You want em, you love em.

Here are the 2025 Hipster Picks featuring off-the-radar teams who have a chance to do big things this year.

Feel like your team should be listed, let us know in the comments below!

Class 6A

Cypress Lakes: The Spartans are the ultimate sleeper in a balanced and always treacherous District 16-6A. They’ve never made the playoffs in the history of the school, which dates back to 2010. But it’s a new day under second year head coach Tyrone Carter who saw the Spartans post a competitive 4-6 record in 2024. Throw in 30 lettermen returning, 15 starters back, a JV team that went 6-4 a year ago, a wide open race for the last two playoff spots and some confidence from making the Texas 7-on-7 State Tournament for the first time and this has all the ingredients of a feel-good story in Houston.

Others to Watch: Mansfield Lake Ridge, Katy Mayde Creek, San Antonio Clark

Class 5A-Division I

Frisco: After just missing out on the playoffs a year ago with a 5-5 mark, the Racoons expect to have one of the state’s most improved offensive attacks with 10 offensive starters returning. QB Cobyn Harbert and ATH Jackson Voris are two explosive players. The key for Frisco High will be how its young defense matures, because a playoff spot is for the taking in 5-5A Division I.

Others to Watch: Saginaw Chisholm Trail, Beaumont West Brook, McAllen Memorial

Class 5A-Division II

Amarillo Palo Duro: The Dons were a tough luck 5-5 team a year ago that missed out on the playoffs, but they boasted a sweep of their Amarillo ISD rivals in non-district play flashing major potential. With eight starters back on both sides of the ball and fresh off an impressive summer of 7-on-7, Eric Mims’ bunch is poised for a break out. The Dons feature a North Carolina commit in ATH Darien Lewis and UNLV commit DB Vern Blair, and there’s at least three other FBS prospects in the fold. The trenches will tell the tale for PD in 2025, but this is a team that can challenge for the 2-5A Division II title.

Others to Watch: Mount Pleasant, Waco, Mission Sharyland

Class 4A-Division I

Bridge City: The Cardinals showed plenty of promise in Josh Smalley’s first season by posting an 8-3 record and contending for the district title. This is a Cardinals team to watch in the Golden Triangle with a loaded defense that returns nine starters and an offense with several key pieces back. The big question is if they get out of bi-district as they pair up with the monster East Texas district 9-4A Division I.

Others to Watch: El Paso Riverside, Paris, Zapata

Class 4A-Division II

Sanger: A year ago Sanger finished 4-6 on the season and 3-3 in district play. Those three losses were by a TOTAL of four points, which is just incredible. The Indians had another loss in non-district by just a touchdown as well. Chad Rogers’ squad has their eyes on a district title and much more as just eight lettermen graduated from that squad and 16 starters overall return, including 10 on offense. If a couple of questions on defense can get answered this is a team that could push for 8-10 wins in 2025.

Others to Watch: Lubbock-Cooper Liberty, West Columbia, Rockport-Fulton

Class 3A-Division I

Whitesboro: After a 6-5 2024 season, Cody Fagan’s squad has their sights set on getting back to their 2021 and 2022 levels with 20 starters returning, including all 11 starters on the offensive side of the ball. ATH Brayden Bomar hauled in nine touchdown passes a year ago and he also on defense picked off four passes. QB Colt Fagan will lead the offense as he accounted for 34 touchdowns in 2024. The key will be improvement on defense; if that unit progresses, Whitesboro should be a district title contender.

Others to Watch: Sweetwater, Hardin, San Diego

Class 3A-Division II

Coahoma: The Bulldogs, fresh off a 7-4 campaign a year ago, expect to have one of the most explosive passing attacks in all of West Texas in 2025. They displayed a bit of that this summer with a run to the semifinals of the Texas 7-on-7 State Tournament in late June. QB Boyd Cox returns for a third year leading the offense and he’s got a trio of explosive pass catchers. Add in a veteran defense that returns seven starters and CHS has the makings of a real sleeper. The big questions will be replacing a 2,000 yard rusher and a couple of stars up front and the defense must take a couple of steps forward after allowing nearly 30 points per game in 2024.

Others to Watch: Brady, Edgewood, Stockdale

Class 2A-Division I

Rio Vista: Don’t be surprised if the Eagles challenge for a district title in 2025 with the return of QB Kaiden Scott and some talented playmakers on the outside and in the secondary. The keys for the Eagles will be the trenches; if that young group up front matures the district race lines up for the Eagles to be right in the thick of things after going 6-5 last year.

Others to Watch: Ozona, Elysian Fields, Kenedy

Class 2A-Division II

Clarksville: Year 2 under head coach Thavis Miller could be a special one in Red River County as the Tigers have a chance to be one of the state’s most improved teams with 36 returning lettermen and just three seasons graduating - huge numbers for a 2A-Division II program. The Tigers return 17 total starters and will actually likely field a JV team as numbers in the program are up as well. This is a team that can contend for a district title as there finally appears to be stability in Clarksville.

Others to Watch: Hale Center, Haskell, Agua Dulce