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FOOTBALL ELLIS COUNTY 2025 PREVIEW

OPPONENT YOUR TEAM VS

INDIANS W A X

Indians ready to attack the new season with a young but talented group of athletes

By PATTY HULLETT Sun Contributor

Leading the way as the largest school in Ellis County is Head Coach Shane Tolleson and his Running Indians. He is starting his fifth year at Waxahachie High School, and his 11-6A large school, Division I team is ready to get the 2025 party started. After the Tribe made it into the playoffs at the end of last year’s campaign, he and his able group of assistant coaches are exicted for this season. Their players are primed and began their official workouts on Monday, Aug. 4.

Tolleson says, “It’s always so much fun to see the kids who worked since January to see the fruits of their labor. We are going to be young, but for the most part, the guys are young and talented. I am proud of our staff in the job they are doing to prepare our kids to be successful.”

districts in high school football in America. A player has to be mentally tough as well as physically tough to stay afloat in our district with juggernauts like Duncanville, DeSoto, and Cedar Hill. Our main challenges are to stay hungry, humble, and healthy.”

Coach Tolleson talks about some of his big guns on offense this season. He predicts that returning starting QB Jerry Meyer III will be set up to have an outstanding year. He has worked hard during the off-season and has improved his status by putting on some weight and strengthening his arm. Coach also touts the play of WR/CB Kohen Brown. He has already committed to Texas University, and his senior finale year should find him making big plays on both sides of the ball. The Indians offense will be multiple based out of the spread formation.

has been an All-State LB for the Indians and has started the past three years in his position. Two other D-members who may be interesting to watch this year should be Kade Tolleson (LB) and Carmelo Clawson (DE). My defensive team will be performing out of a 4-2-5 set-up.”

Coach carries on by explaining, “Our team mantra for 2025 is ‘#1440’ – which means that’s how many minutes are in a day. We must use our time better than our opponents if we want to win.”

In conclusion he says, “Waxahachie kids are generally blue-collar, hardnose, and great young men that love playing football. Coaching is not a job to me. It never has been. I love watching my athletes grow and develop the excitement in their eyes when they finally ‘get it’!”

He adds, “Our biggest competition is ourselves. I believe we play in one of the greatest

“On defense,” shares Tolleson, “We will feature Jayquan Snell, who is ranked as the number one safety in Texas as part of the graduating class of 2027.” In addition, Da’Marion Cooper

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Shane Tolleson

EAGLES A V

LAAvalon Eagles aspire to fly higher

By DON HULLETT Sun Contributor

As the calendar moves through Aug., we know that football season is just a few short weeks away. And with that being said, we will become a part of what Texans live for called “Friday Night Lights.” Football gets the town excited, and the students especially get fired up, too. Hopefully, it will be another chance for the Avalon Eagles to achieve the final goal of being crowned a Texas High School Champion. Head Coach Malcolm Cole, a man who has led the Eagles for the past ten years, has a winning record of 66 wins as opposed to 41 losses. He admits that getting back into the old routine and preparing for a new football season never really

gets old to him. Coach Cole says, “This year should be no exception, as the Eagles have 16 returning lettermen (four offensive and three defensive). The team will have a lot of experience with the returning seniors. Along with the seasoned returning players, Avalon will have some spots where they will need some help – and that will come from having a few underclassmen step up. I’m confident that the defensive side of the ball should be a strength with an overall rating of ‘good’.”

The Coach also had some glowing expectations for the offensive group – with team speed, and good running backs, a steady quarterback, and dependable receivers.

Offensive players singled out by Coach Cole are QB Kade Johnson, RB Josh Novak, and TE Chase Blalock. Lining up to stymie the other teams’ attack will be DL Evan Jacks, LB Josh Novak and Kade Johnson. Along with the starters listed above, Cole wants to make sure that his top newcomers are mentioned: John De La Cruz, Jr. and Levi Olivera at the running back position; and Cruz Palacios and Josiah Rodriguez, both on the defensive line.

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Malcolm Cole

Ennis Lions start a new chapter with new Head Coach Drake taking the lead

By DON HULLETT Sun Contributor

The Ennis Lions found themselves in an unfamiliar position as last year’s football season concluded – they were on the outside of the playoff proceedings. The future was murky at the very least, finishing with five wins and six losses, Hall of Fame Head Coach Sam Harrell stepping down due to heath reasons, and a maze of questions started circulating about who will be able to take over and get the Lions back into the playoffs (and hopefully be able to add to their five Texas State Football titles).

Recently, Don Drake entered as the man tasked with rebuilding the dynasty. As the former Athletic Director at EHS, he has a firm grasp of what is expected each year from the Lions, and he is ready to hit the ground running on Aug. 29 against the Waxahachie Indians.

compete with tremendous effort, be resilient, and execute their assignments at a high level.” Drake had many promising things to say about the man who will be running the offense on the field. He shares, “I have been very impressed with Chris Martinez, our new starting QB this season. He throws the ball well and is very intelligent. He has adapted well to our offense, and I look forward to seeing him compete on Friday nights. As a QB, you must display the characteristics that are expected from the team. I say – all the time – that tough teams must have tough QBs.”

on Baizar (OLB), Klijah Parker (DL), and Aiden Jones (DL). Overall, I believe we will have nine defensive starters coming back to help us out tremendously. They are adjusting well to our new scheme, and I am excited to see them compete.”

Wenderius Jones is ready to rumble again at the RB position, and Drake expects him to have a breakout year. Kylan Johnson was a contributor a year ago and should be a key component of their receiving corps. Ayden Jones is a threeyear starter at TE and will play a big role in the Lion offense. Ryder Newman has been moved to center and seems to be adjusting very well to his new position.

Coach Drake remarks, “My expectation, regardless of opponent, is that our team will

The coach explains, “We return several players on the defensive side of the ball, and many of them are seniors. Xavier Collins is a returning three-year starter at LB. I have high hopes for Cash Hendrix as a returning linebacker. In addition, Chris Trent, Mason Jones, and Jaylon Kidd return for us in the secondary. Rennick Baizar will be back as a DL. These senior players will bring experience to our defensive group. We also have some talented junior players in Dami-

To close, Drake says, “I hope that people will see that I am a coach who is very demanding and has high expectations for our team, but also someone who is a connector to kids. I love the game of football because it requires a large number of individuals to come together as a team in order to achieve success. As the leader of Ennis Football, my job is to be the catalyst for team building that is necessary for our success. I’m not a gambler or a risk taker with respect to my style of coaching. However, I will do what is necessary to give our young men the best opportunity to be winners – on the field and also in life.”

See the 2025 schedule on Page 20

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Don Drake

YELLOWJACKETS

After a taste of playoffs in 2024, the Ferris Yellowjackets continue to grow and improve

By DON HULLETT Sun Contributor

As the 2025 football season draws near, every high school in the state of Texas sets their greatest goal to still be competing in the playoffs in Dec. That is when the Holy Grail of Texas High School football is hopefully achieved. In that same mindset, second year head coach Tony Castillo is preparing his Ferris Yellowjackets for that possible dreamlike scenario. In his first year, the Jackets had a 4-7 record for the season, but that was good enough to earn them a ticket to the playoffs in 2024, where they lost in the Bi-District round to a very good Van Alstyne team by the score of 54-15. It is that taste of the playoffs that Castillo hopes will fuel the Yellowjackets’ drive this new season.

and for the team to give it their all to make a run in the playoffs.”

Castillo added, “Last year we were young, but gained a lot of valuable experience. We are happy to return the core of our OL, and our skilled players are excited to emerge in our new offense. Defensively, we return double-digit starters, and we expect to be able to play fast and create more opportunities for the offense.”

Offensively, Coach Castillo shared that their offense will be using multiple formations and hopes to feature their true playmakers. He also mentioned that the following players could possibly have breakout years. Those positional stars are listed as: Kaden Gonzalez - QB; Robert Quigley - RB; Q. Cotton - WR; and Adam Sasser - WR.

When asked about his expectations for the upcoming year, Coach Castillo said, “Our desire this year is to compete one day at a time

The defense will be a multiple 4-2-5, disciplined and aggressive. And that side of the ball, also, may include several teammates that could have successful campaigns this season:

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Anthony Jantes - Safety; D.J. Delasbour - Safety; Savian Daniels - Cornerback; David Hansen - LB; Omari Tyner - LB; Trey Hardy - DL; and Mike Morrison - DL.

Tony Castillo

GLADIATORS I

Hometown coach wants to give back to his school and city by developing a winning team

By PATTY HULLETT Sun Contributor

YLMr. Mike Loveless is starting his third year as the Head Coach of the Italy Gladiators. He is proud to say that IHS is his alma mater – a place where he was schooled from K thru 12 grade. Prior to coaching 34 total years at other places like Pittsburg, Kerens, Mexia, Liberty Hill, Southlake Carroll, and Denton Guyer, Coach Loveless is happy to be back in Italy at his much smaller hometown where he seems to fit in perfectly.

Coach Loveless says, “I am excited to coach great kids who will all-out hustle and give 100% effort – 100% of the time. If we do that, I feel we will have a fun year in 2025. I love coaching football because it is the best way to prepare young men for an adult life. In football, just like life, things are hardly ever easy, but if you are willing to work, train, give effort, and overcome tough

things, you should turn out to be successful. (But nothing is guaranteed – just like winning in football). Personally, I want to give back what my coaches and football/athletics gave to me -- PRIDE in self and PRIDE for the Organization/Family I play and work for.”

Loveless

Key players

• Eric Solis, SR, LB/RB – foueyear starter and great leader

• K.T. Cockran, JR, WR/DB –three-year starter with lots of potential

• Tripp Slovak, SO, QB/DB –two-year starter that shows much promise; as QB, he has a great work ethic, tremendous determination, and loves competing and is willing to do what the coaches ask of him

• Landon Johnson, SR, OL/LB –two-year starter and goes both ways – offense and defense

• Tristan Camacho, SR, RB/DB – three-year starter on defense

Team motto / mantra for 2025

• Don’t be LOST, LATE, OR LAZY!!!

• Be Better – Be Tough

• Have Direction, Integrity, and Pride

Coach Loveless shares, “We are excited about getting this season underway. Our team will run a multiple four-man front on Defense and use on Offense – the Multiple Formation Spread and some under center.

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Mike

MUSTANGS L I

‘Improve every single day’ is the focus for the

2025 Life School Waxahachie Mustangs

By PATTY HULLETT Sun Contributor

Shawn Peach is a well-seasoned coach with 22 total years of experience listed on his resume. He is starting his third year with Life High School, and prior to that assignment, he was the head coach at Maypearl High. However, he still has his work cut out for him, after coming off an agonizing season with a record of 0-10.

Coach Peach shares, “Success doesn’t happen overnight, especially since we didn’t win one game last year. But our goal for STEP ONE is: We are going to strive to improve each week. We must be patient, while we also need to have the urgency to try our hardest to get better every day.”

players on his 2025 squad who were on the varsity team last year. Hopefully, their past experiences will serve them well to help the new teammates fit in and acclimate them to what will be expected of them as “newbie” athletes.

He is excited to have several returning young

Peach says, “Aadon Shull (Defensive Safety) has been our leading tackler the past two seasons, even though he had to miss four games in 2024. In addition, Shull should probably be our starting quarterback during this new football campaign. On the defensive side of the ball, Kaden Smith (Middle Linebacker) is a junior now,

but has shown a lot of leadership ability during his sophomore season. As a head coach, I like to run the spread offense and the 3-4 defense. We are committing and challenging ourselves to have a positive attitude to turn this team around.”

See the 2025 schedule on Page 20

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Shawn Peach

PANTHERS M A

Maypearl’s Nick De La Cerda urges his Panther team to “GO ONE MORE”

By PATTY HULLETT Sun Contributor

Nick De La Cerda has ten years under his belt in coaching football– the last three most recently at Maypearl High School, but now he is thrilled to be promoted to the Head Coach position for the 2025-2026 season. He is reminded that last year was a tough one, as the Panthers of 2024 lost close games by getting stopped on the one-yard line a few times. This year, he has set the team’s motto for the 2025 squad as “GO ONE MORE”. That means he wants his varsity squad to give it their all to make sure the team goes that one extra yard!

off-season, after the success we had last season. Our coaching staff is excited and eager for the season to begin soon. We have some skilled players returning to the team who will play key roles in our program. At some positions we will have less experience, but we won’t lack the talent.”

The coach highlights a few of his star players for this upcoming season: Tristan Brooks – WR/DB; Brock Upton – TE/OLB; Texas Wyant – RB/LB; John Keefer –DL/OL; Collin Brooks – QB/ DB; Whit Ford – WR/DB; Cutter Baggett – OL/DL; and Logan Shearman – DL.

The Panthers will be running the spread offense, with the objective of getting the ball into our playmakers’ hands. Their 3-4 defense can switch fronts to be used in the best position possible.

This should be an excellent year of seeing if the MHS team can “GO ONE MORE YARD”.

De La Cerda says, “We have a lot of good kids that have worked extremely hard this

Coach De La Cerda remarks, “Grandview is always our toughest competition because of the close rivalry. However, our district is all-around ‘good’, so every game will be a fight to the finish.”

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Nick De La Cerda

JAGUARS H

Heritage Jags set their sights on having a winning season and making a playoff run

By PATTY HULLETT Sun Contributor

Head Coach Eric Edwards leads by example concerning his Heritage Jaguars football team. He loves to be on an even keel with a positive mindset, and that is what he expects from his players. No dilly-dallying around from him. He fully assumes that his 2025 varsity squad is going to perform at a high level, so much so that he has his young men determined to not just win district, but to shoot for a possible state championship this season.

like to run the spread offense, with a good mix of run and pass options to choose from. My defense will be set in the 4-3 formation for most of the time during the games.

“The quarterback position is kind of a mixed bag of tricks concerning our 2025 football campaign,” says Edwards. “In fact, we have several guys that will take reps at QB, but all are great leaders and tough players, so we should be fine.”

Edwards shares, “I feel my team will be a little younger than last year’s group, but they should make up for it with toughness – both physically and mentally. I

Coach continues, “Zako Davis should be a fun RB to watch this season. But on the other side of the ball, our defensive big guns should be Jonathan Anderson and Luke McCain – DL, Jaylin Hawkins and Owen Menicucci – LB, and Zach Hagerty and Aaron Cowans – DB.” Edwards explains that any team in their

district can beat anyone on any given night. And he notes that he is certainly not one to run away from stiff competition. So, he has scheduled three non-district matchups against some top-flight teams in the state of Texas.

The coach’s main question that he challenges his teammates with is: “Do we really have the experience to take it to the next step, guys?”

In response, he says, “I think we can, especially since we have several returners with valuable experience – and that should give us a great chance to win any game.”

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Eric Edwards

PANTHERS M I

Midlothian’s Coach Wendel is looking for a way to get over their playoff hump this year

By PATTY HULLETT Sun Contributor

Midlothian’s longtime Head Coach Doug Wendel is looking for some answers this season. His Panther team plays in a difficult 7-5A Division 1 District, so he admits that they never take anything for granted. However, he feels if this 2025 group can gel, improve weekly, and do what it takes to play “winning football”, then they will have a good chance to go farther than last year.

Wendel states, “My team has been to the Regional Semi-Finals three out of the last four years. It has become an annual expectation, but it is still disappointing to get that far and not make it to the top. We need to find a way to get over the playoff hump. Maybe this will be our year!”

He continues, “For this season’s campaign, I expect us to be our personal best every day, and if that happens, then we will have a terrific opportunity to compete for a district championship and perhaps move on even further in the playoffs.”

The Panthers have several explosive weapons on offense. They have seemed to evolve in the passing game, and they are blessed with an effective running game. On defense, their strength should be their “front seven,” and their overall defensive speed should be noticeably better this season.

Doug Wendel

Concerning the QB position, for the first time in three years, they have a “returning starter.” Coach Wendel believes his son, Beau Wendel, will be able to protect the ball, lead on the field, and distribute it as needed. Wendel shares, “I think Beau has improved

in his QB skills, and I believe he has a good understanding of what we are attempting to accomplish within the schemes this year.”

Other offensive playmakers are listed as: Noah Best (an OU recruit) OL; Michael Archy (RB); Brendyn Jackson (WR). In addition, Kentorian King is a high-level player who needs to touch the ball whenever possible. Kohen Buchanan has improved and will be another solid target at the WR position.

The Panther defense standouts are Ceasera Williams (DT), Jerrell Bridge (LB), Chase Bailey (S), and Carson Kemp (C). These guys will be returning starters that we will lean on heavily.

See the 2025 schedule on Page 22

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BULLDOGS M

Bulldogs ‘tiny, but mighty’ football team banking on all of its returning lettermen for season’s success

By PATTY HULLETT Sun Contributor

The tiny town of Milford, located in southern Ellis County, plays six-man football due to its small population (around 750 people) in the city. However, this tiny, but mighty football team has one unique quality that most teams cannot share –and it is that every single one of their last year players are returning this year (2025-2026) to participate once again.

The head coach at Milford is Jose Cervantes, and this is his fourth year at Milford High School. He is proud to say that he has been coaching six-man football for thirteen years in total.

dog team record was 6-5, yet we are hopeful for a new, wonderful season, as all ten of our varsity starters are returning, and will be back on both offense and defense.

Key players

Offense:

• Swish Washington, Jr. II, called our “Mr. Everything”, will return on offense

• Memo Lara is also a strong addition to our running game

• Bubba Rankin, Lucas Geisel, and Corbin Bancroft are a part of our offensive and will anchor our line

Defense:

Coach Cervantes shares, “In 2024, our Bull-

• Jax Fuentez, Easton Evans, and Garrett Johnson are our able-bodied defensive line

• Ayden Martinez and Gerald Boy are linebackers who will lead the defense

Coach Cervantes remarks, “Our strength will be our size, and the fact that everyone on the team is coming back is an added cherry to the top of our football pie. However, our biggest weakness is handling adversity, but that is something we are determined to turn into a strength this season.”

See the 2025 schedule on Page 22

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Jose Cervantes

EAGLES O V I

The Eagles of Ovilla Christian are ready to soar above the competition this season

By PATTY HULLETT Sun Contributor

H R I S T I A N

Coach Greg Hayes is not new to Ovilla Christian School (a/k/a “OCS”) in Ellis County. In fact, he founded the pigskin program at OCS seven years previously; however, this 2025 year finds him returning to Ovilla as the TAPPS six-man football man in charge.

Coach Hayes says, “Our goal this season is to fervently compete for the district title, and then to advance into the playoffs.”

the ball, so that is definitely a plus in our favor. But our weakest link seems to be depth. We do have three freshmen and a couple of new players on the team, but we would love to have a little more depth at all positions.”

He shares, “For six-man, we have good size physically. We are blessed to have a senior returning quarterback who runs the spread well. In addition, five of the six starters are seniors on both sides of

Here are some of the Eagles’ standouts for this season:

Offense:

• QB Caleb Hallmark

• TE Copper Rogers

• RB Max Jenkins

• OL Caden McDonald.

Defense:

• LB Caleb Hallmark

• LB Cooper Rogers

• DE Moses Bogado

• NT (nose tackle)

Kooper King.

Coach Hayes thinks his squad will have

the most trouble with Prosper Prestonwood Christian Academy North and Decatur Victory Christian Academy, but he feels they will be up for the challenge this year.

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Greg Hayes

BULLDOGS P

Palmer boasts a great returning group of lettermen to pave their way to the playoffs

By PATTY HULLETT Sun Contributor

The 3A-1 Region II District 6 Bulldogs of Palmer High School are under the leadership of third-year head coach Blake Bost. Their 2024-2025 campaign, following last season’s success, saw their talented team return to the playoffs. And Coach Bost is set to take his boys to an even higher level this year in their hopeful playoff run during the upcoming fall “golden opportunity”. The Dogs’ overall record last season was 9-3, and their district record was a perfect 6-0.

gifted rusher and passer for the Bulldogs. His junior year stats featured a total of 58 touchdowns and 4,300 yards of offense.

Bost shares, “Eric’s younger brother, junior A.J. Cisneros, is a playmaker in the wide receiver group, along with senior Jonathan Ventura and sophomore Sutton Maddox as our main ball carrier.”

Coach Bost is excited about his excellent quarterback, senior Eric Cisneros, who has been a successful four-year starter in that position. This athletic young man is a

He continues, “A.J. and Jonathan also excel as defensive backs for the Dogs, and I expect to see an aggressive, playmaking defensive line led by a rotation of able players. Junior Casey Taylor and sophomore Cole Spurlock have the opportunity to create some big plays along the line of scrimmage, along with a group of upstart sophomores who will slide into some starting roles.” The head coach has tremendous trust in his

guys to make big plays. He admits that he often goes for it on fourth down – more often than not – and it has generally paid off in past seasons. He doesn’t feel like it’s a huge risk when the players have such confidence in their abilities to get the job done.

To conclude, Bost says, “Our main goal is always a district championship, then to get to the playoffs, and moving forward from there, to take each game one week at a time.”

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Blake Bost

HAWKS R

Red Oak Hawks defense provides core strength to the 2025-2026 football team

By PATTY HULLETT Sun Contributor

Coach Melvin Robinson loves the game of football and he’s given 35 years of his life to coaching. This man simply says that he is driven to keep on doing what he’s been doing because he enjoys turning boys into stable young men who have the tools to be successful in life.

This experienced coach is starting his fourth year as the Head Coach of the Red Oak Hawks. His primary goal for his 2025 varsity team is to basically focus on one week at a time, and then to let the chips fall as they may.

perience on offense. But being athletic helps overcome some of that frailty. I have named our 2025 motto to be known as “The 3 D’s,” discipline, desire, and dedication, and that is what I expect out of my boys on this team.”

Robinson says, “Our defense is the core of our team’s strength; nevertheless, we do have a weakness, and that is an overall lack of ex-

“These are some of my playmakers,” relays Robinson, “that I predict will be big stars this year for the Hawks: Billy Middleton, III –QB; Brayden Robinson –WR; Dhillon McGee – ATH; Desmond Cox – LB; Courtney Gordon – LB; Johnnie Fitzgerald –DT; and Gabriel Giadolor – DE.”

Coach Robinson lists three of the Hawks’ toughest

competitors this season as Highland Park, Tyler High School (formerly John Tyler HS), and Midlothian High School.

Red Oak’s 4-3 defense will be in place for the 2025 squad, and their go-to offense will be the spread formation.

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Melvin Robinson

BULLDOGS V

Venus Bulldogs are focused on staying in the game battles from start to finish

By PATTY HULLETT Sun Contributor

J’Maris Dixon is pumped to begin the 2025 season, especially since this is his first year as Head Coach for the Venus Bulldogs. This is his second year at Venus High School, and last year, he enjoyed serving as the Defensive Coordinator. Altogether, he has 14 years of coaching experience. So, Dixon’s determination is expressed in their new 2025 team motto: WE WILL DO THINGS THE RIGHT WAY, EVERY DAY – and their mantra is EARN THE RIGHT.

Coach Dixon says, “My expectations for this upcoming season are simple: we are going to compete with everything we have. There will be no running clocks against us, no goose eggs, and we will be either ahead or IN the game in the fourth quarter. We are teaching our players to fight on every snap and stay in the battle from start to finish.”

varsity QB, but we do have Caden Lucas, who was our JV quarterback last year. He transferred in as a junior two weeks into last season, so he had to play on the JV squad in 2024. Caden is a phenomenal athlete who can really spin the football. He is now a senior and has stepped up as a leader. He is ready for the challenge, and we are confident in his ability to lead this team.”

Garcia, another sophomore, will be a major asset at nose tackle. Zion McPhee, a returning starter, played tight end and defensive end for us, but this year he will primarily focus on tight end. He is an excellent blocker and can catch touchdowns all day.”

He continues, “We do not have a returning

Coach Dixon reports on some of his bright spot players that he expects to shine this year. He explains, “Andrew Renteria, who plays both guard on offense and defensive tackle, is coming back after being injured last year. He brings relentless effort and a non-stop motor. Miguel Estrada was our Defensive Player of the Year last season and is ready for whatever comes his way. Braylon Allen, who plays running back and now linebacker, is coming off a strong season and is looking to pile up both yards and sacks. Hector Vargas, a sophomore who stands 6’ 3” and weighs 275 lbs., moves like the wind and will be our starting right tackle. Bryce

In closing, Dixon shares that Glen Rose and Godley will probably be their toughest opponents. He knows both schools have strong programs with players who have been together for years. They are backed by football communities that truly love their players and schools. That is exactly what Venus is building – a community that supports their athletes and believes in the direction the Bulldogs are heading.

See the 2025 schedule on Page 2L

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J’Maris Dixon