Saturday, August 30 – 7:00 PM / Dub Farris Stadium, San Antonio
The start of a new season often brings a mix of anticipation and potential — clean slates, a different combination of lineups, and early tests that hint at what’s to come. But when Harlan and East Central meet Saturday night under the lights at Dub Farris Stadium, there’s a deeper current running beneath the surface.
For Harlan, the game marks more than just the beginning of another campaign.
It also marks the emotional return of head coach Eddie Salas, who will be back on the sidelines after a months-long battle with Stage 4 Large B cell lymphoma. Declared cancer-free in July, Salas’s comeback is already a galvanizing force for a Hawks team still riding momentum from a landmark 2024 season.
East Central arrives with its own sense of unfinished business. After a strong showing last year and a deep playoff run, the Hornets return a battle-tested core — especially on the perimeter — and are looking to prove they can reload despite key departures.
The season opener sets up a compelling clash between two San Antonio-area contenders who not only share postseason aspirations, but also a reputation for resilience and grit.
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Harlan finished last season 12–2, securing second place in District 28-6A before advancing four rounds deep into the playoffs.
Their run ultimately ended in the 6A Division II Region IV Final against eventual state champion Vandegrift, but the Hawks return enough firepower to suggest another deep run isn’t out of reach.
Senior QB Aldric Trotter remains the focal point of the offense. A unanimous first-team, all-district selection in 2024, Trotter threw for nearly 2,500 yards and 22 touchdowns, while adding 935 rushing yards and 14 more scores on the ground.
With top wideout Payton Matthews now at Rice, fellow senior Jordan Grady — a second-team, all-district honoree — steps into a leading role in the passing game. Senior running back G’Ivori Graham, a three-star TCU commit, is also expected to take on a larger share of the offensive load.
Defensively, the Hawks return several core contributors, including first-team, all-district defensive back Taveion Ford, senior linebacker Robert Gonzales III, and junior DB Addon Palmer. Maddox Berantuo adds another experienced presence to a linebacker unit that will be key against East Central’s playmakers.
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For the Hornets, replacing 29-6A Offensive Player of the Year Isaiah Mackey at quarterback is no small task — but head coach Joe Hubbard has consistently found ways to maximize his talent. Last season, East Central went 9–4 and reached the 6A Division I Regional Semifinals before falling to Lake Travis.
The offense will lean heavily on its senior wide receiver duo: Joseph Kelley and Deirionn Smith-Cline. Both earned first-team, all-district honors and combined for over 1,500 yards and 25 touchdowns last season. Their speed and chemistry should make them a constant threat regardless of who’s under center.
On defense, senior linebacker Braylon Blair (first-team) anchors the front seven after posting 87 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, and three sacks in 2024. Junior Gabriel Chavarria, who added 50 tackles and 11 TFLs, gives East Central another disruptive force in the middle of the field.
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With talent spread across both rosters — and the added emotional weight of Salas’s return — Saturday night’s game promises more than just an early measuring stick. It’s a matchup with meaning, and one that could set the tone for two teams aiming to make noise in 2025.
