Just like their 11-man football counterparts in Class 5A, 4A, 3A and 2A, Dave Campbell’s Texas Football has analyzed and made preseason predictions for six-man (Class 1A) Texas high school football teams across the Lone Star State.
Next up in the 2025 Texas high school football preseason predictions is Class 1A Division I, as we begin to break down the state’s six-man football scene.
In the Big Country and West Texas area, there are four 1A DI districts that feature many of the most competitive six-man districts in the greater Abilene area — Districts 4-1A DI, 5-1A DI, 7-1A DI and 10-1A DI.
Before diving into DCTF’s predictions for these West Texas six-man districts, the defending 1A DII state champion Jayton Jaybirds and defending 1A DI state champion Gordon Longhorns earned the No. 3 and 4 spots, respectively, in Dave Campbell’s preseason 1A DI statewide rankings to lead all Big Country-area six-man squads.
Perennial six-man football powers May (No. 16), Hermleigh (No. 19), Westbrook (No. 21), and Aspermont (No. 24) join Jayton and Gordon to place six Big Country teams in DCTF’s preseason 1A DI rankings.
Jayton running back Lorenzo Vargas, Gordon slotback Keegan Hayes and Jayton kicker Tucker Scott were all also selected as part of DCTF’s Class 1A (six-man) preseason all-state team.
Here is what Dave Campbell’s analyzed and predicted for the Big Country, Abilene area’s Class 1A Division I districts.
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District 4-1A DI
Preseason Offensive MVP – RB Lorenzo Vargas, Jayton
Preseason Defensive MVP – LB Hayden Simpson, Hermleigh
1. Jayton Jaybirds
Enrollment – 58
Head Coach – Josh Stanaland
Lettermen – Returning 9, Leaving 5
Starters returning – Offense 3; Defense 3
2025 Season Results – 1A DII UIL state champion, 15-0 overall; 4-0 district
2. Hermleigh Cardinals
Enrollment – 78
Head Coach – Sammy Winters
Lettermen – Returning 13, Leaving 4
Starters returning – Offense 5; Defense 4
2025 Season Results – Bi-district finalist 7-4 overall; 4-1 district
3. Aspermont Hornets
Enrollment – 60
Head Coach – Pat Potts
Lettermen – Returning 6, Leaving 4
Starters returning – Offense 4; Defense 4
2025 Season Results – Bi-district finalist, 9-2 overall; 3-1 district
4. Roby Lions
Enrollment – 83
Head Coach – Zane Graves
Lettermen – Returning 9, Leaving 4
Starters returning – Offense 4; Defense 4
2025 Season Results – 6-4 overall; 2-3 district
5. Rotan Yellowhammers
Enrollment – 76
Head Coach – Troy Sparks
Lettermen – Returning 12, Leaving 5
Starters returning – Offense 5; Defense 5
2025 Season Results – 2-8 overall; 0-5 district
6. Spur Bulldogs
Enrollment – 67
Head Coach – Tate Clark
Lettermen – Returning 4, Leaving 7
Starters returning – Offense 3; Defense 2
2025 Season Results – 0-10 overall; 0-4 district
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District 5-1A DI
Preseason Offensive MVP – RB Tye Stipe, Borden County
Preseason Defensive MVP – DT Trenton Thixton, Lamesa Klondike
1. Borden County Coyotes
Enrollment – 69
Head Coach – Craig Steele
Lettermen – Returning 11, Leaving 6
Starters returning – Offense 5; Defense 4
2025 Season Results – Bi-district finalist, 8-3 overall; 3-1 district
2. Lamesa Klondike Cougars
Enrollment – 69
Head Coach – Dalton DeGraffenreid
Lettermen – Returning 7, Leaving 5
Starters returning – Offense 2; Defense 2
2025 Season Results – 1A DII state semifinalist, 13-1 overall; 5-0 district
3. Ackerly Sands Mustangs
Enrollment – 58
Head Coach – Jacob Massey
Lettermen – Returning 13, Leaving 2
Starters returning – Offense 6; Defense 6
2025 Season Results – 1A DII area finalist, 8-5 overall; 4-1 district
4. Westbrook Wildcats
Enrollment – 73
Head Coach – Homer Matlock
Lettermen – Returning 6, Leaving 8
Starters returning – Offense 2; Defense 2
2025 Season Results – 7-3 overall; 3-2 district
5. Ira Bulldogs
Enrollment – 87
Head Coach – Jess Wall
Lettermen – Returning 4, Leaving 7
Starters returning – Offense 1; Defense 1
2025 Season Results – Bi-district finalist, 8-3 overall; 5-0 district
6. O’Donnell Screamin’ Eagles
Enrollment – 81
Head Coach – Fernando Baeza
Lettermen – Returning 10, Leaving 2
Starters returning – Offense 5; Defense 5
2025 Season Results – 4-6 overall; 2-2 district
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District 7-1A DI
Preseason Offensive MVP – RB Josh Garcez, Robert Lee
Preseason Defensive MVP – DE Andrew Rico, Bronte
1. Robert Lee Steers
Enrollment – 89
Head Coach – Lee McCown
Lettermen – Returning 4, Leaving 9
Starters returning – Offense 1; Defense 2
2025 Season Results – Regional finalist, 11-2 overall; 3-1 district
2. Bronte Longhorns
Enrollment – 61
Head Coach – Julian Helms
Lettermen – Returning 9, Leaving 5
Starters returning – Offense 2; Defense 3
2025 Season Results – 1A DII Bi-district finalist, 7-4 overall; 4-0 district
3. Roscoe Highland Hornets
Enrollment – 61
Head Coach – Bryson Oliver
Lettermen – Returning 10, Leaving 3
Starters returning – Offense 3; Defense 3
2025 Season Results – 3-7 overall; 1-4 district
4. Baird Bears
Enrollment – 72
Head Coach – Jeremy Kirk
Lettermen – Returning 16, Leaving 6
Starters returning – Offense 5; Defense 4
2025 Season Results – 3-7 overall; 2-2 district
5. Santa Anna Mountaineers
Enrollment – 64
Head Coach – Jose Luna
Lettermen – Returning 8, Leaving 4
Starters returning – Offense 2; Defense 2
2025 Season Results – 3-7 overall; 0-3 district
6. Paint Rock Indians
Enrollment – 75
Head Coach – David McAbee
Lettermen – Returning 3, Leaving 3
Starters returning – Offense 3; Defense 3
2025 Season Results – 3-7 overall; 0-4 district
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District 10-1A DI
Preseason Offensive MVP – RB Keegan Hayes, Gordon
Preseason Defensive MVP – DE Kayden Psencik, May
1. Gordon Longhorns
Enrollment – 84
Head Coach – Mike Reed
Lettermen – Returning 3, Leaving 10
Starters returning – Offense 0; Defense 0
2025 Season Results – UIL state champion, 15-0 overall; 4-0 district
2. May Tigers
Enrollment – 76
Head Coach – Jacob Brown
Lettermen – Returning 2, Leaving 10
Starters returning – Offense 0; Defense 0
2025 Season Results – Regional finalist, 11-2 overall; 3-0 district
3. Gorman Panthers
Enrollment – 66
Head Coach – Brady Hibbitts
Lettermen – Returning 5, Leaving 6
Starters returning – Offense 3; Defense 3
2025 Season Results – Bi-district finalist, 4-7 overall; 3-1 district
4. Ranger Bulldogs
Enrollment – 81
Head Coach – Mark Thomas
Lettermen – Returning 19, Leaving 4
Starters returning – Offense 4; Defense 5
2025 Season Results – 4-6 overall; 1-3 district
5. Lingleville Cardinals
Enrollment – 63
Head Coach – Jim Bays
Lettermen – Returning 4, Leaving 1
Starters returning – Offense 5; Defense 5
2025 Season Results – 0-9 overall; 0-4 district
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Statewide postseason picks
Class 1ADivision I
Region I – Jayton over Nazareth
Region II – Rankin over Borden County
Region III – Gordon over Newcastle
Region IV – Gilmer Union Hill over Aquilla
State Champion – Rankin
Andrew McCulloch covers Big Country area high school sports and Abilene Christian University sports for The Abilene Reporter-News. Reach him at sports@reporternews.com. Follow him on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, @ByAndyMcCulloch.
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Dave Campbell's predictions for 1A DI Big Country high school football