GAMES
RANKINGS
Fresh Faces: Hutto’s Eli Reinhart set to lead hungry Hippos
New Hutto Head Coach Eli Reinhart has seen the Promised Land.
As the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for North Crowley in the DFW area, Reinhart helped lead the powerful Panthers to a 42-2 overall record over the past three years; a run that included an undefeated 16-0 season last year and a 6A Division state championship wipeout of Westlake. That impressive run caught the attention of Hutto Athletic Director Will Compton, who led the Hippos last season and helped bring Reinhart back to the Austin area after assuming the AD position at Hutto.
Born in Seoul, South Korea, Reinhart grew up in Montrose, Michigan where he played high school ball at Montrose High School for his dad, Dennis Reinhart. He went on to play wide receiver at Concordia University of Ann Arbor, then transferred to Saginaw Valley State University where he also played baseball.
After his playing days ended, Reinhart served for five years as the offensive coordinator for his dad at Montrose while he finished his undergraduate studies. College stints soon followed, as he coached wide receivers at Ferris State University then became the offensive coordinator at Saginaw Valley State University at the ripe old age of 24. Additional stops at Northwood University and Central Michigan University rounded out his time at the collegiate level.
Reinhart moved to Texas and became Anderson’s offensive coordinator in 2021 where, in a preview of things to come, his Trojans averaged just under 34 points per game. Following a wholesale coaching staff change at Anderson, the well-travelled Reinhart landed at North Crowley. After averaging 40.5 points-per-game in 2022, the Panthers’ scoring numbers spiked to 52.5 and 53.7 PPG the last two seasons.
While those numbers and last year’s state title undoubtedly piqued Compton’s attention, there were off the field factors at play when Reinhart decided to return to the Austin area, this time as the top guy.
“The things that attracted me the most to Hutto started with our leadership in the district. Our Superintendent, Jeni Neatherlin, played a huge role in my interest for this job,” Reinhart declares. “I wanted to be somewhere that valued athletics as part of the educational process for young student athletes and understood the importance it plays in so many kids' lives.
“After that I, was really excited to be in a one horse or smaller school district where the community really rallies around the athletic programs.”
Despite plans for a second Hutto ISD high school, the community still lives for its Hippos as evidenced by the massive and ongoing Hutto High School renovation program -- and is eager to see if Reinhart can guide the Hippos into the ranks of the area’s elite programs.
With redistricting on the horizon for 2026, Reinhart’s Hippo squad will compete this year in a deep and crowded nine-team District 25-6A that includes not only defending 6A DII champion Vandegrift, but seven other tough teams that are capable of winning on any given night.
Reinhart is well aware of the hornets nest he’s stepping into.
“My expectations this year are to compete and get better every single week and every time we have a chance to step on the field. This year lays the groundwork and the foundation for what is to come with this program,” he states pragmatically.
“I want Hutto to be one of the top programs in Central Texas and eventually the state. This is going to take a lot of hard work and dedication, but we have the kids to make it happen.”
Fresh Faces: Richard Lucero steps up to elevate Elgin
Elgin’s new head football coach Richard Lucero was a key reason why last year’s Wildcats won their first playoff game in over a decade. As the offensive coordinator under former head coach Heath Clawson, Lucero saw his offense average 38 points per game enroute to a 6-6 season that ended with an Area Round loss to eventual undefeated state champion Randle.
With Clawson moving to Class 3A Woodville, Lucero inherits a young and inexperienced Elgin squad – although most of last year’s coaching staff remains with the program.
Born in Amarillo but hailing from the small town of Bangs, Lucero has had multiple coaching stints in various roles over his 25-year career. The 54-year-old Texas Tech graduate has coached 6-man football at Lohn High School, then 11-man at Santa Anna High School. College stops at St. Lawrence University (Canton, NY) and Wabash College (Crawfordsville, IN) followed before Lucero returned to Texas and coaching in high school at Katy Taylor. South Texas called with stops at Pharr-San Juan-Alamo; Edinburg Vela; and Corpus Christi Carroll before Lucero came to Elgin in 2021.
“What attracted me most to the Elgin job was the opportunity to build a consistent playoff team and the fact that there is only one high school is a huge draw,” Lucero adds.
With his oldest son Ryan in his second year of engineering school at Texas Tech University; daughter Laurenne, a junior in high school, and another son, Jacob, an 8th grader, Lucero seems to have found a home in Elgin. That makes this first year at the helm of the Wildcats all the more meaningful, even as Lucero knows he’s taking over a team with very few starters back from last year’s playoff squad.
“Our expectations for this year and beyond is to make the playoffs but more importantly to establish a culture of excellence,” Lucero states. “While this is a rebuilding situation, we believe in the immense potential at Elgin High School and Elgin Wildcats football!”
Richard Lucero has seen a lot in his quarter century behind the whistle. With his help, he believes his Elgin Wildcats will reach that potential.