Educated Guesses: 2A Division I
Photo: Big Mike Sports Media
Kickoff to the 2025 season is getting closer and closer, and the time has come to take a stab at how things will play out in each district featuring Big Country football teams.
I call them educated guesses, like your teachers used to, because I feel I have at least a little bit of knowledge about the upcoming season after speaking with area coaches for the 2025 edition of Big Country Blitz.
For the record, last season Big Country Blitz got nine out of 12 playoff picks correct in 2A D1.
Reagan County dominated this district a year ago, but the loss of players like Kason Brown (currently at Arizona) should bring the Owls back to the pack.
Ozona and Sonora were both playoff teams in 2024, and the Lions are the favorite with 18 starters back (nine on offense, nine on defense).
Forsan, Christoval, and Colorado City all have new head coaches. The Cougars’ Tanner McLean hopes to get them back to the postseason, while Casey Thompson and Danny Mejia hope to turn the Buffaloes and Wolves around.
BIG COUNTRY BLITZ COACHES POLL
1. Ozona
2. Reagan County
3. Christoval
4. Sonora
5. Forsan
6. Colorado City
You can put the top four in this district up against the top four in pretty much any 2A district in the state once again this season, and this time around I don’t see a heavy preseason favorite.
All four teams will be relying on a new quarterback in 2025, and for Anson it’s a new QB to go along with a new head coach in Kyle Wheeler.
The Stamford defense looked legit, again, against Jim Ned last week. The old saying, "Defense wins championships,” makes me go with the Bulldogs to repeat as district champs this year, but Hawley, Cisco, and Anson all have weapons on both sides of the ball and should be very good again. It would not surprise me if any of the four ended up as district champion, but I would be surprised if any of the four missed the playoffs.
Olney will be playing under a new head coach this season, and TLCA Abilene has plenty of hard work ahead to turn things around. The Eagles enter the year on an 18-game losing streak.
BIG COUNTRY BLITZ COACHES POLL
1. Stamford
2. Cisco
3. Hawley
4. Anson
5. Olney
6. TLCA Abilene
Hamilton outlasted De Leon in the district-deciding showdown last season and ended up making a run all the way to the state semifinals. Could De Leon be the team to do so in 2025?
The Bearcats welcome a new head coach in Brennan Whitaker but return nine starters on offense and eight more on defense. Heston Jobe, a starter since his freshman season, looks to lead De Leon on a deep run this season.
Hamilton returns 12 starters overall and is no slouch, while Coleman hopes it can carry over momentum from a good end to the season in 2024 to 2025.
Ballinger broke through to the playoffs in 2024; now the challenge is making it back under new head coach Bryan Gayoso.
Bangs should be improved in year two under Colton Buzzard, while Hico, now led by former Merkel and Stamford head coach Britt Hart, could be in the playoff mix as well.
BIG COUNTRY BLITZ COACHES POLL
1. De Leon
2. Hamilton
3. Coleman
4. Ballinger
5. Hico
6. Bangs
Mason enters the year as the defending district champ and the #12 team in the state in the preseason rankings.
The Punchers were dominant in district play a year ago, and will be looking to hold off the likes of San Saba and Thorndale again in 2025.
The Armadillos will lean on Luke Tharp, who put up some big-time numbers in 2024 and helped San Saba get back to the playoffs after missing out in 2022 and 2023.
