GAMES
RANKINGS
VYPE SATX Football Game of the Week Preview: Brennan vs. Smithson Valley (Week 2)
Thursday, September 4 – 7:00 PM // Northside ISD's Dub Farris Athletic Complex -- San Antonio, TX
There’s a difference between scheduling a challenge and actively chasing one — and neither Brennan nor Smithson Valley have been known to shy away.
After kicking off their 2025 season with a hard-fought 21-13 road win over Reagan, the Bears now turn their focus to the reigning 5A Division I state champions, Smithson Valley, in what figures to be one of the most telling matchups of the young season.
The two area powers will meet this Thursday night, and while the stakes may not be postseason-high, the implications — and intensity — should come close.
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BRENNAN
For head coach Stephen Basore and the Bears, the early test is both a measuring stick and an opportunity.
Brennan is coming off an undefeated District 28-6A championship campaign — their fourth in five years — and a playoff run that ended in the Area Round against eventual 6A-D1 State Finalist Westlake. It was a reminder of how narrow the margin can be at the top of Texas high school football.
Still, the Bears return with talent and experience, especially on the offensive side.
Senior QB Cayden Glass showed poise and versatility in Week 1, going 8-of-12 for 129 yards and two touchdowns through the air, while adding another 48 yards and a rushing score on the ground.
Alongside him, senior running back Micai Thompson — who accounted for nearly 800 yards and 15 touchdowns a year ago — remains a reliable option out of the backfield.
Defensively, Brennan appears significantly deeper.
Senior leader Tim Cummings, a hybrid linebacker/defensive back, returns as a unanimous first-team, all-district selection.
Sophomore LB/DB Johnas Brewster made a name for himself in the opener with 16 total tackles and special teams contributions.
He’s joined by a seasoned secondary featuring Ethan Riojas (first-team, all-district), Jaylen Garner (UT-Permian Basin-commit), and junior Aiden Martin, the district’s reigning Defensive Newcomer of the Year. Up front, senior lineman Isiah Tolefree adds physicality in the trenches.
But Brennan’s depth will be tested against one of the state’s most complete teams.
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SMITHSON VALLEY
Smithson Valley enters Thursday’s matchup fresh off a dominant 62-6 win over Roosevelt, and with a championship swagger that comes with their pedigree.
It’s no secret that the Rangers captured the first state title in program history last December, defeating Highland Park (32-20) in the 5A-D1 title game, and head coach Larry Hill has another loaded squad ready to defend that crown.
Junior Ty Knutson leads the way offensively. A 6-foot-3 signal-caller with exceptional instincts and next-level accuracy, Knutson has already drawn interest from TCU, Texas A&M, North Texas, and Texas Tech. Protecting him is senior Aiden Verette, last year’s Offensive Line MVP in District 13-5A-DI.
The Rangers’ defense is just as imposing. Senior edge rusher Hudson Woods, a three-star SMU-commit, returns as the District 13-5A-D1 Defensive MVP, and he’s joined on the front by UTEP-bound defensive tackle Justin Roberts and senior end Caden Lieck.
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In terms of talent and expectation, this Thursday’s game could pass for a playoff preview. For Brennan, it’s a chance to shake up the state landscape. For Smithson Valley, it’s about sustaining excellence — and proving that last season was only the beginning.
VYPE Austin Football Game of the Week: Vandegrift vs. Dripping Springs (Week 1)
Friday, August 29 – 7:30 PM / Tiger Stadium – Dripping Springs, TX
The 2025 season kicks off with a heavyweight Central Texas clash as defending 6A-Division II State Champion Vandegrift travels west to face a talented Dripping Springs squad under the lights at Tiger Stadium.
For Vandegrift, Friday’s game marks the beginning of a new chapter following a historic 2024 campaign that saw the Vipers finish 15–1 and claim their first-ever UIL state title with a 24–17 victory over Southlake Carroll at AT&T Stadium.
Head coach Drew Sanders — named District 25-6A Coach of the Year — returns a battle-tested core hungry to prove last season was no fluke.
Leading the charge is senior signal-caller Miles Teodecki, a three-star Kansas State-commit who put together one of the state’s most prolific seasons last fall. Teodecki threw for over 3,200 yards and 48 touchdowns, adding four more scores on the ground to earn district Offensive MVP honors.
He’ll once again have top target Brock Chilton at his disposal. The Air Force-bound senior wideout earned first-team, all-district recognition last fall and brings a blend of quickness and sure hands to the perimeter.
Up front, the Vipers will be anchored by a veteran offensive line featuring Parker Cecil, the reigning District Offensive Lineman of the Year, alongside Carter Mannon, another first-team selection.
Defensively, Vandegrift’s front-seven brings back proven starters in linebacker Parker Davis and defensive end Hugo De La Vara Vazquez. Both earned second-team, all-district honors last season and will be instrumental in slowing down a high-powered Dripping Springs passing attack.
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The Tigers, meanwhile, come into 2025 with plenty of motivation after finishing 8–4 in one of the state’s most competitive districts. Coach Galen Zimmerman and co. placed third in 26-6A — behind juggernauts Westlake and Lake Travis — and advanced to the Area Round before falling to a surging Harlan squad.
Offensively, Dripping Springs boasts one of the top wide receiver duos in the area. Senior Cooper Reid, an Arizona State-commit, returns after posting over 1,000 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns en route to unanimous first-team, all-district honors. He’s joined by Merrik Bloomgren, a reliable second-team selection who adds depth and experience to the group.
Up front, the Tigers feature a promising mix of youth and experience, headlined by junior Hudson Whitenight — a three-star tackle and Offensive Newcomer of the Year in 2024 — and senior John Ault, a first-team, all-district honoree.
On defense, Malachi Igharo leads the secondary after earning first-team recognition at cornerback, while Kyle Daniel and Dylan Brasher round out a versatile linebacker unit that will be tasked with containing Vandegrift’s balanced offensive attack.
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Though it’s only Week 1, both programs enter with expectations — and rosters — built for deep postseason runs.
For Vandegrift, the target is squarely on their back as the reigning champs. For Dripping Springs, it’s an early opportunity to show they belong in the conversation. Under the Friday night lights, those ambitions will begin to take shape — one possession at a time.