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Randle's Williams-Callis named Texas Gatorade Player of Year; national finalist
CHICAGO (December 5, 2025) — In its 41st year celebrating the nation’s best high school athletes, Gatorade today announced Landen Williams-Callis of Randle High School is the 2025-26 Gatorade Texas Football Player of the Year.
Gatorade Player of the Year is the top honor in high school sports, celebrating the nation’s best high school athletes for their excellence in sport, academics and community. The award recognizes Williams-Callis as Texas’ best high school football player, and he’s also been selected as a finalist for the distinguished Gatorade National Football Player of the Year award to be announced in December. Williams-Callis joins an elite legacy that spans professional athletes and coaches to CEOs, such as Peyton Manning (1993-94, Isidore Newman School, LA), Nick Singleton (2021-22, Governor Mifflin High School, PA) and Keelon Russell (2024-25, Duncanville High School, TX).
At the time of his selection, the 5-foot-8, 190-pound junior running back had led the Lions to a 13-0 record and the 5A Division II state quarterfinals. Williams-Callis had rushed for 2,868 yards and 46 touchdowns while averaging 12.1 yards per carry. He also caught 17 passes for 208 yards and a touchdown, and threw a touchdown pass as well.
Williams-Callis has volunteered locally with the YMCA and at animal shelters. He has also donated his time as a coach at the Jacquizz Rodgers Football Camp and as a speaker and mentor/presenter at elementary and middle schools. “Seldom do you hear about a kid during peewee football who lives up to the hype once they get to high school,” said Shone Evans, head coach at Texas City High School. “Not only has this young man lived up to it, but he surpassed it. His vision, strength and speed are impressive on film, but they pale in comparison to what you see from him in person. Lastly, in a world of ‘look at me,’ this young man gives off [NFL Hall of Famer] Barry Sanders vibes. Once he scores, makes a big run or runs over a defender, he finds the nearest referee to hand the ball to.”
Williams-Callis has maintained a 3.34 weighted GPA in the classroom. He will begin his senior year of high school next fall.
The Gatorade Player of the Year program annually recognizes one state winner from each of the 50 states and Washington D.C., in 12 different sports: football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, baseball, softball, boys and girls soccer, and boys and girls track & field. In total, 610 high school athletes are honored each year. From the pool of state winners, one national winner is selected in each of the 12 sports. The selection process is administered by the Gatorade Player of the Year Selection Committee, which leverages experts including coaches, scouts, media and others as sources to help evaluate and determine the winners in each sport.
As part of Gatorade’s commitment to breaking down barriers in sport, every Player of the Year also receives a grant to donate to a social impact partner. To date, the Gatorade Player of the Year program has provided more than $6.4 million in grants to winners across more than 2,200 organizations.
To learn more about the Gatorade Player of the Year program, check out past winners or to nominate student-athletes, visit playeroftheyear.gatorade.com or follow us on social media on Instagram at instagram.com/Gatorade, Facebook at facebook.com/GatoradePOY and X(Twitter) at x.com/Gatorade.
PLAYOFF PICK’EM: VYPE gives their predictions on H-Town Area-Round Matchups
The Area Round of the Texas high school football playoffs is upon us after an exciting opening round that saw some upsets across H-Town and history made.
The Cy Lakes Spartans shocked the city taking down Magnolia 21-12 to get their first playoff win in school history. The Grand Oaks Grizzlies also made history winning their first ever playoff game against Nimitz 38-28.
With the Area round of the playoffs starting this week VYPE’s Matt Malatesta, Matthew Ogle and Jackson DiPasquale give their predictions for this week’s matchups.
6A DI Region II
The Woodlands (9-2) vs Klein Collins (11-1), 6:00 PM Saturday at Thorne Stadium
- Ogle: The Woodlands (31-20) Malatesta: The Woodlands (27-21) DiPasquale: The Woodlands (31-28)
Grand Oaks (8-3) vs Cy Ranch (9-2), 7:00 PM Friday at Tomball ISD Stadium
- Ogle: Cy Ranch (24-14) Malatesta: Cy Ranch (28-10) DiPasquale: Cy Ranch (42-21)
6A DI Region III
Cy Falls (8-3) vs Cinco Ranch (8-3), 7:00 PM Friday at Legacy Stadium
- Ogle: Cy Falls (34-28) Malatesta: Cinco Ranch (35-20) DiPasquale: Cy Falls (24-21)
Ridge Point (11-0) vs North Shore (9-2), 7:00 PM Friday at Thorne Stadium
- Ogle: North Shore (35-31) Malatesta: Ridge Point (35-24) DiPasquale: Ridge Point (35-28)
Lamar (8-3) vs Strake Jesuit (9-2), 7:00 PM Friday at Delmar Stadium
- Ogle: Strake Jesuit (30-21) Malatesta: Strake Jesuit (24-17) DiPasquale: Strake Jesuit (42-14)
Dickinson (11-0) vs Pearland (11-0), 7:00 PM Friday at Challenger Columbia Stadium
- Ogle: Dickinson (21-17) Malatesta: Pearland (42-28) DiPasquale: Pearland (48-21)
...
6A DII Region 2
College Park (11-0) vs Cy Lakes (6-5), 7:00 PM Friday at Cy-Fair FCU Stadium
- Ogle: College Park (38-14) Malatesta: College Park (35-10) DiPasquale: College Park (42-0)
Willis (9-2) vs Tomball (9-2), 7:00 PM Friday at Randall Reed Stadium
- Ogle: Willis (31-28) Malatesta: Tomball (42-20) DiPasquale: Willis (28-24)
6A DII Region III
Memorial (10-1) vs Katy (9-2), 7:00 PM Friday at Tully Stadium
- Ogle: Memorial (30-27) Malatesta: Katy (28-20) DiPasquale: Memorial (35-31)
Manvel (8-3) vs Summer Creek (10-1), 7:00 PM Friday at Turner Stadium
- Ogle: Summer Creek (42-21) Malatesta: Summer Creek (48-14) DiPasquale: Summer Creek (35-24)
Stratford (5-6) vs Jordan (8-3), 1:00 PM Saturday at Tully Stadium
- Ogle: Jordan (48-10) Malatesta: Jordan (21-20) DiPasquale: Jordan (42-28)
Shadow Creek (8-3) vs CE King (9-2), 7:00 PM Friday at Sheldon ISD Stadium
- Ogle: CE King (35-28) Malatesta: CE King (52-28) DiPasquale: CE King (48-21)
...
5A DI Region III
Barbers Hill (8-3) vs Anderson (10-1), 5:00 PM Saturday at Cy-Fair FCU Stadium
- Ogle: Barbers Hill (45-20) Malatesta: Barbers Hill (24-17) DiPasquale: Anderson (35-21)
5A DII Region III
Randle (11-0) vs Pfluggerville-Conally (7-4), 7:00 PM Friday at Merrill Green Stadium
- Ogle: Randle (60-3) Malatesta: Randle (38-24) DiPasquale: Randle (55-14)
Iowa Colony (10-1) vs Pfluggerville (7-4), 7:00 PM Friday at Waller ISD Stadium
- Ogle: Iowa Colony (45-24) Malatesta: Iowa Colony (28-21) DiPasquale: Iowa Colony (42-21)
...
4A DI Region III
Stafford (6-5) vs Kilgore(10-1), 7:00 PM Friday at Berton A. Yates Stadium
- Ogle: Kilgore (38-14) Malatesta: Kilgore (45-10) DiPasquale: Kilgore (52-14)
Yates (11-0) vs Pine Tree (7-4), 7:30 Friday at Driskell Stadium
- Ogle: Yates (54-16) Malatesta: Pine Tree (35-30) DiPasquale: Yates (48-21)
Crawford (10-1) vs Lindale (10-1), 7:00 PM at Nacogdoches Stadium.
- Ogle: Crawford (35-30) Malatesta: Lindale (42-20) DiPasquale: Crawford (35-28)
4A DI Region IV
Bay City (8-3) vs Austin LBJ (9-2), 2:00 PM Saturday at Brenham Cub Stadium
- Ogle: Austin LBJ (42-24) Malatesta: Bay City (20-13) DiPasquale: Bay City (42-28)