Texas high school football is more than just a game — it’s a way of life. Dave Campbell's Texas Football is spotlighting a different program from across the Lone Star State, diving into their history, traditions, and legends. From powerhouse programs to hidden gems, Texas High School Football Spotlight is your deep dive into what makes each team unique. Whether it’s unforgettable seasons, iconic players, or fierce rivalries, this series celebrates the schools, communities, and stories that define Texas high school football.

Today's Spotlight: Cameron Yoe Yoemen

The Rundown

Cameron Yoe has all the ingredients to place them on the Mount Rushmore of small-town Texas High School Football. The Yoemen have 759 all-time wins, which ranks 11th in state history. The team is blue-collar, winning games on heart instead of speed and size. And, the fan base is crazy passionate, oftentimes filling the Yoe Field bleachers and pulling up lawn chairs along the chain link fence once those seats run out.

By The Numbers 

Class – 3A
Enrollment – 475 
Location – Milam County, 54 miles northwest of College Station

Trophy Case

State Championships – 4 (1981, 2012, 2013, 2014)
State Championship Appearances – 6 (1981, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)
District Championships – 37 (most recent: 2018)
Playoff Appearances – 49 (most recent: 2024)

Glory Days 

Four different Cameron Yoe teams have won the state championship, but the 2012 Yoemen are the only squad in program history to go undefeated. After a heartbreaking overtime loss to Daingerfield in the 2010 championship, Coach Rick Rhoades’ bunch got revenge with a 38-20 bludgeoning that wasn’t as close as the score indicates. LB Somari Wright (Defensive MVP) and DL Edgar Luna limited Daingerfield to 15 total yards in the first quarter as the Yoemen built an insurmountable 28-0 lead. 

The 2012 team kick-started four straight state championship appearances and a 22-game playoff winning streak, by far the best era in program history. 

“You don’t realize it when you’re in the moment. But when you look back — holy cow, it’s got to be the best time that I can imagine the Cameron community has ever experienced.” Rick Rhoades

The GOAT

Traion Smith, the greatest running back in program history, started his career as a middle school offensive lineman. Even when he switched to the backfield on the freshman team, the coaches would’ve never predicted what he became. Smith was only pulled up to the varsity as a sophomore because the starting running back got into a car crash. But then he rushed for 200 yards in each of his first two games. The rest, as they say, is Cameron Yoe history. Smith ran for 7,620 yards and 104 touchdowns over three seasons, leading the Yoemen to the state championship each year. 

“I was asking our left tackle, ‘What do you remember about Traion?’” former quarterback Reid Nickerson said. “He was like, ‘Dude, I just knew if I didn’t get my block it might be OK because Traion might still go for a touchdown.” 

Smith’s football career came to an unfortunate end in his senior year state championship game. After rushing for 133 yards and two touchdowns in a half, Smith was on his way to a third when a glancing blow caused him to tear his ACL, MCL, and PCL. Smith exited with his team up 20-7, but Cameron Yoe could not maintain the lead with their heart and soul at a nearby hospital. 

Smith signed with the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, but the injury prevented him from ever playing again. On November 22, 2020, Smith and his cousin both passed away after their fishing boat flipped in a Milam County lake, and they drowned while swimming to shore. Smith’s life is a success story, even though it ended tragically. His mother, Michelle Greer, lives in Cameron and helps raise Smith’s daughter, Alaia.  

The Architect

Cameron Yoe has two different program architects. Toby York led the program to its first-ever state championship in 1981, while Rick Rhoades was the mastermind behind the program’s best era.

York won a state championship in his first year as head coach in 1981. While the Yoemen never lifted the ultimate trophy again under his watch, his five district titles in seven seasons marked the most sustained success up to that point. 

While York led Cameron Yoe to five district titles in seven years, Rhoades led Cameron Yoe to five state championship games in seven years. Rhoades returned to the school for three seasons from 2021-23 and led the Yoemen to the regional final. He retired after the 2023 season.

Battle Lines

Cameron Yoe and Rockdale have fought in the Battle of the Bell since 1954. The rivalry began when the Rockdale Sandow & Southern Railroad donated a brass train bell to the two school districts to serve as a trophy in the annual football game. Over the years, the players and the bell have changed multiple times, but the animosity between these schools located just 16 miles apart in Milam County has never changed. 

Home Turf

Yoe Field was demolished and rebuilt in 2014, but the new version has retained its small-town charm. The capacity is 3,671, but the games often draw standing-room-only crowds, especially during the early 2010s, when Coach Rick Rhoades led the Yoemen to five state championships in seven years. 

The Year That Was

A young Cameron Yoe team went 3-7 in Coach Aaron Babino’s second year at the helm. The Yoemen have now won three games in each of the last three years. Seniors Mykel Keith (First Team All-District DL) and Brody Aguirre (Second Team All-District LB) left their marks on the program and set Cameron Yoe up for an exciting 2026 season.

Looking Ahead

After relying heavily on first-year starters in 2025, the Yoemen bring back 17 total starters, including 10 on the offensive side. Coach Aaron Babino says the experience, combined with the school’s storied tradition, should bring a big year in 2026. OL Enrique Luna (6-foot-1, 285) returns after earning District Lineman of the Year, while WR Tra’veon Myles (39 catches, 563 yards, four TDs) is an explosive threat on the outside. 

Xs and Os

Offense – Spread
Defense – Multiple

On the Rise 

RB/LB Jax Aguirre (5-foot-11, 180) earned Second Team All-District honors at linebacker as a freshman. With Coach Babino as his mentor, Aguirre could develop into a star. Babino was DeSoto's defensive coordinator for its back-to-back state championships in 2022 and 2023 and also played at the University of Texas from 1996-99.

In Their Own Words

“We emphasize the strong tradition and core values of what we believe in. Our standards create great young men when they graduate.” - Coach Aaron Babino