Click the link below or "keep reading" to listen to this Texas High School Basketball match-up on Friday, December 31:
1PM - Boys Basketball: Travis vs. Seven Lakes
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Click the link below or "keep reading" to listen to this Texas High School Basketball match-up on Friday, December 31:
Anyone looking at the stats for Vandegrift’s 42-28 win over Rouse might be left scratching their heads. After all, the Raiders ran nearly twice as many plays (71-39) as the Vipers, amassed more total yardage (370-281), had more first downs (17-11) and dominated the time of possession.
So how exactly did the Vipers come away with their clutch 41-28 win in our VYPE Austin CenTex Game of the Week last Friday night (10/30)? Credit some of that two long kickoff returns for touchdown by junior Preston James and senior Ontario Jackman with providing the spark to keep the Vipers ahead.
There were plenty of fireworks early as well.
Rouse Senior Aubryn Davis’s (11-60, TD) 1-yard plunge capped off a long drive to stake the Raiders to an early lead. James (23-184, 8.0 YPC, 4 TD, KO Ret. TD) finished consecutive drives in the end zone after rushes of 14 and 6-yards to put the host Vipers ahead late in the second quarter.
Rouse quarterback Chase Whitten (17-26, 253 Yds., 2 TD, INT) had other ideas, however. The senior signal caller connected with senior Coen May to tie the score again at the half.
Then someone lit the fuse on the Vandegrift specials teams. James took the second half kickoff 95 untouched yards for a touchdown to help Vandegrift reclaim the lead before stragglers at the concession stand could finish their sausage wraps. After the Vipers defense stiffened to force a turnover on downs, James’ fourth touchdown of the night from 1-yard out seemingly put the hosts comfortably ahead at 28-14.
The Raiders weren’t ready to concede, however. Sophomore Amauri Dickson hauled in Whitten’s swing pass and hauled it 39 yards out to again make it a 1-possession game.
Cue Jackmon, who scooped up the ensuing bouncing kickoff and streaked for an 81-yard return to nudge Vandegrift up to a 35-21 lead.
The teams traded fourth quarter scores – Davis to Jordan Cooke on a running back pass after a reverse for Rouse; James’ fifth touchdown of the night for Vandegrift – as Vandegrift held on for the clutch win.
Rouse (2-3, 4-5) hosts East View Thursday night (11/5) with the winner advancing to the playoffs. Vandegrift (4-1, 6-3), meanwhile, clinched a playoff spot for a 14th straight season with the win. The Vipers travel to Hutto Friday night (11/6) to close out the regular season. VYPE Live will broadcast both games.









The defending State Champs Bridgeland looks for a repeat
Runners take your mark...
The 2026 UIL Cross Country State Championships are Friday and Saturday at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock, as the state's top runners put it all on the line for state gold.
Here is the comprehensive breakdown for the two-day event.
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Southlake Carroll’s dynasty is on the line. Carroll won its sixth straight title in 2024 and won again in 2025 behind Caden Leonard’s 14:42.0, but for the first time in years, it isn’t the favorite.
El Paso Eastwood beat Carroll head-to-head at Region I, 48-53, and are the favorites coming out of West Texas.
The Teams to Watch...
Individual contenders: The man to beat is Ruel Newberry of Denton Guyer, who won Region I in 14:35.5 ahead of Garcia and Gutierrez; he was second at state last year in 14:49.0. Behind him, in rough order: Garcia (Eastwood), Martin (The Woodlands, 14:25 regional), Dewagan (Vandegrift), Gutierrez (Carroll), Esparza (Round Rock, 14:30.0 season best, fifth at state last year in 15:02.7), Beken (College Park) and Mugambi (Atascocita).
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Flower Mound vs. the defending champ. Bridgeland won its first state title last year wth 38 points, edging 2024 champion Flower Mound (41), with Katy third (90) and The Woodlands fourth (124). Flower Mound had won five straight before that. This is a rematch, and the individual title is wide open: three-time champion Macy Wingard of Braswell added a 3200 state title in May and has graduated.
The Prospectus
Individual contenders: Bennett (Flower Mound) and Hope Smith (Bridgeland) are the favorites; Smith’s 16:46 is the best time in the state. Then Cluley-Garza (Flower Mound), Wylie freshman Eliana Williams (won Region II in 17:49.3), Weller (The Woodlands), Kylie Vega (Eastwood, 17:44.6) and Churchill’s Kallie Van Prooyen (Region IV winner, 18:15.2). Houston’s medal threats: Smith, Weller, College Park’s Isabella Camiro (third at Region II in 18:01.6) and Katy’s Vienna Fish/Kinley Skaggs, who both broke 18:30 on this course last year.
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Grapevine’s title defense got harder. The reigning champs moved regions and promptly lost Region II by five points to Dallas Woodrow Wilson, 70-75, without a top-10 finisher but with all five in the top 21. Grapevine returns four, with three who broke 16:15 on this course last year.
The Prospectus
Individual contenders: Arceneau (Lovejoy, 14:58.3) is the favorite based on regional times; Joshua Loera of North Mesquite was three seconds back. Then Slusher (Woodrow Wilson), Edwards (Champion), Martinez-Sanchez (Mansfield Legacy) and McKinney North’s Rhett Hulin (15th at state last year).
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Highland Park finally beat Lovejoy. Lovejoy is the defending state champ and had won six straight regional titles, but Highland Park put four in the Top 11 and won Region II 43-52, with sophomore Adelaide Wortman second in 17:56.9 and senior Ryan Sontag third. Highland Park has 14 state titles, the last in 2012.
Team Prospectus
Individual contenders: Wortman (Highland Park, 17:56.9), Moya (New Braunfels), Armstrong (Lovejoy), Sontag (Highland Park), Skinner (Consol), Argyle freshmen Annee Binning and Presley Skaggs (7th and 9th at Region I), and Magnolia West’s Valerie Haros, who was 41st at state as a sophomore in 2021 and is a regular top-10 regional finisher.
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