The high school football season is one week away. In anticipation for kickoff, Press Pass Sports is providing fans with district projections within a highly competitive Class 1A from Division I and Division II around the Texas Panhandle and South Plains. Craig Sperry and Caleb Homfeld give fans predictions featuring teams such as Boys Ranch, Miami, McLean, Happy, Booker, Claude, and Nazareth.
Division I by Craig Sperry
District 1-1A
Division I
1. Claude: Everything is in place for the Mustangs to take the district and make a run in the playoffs. Trapper Godfrey and Thomas Slack make a potent one-two punch and Slack will spearhead the defense. District play won’t be easy and Region I-1A Division I is loaded but Claude is a dark horse that could make some noise.
2. Booker: The Kiowas get the nod for the second spot based on playoff experience, but the margin of error is small. Head coach David Biddler has a core group he will depend on, but the group will have to stay healthy to make a playoff push. Axel Valdivia will shoulder the load in the backfield but Korbyn Vance and Heydn Rosales will be a big part of any success they have.
3. Boys Ranch: You could make a strong case for the Roughriders to grab a playoff spot, and you can bet they will be in the hunt. Isaac Acosta is the best passer in this area and head coach Louis Kelly III is opening up the playbook to give teams a different look from past years. Boys Ranch will score plenty of points, but any talk of the playoffs will rest squarely on the shoulders of the defense.
4. White Deer: Graduation hit the Bucks hard so they will need to retool their backfield to have a playoff shot. This team will play hard and compete, but they may not have enough horses to compete in a really strong district.
5. Wildorado: There’s no sugar coating where the Mustangs are related to talent and the rest of District 1-1A. However, D.J. Howell is an experienced coach who gets the most out of what he has on the roster.
Game to watch
Nov. 6: Booker at Boys Ranch
Any of the games between these two squads and Claude will be great but this is the last district game of the year, and a playoff berth will likely be on the line. Both clubs have great offenses, but defense will decide this one. The field at Boys Ranch will be a great late season setting for a game that may end up being one of the best of the year.
District 2-1A
Division I
1. Whiteface: Unfortunately for every other team in this district, the Antelopes have a strong argument to be the best team in the state. Veteran Jeff Jones takes the reins and has all six starters back on a team that made a deep playoff run last year. Isaak Solis, Cesar Chavez and Jaxon Hodge are just three names to know. This team is big, fast and athletic and is the overwhelming favorite in Region I.
2. Nazareth: This team is stacked with talent in the backfield and would win most districts not containing Whiteface. Cameron and Lincoln Pohlmeier are a great duo for the Swifts but this is a deep team led by a coach who gets the most out of his talent year after year.
3. Springlake-Earth: The Wolverines are a tough out every year but find themselves in one of the toughest districts in the state. They will need to find a playmaker to take the place of Froylan Agundiz but any team counting out Juan Salas’ squad will be making a mistake.
4. Whitharral: It’s hard to believe putting the Panthers last in the district but that says more about the district than this team. Five straight years of playoff appearances and 14 of the last 15 is on the line. A very tough schedule in non-district action will be used to prime this squad for a rugged district slate.
Game to watch
Nov. 6: Whiteface at Nazareth
Two of the best teams in Region I will square off in the final game of the regular season to likely decide the district championship. The Antelopes will be the favorites, but the Swifts are gritty and head coach Tyler Goodwin will use as much time on the clock as he can to try and keep this one close.
District 3-1A
Division I
1. Happy: Last year was a tough one for a Cowboys program tuned into winning and making a long playoff run. After taking their lumps last year, this squad is poised to get back in the playoff chase. Five starters return on both sides of the ball and that experience should pay dividends. Luke Dempsey is poised to be the lead ball carrier in head coach Stacy Perryman’s smash mouth offense.
2. Petersburg: A year ago, the Buffaloes surprised everyone and narrowly missed the playoffs. They won’t be able to sneak up on teams this year, but a large contingent of starters is back including their bell cow, Demetrius Mendez.
3. Kress: It’s possible the Kangaroos could end up anywhere in this district. Winless in district action last year but four starters return on both sides of the ball which gives them optimism. The Kangaroos will need to find a passing attack to open up the run game which could lead to success.
4. Silverton: No team had more close wins and losses in district action than the Owls last year. With a solid group coming back they could make some noise. This district is up for grabs behind Happy so don’t be surprised if Silverton ends up placing better than this at the end of the year.
Game to watch
Oct. 23: Petersburg at Happy
Happy is always a tough out at the Cowboy Corral but Petersburg got their feet wet last year in a big game setting against Valley so they will be prepared. Both teams like to run the ball so this one won’t last long, and the winner may be the team with the ball last.
Division II by Caleb Homfeld
District 1-1A
Division II
1. McLean: Expectations couldn’t be higher for the No. 10 team in the state. The Tigers return five starters on both sides of the ball including the best player in the district, Stran Henderson. New head coach Justin Hilliard is excited about his squad and the Tigers have expectations of making a run in the playoffs.
2. Miami: The Warriors are fresh off a sensational season and a magical run to the UIL Class 1A Division I state quarterfinals, but graduation leaves a lot of holes for this team to fill. The Warriors did drop into Division II, however, the roster is thin. If Gunner Lackey and Gary Lynch can stay healthy, the Warriors have a great chance at heading back to the playoffs.
3. Lefors: The 2019 season was the last time the Pirates made the playoffs, but they have a real shot at a postseason berth seven years later. This district appears to be wide open behind McLean and head coach Brendan Fisk has an experienced roster looking to make some noise.
4. Follett: It’s difficult to place a team with as rich a history as the Panthers here, but after losing Wyatt Terrell to graduation the roster has a huge hole to fill. New head coach Kevin George will look to establish his culture, and this team is never an easy out.
5. Groom: The Tigers are under new leadership with Coach Jordan Parsons. A thin roster will have to step up in a big way to compete in a tough district.
Game to watch
Oct. 30: Miami at Lefors
The final game of the regular season could see major implications. The Pirates are hungry for their first playoff berth in seven years, and the Warriors look to keep rolling under last year’s Coach of the Year Paul Hale. Will Lefors be able to slow down Gunner Lackey, and can the Warriors keep up with the Pirates experience are the questions.
District 2-1A
Division II
1. Motley County: The preseason No. 1 team in the state will look to prove why they’ve earned that ranking. A healthy Culley Lawrence, a roster loaded with experience, and head Coach Mike Bigham will be a tall task for any opponent.
2. Valley: The Patriots are in their second year under head coach Dax Allen and the former star at his alma mater is excited. His team returns a lot of talent led by rusher Damian Valdes, which will make the preseason No. 4-ranked Patriots a force.
3. Paducah: The Dragons are contenders to win most districts, but this isn’t most districts. Paducah will try to ride their physicality and star running back Ethan Garibaldi to a playoff berth.
4. Guthrie: Last season was the first playoff berth since 2017 for the Tigers. Things are moving in the right direction and new head coach Craig Hamilton brings a ton of experience to the helm but the Tigers will fall victim to a district containing three of the top ten teams in the state.
5. Crowell: New coach Blake Thompson has a roster returning five starters on both sides of the ball. The Wildcats are gritty and won’t quit but that may not be enough to secure a playoff berth.
6. Chillicothe: The Eagles are small in numbers and will hope injuries don’t sideline their season before district action. Finishing out the season and getting a district win or two would be big for this squad.
Game to watch
Oct. 16: Paducah at Valley
If the Dragons want to snag a playoff spot, they will have to upend a Patriots team looking to make some serious noise this season. Both teams are seasoned so a big game like this won’t catch either team off guard. The battle between Valley’s Damian Valdes and Paducah’s Ethan Garibaldi will be worth the price of admission alone.
District 3-1A
Division II
1. Hart: Last year was successful for the Hart Longhorns as they pieced together an 8-win season. That’s the most wins for Hart since joining the Six-Man ranks. Behind returning rusher Yael “Yea Yea” Soltero, the Longhorns have even loftier goals in 2026.
2. Amherst: After four consecutive second place finishes in district. The Bulldogs are eager for that to change.
3. Lorenzo: A young roster following the departure of several seniors, including Six-Man’s all-time career receptions leader Marciano Garcia, will be hungry and ready to make their mark.
4. Anton: Former Texas Tech Red Raiders linebacker Brian Duncan has passed the torch to incoming head coach Tell Rutledge but he will stay on board as the defensive coordinator. In a wide-open district, the Bulldogs will be looking to get back to the playoffs after several tough seasons.
5. Lazbuddie: Historically, the Longhorns have struggled to find all the right pieces. Head coach Shawn Kerr is looking to change that, but it will be a difficult assignment to overcome the frontrunners in District 3-1A.
Game to watch
Oct. 16: Amherst at Lorenzo
Lorenzo’s last playoff berth was 2017, and a 2-6 all-time record against the Bulldogs does not bode well. However, the Hornets look to ride multi-talented athlete Keagan Cisneros to a win. Amherst is consistent and will not go down easily.
