The featured standouts of the 2026–27 Ridge Point Panthers football team.
Hightower Hurricanes
Strake Jesuit Crusaders
Travis Tigers
Bush Broncos
Clements Rangers
Austin Bulldogs
Elkins Knights
*Teams in bold are projected playoff contenders
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VYPE PRESEASON AWARDS
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Brody Bartee, Ridge Point
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Carson White, Hightower
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Bo Cimino, Clements
BREAKOUT PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Grayson Ochoa, Clements
ON THE CUSP: Travis Tigers
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Hightower Hurricanes
Matt Powell (VYPE)
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Ridge Point is loaded with talent entering the 2026 season with 26 athletes holding offers and five verbally committed. The Panthers are coming off an 11-1 season and reached the Area Round in 2025. A total of 12 starters, eight on the defensive side of the ball, return for seventh-year coach Rick LaFavers. Florida Atlantic commit QB Brody Bartee is back after passing for 2,098 yards and 26 touchdowns last year. One of his top targets Suhaib Ramseur, who is also committed to FAU, registered 18 receptions for 339 yards and five scores last season. Defensively, Kansas State commits Logan Davis (DB - 19 tackles, 2 INT) and Bryson Dossett (DB - 18 tackles, 1 INT) are both set to return. Aaron Williams, committed to North Carolina, is also back at defensive back after racking up 56 tackles last season. Williams was named third-team all-state. The secondary is loaded with talent with this trio roaming it. Other key returners include ILB Dyllon Bennett (77 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 INT, 10 QB hurries), OLB Brayden Bonik (58 tackles, 3 sacks, 14 QB hurries, 10 TFL), OLB Khalen Tayloe (34 tackles, 4 sacks), DL Chris Racey (46 tackles, 20 TFL, seven sacks) and DL Kenny Ezeki (48 tackles, 4 sacks, 15 TFLs).
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The Hurricanes have been a force. The past nine seasons, which included three 10-plus win campaigns, Fort Bend Hightower has been firmly in the playoff picture. Oklahoma State commit Carson White takes over at quarterback for the Hurricanes in 2026. Other key returners on offense include first-team all-district OL Chris Coleman and second-teamers Koleman Jones (OL), Isaias Arellano (OL) and Kentrell Mosley (WR). Mosley finished last year with 402 yards receiving and six scores. Defensively, first-team corner Zion Newton, who had a team-leading three interceptions, is back along with second-team selections Oluwatomilol Ajao (DE - Harvard-commit), Chris Carroll (DT), Champ Anthony (OLB) and RJ Lindley (S - 30 tackles). Anthony led the team with 75 tackles and 12 tackles for loss, while Carroll had 3.5 sacks, 10 QB pressures and 34 tackles. Ajao chipped in 50 tackles, 20 QB hurries, 16 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks as well. Another player to watch is Dailon Denkins who had 15 tackles and an interception last season.
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Strake Jesuit rolled their way to the Regional Semifinals last year and finished 10-3 overall. The Crusaders have made the playoffs for three-straight seasons entering 2026. Gone is the ultra-talented running back John Hebert to the University of Houston. He rushed for more than 3,600 yards and 42 touchdowns last year. Now it’s time to turn the page to the next era for sixth-year coach Donovan Fikac as they return eight starters. First-team, all-district selection Grayson Ochoa (Army commit) will be looked at to step into the RB1 role. Ochoa rushed for 781 yards and 10 scores on 100 carries last year. First-team all-district OL Alex Frew and Brady Kerrigan along with second-teamer Patrick Rose will pave the way for Ochoa. Also returning on offense is second-teamer Cade Barrett (FB) and Elijah Gassett (WR). Gassett finished last year with 245 yards receiving and four scores. Defensively, first-team all-district picks Paolo Masso (OLB) and Luke Leone (S) are back. Leone, an Army-commit, led the team with three interceptions and chipped in 68 tackles (55 solo). Other names to take note of are second-team all-district picks Victor Zaccardo (DL), Cameron McNulty (ILB) and Harrison Socha (ILB/OLB). McNulty finished with 97 tackles (81 solo) and three sacks. Keys to success for Fikac’s team include having an experienced O-Line, key players in big roles and staying healthy.
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Fort Bend Travis has made the playoffs for three-straight years heading into 2026 and is coming off an eight-win season. This marked the first time the TIgers had won eight or more games in a year since winning 10 in 2019. Kendrick Crumedy takes over the program and returns nine starters including unanimous first-team all-district selection Josh Vilmael, a Kansas State commit, at corner. Vilamael had two interceptions and four forced fumbles last season. Trace Baker is back at QB1 after passing for 1,201 yards and 17 scores a year ago. Other key returners include second-team all-district picks Colton McQueen (OL), Josh Ochelli (DE - UTEP commit) and Tyler Hubert (ILB). Ochelli had 10 sacks and 16 tackles for loss last season. Another player to watch is North Texas-commit Ethan Williams at receiver, who had 29 receptions for 595 yards and seven scores a year ago.
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The Broncos enter the second year under head coach Colonious McNeal. Fort Bend Bush went 6-5 in year one under McNeal and reached the Bi-District round of the playoffs. It will be a fairly new-looking team in 2026 as just six starters return, with five being on the offensive side of the ball. Running back Brandon Smith, who holds offers from Texas State, Tulsa, UTSA, Samford and Lama, rushed for 714 yards and 12 scores a year ago. Smith was named second-team all-district. A pair of second-team all-district OL will move defenders for him as 6-foot-5, 320-pound Amare Ndukwe and 6-foot-2, 320-pound Isaiah Neal-Woodard are back. Nduwke holds offers from Texas Southern, Midwestern State, Samford, Lamar, Texas A&M-Texarkana and Arkansas Tech. Senior Kameron Robinson is also returning after starting at center the past two years. Defensively, DB Robert Bankhead (Samford and Henderson State offers) is back after recording 28 tackles, three interceptions, one fumble return for a touchdown and one blocked field goal in 2025. Keys to success include running the football well behind an experienced offensive line and the young defenders growing up quickly, according to McNeal.
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The Rangers went 2-8 overall in 2025 and finished seventh in district play. Fort Bend Clements will look to get back into the playoff picture this year for the first time since 2022. The Rangers brings back District 21-6A All-Purpose Player of the Year George Jreissaty, who rushed for 1,224 yards and 12 touchdowns. Jreissaty was also named a second-team all-district running back. Incoming senior Kellen Kinter was named the District 21-6A Deep Snapper of the Year. Another name to watch on offense is second-team all-district OL Brandon Evans. Defensively, first-team, all-district safety Bo Cimino is back for the Rangers. Cimino had a team-leading 101 tackles and five interceptions in 2025.
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It will be a new era for the Bulldogs in 2026 as Christopher Wilson takes over the program after serving as the Cypress Springs Offensive Coordinator last year. WIlson takes handle of a team that went 2-8 overall last year and returns 10 starters off that team. Trent McCoy will pace the offense at running back after rushing for 1,213 yards and 15 touchdowns last season. Luke Chapman will make the move to QB1 after playing wide receiver last year for the Bulldogs. They also return second-team all-district OL Moaz Abdelmotilib up front. Defensively, OLB/TE Albert Morgan will be looked to be a presence on the edge of the defense, while CB/WR Christian Franks is a dynamic sophomore who Wilson is expecting to impact the defense. Finally, watch for Javier Winston on the defensive side at the nickel position. Keys to success for Wilson’s team include being able to run the football, making explosive plays downfield and limiting explosive plays and stopping the run on defense.
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Elkins finished just on the outside of the playoff picture in 2025 at 5-5 overall and going 3-4 in district play despite winning two of their last four games. Fourth-year coach Trae Grimes returns 14 starters with nine of those on defense. The Knights are set to return second-team all-district selections Blaise Til (DB), Mikael Jones (ILB), Omosefe Ayemere (OLB) and Austin Johnson (S) to that side of the ball. Ayemere is verbally committed to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and had 64 tackles, six tackles for loss and five sacks last season. Johnson had 63 tackles and two pass breakups in 2025. On offense, watch for honorable mention all-district pick Tyson Craft (94 carries, 588 yards, 8 TDs) and WR Kayden Knighten (20 rec. 297 yards, 1 TD). Keys to success for the Knights, according to Grimes, are to run the ball on offense effectively, be opportunistic on defense and be sound and attack with special teams.
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Doug Brown (VYPE)
