JUSTIN, Texas — December 5, 2025 — Aledo head coach Robby Jones didn’t hesitate when asked what this win meant. For the Bearcats, Friday night wasn’t just a playoff victory, it was closure.
“December 5th last year was a bad feeling for these guys,” Jones said. “They did not want to feel that again and they put in a lot of work for a full year now to get back to this point to have a little bit of revenge.”
That work showed under the lights at Northwest ISD Stadium, where Aledo overpowered Denton Ryan 43–17 in the UIL Class 5A Division I state quarterfinals, pushing the Bearcats to 14–0 and into next week’s state semifinal showdown with the Frisco Lone Star Rangers.
Senior quarterback Lincoln Tubbs delivered one of his most efficient nights of the season, completing 7 of 7 passes for 138 yards and a touchdown, while rushing for 105 yards and four scores, accounting for 229 of Aledo’s 418 total yards. Senior running back Kaden Winkfield added 139 rushing yards and a touchdown, averaging 8.2 yards per carry, giving Aledo a second consistent threat in its downhill offense.
Aledo’s offense shows its evolution
The Bearcats defeated Ryan earlier in the season by a single point, a 21–20 win in September, but Friday’s rematch was no repeat of that tight battle.
“It feels good. It shows the progress we’ve made through the season,” Jones said. “We were struggling a little bit offensively at the beginning of the year and since we played them, our offense has taken off and has put points on the board like they did tonight.”
Aledo finished with 280 rushing yards, their most in a playoff game this year, with seven different players touching the ball. Senior receiver Kaydon Finley elevated the passing game, grabbing five receptions for 113 yards, including a 43-yard touchdown strike from Tubbs in the second quarter.
The Bearcats scored on their first three possessions and never looked back, leading 30–3 by halftime. Peyton Shaffer kicked a 30-yard field goal and finished 4 of 6 on extra points, giving Aledo a complete special teams performance.
Defense sets the tone
Aledo’s defense entered the night allowing just 11.8 points per game, and they again delivered a disruptive, swarming effort with 71 total tackles, 6.5 sacks, and 12.5 tackles for loss.
Junior linebacker Cole Cox led the front with 10 tackles, while junior defensive tackle Tymon Meeks broke through for 2 sacks and 8 yards lost, recording 10 total stops. Senior linebacker Cavan Fagan added 5 tackles and a sack.
The Bearcats forced three fumbles and recovered two, including a 12-yard recovery by Decker Sanders, while sophomore Nolan Barker and senior Ryland Haley each recorded a takeaway to stop Ryan drives before they developed.
As Ryan tried to adjust with short passing and perimeter runs, Aledo’s front seven consistently narrowed the pocket and cut off cutback lanes. Senior defensive end Cooper Cyphers added a sack and a blocked kick, swinging early momentum firmly toward the Bearcats.
Ryan, which finishes the season at 10–4, struggled to find consistent offensive footing. Junior linebacker Demari Ruth posted a game-high 15 tackles and 2 tackles for loss in a standout individual effort, but Aledo’s ability to rotate backs, spread formations, and maintain tempo kept the Raiders on their heels.
Halftime adjustments, unfinished business
Even after building a 27-point halftime lead, Jones kept his message steady.
“We just talked to them about finishing the job,” he said. “Their motto this year is ‘unfinished business.’ So we had a great first half, but we needed to come out and finish them off in the second half.”
Aledo scored 13 more points after halftime, including Tubbs’ fourth rushing touchdown, pushing the lead to 40–10 before the Bearcats rotated in more defenders and reserves.
Jones acknowledged the second half didn’t have the same surge as the first.
“We did kind of have a little bit of a lapse… I don’t think we had quite the intensity in the second half that we did the first half, but still we were able to get the job done,” he said.
Looking ahead to Frisco Lone Star
With the win, Aledo advances to its 14th state semifinal since 2009. They will face Frisco Lone Star on Friday, Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. at Vernon Newsom Stadium in Mansfield, with a shot at yet another state championship appearance.
Jones kept his focus narrow.
“We just got to go focus on whoever our opponent is and have a good game plan… and go and execute it,” Jones said.
For the Bearcats, the next step in their “unfinished business” is one win away.
BOX SCORE
Aledo 43, Denton Ryan 17
1Q: Aledo 10, Ryan 3
2Q: Aledo 20, Ryan 0
3Q: Aledo 6, Ryan 7
4Q: Aledo 7, Ryan 7
Final: Aledo 43, Ryan 17
All statistics and play-by-play details are live, in-game estimates