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VYPE DFW Football Game of the Week: Denton Guyer vs. Aledo (Week 1)
Friday, August 29 – 7:30 PM | Tim Buchanan Stadium, Aledo
Two of North Texas’ most storied football programs will kick off the 2025 season in style when the Denton Guyer Wildcats travel to Aledo to face the Bearcats in a high-stakes non-district battle under the lights at Tim Buchanan Stadium.
Both teams enter the new year with high expectations and plenty of returning firepower, despite undergoing some changes at key positions.
For Denton Guyer, 2025 marks the second season under head coach Reed Heim, who previously served as the team’s defensive coordinator. The Wildcats are coming off a 10-4 campaign that culminated in an extensive run to the 6A-Division II Region I Final, where they were edged out in a 56-45 score-fest against Southlake Carroll.
Offensively, Guyer will be looking to replace the production of standout quarterback Kevin Sperry, now at Florida State. Even so, there’s no shortage of playmakers on Heim’s roster.
Junior athlete Erick “DJ” Reese returns after a breakout season in which he earned District Offensive Newcomer of the Year honors, posting over 900 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns.
Senior tailback DJ Black adds experience and consistency out of the backfield, while senior wideout Corbin Glasco—a Kansas-commit—brings big-play potential to the perimeter.
But where Guyer may shine brightest is on the defensive side of the ball, fitting for a team led by a coach with a defensive pedigree.
Junior DT Khyren Haywood anchors the line after a dominant sophomore season that earned him first-team, all-district recognition and interest from major college programs including Texas, LSU, and Oregon.
He’s joined in the trenches by junior edge rusher Zane Rowe, another four-star recruit with a similar array of offers.
The linebacker unit is equally stacked, led by Illinois-commit Kaedyn Cobbs and returning stat-stuffer Ryder Garcia, who racked up 109 tackles, 9.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles in 2024.
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Aledo, meanwhile, enters 2025 hungry to reclaim its perch atop 5A-DI after last season’s 12-2 finish ended short of a third consecutive state title.
Head coach Robby Jones, after taking the reins from longtime leader Tim Buchanan in 2017, has maintained Aledo’s championship-level standard and returns a loaded roster intent on making another title run.
Leading the Bearcats’ offense is senior wide receiver Kaydon Finley, a four-star Notre Dame-commit who torched defenses last year to the tune of 1,432 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns.
With former District MVP Raycine Guillory now at Utah, the backfield spotlight turns to senior Kaden Winkfield, a second-team, all-district selection poised for a larger role.
Up front, experienced linemen Payton Williams (UTSA-commit) and Ryan Campbell (Trinity-commit) will set the tone in the trenches.
Defensively, Aledo’s veteran core includes first-team, all-district selections at every level—Tulsa-bound DE Carson Dempsey, stalwart tackle Decker Sanders, linebacker Chase Wilburn, and Army-bound safety Lamel Swanson—giving the Bearcats an undeniable veteran presence.
This clash not only pits 6A vs. 5A but serves as an early litmus test for two programs with championship ambitions. For fans across the Dallas-Fort Worth area, it’s a must-watch opener with State-caliber talent on both sidelines.
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GLORY ROAD: Aledo's high-octane lineup propels them to a 5A-D1 Championship against SV
ROUND ROCK, TX — Aledo capped a dominant postseason run with an emphatic 8–1 victory over Smithson Valley on Friday night at Dell Diamond, capturing the UIL 5A-Division I State Championship in convincing fashion.
With the win, Aledo (34–8) secured its second state title in program history and first since 2014, adding another chapter to a growing legacy under head coach Chad Barry.
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.