By Kevin Lonnquist
NTX Varsity Sports Columnist
We’re at the one-third poll – ok, close enough – of the 10-game 2025 Texas High School football season.
While a few nine-team districts just began their race for the playoffs last week, others are beginning this week with the balance to follow in the next two.
With that, this is a good time to take stock of some of these notable starts – good or not so good – from the NTX Varsity Sports coverage area and to determine if what has transpired is a sign of things to come or whether things can turn around.
I won’t go through all of them. However, you should have enough to get a feeling for things. I’ve listed these team’s Friday opponent.
Decatur – 0-2 (vs. Graham): This looks like the rough start the Eagles had in non-district play in 2024. They lost their second game to Denison because of the weather. Decatur plays a pretty solid in team in Graham Friday. But because Decatur plays in a district that won’t present many challenges (5-4A in Division I), except for Springtown, head coach Steve Huff’s team will be in the playoffs. He’s using this demanding non-district season because he’s thinking about what it’s going to be like playing November. He wants his team to understand that as well.
Springtown – 3-0 (at China Spring): I really like the Pines and the way they’re playing on both sides of the ball. Junior QB Kaine Hill has taken a big step from last year to this year. The defense has played very well. Get through a tricky road trip at China Spring Friday and there’s a chance this team goes undefeated before that likely District 5-4A championship meeting with Decatur. Head coach Brian Hulett’s team is very good.
Glen Rose – 0-3 (at Waco Robinson): This is a year where head coach Cliff Watkins program is going through transition. There’s a new QB in sophomore Judd Connally. A new group of receivers. A new way of doing business. The Tigers are running it more than they are throwing it. That just happens when a great class like the one from 2022-24 cycles through. This team has taken its lumps. And it probably will take a few more. However, Glen Rose is in a district in 4-4A in Division II where it can find some wins and make the playoffs. Just being patient with the Tigers.
Boyd – 2-1 (vs. Callisburg): To be honest, I didn’t know what to expect from the Yellow Jackets. When you have a first-time first-year head coach in Shawn Sparks. It’s a learning curve for both the head coach and the program. But the good thing is that the Jackets have the taste of winning, something that’s been eluding Boyd for a couple of years. And sometimes, winning can be infectious. Maybe that’s what we’re seeing. I’ll be fascinated to watch how the rest of 2025 develops.
Aledo – 3-0 (at Birdville): Of course, I know this program and have for 20 seasons. The 54 points and the 560 yards the state’s No. 1 Division I 5A team produced last week in the District 3-5A opener against Brewer was expected but still needed to be done just to know it can be done. The Bearcats’ offense was off to a choppy start. Class 6A opponents in Denton Guyer and Lancaster had a hand in that. This offense is still several ticks away from humming. It’s getting there. And if it reaches anything close to the already light’s-out performance the defense is displaying, playing deep into December is a thing.
Corsicana 2-1 (vs. Terrell)/Cleburne 2-1 (vs. Port Arthur Memorial): By no means have these programs cleared anything yet. But they’re kind of like Boyd where everybody in the fieldhouse just needed to win and feel good about winning. Remember Corsicana won only one game in 2024. Cleburne finished winless.
Each team has interesting matchups on Friday. The games won’t define their seasons. But you can call them measuring sticks. Corsicana starts District 6-5A play at home against 3-0 Terrell. Cleburne has a tall task Friday at the Rock Pile against the state’s No. 9 Class 5A Division I program in Port Arthur Memorial.
One last thing: Mildred (3-0) and Kerens (2-1) are sneaky good. They’re both expected to be playoff teams. When they meet at Mildred on Oct. 24, the Division I District 8-2A championship should be the storyline.
Lots of football remaining for this season. Lots of stories that have yet to be told.