North of Houston, there’s loads of talent in District 13-6A.
Texas commit Jermaine Bishop will be looking to lead his Willis Wildkats to another district title, but they’ve got plenty of competition including from The Woodlands and its quarterback Jack Daulton, a TCU commit.
Three of the schools that missed the playoffs last year have new head coaches too, so there’s a lot of storylines to follow.
Here’s what to watch for each team in District 13-6A.
Cleveland Indians
Head Coach: Ajani Sanders (1st Season)
Last Season: 0-10; 0-8 in district
Cleveland Key Players and Storylines
After five years as an assistant, Ajani Sanders is back as a head coach. He takes over at Cleveland following Quirino Silva’s retirement.
The Indians haven’t won a game since September 23, 2022, so they head into this year looking to snap a 26-game losing streak.
Last year, several young players played key roles, so Sanders and his staff will hope to see that experience pay off.
Sophomore receiver James Cook Jr. (339 receiving yards and one touchdown) was Cleveland’s go-to target a year ago. Senior Christian Harrison (121 receiving yards) brings some good experience to the receiver room to pair nicely with Cook’s raw talent.
Running back Nolan Garmendez (84 rushing yards, two touchdowns) will look to take a step forward in 2025, but he’ll need some help from an offensive line that has to replace three linemen that earned all-district or honorable mentions.
Defensively, safety Aspen Williams (54 tackles) is another player that had a huge freshman year. He and senior linebacker Jayden Gibson (96 tackles, six TFLs) were Cleveland’s top two tacklers from last year.
— Jayden Gibson (@Catcher_Lefty) January 15, 2025
Sanders has experience working at programs where success on the gridiron is historically hard to come by. He’ll look to get maximum effort from his players this fall as the Indians look to break through in the win column.
College Park Cavaliers
Head Coach: Kyle Coats (3rd season; 11-11 record)
Last Season: 7-5; 5-3 in district (Lost to Klein Collins in area round)
Returning Lettermen: 26 (7 returning starters on offense; 6 on defense)
College Park Key Players and Storylines
College Park earned both its first playoff berth and first playoff win since 2021 a year ago. This year, they’ve got a good core group returning from that squad.
Chief among them is junior quarterback Camden Hughes (2,555 passing yards and 27 TDs). He was last year’s District 13-6A Offensive Newcomer of the Year.
He won’t lack for targets with a big-play threat at receiver in Jordan Styles (817 receiving yards and 11 TDs), who has been a three-year starter for the Cavs. He’ll also have receiver/tight end Brian Snodgross, who has the versatility to line up both out of the backfield or up front on the line.
Opposing offenses will have to be weary of the College Park secondary. Marco Beltran is a ballhawk at safety and a potential threat to take it all the way as a kick returner, while David Sands (113 tackles) led District 13-6A in tackles in 2024. He’ll play both linebacker and defensive back this fall.
Check out my Junior Season Highlights‼️ – 76 Tackles (45 solo) – 4 TFLs – 6 INTs – 3 FFs – 4 FRs – 3 Def TDS (2 INT / 1 FR) 10 Punt Returns – 25.9 AVG – 2 TDs – 87 long – @Coach_Coats @Coach_Howard10 @TWCPFootball @vypehouston @texashsfootball @dctf https://t.co/fJjGrCVQEJ
— Marco Beltran (@marcoBeltran08) January 2, 2025
Up front, sophomore defensive tackle Jordyn Grant will be on attack mode in the interior. He can bench 395 pounds and squat 515 pounds.
Head coach Kyle Coats said some young players will be stepping up in some major spots for College Park. However, he’s confident “they will all rise to the challenge” as College Park aims to go at least one round further and play on Thanksgiving this year.
Conroe Tigers
Head Coach: Cedric Hardeman (8th season; 38-37 record)
Last Season: 9-3; 6-2 in district (Lost to Bridgeland in area round)
Conroe Key Players and Storylines
Cedric Hardeman has completely turned Conroe around. Last year, the Tigers won their first playoff game since 1999. They also have made the playoffs the past four seasons. It’s the first time Conroe has achieved that feat since 1996-1999.
This year, Hardeman and his staff have some work to do offensively. Conroe’s starting quarterback, leading rusher, and leading receiver all graduated. Receiver Braylen Mills will be their playmaker to watch. He has begun to attract Division I interest.
They will have a good foundation on the offensive line with seniors Dejon McCullough, Fredrick Widman, and CJ Shaw. Junior guard Kingston Tupuola is the standout of the bunch at 6’4″ and 305 pounds.
Conroe’s secondary will arguably its biggest strength with Stanford commit Xavier Harmon and Air Force commit safety Damian Horace (76 tackles). Defensive end Alexander Coey is another highly touted prospect. He’ll need to have a big year after the Tigers graduated two key linemen who combined for 37 tackles for loss.
Junior Year Highlights!
76 Total Tackles
5 PBUs
2 Forced Fumbles
1 Fumble Recovery@BWells409 @CoachHardeman @ConroeTigersFBFull Highlights on Hudlhttps://t.co/cW8SDydcCB pic.twitter.com/L6F9EIax6l
— Damian Horace (@DamianHorace) December 23, 2024
The Tigers had a year to remember last season buoyed by a strong senior class. It’s now time for the Tigers to lean on their next man up mentality as they look to make the playoffs for the fifth-straight year, something Conroe has never done.
Conroe Caney Creek Panthers
Head Coach: Kendall Hineman (6th season; 7-43 record)
Last Season: 2-8; 2-6 in district
Returning Lettermen: 22 (6 returning starters on offense; 8 on defense)
Caney Creek Key Players and Storylines
Caney Creek is continuing to take steps forward under the leadership of Kendall Hineman. Last year, the Panthers earned their most district wins in a year since 2015. They also scored their most points in a season since 2012.
Hineman is excited about the potential of Caney Creek’s skill positions with guys like explosive receiver/running back Jahamante Kuhn, a first team all-district pick last year, and fellow receiver Carson Gauvreau.
Little highlight run @LyonHBC @BearkatsFB pic.twitter.com/EKgQ0C2aWL
— Jahamante Kuhn ⭐🏈 (@jk_jay10) November 6, 2024
Junior Kaleb Marshall looks ready to step into the starting quarterback role this year. He’s got a “great arm” and is an “elusive runner” too. Senior Isaiah Rivera will lead the offensive line. He’s a three-year starter.
On the other side of the ball, Caney Creek will be strong in the front seven with linebacker Xavier Martinez, another 2024 first team all-district selection, and defensive lineman Rhys Manshack, who is a “terror up front.”
Ellis Davis will be a ball hawk for the Panthers in the secondary. He was a second team all-district selection last fall.
Despite 14 returning starters, Hineman says there are still some big gaps to fill from last year’s graduating class. However, he says he has a “team full of hard-workers” who will have good things happen for them if they commit to fighting for four quarters week in and week out.
Conroe Grand Oaks Grizzlies
Head Coach: Shaun McDowell (3rd season; 9-11 record)
Last Season: 6-4; 4-4 in district
Grand Oaks Key Players and Storylines
The Grizzlies came up a game short of their first-ever playoff berth a year ago. However, there’s still more work to be done if they’re to make school history. Last year, all four of their district losses came by 14 points or more.
The offense should be able to put points on the board with gunslinging quarterback Grant Smith (2,167 passing yards and 24 touchdowns) back at the helm for his fourth year as a starter. His favorite target receiver Preston Cloud (606 receiving yards and nine touchdowns) is back as is promising junior receiver Darnell Jackson Jr (277 receiving yards and three touchdowns).
Junior Season Highlights
10 games – Texas 6A
153/245 (62.4%) for 2167 yards
24 passing TDs/3 INTs
2 rushing TDsThank you to my coaches and teammates. @GOaksFootball @coach_mcdowell @CoachBirdSays @Coach_PMatt @CoachOchee @CoachRParsons @BallCoachAJ @jjholden17 pic.twitter.com/kgf8pQbYLQ
— Grant Smith QB ✞ (@grantsmithtexas) November 11, 2024
Senior Keilan Gause (418 rushing yards and six touchdowns) has proven the Grizzlies can rely on him to move the ball on the ground, so Grand Oaks should be able to have a balanced attack this season. An experienced offensive line with seniors Gabriel Saliba, Garrett Oeswein, and Hunter Frank will help give the backfield plenty of time to operate as well.
On the other side of the ball, the Grizzlies will entrust defensive end Cullen Thompson (17 TFLs, nine sacks) to get after opposing quarterbacks. Safety Griffin Tillis (56 tackles and four INTs) is their do-it-all guy on the back end. Senior Isaac Smith is back at safety too, so it will be hard to take the top off the Grizzlies defense.
The offense averaged over 33 points per game a year ago, but at times, it went quiet in big games. Whether or not the offense can light up the scoreboard against the cream of the crop in District 13-6A could very well determine whether the Grizzlies go dancing for the first time ever this fall.
Conroe Oak Ridge War Eagles
Head Coach: Tyler Blackshire (1st season)
Last Season: 3-7; 3-5 in district
Returning Lettermen: 18 (6 starters on offense; 7 on defense)
Oak Ridge Key Players and Storylines
Following Mark Schmid’s retirement, Tyler Blackshire steps into the head role at Oak Ridge. Blackshire was most recently the defensive coordinator at Magnolia.
A War Eagle will be a fitting nickname for Oak Ridge this year because it will get after it through the air.
Quarterback Drayton Urbay is a returning starter and a great decision maker. He’s got quite the duo at receiver with “deep ball threat” James Scott and “route running expert” Logan Unterfenger.
Junior Season Highlights 2,610 All purpose yards 117/188 (62%) for 1,777 passing yards 13 TD’s and 833 Rushing 9 TD’s https://t.co/KPLt12enhM @oakridgefb @CoachSwanson_ @tcobb52 @QBHitList @abcornelsen @gobigrecruiting @tdrecruits @LoneStarPrepsTX @CoachRobNAU @c_crawfordiii
— Drayton Urbay (@DraytonUrbay) January 27, 2025
Left tackle Abel Perez will lead the protection for Urbay, while tight end Titus Brayboy can “block and catch anywhere on the field.”
On the other side of the ball, defensive tackle Chase Leonard is an anchor for Oak Ridge in the trenches. Linebacker Jayden Canaday has the versatility to both “play in the box and cover the best of wide receivers.” Cornerback Jayden Barnes is another player who “gets the job done” in coverage.
Blackshire has been impressed by this year’s senior class. He said they’re resilient and weathered “a bumpy 3-7 record last year.” Now, they’re ready to compete and “prove that Oak Ridge belongs in the conversation of tough opponents in District 13-6A.
New Caney Eagles
Head Coach: Sheldon Bennight (1st season)
Last Season: 1-9; 1-7 in district
New Caney Key Players and Storylines
New Caney won the district title in 2022, but the Eagles haven’t made the playoffs since.
Sheldon Bennight is tasked with snapping that drought. He comes north after serving as Galveston Ball’s head coach the last five seasons.
The Eagles will lean on a pair of juniors in their backfield with quarterback Asher Price (717 passing yards) and running back Corey Johnson (638 rushing yards and four touchdowns). Senior running back/receiver Kendrick Mitchell (324 rushing yards, 231 receiving yards) is a versatile player who was just as involved in the ground game as he was in the passing attack.
The defense graduated its top three tacklers from last season, but there’s still strong crop of seniors that can lead the way. Cornerbacks Sam Harris (39 tackles) and Jaiden Jordan (41 tackles) have both proven to be reliable tacklers. The Eagles also have a pair of pass rushing threats with defensive ends Jayden Foster (32 tackles, three TFLs) and Christian Magana (34 tackles and five TFLs).
Bennight turned Galveston Ball around and took the Tornados to the playoffs for four-straight years. It was the first time that feat had been achieved at Ball since 1992-1995.
He will hope to have similar results at New Caney after a tough 2024 campaign for the Eagles.
The Woodlands Highlanders
Head Coach: Jim Rapp (8th season; 60-25 record)
Last Season: 11-2; 7-1 in district (Lost to Duncanville in regional semifinals)
The Woodlands Key Players and Storylines
The Woodlands’ arch nemesis has quickly become Duncanville. The Highlanders have lost to the Panthers in the regional semifinals in each of the past three seasons.
They’ll have a shot to get back to that stage this year with dual threat quarterback Jack Daulton (1,776 passing yards, 1,261 rushing yards) back at the helm. The TCU commit finished 2024 with 44 total touchdowns. He’ll have senior running back Cody Jordan (537 rushing yards and four touchdowns) and promising junior Jason Haskins (338 rushing yards and five touchdowns) alongside him to keep defenses honest too.
2026 The Woodlands QB Jack Daulton is a prospect to buy stock in.
Daulton was good tonight in win over Grand Oaks accounting for 2 TD, one through the air & a crazy Johnny Football like TD run on 4th down in the video below. No offers as of yet but I expect that to change soon📈 pic.twitter.com/GBv2eCRLPS
— Jackson DiPasquale (@jackson_dip) September 14, 2024
The question head coach Jim Rapp and company will have to solve is who will be blocking for them. The Woodlands graduated four all-district offensive linemen from last year.
Defensively, the Highlanders are in great shape. Their four leading tacklers from last year were all juniors. Safety Caycen Bartolazzi (102 tackles, six interceptions) is their do-it-all star with his ballhawk abilities. Cornerback Parker Stewart (25 tackles, three interceptions) is another player that opposing quarterbacks have to be weary of in the Highlander secondary.
In the front seven, linebackers Cole Carlin and Timothy Parke, and defensive lineman Jy’Ree Jefferson all had 70 or more tackles last season.
With Daulton’s ability to light it up offensively and leaders back at every level of the defense, The Woodlands has to be feeling good about 2025. The Highlanders will want to try and win their first district title in four years before they chase another playoff run.
Willis Wildkats
Head Coach: Trent Miller (4th season; 29-7 record)
Last Season: 12-1; 8-0 in district (Lost to DeSoto in area round)
Returning Lettermen: 18 (4 returning starters on offense; 4 on defense)
Willis Key Players and Storylines
It has been quite the run for a Willis program that has ripped off back-to-back undefeated regular seasons.
The Wildkats lost a lot to graduation last year, but they’ve still got plenty of talent ready to shine again this fall. It all starts with five-star Texas commit receiver/cornerback Jermaine Bishop. He had over 1,500 receiving yards offensively last year while also finishing with 26 tackles and three interceptions defensively.
Fellow receiver Jamaal Lagway is one of several sophomores head coach Trent Miller is excited about. Lagway is the younger brother of Florida quarterback DJ Lagway.
Talking about younger brothers, the Wildkats also have defensive lineman Waylan Nolen, who is the youngest brother to 2025 NFL first round pick Walter Nolen. He’ll be joined by three-year letterman Ja’Kayden Thompson and Day’Jon Moore in the trenches. Moore will also anchor the Wildkats at left tackle, where he is a three-star prospect.
Behind them, linebacker Cayden Williams is “explosive and dynamic in space with a nose for the ball.” He’s expected to take on a much bigger role as a junior.
Willis will be a lot younger this year than the previous two seasons. But with raw talent spread across the roster, Miller believes his group has what it takes to push for a third-straight district title.
