What We Learned from the state quarterfinal round of the High School Football playoffs across the Texas Panhandle

by Kale Steed

December 6, 2025

Reading Time: 1 min read

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Press Pass Sports Editor Kale Steed and KAMR/KCIT-TV Sports Director Clint Brakebill break down the state quarterfinal action from the first week of December of the UIL Texas High School Football Playoffs.

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West Plains saw a tremendous season come to an end at the hands of No. 1-ranked Stephenville, 31-21. Gruver was able to get past rival Stratford 19-14 to win in the UIL Region I-2A Division II championship for a second straight year, and West Texas High stayed unbeaten at 14-0 by handling Cisco, 48-22, to advance to the UIL Class 2A Division I state semifinals for the first time since 1995.

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Kale Steed

Kale Steed has worked in media since 2002 and has covered sports full-time since 2010, when he joined KVII-TV as a weekend sports reporter and sports anchor. From 2010–2014, he covered high school and collegiate athletics across the Texas Panhandle before transitioning from television to print journalism. In 2014, Steed joined the Amarillo Globe-News as a staff sports reporter. In 2019, he launched Press Pass Sports, betting on himself to build an independent outlet dedicated to in-depth local sports coverage. Accolades: Lone Star Conference Kirk Hill Writer of the Year (2015, 2016, 2018, 2019), THSCA Putt Powell Award — Sports Writer of the Year (2018), TGCA Division I Sports Writer of the Year (2022)