GAMES
RANKINGS
VYPE SATX Football Game of the Week: Harlan vs. East Central (Week 1)
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.
…
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.
…
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.
…
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.
CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT OUR 2025 SAN ANTONIO PRESEASON RANKINGS
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.
…
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, now in his third year after taking the reins from longtime leader Tim Buchanan, 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.