach McGuire and the world that he is money for the team to make the leap to the top. West Virginia The Mountaineers have always felt like the odd fit within the conference, but now they are one of the longer tenured teams and geographically speaking the makeup of the conference is less defined than ever before. So perhaps West Virginia can settle in and climb to the top. They overachieved last season, at least compared to their expectations and this year they are floating here in the middle hoping to surprise and rise above their expectation all the way to the top. TCU The Horned Frogs have been on a roller coaster of late. Up one year down the next and last season the defense was atrocious. Former Boise State Head Coach was hired as Defensive Coordinator to revamp the unit, but it could take time after a couple of key departures during he transfer window. Red Shirt sophomore Josh Hoover’s development will play be a big part in TCU’s successes this season, but middle of the pack is where I expect to find these frogs, but there is a certain swagger within the program that hasn’t complexly faded after the 2022 campaign so if the can ride that confidence anything is possible. UCF The Knights have played the “we get no respect” card for a while now, but their first season of Power Five ball took a bit of wind out of those sails. A 3-6 run within Big 12 play last season left UCF down the standing looking up, and as a result, Head Coach Gus Malzhan will be working with two new coordinators this season. The offense looks poised to be dangerous but like many teams on this list the question is, can the Knights stop opposing teams and get that offense out on the field. Teams Stuck at Base Camp Colorado The best way to describe the 2023 season for the Buffaloes … All hat, no cattle. Hyped to the max Coach Sanders along with his son at QB, failed to back up the bluster. They started hot, including what looked like a big early win over TCU, but turns out that wasn’t quite as special as it seemed, and Colorado went 1-8 down the stretch to miss out on a bowl invite. Here we are again hearing that Coach Sanders has performed miracles via the transfer portal and his son Shedeur Sanders is a Top 5 draft pick in the making. The youngers Sanders has certainly shown flashes of talent and two-way star Travis Hunter WR/CB is a stud when healthy but both players have taken a beating and thus far

the Buffaloes have been have been all talk. Cincinnati Like UCF, the Bearcats hoped to earn respect by playing in a power conference, but their 1-8 record didn’t earn any last season. Head Coach Scott Satterfield enters year two and that familiarity should help some. As should the portal transfer of QB Brendan Sorsby after Cincinnati suffered less that stellar quarterback play last season. I’m sounding like a broken record, but here we are again talking about a Big 12 team with defense as the biggest question mark. The Bearcats recognized that need and brought in a new coordinator to help, as well as rounding up a number of key transfers via the portal. Baylor The Bears and TCU have both been on an up and down ride in recent times. MAC Player of the Year Dequan Finn will be leading the offense as quarterback, and Baylor is hoping he picks right up where he left off at Toledo. But he MAC isn’t the Big 12 and this team had multiple problems. Head Coach Dave Aranda knows he’s on the hot seat and will rely on his defensive background to solidify the unit by calling the shot on that side of the ball this season, but will it be enough to save his job and usher the Bears back into prominence? BYU The team looked uninspired a season ago and frankly I haven’t seen much in the offseason to suggest enough has changed. The Cougars have a QB battle that remains undecided as of press time, though as one of only five schools welcoming back their Head Coach and both coordinators there is consistency that could help. Or it could lead to more of the same. BYU seems to be well behind their instate rivals and that is a dynamic that tends to get coaches fired. Houston Another school long battling for respect that dropped the ball in their first season of power five football. Now the Cougars enter year two with a new Head Coach and staff. Willie Fritz did wonders at Tulane the competition will be steeper to lead such a transformation in the Big 12. Expect competition up and down the roaster as the team evaluates returning talent and a big portal class. Houston should be better but true transformations take time and to expect more than a slight improvement feels like a reach for this season. Arizona State The Sun Devils will have a healthy competition at QB but all of the possible starters have baggage that new Offensive Coordinator Marcus Arroyo will need to unpack. Head Coach Kenny Dillingham inherited a mess and Arizona State fans will need to be patient, but the college football landscape isn’t about patience these days so expect things to get hot down in Tempe in more ways than one.

Texas Tech Red Raiders — Big 12 Confrence

Red Raiders ‘Never Been More Excited’

yards and 10 TDs on the ground ó the fourth-most yards by an FBS player last year. Brooks’ success will largely depend on how well the offensive line comes together. It got a boost when guards Vinny Sciury and Davion Carter, two of the highest-rated interior O-linemen in the portal, transferred. Tech’s tight end group added Arizona State transfer and Gruver native Jalin Conyers. On defense, the Red Raiders have made strides under DC Tim DeRuyter but will have a lot of new pieces in 2024. Two returners are linebackers Jacob Rodriguez and Ben Roberts. Rodriguez (6-1, 230, Wichita Falls) can be impactful when healthy, and Roberts (6-3, 230, Haslet) earned Freshman All-America honors and was the only rookie in the country with more than 100 total tackles last season. The secondary lost three of five starters from last year, and there will be lots of new faces up front, including highly-touted Rice transfer De’Braylon Carroll (6-0, 300, Duncanville). Tech’s special teams should surge behind senior Drae McCray (5-9, 185, Tallahassee, Fla.), who was one of the most dynamic kick returners in the nation a year ago, finishing third in the country for total kick return yards (717). The Red Raiders were voted to finish ninth in the Big 12 in what will be a crowded league of contenders as the league embarks on its first-year with 16 teams. The Big 12 welcomes newcomers Arizona, Arizona State, Colorado and Utah to the league in 2024. The Utes were picked to win the league by the media. Tech opens the season at home Aug. 31 against Abilene Christian.24

Believe it or not, 2024 marks Year 3 in Joey McGuire’s tenure at Texas Tech, and both on the field and off, excitement for the Red Raiders is abundant. “I’ve never been more excited,” the affable McGuire said. Off the field, there’s Tech’s new partnership with Adidas, some cool renovations to Jones AT&T Stadium, and more changes within the expanded Big 12. On the field, the Red Raiders are pumped to see running back Tahj Brooks and return specialist Drae McCray perform and find out what quarterback Behren Morton can deliver, and if Tech’s climbing defense can continue its improvement. The Red Raiders are 15-11 in McGuire’s two seasons at the helm, going 8-5 in 2022 and 7-6 last year, with bowl wins both years. For the first time, McGuire saw significant roster shake-up in the off-season, but the Red Raiders feel they’ve reloaded the roster and -- if a rebuilt receiving corps and offensive line perform as expected -- should have what it takes to compete for a Big 12 championship. Tech’s offense has two major pieces in place with the return of Morton and Brooks. Morton (6-2, 220, Eastland), a junior, threw for 1,757 yards and 15 touchdowns in 10 games last year, while Brooks (5-10, 230, Manor) opted in for his super-senior season after one of the best seasons by a Red Raider running back in school history in 2023. Brooks will be chasing the all-time school record for career rushing yards in 2024, needing 1,167 to match Byron Hanspard’s record of 4,219 yards from 1994-96. Brooks was an All-Big 12 first-team selection after chewing up 1,538 rushing

UTEP Miners — Conference USA

Walden Brings Fresh Enthusiasm To Miners Football

Maurice Westmoreland (6-2, 235, Houston), who a year ago led UTEP with 7.5 sacks to go with 37 tackles (24 solo, 10.5 TFLs). Westmoreland was named the National Defensive Player of the Year watch list. Others are nose tackle Tevita Tafuna (6-1, 277), senior tackle KD Johnson (6-1, 300, Houston), and senior corner AJ Odums (5-11, 175), a transfer from New Mexico before the 2023 season before racking up 36 tackles with eight pass breakups. Another vet is redshirt senior offensive lineman Otis Pitts III (6-3, 345, Grand Prairie), whose efforts on the line helped the UTEP rushing game gain more than 1,700 yards and score 16 touchdowns. Another valuable vet is senior long snapper Angelo Tejada (5-11, 222), an All-CUSA second-teamer in 2022. The Miners face one of their toughest schedules in years, including a nationally-televised season-opener at Nebraska on Aug. 31, then a Nov. 23 trip to Neyland Stadium to face the Tennessee Volunteers. The Miners’ first home game is Sept. 7 against Southern Utah prior to the CUSA opener at Liberty. After playing at Colorado State, the Miners host Sam Houston, go to Western Kentucky, host Florida International, and go to Louisiana Tech. Back-to-back home games against Middle Tennessee and Kennesaw State are followed by road contests at Tennessee and New Mexico State. 24

The University of Texas at El Paso enters the 2024 season with brand new enthusiasm at the helm. Scotty Walden was named coach in early December. The 34-year-old joined the Miners after four seasons as head coach at Austin Peay State in Clarksville, Tenn. Last season, Walden led the Governors to a 9-3 record, a perfect 6-0 conference mark, and a No. 13 FCS national ranking. A native of Cleburne, Texas, and a graduate of Sul Ross State, Walden produced a 26-14 record at Austin Peay. He also served as interim head coach at Southern Miss and was named HC at East Texas Baptist at age 26. At UTEP, Walden inherits a Miners program that struggled to a 3-9 mark in 2023, including 2-6 in conference play, under Dana Dimel, who filed a 20-49 record in six seasons in El Paso. Suffice it to say Walden didn’t travel from Tennessee by himself. The new coach brought along a handful of top players from Austin Peay, among them redshirt junior running back Jevon Jackson (5-8, 200), who rushed for a team-high 1,373 yards (5.4 ypc) and 10 touchdowns for the Governors last fall. Other travel partners with Walden were senior receiver Trey Goodman (5-11, 175), who caught 34 passes for 721 yards and seven TDs in 2023, redshirt junior Miner back Kam Thomas (5-7, 174), and senior offensive lineman Isaiah Wright (6-3, 307). Among the Miner holdovers from 2023 are senior bandit

Angelo State Rams — Lone Star Conference

Rams Look To Return To Playoffs the stars from that group -- Jordan McKinney, Kyle Bradford and Eric Rascoe -- joined Girsch at the LSC Media Day in late July in McKinney. Two of those Rams were big contributors on an ASU defense last season that ranked second in LSC in total scoring defense. Rascoe (6-2, 215, San Antonio Warren), a senior linebacker, is a two-time first-team All-LSC honoree and is the Rams’ top returning tackler with 71 stops (27 total, 4.5 TFLs. McKinney (5-10, 191, Waco La Vega), a senior defensive back, finished third on the team in total tackles with 53 (19 solo) to go with three fumble recoveries to earn second-team All-LSC honors. Meanwhile, Bradford (5-10, 149, Frisco Heritage) will be a leader on the ASU offense from his wide receiver position after averaging 24.4 yards per catch and earning first-team All-LSC honors. Bradford ended 2023 with 513 receiving yards and three TD grabs. The Rams start the 2024 season with back-to-back road games in Kansas against Fort Hays State on Aug. 29 and Emporia State. ASU’s home- and conference-opener is Sept. 14 against Eastern New Mexico. The Rams then travel to Western New Mexico and UTPB, host Texas A&M-Kingsville, go to Midwestern State, host Sul Ross State and Central Washington, head to Western Oregon and finally end the regular-season at home against West Texas A&M.

Coming off back-to-back appearances in the NCAA Division II quarterfinals for the first time in program history and on the heels of being ranked second in the nation during a program-best 12-win season, the Angelo State Rams had high hopes of keeping the magic going in 2024. It didn’t quite happen. The Rams struggled out of the gates with losses in two of their first three games before recovering nicely with wins in six of their last seven. Ultimately, ASU finished 7-3, including 6-2 in the Lone Stsar Conference and settling for third place in the league. “Last year the ball bounced away from us a few times. We went 7-3 and you would have thought the world was going to end,” ASU coach Jeff Girsch said of his players’ disappointment over not matching the prior two years’ successes. The good news is that last season’s dismay (the three losses were by a total of 18 points) helped fuel the Rams in their off-season preparation for 2024. “These guys really buckled down in the off-season, got to work and understood the commitment of what it takes to be great in this league,” Girsch said. ASU heads into the 2024 campaign after being picked to finish second in the LSC Preseason Coaches’ Poll, behind Central Washington and ahead of UT-Permian Basin. “We have a great group coming back,” Girsch said of his roster. Three of

UT-Permian Basin Falcons — Lone Star Conference

UTPB Gears Up After Historic Season On the heels of one of the best seasons in program history, the University of Texas Permian Basin Falcons are itching to get the 2024 campaign under way. In his first year as head coach in 2023, Kris McCullough led the Falcons to a program-best 10-2 overall record, a perfect Lone Star Conference record of 8-0 for the first time in program history, and hosted the first round of the NCAA Championships (falling to Bemidji St., 10-3). Subsequently, McCullough was named LSC Coach of The Year, The College Football Network D2 Coach the Year and All-Texas Non-FBS Coach of The Year. Three players earned All-American honors last season, leaving three large very large pairs of shoes to fill. Quarterback Kenny Hrncir was LSC Offensive Player of the Year and AllTexas Non-FBS Offensive Player of the Year and was a nominee for the Harlon Hill Trophy given to the top NCAA Division II player. Hrncir set single-season school records for passing touchdowns (30), passing yards (2,878) and total offensive yards (3,560) as the Falcons averaged 42.4 points. Hayden Kelly was named LSC Linebacker of the Year and was a member of both the AP and D2 CCA All-American first teams after recording 114 tackles (13.5 TFLs). And, Dominique Varela was LSC

Lineman of the Year for his 35 tackles (11.5 TFLs) and 4.5 sacks. The cupboard isn’t completely bare for 2024. For starters, Jeremiah Cooley (6-3, 215, GS, Big Spring) was named the LSC Receiver of the Year last fall after catching 26 passes for 522 yards and eight touchdowns. Deon Cook (6-3, 180, Sr., Chicago) hauled in 24 passes and led the team with 539 receiving yards as he set the school record for yards per reception (22.5). In fact, UTPB returns its top four receivers, which also includes Ben Patterson (6-5, 215, Jr., Fort Worth) and Laquan Wells (5-10, 175, Sr., Idabel, Okla.), both Second-Team All-LSC a year ago. In the running backs room, Kory Harris (5-11, 200, RS Jr., Fort Worth) returns after setting the school record with 865 rushing yards and eight touchdowns. UTPBís quarterback will be Dylan Graham (6-2, 190, Sr., Walnut Creek, Calif.), who in 2022 threw for 1,859 yards while breaking the school record at the time with 186 completions. Graham will have the benefit from playing behind seniors Tristan Willis (6-5, 290, Mount Vernon, Wash.), Ramon Diaz (6-3, 300, El Paso) and Max Johnson (6-2, 300, Jenks, Okla.) on the offensive line. On defense, linebacker Jalon Rocquemore (6-1, 220, Sr., McKinney) is back after ranking second on the team with 58

tackles. Rocquemore will be re-joined by linebacker Tristan Exline (6-1, 205, So., China Springs) and lineman Frank Mulipola (6-4, 275, Jr., American Samoa) to lead the defense. The Falcons are picked to finish in third place in the LSC Football Preseason Poll, that after being seen as seventh last year when they wound up claiming the conference crown. UTPB opens its 2024 season by playing three of its first four in Midland/

Odessa against Western New Mexico, Adams State and, to open LSC play, Texas A&M-Kingsville, separated by a week two trip to Colorado St.-Pueblo. Conference play resumes at Midwestern State, at home against Angelo State, at Central Washington and home against Western Oregon before ending the regular-season with road games against West Texas A&M, Eastern New Mexico and Sul Ross St.

West Texas A&M Buffaloes — Lone Star Conference

Lynn Says Buffs Will Be ‘A Lot Better’ to let our quarterback go out there and throw the ball around and try to generate a lot of excitement and big plays.” Last fall as a freshman, quarterback Kanon Gibson (6-1, 190, Wink) completed 69 percent of his passes for 1,107 yards with a dozen touchdowns and five interceptions. That included a 23-of-26, 197-yard, three-touchdown day against UT-Permian Basin when Gibson also ran for 123 yards and another score. Other Buffs playing pivotal roles in 2024 will be senior running back Tre’Jon Henderson, a 6-foot, 220-pound transfer from Central Washington out of Byron Nelson High School, and senior linebacker JT Cavender (6-0, 220, Midlothian), the Buffs’ top tackler last season with 109 stops (49 solo). The Buffaloes, picked sixth out of 10 teams in the Lone Star Conference Football Preseason Poll, open the 2024 campaign on Thursday, Aug. 29 as they travel to Alpine to take on NCAA Division II provisional member Sul Ross State. It will be the first meeting between the schools on the gridiron since 1956. WTAMU stays on the road to face Colorado School of Mines prior to back-to-back home games against Western Colorado and Central Washington. Then it’s at Western Oregon, homecoming against Western New Mexico on Oct. 12 and at Eastern New Mexico in the 36th Wagon Wheel game. The final four games see the Buffs host defending champ UT-Permian Basin, travel to Texas A&M-Kingsville, host Midwestern State and end at Angelo St.

Coming off a three-win season in his first year guiding the West Texas A&M Buffaloes, head coach Josh Lynn feels his team will be better in 2024. Check that; Lynn feels the Buffs will be “a lot better.” “I really believe we are a lot beter this year. Our retention was outstanding; we didn’t lose an offensive or defensive linemen. Our quarterback play is going to be better,” Lynn said of WTA&M’s prospects with a year under his belt. “We have incredible young men in the program.” In 2023, the Buffs won two of their first three games over Adams St. (Colo.) (28-7) and Midwestern State (23-0) before dropping an overtime nail-biter to conference tri-champ UT-Permian Basin (41-40). The Buffs then fell to Western Oregon and Texas A&M-Kingsville before picking up their final win over Western New Mexico (49-27). The season ended with losses to two teams receiving Top 25 votes -- Central Washington (30-14) and Angelo State (27-10) -- and another setback to Eastern New Mexico (35-27). As a first-year coach, Lynn said “(success) never comes as fast as you want it to come. However, we were in games, which is encouraging.” Much like last season when WT rushed for close to 1,400 yards and passed for 1,655, Lynn said the Buffs will shoot for a balanced offense. “We’re going to be a 50-50 run-pass team. We’re going to take shots down the field. We’re going

Wayland Baptist Pioneers — Sooner Athletic Conference

Pioneers Feel They Have ‘More Gas In The Tank’

Marcos Hinojos’ first season at the helm of the Wayland Baptist Pioneers resulted in a pair of victories and a handful of losses that could have gone either way. Hinojos, the Pioneers’ former defensive coordinator who described the 2023 campaign as “adversity-filled” and “highly-competitive,” now turns his sights on 2024. The coach said “recruitment has

been outstanding, and we’re really excited about mixing” the newcomers and veterans. The Pioneers also will have two new coordinators, including longtime high school coach Bryan Wood taking over the offense. “We’ve taken many steps in changing the 2-8 (record) and having enough gas in the tank to complete the season and complete ballgames. I’m excited to see what we’re

going to bring to the table.” With Wood taking over the offense, the Pioneers opened up their quarterback competition. Senior Brian Ponder (Bells HS) is the veteran, last season completing 50 percent of his passes for 1,356 yards with nine touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He’s facing stiff competition from a couple of challengers who Hinojos said “have raised the level of competition.” One of those is junior Davian Guajardo (Denton), who last season saw action in five games , while the other is 6-foot-5, 250-pound Juan Pablo Garcia (Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico), an all-American at Hartnell College in California. Whoever wins the job will get protection from a mix of newcomers and returners on the offensive front, including veterans Sam Zaccardo (Lubbock Coronado), Marjome Rachel (Cypress), who Hinojos called “one of the most athletic linemen we have had,” and Princeton Rayson (Fort Leavenworth, Kan.). Newcomers in the trenches include Julian Leyva, Thaddeus Hobbs, Anthony Mainer, Cameron Boatner and Zainan Fletcher. One of the leaders on defense will be junior quarterbackturned-free safety Harper Terry, a “very intelligent player” from Odessa Permian. Joining him in the backfield at strong safety will be sophomore Donovan Henry (Rockwall), a former walk-on who “has worked really hard ever since he got here and has earned a starting spot and scholarship.” Hinojos said

his defensive line will be young with returners Tivrell Hollings (Klein) and Antonio Jones Jr. (Temple) showing the ropes to the likes of newcomers Nicholas Goings, Tristan Lee, Davian Wallace, Lewis Calderon and Antonio Williams, all expected to “make a splash.” Returning at linebacker will be senior Ryan Barnett (Amarillo Tascosa) with Mason Dickinson (Abilene High) and Isaiah Brooks (Little Elm) getting their turns to step into starting roles. Special teams will feature Brazilian soccer player Leo Marini, who made 13-of-18 field goals a year ago, including a 54-yarder, returning along with punter Brayden Welch (Canyon), a transfer from West Texas A&M who averaged 38 yards a boot. The Pioneers open the season with three road games, starting with a Sooner Athletic Conference contest against Oklahoma-Panhandle State followed by North American in Houston and Sul Ross St. Wayland’s home-opener comes Sept. 28 against defending league tri-champ Louisiana Christian followed by another tri-champ, Ottawa (Ariz.), in Plainview. After that it’s at Nelson, home against the other defending tri-champ Texas Wesleyan and Arkansas Baptist, then at Texas College and Langston. “There’s not an easy opponent in our conference or on our schedule,” Hinojos said. “There’s no time to mess around. We have to have a great fall camp, but we’re up for the challenge.”

Top O’ Texas Football Magazine’s

Class 6A Top 5 Teams 1. Midland Legacy (10-3)* (30-5-5)** 2. Frenship (9-3)* (25-4-7)** 3. Midland High (9-3)* (24-6-6)** 4. Odessa Permian (7-5)* (31-7-4)** 5. EP Eastwood (9-2)* (27-3-6)** *2023 R ecord **Number of Lettermen & Off. & Def. Starters R eturning

Preseason District Selections

District 1 1. Eastwood 2. Pebble Hills 3. Eastlake 4. Franklin 5. Montwood 6. Coronado 7. Socorro

District 2 1. Midland Legacy 2. Frenship 3. Midland High 4. Permian 5. Odessa High 6. SA Central

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Top O’ Texas Football Magazine’s

Class 5A Top 5 Teams 1. Abilene High (11-3)* (31-7-3)** 2. Lubbock Cooper (8-4)* (30-5-4)** 3. Tascosa (5-7)* (57-5-10)** 4. Amarillo (6-6)* (20-6-6)** 5. Abilene Cooper (5-7)* (26-7-8)** *2023 R ecord **Number of Lettermen & Off. & Def. Starters R eturning

Preseason District Selections Division I District 1 1. Americas 2. El Dorado 3. Parkland 4. Bel Air

Division II

District 2

District 1 1. Canutillo 2. Del Valle 3. Chapin 4. Hanks 5. Andress 6. Burges 7. El Paso High 8. Horizon 9. Jefferson

1. Abilene High 2. Amarillo High 3. Tascosa 4. Monterey 5. Lub. Coronado 6. Caprock 7. Lubbock High

District 2 1. Lubbock Cooper 2. Abilene Cooper 3. WF Memorial 4. WF Legacy 5. Abilene Wylie 6. Palo Duro 7. Plainview

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CITY TEAMS Abilene High Eagles — 2-5A D-I

Eagles Off Quarterfinal Run If not for a very talented Aledo team, the Abilene Eagles may very well have won a state championship last season. After going undefeated in district, the Eagles downed Hanks (84-14), Ryan (31-21), and Northwest (2716) before falling to Aledo in the quarterfinals (56-21). Aledo trounced its next two opponents, Forney (43-7) and Smithson Valley (51-8), to claim the title. “We had a tremendous group of seniors that led the way,” coach Mike Fullen said. “We got conisistently better each week. Our offense was young and grew weekly. We used a two-quarterback systsem to our advantage, keeping opponents off-balance. The defense was one of the best

Ryland Bradford

School: Abilene High Mascot: Eagles Colors: Black and Gold District: 2-5A D-I Head Coach: Mike Fullen Offensive Coordinator: Colby Hartfield Defensive Coordinator: James Williamson Assistant Coaches: Brad Harman, Jayton Voss, Aaron Andress, Conlan Aguirre, Tommy Martinez, Trent Pearson, Justin Gorman, Travis Kern, Aaron Donald, Monte Joe, Taylor Mcleod, Montie Lackey, DJ Atwood, Billy Abbe Last Season’s Overall Record: 11-3 District Record: 6-0 Playoff Record: 3-1 Round of the Playoffs Team Eliminated: Quarterfinals Eliminated By: Aledo Lettermen Lost: 40 Lettermen Returning: 31 Offensive Starters Returning: 8 Defensive Starters

Shetonde Polepole

Topotexas.ppbasketball@gmail.com 24

Returning: 3 Basic Offense: Power Spread Basic Defense: 3-4 Last Season’s Team Rushing Yards: 2299 Last Season’s Team Passing Yards: 2820 Last Season’s Team Rushing Yards Allowed: 102 yds per game Last Season’s Team Passing Yards Allowed: 145 yds per game Major Team Strength: Offensive experience Major Team Weakness: Depth All State Potentials: Ryland Bradford, Shetonde Polepole, Brayden Henry Players to Watch: Bryson Perez, Dristain Payne, Eddie Varela, Jerrod Turner, Jim Boima, Skylar Faimoa, Demotric Sanchez, Camp Churchill, Naim Segura, John Miles Wagstaff Promising Newcomers: M’Aujehl Aboso, Tristan Beal, Jaden Brown-Johnson, Jayden Starks, Aamanni Strahan

we have had at Abilene. The combination of an attacking

the trenches will be Jerrod Turner, who has started every

offense and very solid defense led to our success.”

game since he was a sophomore, and junior Jim Boima

Forty players -- including linebacker Bryce Neves

(5-11, 225, 5.0), a starter since his freshman season.

and quarterback Dylan Slack -- graduated off that 11-3

Helping rebuild Abilene’s 3-4 defense will be

team, leaving behind 31 returners, including eight starters

linebackers Dristain Payne, who was in on 66 tackles last

on offense and three on defense. “We will be retruning

year, and sophomore Skylar Faimoa (6-1, 205, 4.7), who

several key players on offense, including our leading

according to Fullen, “started at H-back as a freshman

rusher and leading receiver. We will have to replace some

but will play mostly linebacker moving forward. He has

key players on defense but have guys in place who got

the build and skill to be a top player in the state. In the

significant playing time on defense. Our defensive tradition

secondary, Demotric Sanchez returns after logging 60

is strong, and players tend to step right into their roles

tackles.

and carry the torch. Having an experienced offense and

The Eagles’ kicking game is in good shape with Naim

solid defensive tradition hopefully will help us continue

Segura, who a season ago was perfect on 29 PATs and

our success,” predicted Fullen, 32-22 in six seasons at

three field goals, including a 47-yarder, and punter John

Abilene.

Miles Wagstaff, who averaged 38 yards a boot. Others

The Eagles’ power spread offense will be led by junior

being counted on are Eddie Varela and Camp Churchill

quarterback Brayden Henry (5-8, 155, 4.4), who, in part-

along with a handful of new faces in Tristan Beal, Jaden

time duty under center last year, completed 34-of-64

Brown-Johnson, Jayden Starks, Aamanni Strahan, and

passes for 331 yards and 2 touchdowns while running for

sophomore receiver M’Aujehl Aboso (5-11, 175, 4.6),

851 yards and a dozen scores on 140 carries. “Brayden

who “played as a freshman in the playoffs and will be

is a “dynamic player with great speed. He always gets

competing for a starting role. He has the build and the skill

positive yards with the ball,” Fullen said of Henry, who

to be one of our top players.”

has started since his freshman year when he received an

The Eagles open the season at San Angelo Central,

offer from Texas Tech. A player with no fewer than three

then host Cooper, go to Permian, and host Legacy. District

D-I offers is senior receiver Ryland Bradford (6-0, 190),

opens with homecoming on Sept. 27 against Caprock,

coming off a 60-catch, 900-yard, 12-touchdown campaign

then it’s at Amarillo High, home against Coronado, at

plus 3 rushing TDs. His coach called him a “physical

Lubbock High, Tascosa at home, and at Monterey. Fullen

receiver with great ball skills. He’s also track fast.” Another

feels Tascosa is the team to beat. “Our district did not

proven target for Henry is Bryson Perez, who last year

change much from the last couple of years. District 2-5A

hauled in 42 passes for 495 yards and 4 TDs. Anchoring

is highly-competitive and has a lot of talented teams in it.

the front line will be another college-bound talent, “big

It makes for a challenging week-to-week battle. It prepares

and athletic” senior Shetonde Polepole (6-3, 270, 5.1),

you well if you are fortunate to make the playoffs and has

who in 2023 graded out at 95 percent gradeout with 16

you prepared for a solid run in the playoffs. We hope to be

knockdowns and no allowed sacks. Joining Polepole in

one of those teams.”24

2024 ABILENE EAGLES SCHEDULE

Brayden Henry

Date Opponent Aug. 23 Wylie(Scrimmage) Aug. 30 San Angelo Central Sept. 06 Abilene Cooper Sept. 12 Permian Sept. 20 Midland Legacy Sept. 27 Caprock*(HC) Oct. 04 Amarillo High* Oct. 11 Lubbock Coronado* Oct. 17 Lubbock High* Oct. 25 Tascosa*(SN) Oct. 31 Monterey*

Bryson Perez

* District

Place Shotwell T H T H H T H T H T

Time TBD 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00

Abilene Cooper Cougars — District 2-5A D-II

Cougars Look To Build On Big Finish Six games into the 2023 season and things didn’t look good for Abilene Cooper. “We started slow with a 1-5 record through a tough schedule but got better each week and found a way to win the bi-district championship,” coach Aaron Roan said. That playoff win was a 42-27 victory over El Paso Chapin before the fun ended with a 55-21 area round loss to Colleyville Heritage, capping a 5-7 record. Almost half of last year’s roster was lost to graduation, leaving 26 returning players including a healthy seven starters on offense and eight on D. “We have some experience in all areas, some more than others. I feel like we need to utilize that experience and build off the off-season. If we can do that, we can give ourselves a chance to have a good season. We need to find and develop a consistent kicker,” said Roan, now 41-28 in his time at Cooper. Roan will look to a mix of juniors and seniors to lead his squad, including junior defensive end Dycin Davis (6-4, 235, 4.75), who logged 85 tackles last season in Cooper’s 3-4 defense, and senior defensive back Jeremiah Appel (5-11, 175, 4.6), in on 72 tackles. The Cougars’ spread offense will benefit from a pair of talented receivers in senior Zavian Alexander (5-10, 150, 4.6), who caught 21 passes for 282 yards last season, and junior Jayden Carrillo (5-9, 165, 4.7). Up front, junior Kayden Bryan (6-1, 320, 5.5), who started as a sophomore and is “the strongest kid in our program, anchors the offensive line along with Micah Flores, who will be a three-year starter, and junior center Jayden Flores, who was all-district as a sophomore. Austin Cummins returns at quarterback after completing 99-of-192 passes for 978 yards with seven touchdowns with 11 interceptions, while Jaden Carrillo caught 36 passes for 313 yards. Back on D, linebacker Cedric Brooks contributed 79 tackles (6 TFL) a year ago, while senior linebacker Treven Turner (6-0, 180, 4.7) added 68 tackles, junior defensive back Jacob Bynum (6-0, 175, 4.7) 63 stops and senior defensive end Esteban Lozano (6-0, 180, 4.65) 48 takedowns. Others Roan is counting on include Adam Gurule, Caleb Guitierrez, Canon Adams, Xzaveion Johnson, G Carter, Alejandro Ibarra, while newcomers looking to make a name will be running back Peyton Ewing (5-9, 170), Marcus Andrade, Matthew Henson, Antonio Martinez and David Baccerini. Roan said Cooper’s new district “will be tough. Lubbock Cooper coming in has been a powerhouse.

School: Abilene Cooper Mascot: Cougars Colors: Royal Blue and Scarlett District: 2-5A D-II Head Coach: Aaron Roan Offensive Coordinator: Will Wise Defensive Coordinator: Scott Stewart Assistant Coaches: Kyle Johnson, James, Hadnot, Michael Breninger, Chance Pierce, Brandon Stover, Brayden Price, Levi Keith, Ross Johnson, Chad Coleman, Josh Alcorn, Rett Dittfurth Last Season’s Overall Record: 5-7 Last Season’s District Record: 3-2 Last Season’s Playoff Record: 1-1 Round of the Playoffs Team Eliminated: 2nd Team Eliminated Your by: Colleyville Heritage Number of Lettermen Lost: 24 Number of Lettermen Returning: 26 Number of Offensive Starters Returning: 7 Number of Defensive Starters Returning: 8

Basic Offense: Spread Basic Defense: 3-4 Last Season’s Team Rushing Yards: 2665 Last Season’s Team Passing Yards: 1177 Last Season’s Team Rushing Yards Allowed: 2051 Last Season’s Team Passing Yards Allowed: 1713 Major Team Strength: Experience, playoff tradition Major Team Weakness: depth, speed All State Potentials: Dycin Davis, Zavian Alexander, Kayden Bryan, Jayden Carrillo, Jeremiah Appel Players to Watch: Austin Cummins, Cedric Brooks, Micah Flores, Jacob Bynum, Treven Turner, Adam Gurule, Caleb Guitierrez, Jayden Flores, Canon Adams, Xzaveion Johnson, G Carter, Esteban Lozano, Alejandro Ibarra, Promising Newcomers: Peyton Ewing, Marcus Andrade, Matthew Henson, Antonio Martinez, David Baccerini

Wylie will be good again, Wichita Falls Memorial and Legacy, I believe, will be the unknowns as new schools but know their coaching staffs and kids will be ready to play. Palo Duro returns a lot of talent and they have been getting better every year. Plainview is coming off a good season as well.”24

Abilene Christian High Panthers — District: 1-TAPPS II

Panthers Back After State Title Run Kirk Wade’s first full season as head coach of the Abilene Christian Panthers ended five heart-breaking points shy of a state championship. The Panthers faced off against Houston Covenant Christian in the TAPPS II title tilt and fell by the narrow margin of 80-76. Wade credited “senior leadership” with sparking the Panthers to an 11-3 record One-third of last year’s 15-player roster was lost to graduation, with three starters on each side of the ball among the 10 returning lettermen in 2024. “Brooks Armstrong will be the catalyst behind this year’s Panthers,” according to Wade. “Returning starters Nate Garza and Pierson Walters will look to build on tremendous 2023 seasons as well. Juniors Ja’Vonne Jones and Mateo Flores were forced into action late in the season due to injuries and performed well. We expect even bigger things from them this season.” Armstrong (5-9, 170, 4.5), a senior running back and linebacker earned district offensive player of the year honors and two-way all-state accolades a year ago after rushing for 2,106 yards and 38 touchdowns on 211 carries (9.98 ypc) while collecting 64 tackles and four interceptions. Both Garza (5-11, 185, 4.8), a senior tight end and linebacker, and Walters (5-8, 165, 4.6), a junior receiver and defensive back, are returning all-district performers. In Abilene Christian’s spread offense last season, Garza caught 22 passes for 559

School: Abilene Christian Mascot: Panthers Colors: Royal and white District: 1-TAPPS II Head Coach: Kirk Wade Offensive Coordinator: Phillip Hall Defensive Coordinator: Kirk Wade Assistant Coaches: Lucas McNeill, Cary Beard, Jeremiah Presley Last Season’s Overall Record: 11-3 District Record: 5-1 Playoff Record: 3-1 Round of the Playoffs Team Eliminated: State Championship game Team Eliminated By: Houston Covenant Christian Lettermen Lost: 5 Lettermen Returning: 10

yards and 8 TDs while making 45 tackles (5 1/2 sacks) with 6 turnovers in the 4-2 defense. Walters contributed 382 rushing yards, caught 21 passes for 249 yards and 3 TDs, and made 33 tackles with 2 picks. Wade said two other juniors to keep an eye on are tight end/offensive lineman Ja’Vonne Jones (6-1, 215, 4.9) and receiver/defensive back Mateo Flores (5-9, 170, 4.95), while senior lineman Brayden Bailey leads the way up front. Among the newcomers to watch, said Wade, is Nate Presley. As they try to overcome the loss of last year’s senior class and a lack of depth, the Panthers will have to navigate a revamped district that Wade said “presents a formidable challenge over the next two years as it is stronger top to bottom. Perennial powerhouse Covenant Classical remains in our district and is the favorite.” Abilene Christian ends the regular-season at home against Covenant Classical on Nov. 8. The Panthers open by hosting Jonesboro Aug. 30.24

2024 Abilene Christian High Varsity Schedule Date Opponent Aug 30 Jonesboro Sept 6 Midland Trinity Sept 13 Knox City Sept 19 Kingdom Prep Sept 27 Denton Calvary Oct 4 BYE Oct 11 Weatherford Christian* Oct 18 Nazarene Christian* Oct 25 Bethesda Christian* Nov 1 Harvest Christian* Nov 8 Covenant Classicalˢ *District

Place Home Away Home Away Away

Time 7:00 7:30 7:30 7:00 7:00

Home Away Away Home Home

7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00

Offensive Starters Returning: 3 Defensive Starters Returning: 3 Basic Offense: Spread Basic Defense: 4-2 Last Season’s Team Rushing Yards: 2931 Last Season’s Team Passing Yards: 1237 Major Team Strength: All State RB/DB Brooks Armstrong returns Major Team Weakness: loss of senior class and lack of depth All State Potentials: Brooks Armstrong, Nate Garza, Pierson Walters Players to Watch: Ja’Vonne Jones, Mateo Flores Promising Newcomers: Nate Presley

2024 Abilene Christian Panthers

Brooks Armstrong

Nate Garza

Brooks Armstrong Cooper Driskill Boston Bailey Pierson Walters Mateo Flores Everett Martin Ja’Vonne Jones Nate Garza Ethan Rhymes Bryce Blanco Jake Swenson Brayden Bailey

Pierson Walters

QB/DB WR/DB RB/DL WR/DB OL/DL OL/DL OL/DL RB/LB WR/DB OL/DL RB/LB OL/DL

12 12 10 11 11 10 11 12 12 10 10 12

Amarillo Caprock Longhorns — District 2-5A D-I

Caprock Seeks Growth In Freeman’s Sophomore Season

The Caprock Longhorns’ first full season under head coach Rowdy Freeman resulted in a single win. “We struggled to find an offensive identity. We played really stout defense for much of the season. Our lack of depth and varsity experience showed,” Freeman said. The Longhorns hope to see noticeable improvement in Freeman’s sophomore season, when they’ll benefit from 39 returning letterwinners, including three starters on offense and seven on defense. “We’re excited abouit year two with a much more cohesive group. Several players were able to gain valuable varsity experience, probably a year early. Key veteran players crossing over offense/ defense will help tremendously. We will need early-season success to get rid of the bad taste of last year,” the coach said. Xavier Vargas (5-8, 165, 4.7), a junior running back and linebacker, serves as both Caprock’s leading returning rusher (89 yards) and top tackler (37). “Xavier is explosive, fast and physical,” Freeman said. Close behind Vargas in tackles is senior defensive back Jayden AcostaLewis (5-11, 165, 4.74), a two-year letterman and leader of an experienced secondary who had 34 stops and two interceptions in 2023. Some of the young players who picked up experience a year ago are sophomores Josiah Darnes and Jared Martinez. Freeman describes both as “very physical players.” Darnes (6-0, 215, 5.2), a lineman, is a “was thrust into the fire as a ninth grader and played well.” Martinez (5-10, 224, 5.1), a tight end and linebacker, “played a ton of snaps as a ninth grader. He will be TE1 this fall and will look to make an impact on both sides of the ball,” the coach said. Other vets to keep an eye on are linebacker Willie Davis, who recorded 25 tackles (4 TFLs) last season, receiver Alex Lopez (9 catches-53 yards), D-linemen Brayden Salinas (31 tackles, 6 TFLs) and defensive back Kingston Wright (32 tackles). Quarterback Steven Ulibarri saw limited time under center last season in Caprock’s spread offense, which will operate behind Xavier Encinias, the “leader and anchor of the offensive line,” according to Freeman. Encinias will be joined up front by Dax Davis, who “loves being an offensive lineman and the phyicality that comes with it,” and Cain ClementsAcosta, a guard moving over to center who is “smart and vocal.” Freeman also is looking for contributions from Fabian Alvarado, Xayvion Gonzalez and Jacob Guerrero, along with newcomers Andrew Apodaca, a Jayden Acosta-Lewis receiver, Jackson Hart

School: Caprock Mascot: Longhorns Colors: Orange & White & Grey District: 2-5A D-I Head Coach: Rowdy Freeman Offensive Coordinator: Nathan Gavina Defensive Coordinator: Robert Soleyjacks Assistant Coaches: Taylor Allen, Isaac Mares, Javion Estrada, Steven Diaz, Aaron Castanon, Aaron Pena, Justin Jones, Trevor Cordova, Jordan Merker, Eduardo Rojas Last Season’s Overall Record: 1-9 Last Season’s District Record: 0-6 Lettermen Lost: 27 Lettermen Returning: 39 Offensive Starters Returning: 3 Defensive Starters Returning: 7

Basic Offense: Spread Basic Defense: 3-4 Last Season’s Team Rushing Yards: 945 Last Season’s Team Passing Yards: 1137 Last Season’s Team Rushing Yards Allowed: 1971 Last Season’s Team Passing Yards Allowed: 1377 Major Team Strength: Secondary Experience / Skill Depth Major Team Weakness: OL/ DL Depth All State Potentials: Xavier Vargas, Jayden AcostaLewis Players to Watch: Josiah Darnes, Jared Martinez, Willie Davis, Alex Lopez, Xayvion Gonzalez, & Jacob Guerrero Promising Newcomers: Andrew Apodaca, Alhosan Sheriff, & Jackson Hart

2024 CAPROCK VARSITY SCHEDULE Date Aug. 30 Sept. 05 Sept. 13 Sept. 19 Sept. 27 Oct. 04 Oct. 18 Oct. 25 Oct. 31 Nov. 07

Opponent Dumas Palo Duro Pampa Canyon Abilene* Amarillo* Lub Coronado* Lubbock High* Tascosa* Monterey*

* District

Place H T T H T H T H T T

Time 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00

and junior Alhosan Sheriff (5-10, 145, 4.9), a “long and lean defensive back who can cover a lot of ground in a hurry and has great ball skills.” Isai Macias is the leading candidate for punter and kicker. Caprock kicks things off at home against Dumas before meeting Palo Duro the following Thursday. After traveling to Pampa and hosting Canyon for a Thursday homecoming Sept. 19, the Longhorns open district at Abilene. They get an open week before taking on another toughie in Amarillo, then it’s at Coronado and close with three at home against Lubbock High, Tascosa and Monterey. “We’re exicited about the opportunity and looking forward to the challenge,” Freeman said. “There are a lot of really good football programs on our schedule.”

Amarillo Tascosa Rebels — District 2-5A D-I

Plunk’s Rebels Figure To Contend For Playoff Spot

Ken Plunk realized a milestone 100th victory last season as head coach of the Tascosa Rebels. He’d like to significantly add to that total in 2024, and figures to have the experience and talent on board to do just that. Fiftyseven letterwinners -- including five starters on offense and 10 on defense, most of them skill-position players -return from last season’s 5-6 squad that went 3-3 in district to just make the playoffs where the Rebels defeated Del Valle (50-25) before falling to Justin Northwest (41-0). Plunk will count on a number of proven seniors to lead his Rebels this fall, including two-way talent TJ Tillman, who a year ago caught 17 passes for 313 yards and four scores while breaking up four passes and intercepting three passes. Another senior receiver/defensive back, Aushaun Wilson, logged five pass break-ups and two INTs in Tascosa’s 4-2-5 defense. A pair of senior running backs/ defensive backs in Za’Cory Fisher, who rushed for 168 yards and three TDs, and Zaq Edwards, who ran for 278 yards and three TDs while also making 48 tackles, give Tascosa valuable experience along with senior linebacker Eli Norvell (52 tackles) and senior defensive end Derrion Howard (54 tackles, 6 TFLs). Two other defensive vets are Jaden King (43 tackles) and Caleb Williams (41 tackles). The Rebels’ flexbone offense will be commanded by junior quarterback Coltyn Fulton after he completed 26-of69 passes for 619 yards with nine touchdowns and two interceptions while running for 856 yards (6.2 ypc) and 13 TDs as a sophomore. Other good-looking juniors are defensive end Krush Johnson, fullback Tendrick Sargent, running back/linebacker Deandre Sanders and fullback/ defensive back Traeson Elliott. Many of those helped the JV to an impressive 7-3 record last year, Tascosa kicks off its season against Palo Duro before facing Wichita Falls Legacy, Lubbock Cooper and Odessa Permian. District begins against three Lubbock schools -- Coronado, Lubbock High and Monterey -- before the regular-season winds down against Abilene, Caprock and Amarillo High. Plunk picks Abilene, Monterey, Amarillo High as the teams to beat.

Aaushawn Wilson

Coltyn Fulton

School: Tascosa Mascot: Rebels Colors: Scarlet & Black District: 2-5A D-I Head Coach: Ken Plunk Offensive Coordinator: Josh Ritchey Defensive Coordinator: Joe Ledoux, Bret Scheve Assistant Coaches: Derek Galt, Josh Ritchey, Dale Davis, Moises Sandoval, Christian Caflisch, Dustin Bohannon, Jay Belcher, Max Frick, Jason Patrick, Jason Underwood, Tae Tillman, Tyler Harper Last Season’s Overall Record: 5-6 Last Season’s District Record: Area Finalist

Number of Lettermen Lost: 33 Number of Lettermen Returning: 57 Number of Offensive Starters Returning: 5 Number of Defensive Starters Returning: 10 Basic Offense: Flexbone Basic Defense: 4-2-5 Top Returnees: TJ Tillman, Za’Cory Fisher, Zaq Edwards, Aushaun Wilson, Eli Norvell, Derrion Howard, Coltyn Fulton, Krush Johnson Top Newcomers: Tendrick Sargent, Deandre Sanders, Traeson Elliott

2024 Tascosa Rebels Schedule Date Opponent Aug. Amarillo Palo Duro Sept. 01 Wichita Falls Legacy Sept. 08 Lubbock Cooper Sept. 15 Odessa Permian Sept. 22 Lub Coronado* Sept. 29 Lubbock High* Oct. 05 Lubbock Monterey* Oct. 20 Abilene* Oct. 27 Caprock* Nov. 03 Amarillo High*

Place T T T T T T T T T T

Time 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00

*District

Derrion Howard

TJ Tilman

Zaq Edwards

Za’Cory Fisher

Amarillo Palo Duro Dons — District 2-5A-D-II

Mims’ Dons Seek To Break Through In 2024

The Palo Duro Dons have averaged four victories each of the last three seasons under head coach and PD graduate Eric Mims, Sr. Mims, and the Dons hope they start really realizing the payoff from some sound groundwork in 2024. “I feel we have built a strong foundation with solid performances from our sub-varsity teams and hope that success carries over,” said Mims, who is 12-19 in three seasons at his alma mater. All but a dozen players -- including linebacker Ali Hopson, receiver Braylen Norman and offensive lineman Sammy Santos -- return from last year’s 4-6 team that went 2-3 in district. Among the 30 veterans are 13 starters, seven on offense and six on D. Mims will count on a handful of seniors to lead his 2024 Dons, including Charlie Love Jr senior receiver Charlie Love (5-9, 150), whom the coach called “an explosive athlete who has the ability to make plays on offense and special teams.” Another weapon in the Dons’ multiple-spread offense is Terrance Wainwright (5-10, 155), who can play any skill position. Up front, PD will lean on Blake Williams (6-3, 305), a three-year letterwinner who can play center or guard, and center Marcus Deleon (6-0, 260). PD’s 3-4 defense should be solid thanks to a pair of senior linebackers in Jakaylin Terry (5-10, 180), called the “mouthpiece of the defense,” and Tyliek Foster (6-1, 200). In the backfield will be juniors Danqual Ashley (6-2, 185), who is “very athletic and plays well in space,” and Vern Blair (6-0, 155), an elite hurdler with great speed who Mims thinks could become a “lockdown corner.” Headlining a promising sophomore class are

School: Palo Duro Mascot: Dons Colors: Royal Blue & White District: 2-5A-D-II Head Coach: Eric Mims, Sr. Offensive Coordinator: Joseph Hawthore Defensive Coordinator: Dannie Snyder Last Season’s Overall Record: 4-6 Last Season’s District Record: 2-3 Number of Lettermen Lost: 12 Number of Lettermen Returning: 30 Number of Offensive Starters Returning: 7 Number of Defensive Starters Returning: 6 Basic Offense: Spread Multiple

Basic Defense: 3-4 Major Team Strength: Team speed and athleticism on both sides of the ball Major Team Weakness: Lack of varsity experience at key positions. All State Potentials: Charlie Love, Blake Williams, Marcus DeLeon, Jakaylin Terry, Terrance Wainright, Tyliek Foster Players to Watch: A’Jaden Randle, Kyron Brown, Keimaj’ Barnes, Amariyea James, JD Dickson, Shalom Gonzales, Troy Robinson, Awetik Rahma

quarterback Julian Reese (6-2, 165), receiver Kyron Brown (6-2, 170) and defensive lineman Troy Robinson (6-0, 255). Other Dons trying to make an impact will be senior receiver JD Dickson (5-9, 145) and a handful of juniors in receiver/defensive back A’Jaden Randle (5-10, 150), running back Amariyea James (5-7, 176), offensive lineman Shalom Gonzales (6-2, 255), defensive lineman Awetik Rahma (6-1, 270) and linebacker/running back Keimaj’ Barnes (5-10, 200), who is coached described as “a football-playing machine.” Mims believes Lubbock Cooper, Wichita Falls and Abilene Wylie are the teams to beat in 2-5A Division 2.

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Canyon Eagles — District 2-4A D-I

4th-Straight Solid Season Expected Under Winfrey

The Canyon Eagles in 2023 turned in a third-straight solid season under coach Todd Winfrey, and it sure seems that Eagles fans can expect another respectable campaign this fall. Canyon is coming off a 9-3 season, which came on the heels of a 10-2 record in 2022 and an 8-3 mark in Winfrey’s first season. The Eagles moved their playoff record under their fourth-year coach to 2-3, including last season’s bi-district win over Wichita Falls (51-33) prior to an area-round loss to Estacado (42-21). Canyon welcomes back a number of experienced bodies, many of them skill-position players including a pair of senior pass catchers in the Eagles’ spread offense. Receiver Jacob Burris in 2023 caught 25 passes for 500 yards and six TDs while also making 63 tackles. And, fullback/tight end Tripp Wright (6-1, 220) caught 29 passes for 490 yards and three TDs. Charged with getting them the ball will be senior quarterback Boston Bell (6-0, 175), who a year ago completed 109-of-177 passes (62 percent) for 1,722 yards with 10 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Getting the job done on the ground will be senior running backs/defensive backs Colt Cruth, who rushed for 692 yards (6.1 ypc) and six TDs plus made 52 tackles last season, and Ryan Rivera, who rushed for 676 yards (7.2 ypc) and five scores. Veteran seniors in Canyon’s 3-4 defense are middle linebacker Carter Hickey (5-7, 170), who logged 74 tackles (7 TFLs) last season, and defensive back Caden Burrow, good for 20 tackles a year ago. The experience up front seems a bit thin, but providing some leadership in the trenches will be junior guard Zach Garcia (5-11, 260) and senior guard Garrett Rosser (6-3, 245). Canyon hits the road for its opener against Perryton before hosting Andrews and Palo Duro. Then it’s at

School: Canyon High Mascot: Eagles Colors: Purple/White District: 2-4A D-I Head Coach: Todd Winfrey Offensive Coordinator: Matt Lovorn Defensive Coordinator: John Quint Last Season’s Overall Record: 9-3 Last Season’s District Record: 4-1 Last Season’s Playoff Record: 1-1 Round of the Playoffs Team Eliminated: Area

Team Eliminated By: Estacado Basic Offense: Spread Basic Defense: 3-4 Last Season’s Team Rushing Yards: 3,675 Last Season’s Team Passing Yards: 1,874 Last Season’s Team Rushing Yards Allowed: 1,836 Last Season’s Team Passing Yards Allowed: 1,348 Players to Watch: Jacob Burris, Tripp Wright

Colt Cruth

Tripp Wright

Caprock and home against Piedra Vista, Farmington. After a week off, district play starts at home against West Plains. Then it’s at Dumas, home against Pampa, at Hereford and home against Randall. Winfrey feels West Plains, Dumas and Randall are the teams to beat.

Topotexas.ppbasketball@gmail.com 31

West Plain Wolves — District 2-4A D-I

Wolves Seek To Raise The Standard

“The bar has been set high, and it’s this team’s opportunity to raise the standard,” Adam Cummings said as the West Plains Wolves head into their third season of competition on the heels of last year’s run to the state quarterfinals. The Wolves, after going 7-5 in their debut season, finished the 2023 campaign with a 12-2 record. That featured an undefeated district title and playoff wins over Clint (41-14), Graham (35-17) and Monahans (4221) before the fun was ended by Glen Rose (45-13). “We’re so proud of how our guys competed last year. There are many things for them to look back on and build from: first district title, state quarterfinalists, National

Reid Macon

Tryston Hernandez

School: West Plains Mascot: Wolves Colors: Navy & Light Blue District: 2-4A D-I Head Coach: Adam Cummings Offensive Coordinator: Jeff Lyles Defensive Coordinator: David Sutterfield / Josh King Assistant Coaches: Jeff Lofton, Steve Bergeski, Graden Long, Keenan Albracht, Shawn Shepherd, Colby Chandler, Jake Ebeling, Jeremiah Garcia, Dwayne Dotson, Josh Strickland, Dylan Brunson, Justin McDonald, Robert Hendricks Last Season’s Overall Record: 12-2 Last Season’s District Record: 4-0 Last Season’s Playoff Record: 3-1 Round Of The Playoffs Team Eliminated: 4th Team Eliminated By: Glen Rose

Jae Harrison

Football Foundation National Academic Excellence Award Texas State Finalist, etc.,” Cummings said. Graduation took a heavy hit on West Plains’ roster, taking away 28 players, including Dawson Hall, Jordi Hernandez, Jarrett Diggs, Kyron Wooten, Duke Blaser, King Tallant, Layton Barrow, Damian Benavidez, Crockett

Brody Tupin

Kane White-Tinsley

Boston Ladd

Kaidon Breitling

Slade Russell

Number Of Lettermen Lost: 28 Number Of Lettermen Returning: 19 Number Of Offensive Starters Returning: 2 Number Of Defensive Starters Returning: 3 Basic Offense: Spread Basic Defense: 3-4 Last Season’s Team Rushing Yards: 3208 Last Season’s Team Passing Yards: 3372 Major Team Strength: Depth at skill positons Major Team Weakness: Returning experience All State Potentials: Reid Macon, Jae Harrison, Tryston Hernandez Players To Watch: Brody Tupin, Kane White-Tinsley, Boston Ladd, Kaidon Breitling, Slade Russell, Keaton Cheney, Kaden Hooker, Bryson Myers Promising Newcomers: Keegan Collins, Brendt Nall, Carter Jones, Hudson Hawley, Rowan Villagomez

Keaton Cheney

Kaden Hooker

Henry, Jeremiah Gutierrez and Ace Giesbrecht. Of the 19 lettermen, only two started on offense and three on defense. “We’re excited to see how our kids compete this season,” Cummings said. “There are a lot of shoes to fill and starting spots open, but our kids are committed and willing to get better and build on our tradition.” A couple of keys to West Plains’ success will be Reid Macon and Jae Harrison. Macon (6-0, 170, 4.7), a junior who has started the last two years at quarterback, last season impressively passed for 3,306 yards and 35 touchdowns with just seven interceptions while completing 71 percent (258-of-362) of his passes in the Wildcats’ multiple spread offense. Harrison (6-3, 325, 5.6), a senior,

Bryson Myers

Keegan Collins

Brendt Nall

junior Kaden Hooker (6-0, 175), who last year logged 19 receptions for 146 yards and two TDs, and sophomore running back/linebacker Slade Russell (6-1, 185, 4.7), who as a freshman hauled in 38 catches for 231 yards and four TDs. Another target will be senior tight end/ linebacker Bryson Myers (6-1, 180), while senior kicker Matthew Carrillo (5-8, 155) provides some experience in the kicking game, having made 7-of-7 PATs in 2023. Juniors looking to make their name known are Keaton Cheyne (5-9, 185), linemen Keegan Collins (6-6, 270), Carter Jones (6-1, 255) and Rowan Villagomez (6-0, 245), fullback/linebacker Brendt Nall (5-11, 175) and running back/linebacker Hudson Hawley (5-8, 155).

Carter Jones

is the lone returning starter on the offensive line after grading at 88 percent with 42 pancakes to earn first-team all-district honors. A third key to success, this one in the 3-4 defense, is senior linebacker Tryston Hernandez (6-4, 190, 4.7), who collected 79 tackles (15 TFLs) last fall. Hernandez will get support from senior linebacker Brody Tupin (6-0, 195), who managed 54 tackles last year, and a pair of juniors in the secondary in Kane White-Tinsley (6-1, 170) and Boston Ladd (5-9, 160), who recorded 28 and 50 tackles, respectively. The top returning tackler up front with 15 takedowns is senior lineman Kaidon Breitling (6-2, 225). A couple of crucial pass catchers for Macon will be

Brody Bobo

Matthew Carrillo

Keaton Cheney

Hudson Hawley

Rowan Villagomez

Ackland Bankston

West Plains kicks off its season in Seminole before hosting Horizon and Estacado. After that the Wolves play at Bushland and host Liberty Christian before opening district at Canyon and Pampa. The regular-season winds down at home against Randall, at Dumas and home against Hereford. Cummings looks for Randall, Canyon and Hereford to provide the Wolves with their toughest tests. “District 2-4A Division 1 will be a very competitive district,” Cummings said. “Each week will be a challenge, and we look forward to joining the group and seeing what we can do.”

Will Grisham

Javier Medina

Bryson Rinehart

Kelton Wright

El Paso Franklin Cougars — District 1-6A

WALKER SAYS FRANKLIN MUST STAY HEALTHY Veteran Franklin coach Daren Walker is ready to get rolling on the 2024 season and put an injury-plagued 2023 campaign in the past. “We had a record number of season-ending injuries,” Walker said of the Cougars’ season, which despite the setbacks ended with a 6-4 overall record and 4-4 district mark. Graduation took away 21 players, including quarterback Shay Smith (UTEP), but 22 veterans return, including five starters on each side of the ball. “It’s all about the injuries,” Walker, who is 107-64 in 18 seasons at Franklin, said while assessing his team’s prospects. “The kids on the field will compete.” The Cougars boast a number of high-talent players, including juniors Joseuberto Bondoni-Guzman at linebacker and lineman Justin Morales. Walker called Bondoni-Guzman (6-1, 210, 4.8), who logged 56 tackles last season, and “outstanding defensive player who will lead our defense,” while he called Morales (6-3, 260, 4.9), who had 34 tackles, an “aggressive lineman with some division I offers. He should be a dominant player.” Top seniors in Franklin’s spread offense and 3-4 defense include Roman Gonzalez, Jose Holguin, Kyler McDavitt and Elias Munoz. Walker said Gonzalez (5-11, 160, 4.5), who made 39 tackles in 2023, is a “senior leader who will play on both sides of the ball” at receiver and corner. Holguin (5-10, 200, 4.9), coming off a 96-tackle season (39 solo), is a three-year starter at inside linebacker, while McDavitt “will be a difference-maker on both sides of the ball” at receiver and strong safety after making 15 catches and 46 tackles last fall. Another receiver and defensive back, Munoz (5-11, 170, 4.5), who made 21 catches for 404 yards and five TDs last year, “will be, if healthy, a top player in the region on both sides of the ball.” The Cougars will also get contributions from a pair of junior running backs/linebackers in Ernie Powers (5-10, 190, 4.5), who “could be one of the top players in the district if healthy,” and Atreyu De La Riva (5-11, 180,

Head Coach:

Starters Returning on

Daren Walker

Defense: 5

District: 1-6A

Basic Offense: Spread

Offensice Coordinator:

Basic Defense: 3-4

Matt Reyes Defensive Coordinator: Jose Homer Last Season’s Overall Record: 6-4 Last Season’s District Record: 4-4

Major Team Strength: OL/ LB Major Team Weakness: QB Inexperience All State Potentials: Justin Morales, Joseuberto-

Lettermen Lost: 21

Guzman, Roman

Lettermen Returning: 22

Gonzalez, Jose Holguin,

Starters Retuning on

Kyler McDavitt, Elias

Offense: 5

Munoz

4.8), who rushed for 565 yards and seven touchdowns last year. Others being counted on include senior running back/end Jaylen Williams (5-9, 195, 4.7), who recorded 38 tackles in ‘23, senior receiver/defensive back Daniel Holguin (5-8, 175, 4.7), junior lineman Martin Contreras (6-1, 300, 5.2), senior offensive lineman/end Raul Alvarez (5-10, 195, 4.9), senior defensive end Dylan Contreras (5-9, 175, 4.8) and budding sophomore linebacker Daniel Martinez-Murillo (5-8, 175, 4.8). Kicker JP Soto returns after booting 47-of-50 PATs and 3-of-7 field goals. Walker looks for Eastwood and Pebble Hills to be the teams to beat in District 1-6A.

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EP El Dorado Aztecs — District 1-5A-D I

Aztecs take steps to lessen injury impact

Lack of depth and injuries are not a good combination, which is something the El Dorado Aztecs learned last season. “Last season we hit the injury bug early and often. That combined with not having a lot of depth took its impact,” Aztecs coach Frank Martinez said as he reflected on his team’s 1-9 season. No team can eliminate injuries, but El Dorado has taken steps to try to avoid them and lessen their impact. “This year we have focused more on developing our depth players as well as adjusting our strength and conditioning program. With those adjustments and a group of talented returners, we are looking to have a successful season,” said Martinez, who is 10-20 in three years at El Dorado. Graduation claimed a dozen players off last year’s roster, leaving behind 20 letterwinners, including eight starters on offense and seven on D. Among the veterans is junior running back Ryan Estrada (5-11, 191, 4.47), who a year ago in the Aztecs’ spread offense produced 2,135 yards rushing while averaging 10.1 yards per carry, eliciting numerous early D-I offers. “Ryan has great size and speed,” Martinez said. One reason for Estrada’s success is senior offensive lineman Gabriel Terrazas (6-2, 250, 5.0), whom his coach called “a leader on the field and off. He’s a punishing blocker with a good football IQ.” Another top-notch lineman is junior Tanner Ragan (6-3, 240, 4.9), who “has good size and strength and plays with physicality and athleticism.” El Dorado’s 4-2-5 defense features a pair of talented linebackers in junior Adrian Olivas (5-7, 165, 4.7) and senior David Martinez (5-10, 175, 4.9). Martinez said Olivas is “the toughest player on the field at all times” and said Martinez “plays smart and has a nose for the ball.” Another junior talent is receiver/defensive back JaDarius Sanders (6-2, 160, 4.58), who has “great size, speed and athleticism.” Other key players for El Dorado in 2024 will be Isaac Gutierrez and newcomers Brycen Booth and

Adrian Olivas

Gabriel Terrazas

School: El Dorado Mascot: Aztecs Colors: Cardinal Red, Black & Gold District: 1-5A-D I Head Coach: Frank Martinez Offensive Coordinator: Andrew Macias Defensive Coordinator: Brent Jacquess Assistant Coaches: Aram Pinto, Norbert Gabaldon, Dominiwue Ramirez, Will Montano, Tony Issa, Angel Soto, Nick Lopez, Rudy Valdez, Cedric Patterson , Jacob Sarina Last Season’s Overall Record: 1-9 Last Season’s District Record: 1-7 Number of Lettermen Lost: 12 Number of Lettermen Returning: 20 Number of Offensive Starters Returning: 8

Number of Defensive Starters Returning: 7 Basic Offense: Spread Basic Defense: 4-2-5 Last Season’s Team Rushing Yards: 1721 Last Season’s Team Passing Yards: 1429 Last Season’s Team Rushing Yards Allowed: 1829 Last Season’s Team Passing Yards Allowed: 1653 Major Team Strength: Experience Major Team Weakness: Depth All State Potentials: Ryan Estrada Players to Watch: Ryan Estrada, Gaberial Terrazas, Adrian Olivas, Tanner Regan, David Martinez, Isaac Gutierrez, JaDarius Promising Newcomers: Brycen Booth, Ryan Sanchez

Ryan Sanchez. El Dorado faces what Martinez called an “interesting” schedule. “It will be interesting playing each team twice. We are looking forward to very competitive matchups each week as we face talented rosters and coaches throughout our season.”

Gabriel Terrazas

Ryan Estrada

Tanner Ragan

Burges Mustangs - District 1-5A D-II

Mustangs “Have Higher Standards” Yes, the Burges Mustangs made the playoffs in coach Bernie Luna’s first season as head coach after years as defensive coordinator. But Luna knows the Mustangs have more in them than a 2-9 record and a first-round post-season departure. “Last year we were in most games. We lost some close games but that just went with the lack of experience we had on the field. Even though we made the playoffs, which was one of our goals, have have higher standards as a program,” Luna said. Returning to help the Mustangs, who graduated a couple of dozen players last spring, take the next step are 18 lettermen, including eight offense and six defensive starters. “We are excited about this upcoming season. We do have a little more team speed this year. We are also transitioning to an odd-front instead of a 4-3 defense,” Luna said. Senior leadership in 2024 will come from running back/strong safety Luke Dexter-Quinn, who rushed for 348 yards and five touchdowns last season; speedy cover corner Kamren Hannah (5-7, 150, 4.6), who logged 34 tackles and two interceptions; end Nikko Hernandez (6-0, 198) ; and left tackle/guard Damian Cajellas (6-0, 260, 5.7), the captain of the O-line who Luna said is “quick on his feet and finishes plays.” Cajellas will be joined up front by returning starters Julian DeAnda and Peter Martin. Luna said DeAnda has “great size” and Martin “good footwork.” Top receivers returning are Adrian Gomez with 15 receptions, and Juan Salazar with a dozen catches. Defensemen being counted on are junior strong safety Jayden Bowser (5-7, 150, 4.5), who came up with three INTs a year ago; lineman Angel Rojas (35 tackles); linebackers Trent Perez (45 tackles) and Elijah (41 tackles); and DBs Raniyen Orr (47 tackles) and Kamren Hannah (34 tackles, 2 INTs). Set to quarterback Burges’ spread offense is junior Nezahul Cisneros, whom Luna called “a great athlete.

Jayden Bowser

Luke Dexter-Quinn

Nikko Hernandez

School: Midland Mascot: Bulldogs Colors: Purle & Gold District: 1-5A D-II Head Coach: Bernie Luna Offensive Coordinator: Adrian Molina Defensive Coordinator: Adrian Herrera Assistant Coaches: Manny Herrera, Martin Arvizuo, Eric Pichardo Jr, Jamie Amezaga, Alfredo Gonzales, Guillermo Serrano Last Season’s Overall Record: 2-8 Last Season’s District Record: 2-3 Last Season’s Playoff Record: 0-1 Round Of The Playoffs Team Eliminated: Bi-District Team Eliminated By: Wichita Falls Rider Number Of Lettermen Lost: 24 Number Of Lettermen

Adrian Gomez

Angel Rojas

Returning: 18 Number Of Offensive Starters Returning: 8 Number Of Defensive Starters Returning: 6 Basic Offense: Spread Basic Defense: 3-4 / Mulltiple Defense Last Season’s Team Rushing Yards: 1926 Last Season’s Team Passing Yards: 1628 Last Season’s Team Rushing Yards Allowed: 2653 Last Season’s Team Passing Yards Allowed: 1589 Major Team Strength: 18 Letterman Returning Major Team Weakness: Undersized Players To Watch: Jayden Bowser, Luke Dexter-Quinn, Kamren Hannah, Nikko Hernandez Promising Newcomers: Nezahul Cisneros

Damian Cajellas

Donovan Freeman

Other newcomers are Nezahul Cisneros, H-back Ibrahim

2024 Burges mustang Schedule

Taha, who “has speed, good hands and knowledge of the

Date Opponent Aug. 30 Bowie Sept. 06 Fabens Sept. 13 Canutillo Sept. 20 Jefferson Sept 27 Chapin Oct. 04 Hanks Oct. 11 Horizon Oct. 18 Andress Nov. 01 Del Valle Nov. 08 El Paso

game,” and right guard Jose Quesada, who is “strong and finishes blocks.” Burges’ two non-district games come against Bowie and Fabens. District play sees the Bears taking on Canutillo, Jefferson, Chapin, Hanks, Horizon, Andress, Del Valle and EP High. Luna feels Del Valle, Canutillo and Chapin are the class of the league. Said Luna, “Our district just got tougher. We are entering a nine-team district. As coaches, we love the competition.”

Elijah Priego

Ibrahim Taha

Juan Salazar

Julian DeAnda

Nezahul Cisneros

Place T H H T H T H T H T

Raniyen Orr

Time 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00

Trent Perez

El Paso Andress Golden Eagles — District 1-5A D-II

Experience Will Give Andress Edge In 2024 Despite a youthful roster, the El Paso Andress Golden Eagles were able to find their way into the playoffs last season. It didn’t go so well once they got there (Andress lost in bi-district to Wylie, 55-7) and the Golden Eagles closed with a 4-7 record. “We were young last season and had an extremely hard preseason schedule. Hopefully that will propel us going forward,” coach Chris Taylor said. Taylor welcomes back a healthy number of veterans -- eight offensive and seven defensive starters among 25 letterwinners -- and hopes that more mature roster and the experience gained from 2023 will lift the Golden Eagles to new heights in 2024. “We are extremely excited about the upcoming season. We are returning seven-plus starters on offense and defense,” said Taylor, who is 19-14 in three seasons at Andress. Among the veterans are returning receiving leader Jared Gordon, passing leader Jadon Urbina and rushing leader Marcus Wilson, along with linebacker Sean Pandza. Other vets in Andress’ spread offense are receiving Erick Blucher and a trio of proven offensive linemen in Cyrus Beckley, Chris Bass and Josh Cooper. Taylor said Beckley possesses Division I potential,

School: Andress Mascot: Golden Eagles Colors: Maroon & Gold District: 1-5A D-II Head Coach: Chris Taylor Offensive Coordinator: Chris Wells Assistand Coaches: David Elliott, Chris Scott, Michael Farrar, Jesus Ulloa, Matthew Elliott, Armando Medina, Ricky Arellano Last Season’s Overall Record: 4-7 Last Season’s District Record: 3-2 Last Season’s Playoff Record: 0-1 Round of the Playoffs Team Eliminated: Bi-District

Team Eliminated By: Wylie Lettermen Lost: 10 Lettermen Returning: 25 Number of Offensive Starters Returning: 8 Number of Defensive Starters Returning: 7 Basic Offense: Spread Basic Defense: 3-4 Major Team Strength: Offensive line Major Team Weakness: Offensive Skill Experience Players to Watch: Jared Gordon, Marcus Wilson, Sean Pandza, Jadon Urbina Promising Newcomers: Elijah Cooper, Jordan Owens

pointed out that Bass is a 3-year starter, and described Cooper as a “strong and physical center.” Leaders in the Golden Eagles’ 3-4 defense include Andre Parks up front and Elijah Cooper in the secondary. Others being counted on will be Jordan Owens and Emilio Burciaga, who provides experience in the kicking game. Andress kicks off its season against El Dorado and Coronado before entering district play against Jefferson, Chapin, Hanks, Horizon, Burges, Del Valle, El Paso and Canutillo. “We know that our new district will be very competitive with the new added teams,” said Taylor, who believes Del Valle and Canutillo sit at the top of the league.

2024 Golden Eagles Schedule

Date 8/30 9/6 9/13 9/20 9/27 10/04 10/11 10/18 10/25 11/01 11/08

Jefferson Silver Foxes - District 1-5A D-II

Opponent Where El Dorado SAC1 Coronado T Jefferson* H Chapin* Austin Hanks* H Horizon* T Bye Burges* H Del Valle* T El Paso* H Canutillo* T *District

Time TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA TBA

Silver Foxes Have More Senior, Experience Limited numbers and unfamiliarity with a new prostyle offense made for a rough 2023 season for the Jefferson Silver Foxes. “No depth, small senior class, a new offensive system. Last year was a rough year allaround, and we are looking to learn from it and have a more successful and competitive season,” Jefferson coach Tony Martinez said of team’s winless record. Things now seem to be going more Jefferson’s way. “More depth, a big senior class, experience and the will to start over. We are eager to get started so that we can get to work to get better and give our athletes the tools so they can be successful on the football field,” Martinez said. Only 10 players graduated, leaving 18 letterwinners including seven starters on each side of the line of scrimmage. A trio of seniors will be among the Silver Foxes’ leaders. Lineman Jesus Ochoa (6-0, 210, 5.5) is a team captain and anchor of the offensive line. Brian Dominguez (5-6, 135, 5.1), a running back/defensive back, was credited with 55 tackles while Sergio Rodarte (5-10, 165, 4.9), a running back/linebacker, made 54 stops, three more than another linebacker, Alec Szako (5-9, 155, 5.0). Leading the junior class are defensive lineman Dereck Palacios (5-9, 215, 5.2), who logged 29 tackles (6 TFLs) and 3 1/2 sacks in Jefferson’s 3-3-5 defense and averaged almost 40 yards a punt, and defensive back Zoel Nonelle (5-9, 140), responsible for 49 tackles and three interceptions. Other senior offensive linemen are Ernesto Cuevas (6-1, 290, 5.8), whom Martinez said “has a big, physical body and is hard to go through or around,” Evan Lara (6-0, 200, 5.7), who is “our quickest lineman who is smart and a good puller,” Francisco Robles (5-9 185, 5.2), Rafael Chavez (6-1, 320) and Gael Lopez (6-0, 180, 5.3). Other senior veterans are receiver/linebacker Angel Martinez (5-8, 155, 5.2) and cornerbacks Santiago Portillo (5-9, 140) and Sebastian Villa (6-0, 170, 5.1). Martinez, who sports a 17-52 record in eight years with the Silver Foxes, looks for contributions from junior quarterback/linebacker Jesus Gomez (6-0, 200, 5.1), junior Michael Garcia (5-11, 260), and senior center/nose

School: Jefferson High School Mascot: Silverfox Colors: Silver, Scarlet District: 1-5A D-II Head Coach: Tony Martinez Offensive Coordinator: John Harris Defensive Coordinator: Robert Cordero Assistant Coaches: Jose Ramos, Jimmy Vasquez, Tony Pinion, Chris Campian, Erik Garcia, Andy Najar Last Season’s Overall Record: 3-7 Last Season’s District Record: 0-5 Number of Lettermen Lost: 17 Number of Lettermen Returning: 12 Number of Offensive Starters Returning: 4 Number of Defensive

Starters Returning: 4 Basic Offense: 3-3 Stack Basic Defense: Flexbone Last Season’s Team Rushing Yards: 1591 Last Season’s Team Passing Yards: 589 Major Team Strength: Grit, Detemination, Hardwork, Teamwork Major Team Weakness: Depth All State Potentials: Miguel Rubio Players to Watch: Miguel Rubio, Jesus Ochoa, Derek Palacios Jonathan Harris, Jesus Gomez, Donyvin Villezcas, Sergio Rodarte Promising Newcomers: Ian Vasquez, Abel Carreon, Alec Zsako, David Luna, Brian Dominquez Principal: Yong Vega

Gus Muniz (5-10, 250, 5.9), plus sophomores Davion Arnette (5-10, 155, 4.9), a quarterback/linebacker, and back Ithen Compian (5-3, 140, 4.9). Jefferson plays Fabens and Bowie in its two predistrict games, then it’s Andress, Burges, Del Valle, El Paso, Canutillo, Chapin, Hanks and Horizon. “It’s a tough district and does not get any easier,” Martinez said. “Every game is tough and counts.”

El Paso Bowie Bears — District 1-4A D-I

bowie’s bears do more with less Andres Vale and the Bowie Bears maybe did more with less than any program in the area in 2023, winning seven games and qualifying for the post-season despite a limited roster. “We had a very successful season last year. We were very lucky that we did not have injuries,” Vale said. “Our varsity team has fewer than 30 players and our JV about 25. With the low numbers we still competed well.” The season came to a close with a 45-3 loss to Estacado in bi-district. A dozen players graduated while a dozen others return, half of whom are starters. “The upcoming season looks promising again. We are returning many players with varsity experience, including most of the offense coming back. We just need to stay injury-free to have another successful season,” said Vale, who owns a 20-46 record during his time at Bowie. Returning to direct Bowie’s wing-T offense is quarterback Abraham Carrasco, who last fal completed 50-of-98 passes for 926 yards with nine TDs and four interceptions. On the ground, Alan Mota rushed for 1,029 yards and 11 TDs on 153 carries (6.7 ypc) while Joe Rodriguez ran for 604 yards and seven scores on 123 attempts (4.9 ypc). Rodriguez also logged 28 tackles (10 TFLs) as a linebacker in Bowie’s 50 front defense. Others being counted on on D are linemen Johan Camacho (34 tackles, 6 TFLs) and Kenneth Arias, defensive backs Derek Montanez (11 tackles, 2 interceptions) and Francisco Alonso, and linebacker Ray Soto. Veterans in the trenches on offense include team captain Alan Chavez plus Samuel Montes and Cesar Cruz, both of whom also play defense. Others being counted on are receiver Daniel Mendez and newcomers Damien Valles and Angel Torres. Bowie begins its 2024 campaign Aug. 30 against Burges then takes on Jefferson. District play starts against Fabens, then it’s at Clint, Irvin, Riverside, San Elizaro,

Abraham Carrasco

Alan Chavez

School: El Paso Bowie Mascot: Bears Colors: Royal Blue and White District: 1-4A D-I Head Coach: Andres Vale Offensive Coordinator: Raymond Munoz Defensive Coordinator: Juan Camacho Assistant Coaches: Cesar Montanez, Antonio Torres, Eduardo Jaquez, Gabriel Sanchez, Lloyd Chaffey Last Season’s Overall Record: 7-4 Last Season’s District Record: 2-2 Last Season’s Playoff Record: 0-1 Round of Playoffs Team Eliminated: 1sr Round Team Eliminated By: Lubbock Estacado Number of Lettermen Lost: 12

Number of Lettermen Returning: 12 Number of Offensive Starters Returning: 6 Number of Defensive Starters Returning: 8 Basic Offense: Wing-T Basic Defense: 50 Front Last Season’s Team Rushing Yards: 2491 Last Season’s Team Passing Yards: 1063 Major Team Strength: Returning players with varsity experience Major Team Weakness: Lack of numbers Players to Watch: Johan Camcaho, Abraham Carrasco, Joe Rodriguex, Alan Mota, Derek Montanez, Alan Chavez, Samuel Montes, Cesar Cruz, Ray Soto, Francisco Alonso Promising New Comers: Damien Valles, Angel Torres

Mountain View, Austin and Ysleta. “The new district is

going to be extremely tough. We won’t have many nondistrict games to get better; we get into district right away

on week 3,” Vale said. “It will be very tough to secure a playoff spot. We feel that we can compete extremely well in the new district.

Alan Mota

Ceaser Cruz Carrillo

Daniel Mendez

Derek Montanez

2024 EL PASO BOWIE VARSITY SCHEDULE

Joe Rodriguez

Johan Camacho

Date Aug. 30 Sept. 05 Sept. 13 Sept. 20 Sept. 26 Oct.. 04 Oct. 11 Oct. 18 Oct. 25 Nov. 01 Nov. 08

Samuel Montes

Opponent Burges Jefferson Fabens* Clint* Irvin* Riverside* Open San Elizario* Mountain View* Austin* Ysleta*

San Elizario Eagles — District 1-4A D-I

*District

Place H T H T H T

Time 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00

H T H T

7:00 7:00 7:00 7:00

San Elizario’s Success Tied To The ‘Big Uglies’ If the San Elizario Eagles are going to have

School: San Elizario Mascot: Eagles Colors: Royal Blue & Gold District: 1-4A D-I Head Coach: Robert Herrera Offensive Coordinator: Segio Aguilera Defensive Coordinator: Angel Gonzalez Last Season’s Overall Record: 2-8 Last Season’s District Record: 1-3 Number of Lettermen Lost: 11 Number of Lettermen Returning: 5

success in 2024, it will be the so-called big uglies that lead them there. “Our biggest strength will be our

offensive line with three out of five starters returning,” head coach Robert Herrera said.

Herrera and the Eagles posted a 2-8 record

last season, including 1-3 in district. Eleven players

graduated, leaving behind seven starters in San Elizario’s Flexbone offense and six in the 3-4 defense. Among the boys up front will be senior defensive

lineman Jesus Macias (6-2, 240, 5.3). He and other

linemen on offense will be clearing the way for senior running backs Zamar Vargas (5-8, 175, 4.8), who last season rushed for 1,204 yards (6.5 ypc) and 15

touchdowns in eight games, and Jr. Garcia (5-9, 165,

4.7), along with junior Jared Montes (5-9, 165, 4.6). The Eagles must develop a passing game, and senior

Number of Offensive Starters Returning: 7 Number of Defensive Starters Returning: 6 Basic Offense: Flexbone Basic Defense: 3-4 Major Team Strength: Offensive Line, Returning Starters Major Team Weakness: Passing Game Players to Watch: Zamar Vargas, Jr. garcia, Andrew Cedillo, Jared Montes, Jesus Garcia, Jose Escarcega, Martin Juarez

quarterbacks Andrew Cedillo (5-10, 180, 4.9) and Jose

Escarcega (5-6, 160, 4.8) are the leading candidates. The top returning tackler is senior athlete Martin Juarez (5-8, 180), who last fall registered 69 tacklers (22 solo). San Elizario opens the season Aug. 30 at Anthony

before hosting Cathedral. District play begins after that

and sees the Eagles taking on Ysleta, Fabens, Clint, Irving, Riverside, Bowie, Mountain View and Austin.

Herrera, who sports a 7-30 record at San Elizatio, said Riverside, Austin and Clint are the teams to beat in

Topotexas.ppbasketball@gmail.com

District 1-4A Division 1.

Fabens Wildcats — District 1-4A D-I

Fabens Look To Turn InJuries Into Blessings The Fabens Wildcats hope unfortunate injuries suffered in 2023 transform into 2024 blessings on the football field. “Despite suffering major key injuries during district play, last year’s squad gave a lot of underclassmen playing time that will help us be successful this year,” coach Jorge Levario said. The Wildcats won three of their first five games last year -one more than in Levario’s first season on the sidelines in 2022 -- before the injuries showed up and the winning went away, resulting in a 3-7 overall record and 0-5 district mark. Two-thirds of last year’s roster returns, including eight starters on each side of the ball. “I look forward to having more upperclassmen on this year’s team. Their experience and work ethic will help us battle for a playoff spot,” Levario said. Seniors Javier Hernandez and Jesus Martinez-Jimenez will compete for the quarterback spot in Fabens’ spread offense. Hernandez (5-10, 145, 4.6) was the second-leading tackler with 67 stops while also is the leading returning receiver (16-382-5 TDs), punter and back-up kicker. Jesus Martinez-Jimenez (5-9, 150, 4.7) saw some time under center in 2023 when he rushed for 601 yards and five TDs plus play in the secondary in the Wildcats’ 4-3 defense. In the trenches, Levario said Matthew Delgado “will help anchor our offensive line,” Thomas Cruz “will help bring experience to our O-line,” and junior Francisco Ramos (6-0, 265, 5.2) “will provide depth and size.” Others defensive returners with some experience

School: Fabens

Basic Offensive: Spread

Mascot: Wildcats

Basic Defense: 4-3

Colors: Purle & Gold

Last Season’s Rushing

2024 WILDCATS VARSITY SCHEDULE

and a few good-looking newcomers include DBs Marcos

DATE OPPONENT

District: 1-4A D-I Head Coach: Offensice Coordinator: Jorge Levario Defensive Coordinator:

Yards: 1267 Last Seasons’s Passing Yards: 960 Major Team Strenght: Ability for players to play

Roberto Garcia Assistant Coaches: Omar Moreno

multiple positions Major Team Weakness: What we lack in size

Last Season’s Overall

we make up for in

Record: 3-7 Last Season’s District Record: 0-5

toughness All State Potentials: Javier Hernandez,

Number Of Lettermen

Jesus Martinez-

Lost: 12

Jimenez, Pedro

Number Of Lettermen

Aguitte, Johnathan

Returning: 24 Number Of Offensive Starters Returning: 8

Escobar Promising New Comers:

Number Of Defensive

John Escobedo,

Starters Returning: 8

Francisco Ramos

Luna, who had 25 tackles last year, and Angel Ramirez;

PLACE

TIME

08-30 Jefferson

7:00

linebackers Cesar Aguirre (12 tackles), Aaron Ramirez,

09-06 Burges

7:00

Pedro Aguirre and John Escobedo. Abraham Martinez

09-13 Bowie*

7:00

09-20 San Elizario*

7:00

lineman Johnathan Escobar (40 tackles, 5 TFLs); and

and Nathan Hernandez will contribute up front. Joseph Nunez logged 20 catches a year ago. Fabens opens the season against Jefferson and Burges before diving into district play against Bowie, San

09-27 Mountain View*