With the high school football season less than a week away, Press Pass Sport is giving fans district projections for the upcoming 2026 season from Class 5A to 1A across the Texas Panhandle and South Plains. Check out how Lance Lahnert sees Class 5A Division I and Division II playing out including teams such as, Amarillo High, Tascosa, Lubbock Monterey, Palo Duro and Lubbock-Cooper.

District 2-5A

Division I

1. Abilene High: So, what happened the last three years Abilene High has been in a district football race? The Eagles won, including going 6-0 last year in 2-5A DI. A fourpeat in 2026 is certainly in the cards with five starters returning on each side of the ball from last year’s nine-win team under head coach Mike Fullen. Defenses better buckle up as senior quarterback Tristan Beal will have the reigns alone after sharing them the past two years with Brayden Henry. Beal’s career numbers are legit at 2,182 passing yards, 25 TD passes, and just ONE interception in 222 pass attempts. With senior captain Skylar Faimoa back at linebacker – and showing two-way skills as a running back with his 4.7 speed – Abilene is the team to beat for good reason.

2. Tascosa: After Abilene High which team finishes two through five in this district is a toss-up making for some very interesting matchups throughout district action. Give the No. 2 finish nod to Tascosa despite not having a returning starting QB and losing its dominate defensive tackle presence in Krush Johnson to Texas Tech. Rebs coach Ken Plunk is beginning year No. 17 at Tascosa and likes the overall prowess he sees in this team. Eight starters return off last year’s 7-5 area team. Running the Flexbone offense is vital to Tascosa’s success and the Rebs are in good hands with quarterback Brayden Lineman. If the Rebs can win a couple of close games, No. 2 seed is a legit chance.

3. Amarillo High: The Sandies averaged 40 points and 400 yards of offense last year. But gone is QB Jett Lopez, RB Jude Dunavin and WR Oliver Parsons. Still, coach Chad Dunnam has a thriving program of more than 240 players so the cupboard is primed to be restocked. AHS will rely on defense until new QBs senior Hunter Randles (played at Borger last year) and sophomore Calloway Skipworth find their groove. AHS has eight starters back on defense with stars at each level. These Sandies also are hungry to get rid of the taste from last year’s crazy finale a 77-76 bidistrict loss. Regardless of what happens win-loss wise during non-district, AHS will be a contender in this district race. 

4. Lubbock Monterey: Some may think this is way too of a pick for the Plainsmen in Jason Sims’ second year. And they have good reason to think this. Anytime a team brings back a quarterback who lit up things the year before, good things are in store. That’s the case with Monterey in QB Jonah Reed who threw for 2,816 yards and 31 TDs last year for the area finalist Plainsmen. If Monterey’s defense can keep teams off the scoreboard better than last year – in eight of 11 2025 games Monterey allowed 28 or more points – not only is fourth place and playoff berth a given, but a district title also isn’t out of the question.

5. Frenship: I may regret [picking Frenship No. 5 all season long. Because I believe in the power of 6A football and what it takes to compete at that level. The Tigers make the move from 6A ball to 5A this year and return 10 starters off last year’s 4-7 squad. So this pick could be way too low. However, since the numbers drop is because of a new high school in the Frenship ISD, the Tigers are in the midst of figuring things out and this 5A district is legit. James Ordonez will be handed the QB job and the 6-3 junior has a chance to lead a playoff run.

6. Caprock: Year four for the Longhorns under head coach Rowdy Freeman looks to be a chance to bring the program the first winning record since 2018. The Horns made strides last year winning a pair of district games and with Freeman bringing back 27 lettermen what’s not to like?. The trenches look to be the Horns strength led by three-year starter on DL-OL Josiah Dames. For Caprock to make noise in district and become the ninth team in school history to make the playoffs a signature win needs to occur during district. And, it could happen.

7. Frenship Memorial: Bottom line this is the first year Memorial has played a varsity schedule. They did go JV and outlaw last year winning seven games under coach Jason Richards. All 11 offensive and defensive starters are back off that team. However, welcome to the REAL Friday Night Lights and I think it’s going to take a couple of years before Memorial becomes a district contender. Because that is in the future of this program.

8. Lubbock High: Can the Westerners get off the schneid and secure their first playoff berth since 2012? If they do it’s the story of the year in all the 806. Lubbock High did end a 46-game district losing streak last year with a forfeit win over AHS and an on-field win over Coronado beating the Mustangs in its season finale. But with star RB Bo Davis (1,349) transferring, coupled with the talented teams in the district owning more depth, even with 19 lettermen returning it’s going to be a chore for Lubbock to secure one of the top four slots.

Game to watch
Oct. 2: Amarillo High vs. Tascosa

I think the winners of Abilene High vs. Monterey-Amarillo High-Tascosa games will be decide the district championship. But considering what happened last year between these two Amarillo city rivals when AHS learned it would forfeit games because of an ineligible player a mere 24 hours before kickoff and taking its frustration out on Tascosa with a 63-21 pounding, a game needing no hype regularly drawing 12-15,000 fans, will be hyped to the max like few since they first met back in 1958. Plus, the team winning opens district with a W for some nice momentum.

District 2-5A

Division II

1. Palo Duro: The Dons ride massive momentum into 2026. Last year PD produced the fifth 10-win season in school history since the doors opened in 1955 and won its first district football championship in more than 20 years. A repeat is in the cards. PD is loaded at the skill positions. Third-year starting QB Deuce Reese (who will sign with a DI next week) is back after earning district MVP as a junior and throwing for 3,053 yards and 31 TDs. Texas signee Kyron Brown lines up at WR giving PD one of the top passing combos in the state. A healthy Raymond Johnson V is back to handle the running chores. You get the picture? PD’s hype for a long playoff run under coach Eric Mims is the real deal and makes it the team to beat in 2-5A DII.

2. Abilene Cooper: These Cougs have 11 starters and 26 lettermen back from a 7-win area finish a year ago.  And, a new head coach in Scott Stewart. Many think Cooper will slip a bit with all the changes having to replace a key players lost to graduation. But the core of returners is just what the Dr. ordered to be a playoff team and a contender for the title.

3. Abilene Wylie: Wylie is H-U-N-G-R-Y after last year’s 5-5 effort and missing out on the playoffs. Plus, when your star receiver is named Blaze (Ruffin) that’s a sign of good things to come. Wylie could even win this district with its 15 returning starters, including ever-improving QB Jadin Karleskint who threw for 1,572 yards and 15 TDs a year ago. With PD and the two Cooper’s – Abilene and Lubbock – looking strong, Wylie will need to improve its defense during district from a year ago when it gave up 36.6 points per game.

4. Lubbock-Cooper: Cooper is still Cooper. Sort of. No question, Lubbock Cooper Liberty continues to deplete Cooper’s depth, but veteran Cooper coach Chip Darden is one of the best as his teams play with no excuses and remain a playoff contender. Cooper returns six starters off the 7-5 team last year reaching the area round of the playoffs. So there are a lot of new faces in starting roles including sophomore QB Cooper Luensmann. Wide receiver Noah Clark, the district offensive newcomer of the year last season, will be a playmaker. If Cooper can add pieces to go with Clark, good things are in store for the Pirates.

5. Wichita Falls Memorial: Ross Dillard takes over as head coach for the Mavericks and returns 11 starters from last year’s 7-win playoff team. The Mavs return 11 starters but are inexperienced at key positions. If the playoffs are in Memorial’s future QB Cole Birkhead will be counted on to lead the way and the defense will have to step up in a district featuring some impressive quarterbacks.

6. Wichita Falls Legacy: This will be year three for the Leopards in their new school and year two for head coach Greg Davis. Davis went 2-8 in first season and that’s two more wins than the year before. It’s tempting to pick Legacy to pull ahead of WF Memorial this year because of positives like three-year starter Knox Hodges back with valuable lessons learned from the previous two years. But until Legacy shores up its defense the playoffs are a stretch. Two years ago Legacy allowed 46.6 points per game, last year the Leopards gave up 46.3 points per game. And we all know, the teams in the district can crank out points.

7. Lubbock Coronado: Realignment moved the Mustangs from DI to DII in Class 5A and hopefully that provides a spark to get Coronado going. In the last four seasons Coronado has gone 1-9, 3-7, 2-8, 3-7 winning a total of six district games. To change things up and secure one of the four playoff berths, Coronado must perk up its offense which averaged 15 points a game last year. Junior QB David Bawcum is a run/pass threat so that should help this year. Defensively coach Andrew Roy loves Isaiah Doss and Torrance Cox in the secondary. Coronado looks to be a ways away from being a playoff a team but it will be improved from a year ago.

Game to watch
Oct. 16: Abilene Wylie at Palo Duro

This will be week four of the District 2-5A DII schedule and there is a good chance both teams will arrive at Dick Bivins Stadium unbeaten in district. This is a high stakes game with the winner taking over the driver’s seat for a district title. Remember last year PD won a thrilling 42-35 shootout over Wylie. Expect the fireworks again for this much-anticipated game.