Where else but Aledo can a football program return only three starters on offense, four on defense, graduate a host of talent now at the NCAA Division I level and still be the preseason favorite to repeat as state champions.
The short answer? Nowhere else.
That’s exactly where the Bearcats find themselves this season as they begin their quest for a third three-peat as state champions. They previously accomplished this from 2009-11 and 2018-20, with Robby Jones as the coordinator of one of the most consistently explosive offenses in America.
Now Jones is the head coach, coming off a 16-0 season in his first year at the helm. It was the fifth time the Bearcats have finished with such a perfect record, having also done so in 2010, 2013, 2016 and 2018.
Having been a part of 11 of Aledo’s 12 state championships, Jones knows the Bearcat tradition well. Basically, if it’s football season, Aledo is going to be in contention to win it all.
The first state championship was in 1998. Over the past 15 years they have won titles in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022 and 2023, along with a runner-up finish in 2017 (they lost 20-19 in title game) and a state semifinals appearance in 2015.
“If we can stay healthy and the team comes together and does what they are capable of, we’ve got a chance to get to December and play at Cowboys Stadium,” Jones said.
The state championship games are played at AT&T Stadium in mid-December.
The Bearcats entered the season with a pair of key components offensively as spectators. Junior running back Ray Guillory had surgery on his injured knee in late December, and while he’s been practicing, Jones said he was limited to no-contact drills.
“I think they (doctors) are wanting a full nine months recovery before contact,” Jones said.
Guillory moved to Aledo after leading Mansfield Lake Ridge in rushing as a freshman. Last season for the Bearcats, despite missing several games — including the state championship — he rushed 145 times for 1,207 yards (8.3 average) with a team-leading 17 touchdowns. He also caught 10 passes for 175 yards and four more touchdowns, with his 21 total TD also leading the team.
“We’re waiting on him to be full-strength. We will have to limit him when he does come back,” Jones said. “Doing your workouts all summer is different than carrying the ball five or six times a game.”
Also out as the season began was senior lineman Payton Williams, recovering from a broken fibula.
“They’re out there running, but if there is contact, they come out,” Jones said.
That leaves the only returning starter expected to take the field when the team traveled to Denton Guyer to open the season being junior wide receiver Kaydon Finley (39 catches, 602 yards, 6 TD), who is adjusting to a new position. Jones said that while he is still a wideout, he will also be in the slot more.
“We’re trying to find more ways to get the ball to Kaydon,” Jones said.
With Guillory limited, junior running back Kaden Winkfield (73 carries, 449 yards, 5 TD) is likely to get more carries. Also, senior Ben McElree, better known for his linebacking skills, will get some time in the backfield, Jones said.
“It’ll be kind of like (Davhon) Keys last year. We’re expecting early for him to get six to eight carries a game,” Jones said.
Keys, an all-state player who is now at LSU as a linebacker, often ran out of a Wildcat package, especially near the goal line. Last season he rushed 36 times for 226 yards and 16 touchdowns.
Sophomore Jeremiah Johnson is also expected to be in the backfield mix, Jones said.
Joining Finley in the receiving corps will be junior Blake Burdine (13 catches, 218 yards, 3 TD), along with junior Lincoln Tubbs, with senior Kaden Callaway also involved.
At tight end, Jones noted plenty of options, including seniors Thaddeus Keller, Waldron Byars and Roman Jeffries, along with juniors Skylar Kirk and Kade Coulson.
“There have been years when we tried to create a tight end, but this year we have more than we’ve ever had,” Jones said. “The luxury is we can get into some two tight end sets.”
The guy throwing the ball to them will be junior Gavin Beard. As backup to all-stater Hauss Hejny, now at TCU, Beard was accurate, completing 73 percent of his passes (45-of-62) for 517 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.
“Gavin has looked really good. He’s throwing to the right places, not trying to force things,” Jones said.
Likely backups are senior Colby Smith and sophomore Nash McElree.
Blocking for them all will, of course, be Williams at left tackle/left guard when he returns. Also on the line at various times are expected to be senior right tackle Cody Cartwright, senior guard Chase Anderson, junior center/guard/tackle Ryan Campbell (played three quarters in the 51-8 state championship game win over Smithson Valley), junior left tackle/guard Kruger Summers, sophomore guard Omari Din-Mbuh, sophomore guard/center Grant Forman.
Jones said the average size of around 255-260 pounds is “Not huge, but good.”
“We have a lot of working pieces on the O-line, some question marks, but several options,” he said.
“The defensive line is, right now, really the strength of our team,” Jones said. “We’ve got four to rotate at defensive tackle and four more at defensive end.”
Starters back from last season on the line are junior end Carson Dempsey (25.5 tackles, 5 sacks, 10 tackles for loss), junior tackle Decker Sanders (30 tackles, 2 sacks, 6.5 tackles for loss) and senior tackle Jaxon Richter (12 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss).
“We’re going to be able to keep them fresh, opponents won’t have a tired defensive line to push around,” Jones said.
Ben McElree is returning for his senior season as starting linebacker, having posted 42 tackles, including 8.5 for loss with two forced fumbles and a sack.
Also at tackle will be senior Talan Foreman (20.5 tackles) and sophomore Tymon Meeks, a move-in from All-Saints.
Junior Cooper Cyphers (11.5 tackles, 2 sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss, 2 forced fumbles, interception returned 49 yards), who missed much of last season with a broken hand, is set to return at end. Seniors Brody Adams (13 tackles, 4 tackles for loss, fumble recovery for TD) and Jacob McIntire (9.5 tackles, 2 tackles for loss) will also likely see time there.
“All those guys could go pretty much anywhere in the state and start. There are lots of really good football players there,” Jones said.
Joining McElree at linebacker will be senior Owen Henderson (22.5 tackles) and junior Chase Wilburn (24.5 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, interception returned 48 yards for a TD, started a couple games) and junior Kutter Harrell (16.5 tackles, tackle for loss, fumble recovery).
The Bearcats are replacing their entire starting defensive backfield. At cornerback will be seniors Kai Taylor and Adrian Fuller, with sophomore Alex Patton and freshman Jordan Hall.
Safety will feature some strong competition, Jones said. Seniors Cory Tilly (9.5 tackles) and Jaylen Powell-Willis (9.5 tackles) will join juniors Lamel Swanson in the battle to replace five graduated seniors from 2023.
Senior Cole Crawford is back at kicker with two years of varsity experience. Last season he was 72-of-74 on extra points and 7-of-11 on field goals for a total of 93 points.
Junior Pierce Ling returns as punter. On 13 kicks last season he averaged 36.5 yards with a long kick of 65 yards.
Junior Kade Coulson will do the deep snapping. Jones also noted that junior Peyton Shaffer also has a strong leg.
The Bearcats will take a national-record 119-game district winning streak into league play this season. They haven’t lost a district game since 2007, when they started 0-2.
They will be tested mightily to keep that streak alive. District 3-5A Division I includes three of the state’s top seven teams.
The Bearcats are ranked No. 1 by Dave Campbell’s Texas Football and Denton Ryan is No. 2. Richland comes in at No. 7.
“This is the toughest district in 5A,” Jones said. “Ryan is the real deal. They were young last year with a lot of juniors and sophomores. They’ll be a test for us, in district and playoffs. And Richland is loaded as well.”
Last season in Aledo, Ryan overcame a 17-0 deficit to take a 19-17 advantage into the game’s final moments before Hejny broke free for a long run and the game-winning TD.
The Bearcats host Ryan on Oct. 4 and host Richland on Oct. 25.
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