District 11-2A Division II rivals Mount Enterprise and Overton, who played a classic a year ago, will open the season as ranked teams with the release of the preseason high school football polls.

The Mustangs and Wildcats are joined in the Class 2A rankings by Waskom and Frankston in Division I, while a pair of Six-Man teams – Union Hill and Oakwood – will also start the season ranked.

Overton and Mount Enterprise played one of the most entertaining games in the state in 2024, combining for 99 points and 900 offensive yards as Overton stormed back from a big deficit to win 45-44 in overtime.

Overton, which trailed 24-0 early and 32-16 at the half, had 255 passing yards and 209 rushing yards in the game. Mount Enterprise finished with 436 yards – all on the ground.

WASKOM

Coach: Wade Lawson

2024 results: 10-3/7-0 district

2025 ranking: No. 3, 2A Division I

Players to watch: SB/SS Joe Irving 5-10, 181 (50 carries, 600 yards,11 TD; 85 tackles, 8 TFL) … FB/LB Nate Espy 6-0, 207 (105 carries, 900 yards, 11 TD; 75 tackles, 17 TFL) … OL/LB Tae Harrison (6-0, 232) … QB/DB Chris Hernandez 5-7, 150 (93 carries, 625 yards, 9 TD; 341 yards, 6 TD passing) … OL/DL Kalob Mann (6-2, 275) … SB/WS Montez Thompson 5-8, 165 (92 tackles, 8 TFL, 2 interceptions)

Did you know: Lawson is in his second season at Waskom. He has a 75-38 coaching record overall … Irvin was the league’s Defensive MVP in 2024

FRANKSTON

Coach: Paul Gould

2024 results: 8-4/4-1 district

2025 ranking: No. 22, 2A Division I

Players to watch: WR/DB A.J. Donnell 6-2, 175 (63 carries, 480 yards, 9 TD; 39 catches, 915 yards, 8 TD) … WR/LB Davis Holladay 6-0, 195 (38 catches, 501 yards, 3 TD; 157 tackles, 15 TFL, 1 sack) … QB Carson Bizzell 6-0, 180 (91 of 158, 1,710 yards, 16 TD, 5 interceptions) … RB/DB Tristan McCoy 5-10, 165 (92 tackles; 13 PBU, 2 interceptions) … OL/DL Hudson Smith 6-2, 195 (84 tackles, 15 TFL, 2 sacks) … WR/DB Bradlee Gould 5-9, 165 (32 tackles, 11 PBU) … WR/DB Brayden Gray 6-1, 175 (22 catches, 439 yards, 5 TD; 2 rushing TD) … OL/LB Tucker Palmer 6-2, 190 (109 tackles, 17 TFL, 1 sack)

Did you know: Gould is 38-38 at Waskom and 80-55 overall as a head coach in his career

MOUNT ENTERPRISE

Coach: Scott Ponder

2024 results: 9-4/3-3 district

2025 ranking: No. 16, 2A Division I

Players to watch: Kaegan Ash 6-0, 205 (1,960 yards, 32 TDs; 1 TD reception; 49 tackles, 9 TFL, 1 FR for TD, 1 interception for TD) … Aadin Alsup 5-9, 170 (163 carries, 1.368 yards, 12 TD) … RB/LB Tanner Wilburn 5-8, 155 (141 tackles, 7.5 TFL) … TE/DL Lucas Burkhardt 6-3, 235 (45 tackles) … OL/DL Keaton Nichols (5-9, 245) … RB/DB Yobany Rubio 5-9, 155 (62 tackles)

Did you know: Ash, who has given a verbal pledge to Texas Tech, has rushed for 6,820 yards and 96 TDs in his career and has 99 total touchdowns

OVERTON

Coach: Scotty Laymance

2024 results: 10-3/5-1 district

2025 ranking: No. 23, 2A Division II

Players to watch: QB/DB Rylan Holleman 6-1, 200 (28 catches, 368 yards, 3 TDs; 60 tackles in eight games) … RB/LB Justin Weir 5-9, 180 (92 carries, 739 yards, 8 TD; 26 catches 169 yards, 2 TD; 139 tackles, 5 TFL) … RB/LB Gabe Miller 5-9, 180 (41 carries, 369 yards, 6 TD; 87 takcles, 19 TFL, 5 sacks) … OL/DL Eathen Oates 6-3, 310 (73 tackles, 2 TFL) … OL/DL Chris Foster (6-1, 315) … WR/DB Jacob Osburn 5-11, 165 (27 catches, 413 yards, 6 TD; 3 interceptions) … WR/LB Kash Holleman 6-0, 175 (91 tackles, 9 TFL, 2 sacks) … PK Jackson Furlow 5-9, 150 (23-30 PAT/ 2-3 FG with 2 game winners)

Did you know: Laymance is 20-5 in two seasons at Overton and 27-27 in his coaching career

UNION HILL

Coach: Josh Bragdon

2024 results: 9-2/4-0 district

2025 ranking: No. 6, 1A Division I

Players to watch: E.J. Mowery 6-2, 160 (2,735 yards, 51 TD, 5 interceptions; 1,587 yards, 25 TD rushing; 129 tackles) … C/DL Mitch Mobley 6-0, 240 (559 yards, 14 TDs receiving; 40 tackles) … FB/DB Payton Dunn 6-1, 140 (620 receiving yards, 10 TD; 97 tackles, 2 interceptions) … TE/LB Jacob Brewster 5-10, 185 (88 tackles, 5 fumble recoveries, 4 forced fumbles) … QB/DB Harlee Burns (5-4, 125)

Did you know: Bragdon is 58-12 as a coach at Union Hill and 78-25 overall in his coaching career … Mowery has passed for 4,007 yards, 73 touchdowns and five interceptions and rushed for 2,721 yards and 59 TDs in the last two seasons

OAKWOOD

Coach: J.J. Johnson

2024 results: 9-6/3-0 district

2025 ranking: No. 8, 1A Division II

Players to watch: QB Dayden Velasquez 5-8, 165 (62 of 102, 995 yards, 23 TD, 1 interception) … RB/DL Darrerion Thomas 5-9, 165 (82 carries, 705 yards) … WR/DB Brady Harrison 6-0, 165 (24 catches, 563 yards, 11 Td) … RB/DL Nick Strickland 6-0, 220 (27 carries, 144 yards, 2 TD; 21 catches, 319 yards, 4 TD) … WR/DB/RB Micah Reed 6-1, 190 (44 carries, 381 yards, 7 TD; 49 catches, 667 yards, 17 TD

Did you know: Johnson is 27-14 in his coaching career, all at Oakwood … The Panthers started the 2024 season 2-5 before reeling off seven straight wins to reach the Division II state title game and falling to Jayton