One Reason to Root for Every 2025 State Finalist

6A DI Duncanville Panthers

We don't know when it'll be Reginald's last ride

Reginald Samples, known as the Godfather of Dallas football, told the Dallas Morning News in July that he nearly retired after last season. Samples has coached for 36 years and compiled a 365-90-2 record with two state championships. By now, every playoff or state championship game could be his last.  

6A DI Galena Park North Shore Mustangs

Houston Supremacy

This is the sixth time in eight years that Galena Park North Shore has faced Duncanville. Over the years, this championship rivalry has come to symbolize Houston versus Dallas, and which city has the best high school football that year. North Shore leads the series 3-2. As mentioned above, Samples is nearing retirement. If North Shore extends the series lead to 4-2, is that too much for Duncanville to ever overcome?

6A DII DeSoto Eagles

Can SaRod Baker cap the greatest playoff run of all time?

Baker has rushed for 1,503 yards and 19 touchdowns in five games, which is more than most running backs have in a full season. That's not even counting his receiving yards, and he had an over 50-yard reception touchdown against Southlake Carroll. He's also done it against the best competition in the state's largest classification. If he goes nuclear in a state championship win, it's fair to claim it as the greatest playoff run of all time. 

6A DII Sheldon C.E. King Panthers

The only first-year coach in the state championship

Cory Laxen was promoted from offensive line coach in January and has turned Sheldon C.E. King from a 5-5 ball club to a state championship finalist. Don't expect Laxen to be out of his element at AT&T Stadium. He spent a decade as an offensive line coach at Galena Park North Shore. 

5A DI Smithson Valley Rangers

One isn't enough for Larry Hill

Larry Hill won his first state championship in five tries last year. And while state championship trophies don't define his career, TXHSFB fans believe a coach of his caliber deserves a couple more. Hill, in his 33rd season at Smithson Valley, is eighth all-time in career wins, and he's built Smithson Valley from the ground up. The Rangers were 45-120-5 all-time before Hill arrived in 1993.

5A DI Frisco Lone Star Rangers

Would become the first Frisco ISD program to win a football state championship

For many years, Frisco ISD was the fastest-growing school district in Texas. Since the school district vowed to keep every school below the largest classification, it felt like a new high school opened every two years. Today, Frisco ISD has 12 varsity programs. But the quantity of schools hasn't always resulted in December-quality football programs. Just two teams have ever qualified for a UIL Football State Championship - Frisco Lone Star in 2015, and Frisco Lone Star this season. Can the Rangers win the first football state championship in FISD history?

5A DII South Oak Cliff Golden Bears

They've hit enough adversity to root for them again

This is South Oak Cliff's fifth consecutive state championship appearance, tied for the second-most in TXHSFB history. If this sustained success at an inner-city school isn't enough to pull for them, then maybe the fact that they have a chance to avenge back-to-back state championship losses (each by an agonizing three points) is. 

5A DII Richmond Randle Lions

Landen Williams-Callis Legacy Watch

What is Landen Williams-Callis, already a five-star and the state's most-offered prospect, still running for? His Richmond Randle team, for starters. But also for a spot on the Mount Rushmore of TXHSFB rushers. With 7,422 career rushing yards before the conclusion of his junior season, Williams-Callis is on pace to become the fifth player all-time to rush for over 10,000 career yards. With four spots available, state championships could be the next barometer. A second state title puts him ahead of Mount Enterprise's Kaegan Ash, Sugar Land's Kenneth Hall (QB) and Cayuga's Traylon Shead. It would also keep him on pace with Aledo's Johnathan Gray, who won three state championships from 2009-11.

4A DI Stephenville Yellow Jackets

A fitting send-off for a senior-heavy defense

The preseason expectations for Stephenville's defense were high with 10 returning starters. But surrendering just 9.5 points per game en route to a 15-0 season is absurd. Many of the principal figures on the Yellow Jackets' offense, like QB Trot Jordan and RB Zyler McClendon, will return next year. But this is the Stephenville faithful's final chance to see seniors like DL Kolton Dearth, LBs Caleb Taylor and Hudson Butchee, and many more.   

4A DI Kilgore Bulldogs

Avenge a heartbreaking loss in State 7-on-7 Championship with the real crown

Kilgore has two revenge stories entering this year's state championship game. In 2024, the Bulldogs were blown out by Celina. This past summer at the State 7-on-7 Tournament, Kilgore suffered an overtime defeat to Frisco Panther Creek in the Division II State Championship. A third loss would be agonizing. A win would be cathartic. 

4A DII Carthage Bulldogs

The most meaningful championship of Scott Surratt's career?

If Carthage beats West Orange-Stark, it would be head coach Scott Surratt's 11th state championship ring. Asking him to pick his favorite state championship would normally be like asking him to pick his favorite child. But since his child, Jett, is the senior quarterback of this year's team, every other ring might be running for second place. Jett has already set nearly every Carthage passing record as a three-year starter. There's one more accolade to go. 

4A DII West Orange-Stark Mustangs

The largest 11-man state championship upset

The computer has West Orange-Stark as a 14-point underdog to Carthage, which would make a West Orange-Stark victory the largest 11-man state championship upset this week. It would be a fitting chapter to head coach Hiawatha Hickman's redemption story. Hickman's tenure began with back-to-back losing seasons for the first time in West Orange-Stark history. He's made the state championship in his fourth year. 

3A DI Yoakum Bulldogs

Bo Robinson adding a trophy to the family case

Bo's brother, Ty, told DCTX last December a dirty family secret: the Robinson clan doesn't have a lot of state championship success.

The patriarch, Wendell, won three state championships playing for Stamford. But the final one, in 1959, was stripped after Wendell was discovered to have lived in a firehouse during it. Wendell coached his sons, Bo and Ty, to two state championship games at Bremond. Both were lost in heartbreaking fashion. In the 1987 title game, Bo was ruled offside after blocking Wheeler's game-winning field goal. In 1993, Ty's year, Bremond fumbled 16 times in a 54-0 loss to Sudan. 

Since becoming a head coach, Bo has lost three state championship games, the most recent being when Yoakum lost 35-14 to Mineola. Here's to changing the family narrative. 

3A DI Grandview Zebras

The Jentsch Family Storyline

Dane Jentsch won back-to-back Offensive and Defensive MVPs in Grandview's 2018 and 2019 state championships, the only two titles in program history. Now he's a Grandview assistant coach with his father, Clint. His younger brother, current freshman Briggs, could play a huge factor in the program's third state title. Briggs is a Swiss-Army knife on offense as a wide receiver and running back, while showing shades of his older brother as a wildcat QB. Briggs also had a pivotal fourth-and-goal tackle in the state semifinal win over Peaster.   

3A DII Wall Hawks

The Craziest Offensive Overhaul at State

Wall is one of the state's best passing offenses, headlined by QB Landon York's 3,868 yards, 57 touchdowns and six interceptions. That would be impressive anywhere, but it's almost absurd given the Hawks ran the flexbone veer for nearly two decades. Coach Craig Slaughter, the defensive coordinator from 2017-23, switched the offense when he took over for the legendary Houston Guy beginning in 2024. Wall is 28-2 since. 

3A DII Newton Eagles

Drew Johnston's Family Ties

If you cut Johnston open, his blood would flow Newton purple. A Newton graduate, Johnston also spent eight years as the Eagles' defensive coordinator for his father, WT, making three state championships. When Drew was hired to replace a retiring WT, he became just the fifth head coach since 1975. This is Newton's first state championship under his reign. 

2A DI Joaquin Rams

The most improbable back-to-back playoff run of all time?

Over the past two years, the Rams have morphed into a phenomenon known as #PlayoffJoaquin. Head coach Jared Jones, who took over a 2-7 program, led Joaquin from a District 11-2A DI fourth-place finish to the state semifinals in his first season. For an encore this year, Joaquin is in the state championship after finishing third in the district. If the Rams grab the crown, they have a case for the most improbable two-year playoff run ever. 

2A DI Hamilton Bulldogs

Halston Haile

Hamilton started playing football the same year World War I began. This is its first state championship appearance. Star athlete Halston Haile is the perfect embodiment of how important this season is to the Hamilton senior class. Haile lacerated his kidney in the Regional Final last year and almost had to retire from football. This time last year, he was using a walker in the hospital. Now, he's playing in AT&T Stadium. 

2A DII Shiner Comanches

A Chance to Avenge Last Year's Loss

Rest assured, Shiner's team remembers last year's 36-29 loss to Muenster in the final minute vividly. Even more so than most teams. That's because the Comanches lost just four seniors from the 2024 state finalist team. The loss was a formative memory for a young team, and judging off this season's 15-0 record, it only made them stronger. 

2A DII Muenster Hornets

Can Brady Carney win a second state championship with his son?

Carthage and Muenster have similar storylines this week. Both have multi-state championship head coaches who are seeking to win a second shared state championship with their senior son at QB. Muenster head coach Brady Carney said after last year's win that he lived out every high school coach's dream. Casen, then a junior, won the game's Offensive MVP honors with 318 total yards and four touchdowns. So, the question is: can Brady's dream recur in 2025?

1A DI Gordon Longhorns

Can Gordon become the greatest six-man football team ever?

Here are some fun stats from Gordon's 13-0 season. The Longhorns have played 33 of 52 potential quarters due to mercy rule. They have two future FBS players in Air Force commit Stryker Reed and Army commit Ry Reed (no relation). Stryker has scored 30 touchdowns on 59 touches. In other words, he's scored more times than he's been tackled. Gordon also played an 11-man football game against Class 2A Thorndale and beat them 54-21. Thorndale won a playoff game.

If Gordon wins, and completes the three-peat, they become the most dominant six-man football team of all time. 

1A DI Rankin Red Devils

Would be on the Mount Rushmore of state championship upsets

Gordon is going for the three-peat. This is Rankin's first state championship game. Recheck those Gordon stats above, so you know what I'm about to say is no disrespect to the awesome team Rankin has. If Rankin wins, it's in the pantheon of state championship upsets. 

1A DII Jayton Jaybirds

First repeat state championship since 1984-85

Jayton, one of six-man's proudest programs, broke a 39-year championship drought in 2024. Historically, championships have come in pairs for the Jaybirds. Before last year, their two state championship victories were in 1984 and 1985. 

1A DII Richland Springs Coyotes

One win away from becoming the third TXHSFB ever with double-digit championships

Richland Springs won nine state championships from 2000 to 2019 but hasn't reached the championship game since 2020.