Quick, can you name the last time Aledo played a football game involving a No. 1 team and they weren’t that team?
Don’t worry, it’s not likely anyone else can either.
However, that is the case when the top two Class 5A Division I teams in the state of Texas square off Friday night, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. in Tim Buchanan Stadium in Aledo. The No. 1 Denton Ryan Raiders (4-0, 2-0 in District 3-5A Division I) will clash with the No. 2 Aledo Bearcats (4-1, 3-0).
“Normally, if we’re in a game with the No. 1 team, that team is Aledo,” Bearcats coach Robby Jones said. “But it doesn’t make any difference. They still have to come in here and win.
“We were No. 1 in preseason and they were No. 2. Either way, Friday is going to be a heck of a game.”
Aledo coach Robby Jones believes the Raiders have returned to being the program that enjoyed phenomenal success for many years before what Raiders fans would consider a “down period.” Ryan was only 14-7 in 2022 and 2023 combined, with first-round and second-round playoff exits.
Before that, the Raiders were 97-7. They won a Class 5A Division I state championship in 2020 with a 15-0 record, were state runners-up in 2019 and reached the semifinals from 2016-18. In addition they reached the state quarterfinals in 2015 and 2021.
The Raiders also won state championships in 2001 and 2002.
“That was one of the comments coach (Dave) Henigan made last year, that they were as talented as they’ve ever been.”
Now, those young players have even more experience and appear primed for the team’s best campaign in years. When asked what facet of the team is the most dominant for Ryan, Jones noted, “Their defense. It’s probably the best defense we’ll see all year - and we’ll probably see it twice.”
Jones was referencing a possible - many would say probable - rematch in the Region I final.
Jones also praised Ryan’s depth, which, like Aledo, is strong.
“They even have one of their returning starters who doesn’t start for them this year,” he said. “Their defensive line is similar to ours, a lot of depth.”
Both teams have made short work of their district opponents. Aledo has defeated Brewer on the road, Birdville at home and Keller Fossil Ridge on the road, outscoring the three 183-3.
Ryan has blasted its first two league foes, Fossil Ridge on the road and Granbury at home 119-23.
That’s an average of 61-1 for the Bearcats and 59.5-11.5 for the Raiders.
On the entire season, Aledo is outscoring its opponents by an average of 50-13. Ryan is outscoring its opponents by an average of 47-14.
Ironically, the stumbling block for both teams was in Week 1. The Bearcats lost 35-30 at Denton Guyer, which is ranked 20th in the state in Class 6A.
Ryan avoided an opening upset, edging Haslet Eaton 42-32.
In a game such as this, special teams could be a factor, particularly returning kicks. Aledo has four kick returns of more than 35 yards this season, including two kickoffs for touchdowns.
This past week, in a 63-3 win at Fossil Ridge, senior Adrian Fuller returned the second-half kickoff 82 yards for a score. Earlier in the season, junior Lincoln Tubbs returned a kickoff 78 yards for a touchdown.
Also, senior Blake Burdine has a kickoff return of 40 yards and junior Lamel Swanson has a punt return of 36 yards.
“It’s valuable, it’s kind of like stealing points,” Jones said.
Jones recalled the now-graduated Jake Gillespie and his ability to field almost every punt that came his way.
“Punts hardly ever hit the ground. Lamel’s stepped in and he’s doing the same thing,” Jones said. “Most long punts in high school are because they were not fielded. When a punt is fielded it gives us a chance at better field position.”
As the Bearcats enter the second half of the regular season, junior wide receiver Kaydon Finley is having a standout campaign. Through five games he has 28 catches for 489 yards and eight touchdowns.
And he could be a difference maker against Ryan.
“Which is why we moved Kaydon, to make sure we can get the ball to him, similar like we did with JoJo Earle,” Jones said.
Earle began his college career at Alabama in 2020-21 and is now playing for TCU.
This game cannot be played without mentioning Aledo’s 122-game district winning streak. The Bearcats have not lost a league game since starting 0-2 in 2007.
Two seasons ago when the Raiders hosted a young Aledo team, there were rumblings the streak might end. Aledo left Denton with a 35-21 victory.
Last season, when the experienced Bearcats hosted a young Raiders squad, Ryan came close to ending the streak. The Raiders overcame a 17-0 deficit to take a 19-17 lead in the final moments before Aledo quarterback Hauss Hejny - now at TCU - broke free for a touchdown of more than 50 yards to escape the upset with a 25-19 win.
The Bearcats and Raiders have split their first four meetings. Ryan won the first two in 2002 and 2003, 34-27 and 17-0 - the last time the Bearcats were shut out.
Following three of the four previous meetings the winner has gone on to win a state championship. Ryan took the crown in 2002, with Aledo winning in 2022 and 2023.
Though they did not play, both won a state title in 2020.
The Bearcats combined junior varsity teams to defeat Keller Fossil Ridge last week, 49-8. The freshmen Black team won 20-0 and the freshmen Orange won 27-6.
Along with their state rankings, both teams are ranked in the top 100 nationally. Ryan is No. 84 and Aledo is No. 87.
Waiting in the wings and yet to play both teams is Richland. The Royals are ranked No. 5 in the state.
Ryan hosts Richland in the next game on Oct. 11. The Royals come to Aledo on Oct. 25.
District/Overall Points for-against
Aledo 3-0 4-1 250-65
Richland 2-0 5-0 257-105
Denton Ryan 2-0 4-0 189-55
Azle 2-0 4-0 186-97
Birdville 1-2 2-3 117-226
Denton 0-2 1-3 42-163
Granbury 0-3 1-4 77-155
Keller Fossil Ridge 1-2 1-4 79-208
Brewer 0-3 0-5 79-217
Aledo 63, Fossil Ridge 3
Ryan 63, Granbury 20
Azle 42, Denton 21
Richland 62, Denton 34
Brewer bye
Thursday, Oct. 3
Brewer at Denton
Friday, Oct. 4
Ryan at Aledo
Birdville at Azle
Fossil Ridge at Richland
Granbury bye
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