Senior, OL - Chris Owens, Arlington Lamar
After redshirting his freshman year, Owens has made his impact felt on the offensive line. Owens found himself filling in at center for the Tide after All-American Landon Dickerson suffered a torn ACL against Florida in the SEC Championship game. Owens helped the Tide complete their season with a Championship title playing Monday night against Ohio State.
At Arlington Lamar, Owens was a four-star guard and rated as the No. 10 guard Nationally according to a 247Sports composite and the No. 2 Guard in Texas. Owens earned an All-State selection by the Texas Associated Press and chose Alabama over Oklahoma, Texas, and Texas A&M.
Freshman, PK - Chase Allen, Colleyville Heritage
Allen joined Alabama as a walk-on addition this season. Allen has served the Crimson Tide by kicking off in various instances to include the starting kickoff duties in the first four games of the 2020 season, against LSU, Mississippi State, Kentucky, and Auburn. Although Allen didn't play during the National Championship game, he totaled 2,029 yards on kickoffs for the Crimson Tide.
At Colleyville Heritage, Allen was ranked as the No. 1 kicker and punter in Texas 5A Division 1. He earned an All-District 4-5A Special Teams Player of the Year honor his senior season and recorded a touchback on 30 of his 46 kicks during his senior season. Allen chose Alabama over Ole Miss and Villanova.
Freshman, RB - Jase McClellan, Aledo
McClellan has shown his ability more than once on Alabama's offense and special teams. He got his first collegiate playing time against Missouri early in the season where he played on special teams before doing the same against Texas A&M in the Tide's home opener. McClellan even earned special teams player of the week recognition from the Alabama coaching staff against Mississippi State where he helped limit MSU to zero yards on punt returns. McClellan totaled 245 rushing yards, two touchdowns, and one receiving yard during the 2020-2021 season with Alabama. McClellan joined on special teams during the National Championship game.
At Aledo, McClellan was a highly sought-after recruit. As a four-star prospect, he was ranked as the No. 6 running back and the No. 6 player in the state of Texas according to a 247Sports composite. McClellan was selected to play in the Under Armor All-American Game and competed in Nike's "The Opening". McClellan helped lead Aledo to a State Title in the 2019-2020 season with a 45-42 win over Fort Bend Marshall. McClellan totaled over 6,800 yards and 842 carries with 125 touchdowns. He chose Alabama over Oklahoma after first pledging his loyalty to the Sooners two years prior to his Tide commitment.
Freshman, OL - Drew Sanders, Denton Ryan
Drew Sanders came out of Denton ready to show his strength to his SEC opponents. Sanders saw consistent play on special teams throughout the entire season as an outside linebacker. In his collegiate debut, Sanders recorded an unassisted tackle against Missouri early in the season. Sanders earned special teams player of the week from the Alabama coaching staff for his play against Tennessee and Arkansas. Sanders recorded four solo tackles and five assisted tackles prior to the National Championship game. Sanders saw playing time against Ohio State during the Championship showdown.
At Denton Ryan, Sanders made a name for himself and quickly became a five-star recruit. Rated as the No. 1 player in Texas according to a 247Sports composite, Sanders played on both ends of the ball where he completed over 10 passes and scored over 45 touchdowns in his career. Sanders was also named as a finalist for the 2019 Landry Player of the Year. Sanders chose Alabama over Oklahoma, LSU, Notre Dame, Oregon, and more.
“From day one, this group believed they could do something special,” said Midway head coach Eddie Cornblum. “They’ve worked for every bit of this. I couldn’t be prouder.”
Matthew Ogle (VYPE)
Midway wasted no time setting the tone.
In the bottom of the first inning, Tyler Seith laced a 2-RBI single to open the scoring, and Canyon Martin followed with an RBI double to make it 3-0. Atascocita responded in the top of the second with a pair of runs — an RBI double by Kaleb Thomas and a run-scoring groundout from Nick Dykes — but that would be the last offense the Eagles would muster.
Enter Potts.
The junior was called in for relief during the second inning and silenced the Atascocita lineup the rest of the way. Potts notched four strikeouts en route to being named the 6A-Division I State Championship MVP.
Jr. RHP Brody Potts accepts the 6A-D1 State MVP AwardMatthew Ogle
And extend it they did.
Martin, who finished 2-for-2 with an RBI and two runs scored, crossed home in the third inning on a wild pitch to stretch the lead to 4-2. Midway added insurance in the sixth as Jack Goldstrich and TJ Woodson delivered back-to-back RBI singles, pushing the score to its final 6-2 margin.
Offensively, the Panthers showed depth throughout the lineup. Woodson went 2-for-4 with an RBI, Seith added a hit and two RBIs, and Dru Ohmstede collected two hits and a run scored. Goldstrich and senior second baseman David Litle each contributed with timely hits as well.
Matthew Ogle (VYPE)
The win caps off an impressive postseason run for Midway in what was their fifth overall trip to the UIL State Tournament. The 2025 squad now joins the 2003 team in the Panthers’ championship lore.
“It’s surreal,” said Martin, who was one of four Panthers — along with Woodson, Ohmstede, and Goldstrich — named to the State All-Tournament Team. “We knew what was at stake, and we just trusted each other to get it done.”
From the opening pitch to the final out, Midway played with the poise of a championship team. And now, with another trophy in hand and a roster full of returning talent, the Panthers are poised to make sure this title run isn’t just a one-time affair.
“This is for everyone who believed in us,” Cornblum added. “But more importantly, it’s for these kids. They earned every bit of this moment.”
The Bearcats controlled the game from the outset, leaning on timely hitting, sharp base-running, and a lockdown pitching performance to clinch their fourth overall appearance at the UIL State Tournament.
Junior designated hitter Lucas Nawrocki led the way offensively, going a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with two RBIs, two runs scored, and a triple—earning him the title of 5A-DI State Championship MVP.
Junior DH Lucas Nawrocki accepts the 5A-D1 State MVP AwardAlex Hinson (VYPE)
Aledo wasted no time getting on the board, with Nawrocki driving in the game’s first run in the top of the first inning. Smithson Valley briefly responded in the bottom half, evening the score at 1–1 with an RBI single by Bryce Wells—the Rangers’ only run of the game.
From there, it was all Bearcats.
In a key second-inning sequence, senior catcher Brennon Evans stole second base as senior shortstop Nick Foster alertly dashed home on the play, showcasing the team’s aggressive base-running and awareness. Aledo tacked on two more runs in the fifth, with Nawrocki notching an RBI triple and senior outfielder Luke Trager adding an RBI single.
Junior Brooks Burdine tripled in a run in the sixth, and Aledo added three insurance runs in the seventh, capped by a two-run error following a single from Evans. By the time the final out was recorded, Aledo had scored in five of seven innings.
On the mound, senior right-hander Devin Miller delivered a complete game performance, allowing just one earned run and striking out two across seven efficient innings. Miller, along with Evans, Dylan Duran, Landon Barnes, and Foster, earned spots on the State All-Tournament team for their efforts.
Aledo's offense delivered in clutch moments, but it was the team’s total balance—steady pitching, clean defense, and consistent production up and down the lineup—that ultimately separated them from the rest of the field.
Now, with another trophy in hand and a core of underclassmen set to return—including MVP Nawrocki—the Bearcats have the look of a team built not just for this moment, but for many more to come.
GAMES
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