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District 21-6A 2025 Season Preview

Austin Roof Inspection


Eight Fort Bend ISD schools are ready to do battle in District 21-6A this year.

In 2024, Ridge Point, Hightower, Travis, and Elkins had a strong hold on the top four spots. Elkins even went on to pull an upset in the first round of the playoffs despite finishing fourth in the district.

The other four schools will be looking to close that gap this fall.

Here’s what to watch for in District 21-6A.

Fort Bend Austin Bulldogs

Head Coach: Trey Herrmann (3rd season; 9-11 record)

Last Season: 4-6; 3-4 in district

Returning Lettermen: 23 (7 returning starters on offense; 6 on defense)

Fort Bend Austin Key Players and Storylines

The Bulldogs came home fifth in district last year. However, they’ll need to close the gap on the top four if they want to earn their first playoff berth in 12 years.

The good news is head coach Trey Herrman believes they can physically compete with anyone they play this season. That starts in the trenches with senior center/guard Aiden Stecher leading the offensive line.

Quarterback Koen Herrmann (1,812 passing yards and 13 TDs) returns behind center and gives the Bulldogs’ offense plenty of dynamism.

The skill positions are where Austin will have some new faces. Running back Trent McCoy is ready to step into the workhorse horse after a “great offseason,” while the Bulldog coaching staff believes senior receiver Kaleb Dixon will be a “big-play threat.”

When facing Austin, opposing tackles better be ready. Defensive end Cortez Cook (31 tackles, five TFLs) is “tough to block.” Behind him, outside linebacker Zach Ashour (35 tackles, 10.5 TFLs) is an edge rushing threat, while fellow linebacker Jacobi Patterson (67 tackles) has a knack for “making plays in space.”

Senior cornerback Dre Martinez will provide needed leadership in the secondary.

Herrmann is thrilled with the offseason the Bulldogs have had. Now, he’s ready to see how his guys will respond to adversity as it arises as they look to “find ways to win as a team” in 2025.

Fort Bend Bush Broncos

Head Coach: Colonious McNeal (1st season)

Last Season: 2-8; 2-5 in district

Returning Lettermen: 23 (7 returning starters on offense; 8 on defense)

Fort Bend Bush Key Players and Storylines

Colonious McNeal takes over at Fort Bend Bush, looking to continue on the legacy of longtime Broncos head coach Allen Aldridge, who passed away last September.

McNeal had most recently been the defensive coordinator at Fort Bend Hightower.

He’s got quite the defense to work with this year as Bush returns eight starters from last season. The front seven is stacked. Defensive tackle Jaiden Alvarado will anchor the defensive line. Defensive end TJ Isiorho can get after the quarterback, while outside linebacker McBright Ndukwe is another playmaker who has the knack for closing down the ball carrier quickly.

Fellow linebacker Devin Jacobs has a great football IQ and is reliable both against the run and pass. Cornerback Robert Bankhead will be Bush’s lockdown guy. He was the Fort Bend ISD Defensive Newcomer of the Year in 2024.


Offensively, the Broncos have a good foundation up front with three-year starter tackle Nick Afanou, and 6’4″, 308-pound guard Isaiah Neal-Woodard.

Defenses will need to know where DeAaron Davis (139 rushing yards) is at all times. He’s a speedster who will line up all over the field for Bush. Receiver Kenny Okunnu (378 receiving yards and three TDs) can stretch the field and is great at creating separation, while fellow receiver Anthony Poe (138 receiving yards) has great “route running effectiveness.”

As McNeal begins his tenure at a program that hasn’t made the playoffs in four years, he wants to instill confidence and a winning mindset in his players. If they can believe in themselves, “work hard, and learn from every experience,” he’ll be “satisfied with the outcome” this season.

Fort Bend Clements Rangers

Head Coach: Robert Darnell (10th season; 25-66 record)

Last Season: 1-9; 0-7 in district

Returning Lettermen: 28 (7 returning starters on offense; 16 on defense)

Clements Key Players and Storylines

No, that 16 returning starters on defense is not a typo. Clements head coach Robert Darnell said he honestly has 16 players back on side of the ball that have starting experience.

Now, the Rangers were just 1-9 last year, but they did have 15 sophomores playing key roles. With all of those guys now having a year of playing experience under their belt, the Rangers will be expecting to take a step forward in 2025.

Quarterback Trey Rivera (947 passing yards and six touchdowns) and running back George Jreissaty (829 rushing yards and five touchdowns) are among those players who starred as sophomores last year. Rivera is a dual threat with his ability to extend plays, while Jreissaty is a receiving threat out of the backfield too.

6’5″ offensive tackle Brandon Evans has “Division I size” and will look to assert his will up front.

On the other side of the ball, linebacker Conner Moore (57 tackles, five TFLs) led the Rangers in tackles last season and will be a key leader on that side of the ball. Fellow linebacker Bryan Zambrana (30 tackles, six TFLs) will pair with him to create a strong duo in the middle of the field.

Safety Bo Cimino (27 tackles) and defensive lineman Da’Ron Spooner (30 tackles) are both healthy after having their seasons cut short a year ago. Cimino is both a “ball hawk and big hitter,” while Spooner brings aggressiveness to that Ranger defensive line.

Clements hasn’t punched a ticket to the playoffs since 2022. Darnell said the Rangers need to continue to close the gap on the elites of District 21-6A as they look to work their way back towards the postseason.

Fort Bend Dulles Vikings

Head Coach: Bill Garrey (3rd season; 2-18 record)

Last Season: 1-9; 1-6 in district

Returning Lettermen: 17 (8 returning starters on offense; 6 on defense)

Dulles Key Players and Storylines

The Vikings have won just one game in each of the past two seasons. However, they’ve got 17 returners this year who have played significant roles, so that experience should help.

Dulles has some options when it comes to its ground game. Running back Camron Campbell (488 rushing yards and four touchdowns) should pace the rushing attack with fullback Magnuz Bucklin paving the way for him. Junior Matthew Akintola also should see some carries at running back.

Receiver Caleb Hayes (136 passing yards; 152 receiving yards) is a versatile option who played some quarterback last year too, while head coach Bill Garrey is excited to see what junior Daniel Johnson (149 receiving yards) can do in his second year on varsity.

Senior offensive lineman Morion Leblanc and senior defensive tackle Jordan Ohakawa will lead Dulles in the trenches.

The Vikings also have plenty of options at defensive back with Devinaer Haynes (30 tackles), Barachel Kiza (34 tackles), and Christian Lira (two interceptions), who can also play receiver.

Dulles is still working on building up its program numbers, but a strong sophomore class coming up gives the Vikings hope. They’ll aim to start slowly working their way back up the district standings in 2025.

Fort Bend Elkins Knights

Head Coach: Trae Grimes (3rd season; 9-13 record)

Last Season: 7-5; 4-3 (Lost to Shadow Creek in area round)

Returning Lettermen: 16 (7 returning starters on offense; 5 on defense)

Elkins Key Players and Storylines

The Knights had their breakthrough moment a year ago, clinching their first playoff berth in four years.

This year’s team is having to replace a lot in the trenches on both sides of the ball. Elkins will need senior center/tackle Elijah Bird‘s “physical presence to set the tone” for the entire offensive line.

At the skill positions, the Knights have plenty of athleticism and versatility to go to battle with. Junior running back Tyson Craft (1,244 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns) is an “explosive playmaker” and receiver Saxon Gumabong (948 receiving yards and nine touchdowns) “is a big play waiting to happen.” He’s a threat anywhere on the field.

Safety Camari Lewis (79 tackles) is a big-time threat for opposing offenses. He’s a three-year starter with a “nose for the ball.”

In front of him at linebacker, Emari Heyman (79 tackles, five TFLs) is another sure tackler, while Ladavian Red (69 tackles, eight TFLs) “can play the run as a linebacker and cover like a defensive back.”

As Elkins heads into year number three under head coach Trae Grimes, the coaching staff said they’ve bought into the program’s pillars of “relentless effort, competitive excellence, and family.” That bodes well as they look to chase their second-straight playoff berth this year.

Fort Bend Hightower Hurricanes

Head Coach: Cornelius Anthony (5th season; 42-10 record)

Last Season: 9-2; 6-1 in district (Lost to Manvel in bi-district

Returning Lettermen: 11 (5 returning starters)

Hightower Key Players and Storylines

Only five starters from last year’s team return for Hightower. That means the Hurricanes will be focused on getting a number of key players some “vital experience through scrimmages and pre-district games to be ready for district.”

Dual threat junior quarterback Khylan Davis will be stepping into the starting role this year. He will have some returning starters around him though in running back Maden Montgomery and receiver Cori Robertson.

The defensive line is where the Hurricanes do have a good bit of experience. Defensive end Devyn Phillip is a “speed rusher,” while defensive tackle Christopher Carroll is a “disruptive run stopper.” Both were first team all-district selections last year.

On the back end, Peyton Kirkpatrick is a “speedy cover corner.”

Hightower had made it to the regional final each of the prior three seasons before last year’s first round exit. Despite their inexperience, the Hurricanes will rely on their culture of class, integrity, putting the team first, and going above and beyond the call of duty to carry them into the postseason this year.

Fort Bend Ridge Point Panthers

Head Coach: Rick LaFavers (6th season; 48-13 record)

Last Season: 10-2; 7-0 in district (Lost to North Shore in area round)

Returning Lettermen: 29 (7 returning starters on offense; 6 on defense)

Ridge Point Key Players and Storylines

Talent runs deep in Ridge Point. The Panthers have at least ten players on varsity this year whose fathers played in the NFL. Over double digit players have Division I offers too.

Opposing defensive lines will have to go through a brick wall to get to the Panther backfield. Arkansas commit tackle Hugh Smith, TCU commit guard Jordan Burnett, and three-star tackle Avery Morcho are all three-year starters on the offensive line.

Romin Seymour (1,836 passing yards and 15 TDs) looks set to be Ridge Point’s new quarterback after moving in from Elkins. He won’t lack when it comes to targets.

Senior receiver Robert Haynes (437 receiving yards and six TDs), an Arkansas commit, has “great hands” and can “take it to the house at any moment” with his high-end speed. Bailen George (442 receiving yards and seven TDs) is Ridge Point’s leading returner receiver from a year ago, while fellow receiver DJ Darling, a move-in from Washington, (721 receiving yards and nine TDs) has NFL pedigree and has “tremendous speed and strength.”

On the other side of the ball, defensive linemen Romaire Smith (42 tackles, 16.5 TFLs) and Robaire Smith Jr. (33 tackles, 9.5 TFLs) also had their father play in the NFL. They are two elite run stoppers for the Panthers.

UCF commit outside linebacker Preston Hall (33 tackles, 12 TFLs) had a knack for getting into opponents’ backfields a year ago, while junior inside linebacker Dyllon Bennett (97 tackles, 16.5 TFLs) will be a team captain this year after leading the Panthers in tackles in 2024.

Defensive back Jermaine Santana-Diaz (49 tackles, two INTs) will bring versatility for Ridge Point on the back end. He’s a “fast safety” who can also play corner.

The Panthers have had a stranglehold on Fort Bend ISD football with 10 district titles in the past 11 years. With the talent they have, they’ll expect to extend that streak this year and make a run at the Region III title in the playoffs.

Fort Bend Travis Tigers

Head Coach: Trey Sissom (11th season; 62-43 record)

Last Season: 5-6; 5-2 in district (Lost to Pearland in bi-district)

Returning Lettermen: 23 (6 returning starters on offense; 7 on defense)

Travis Key Players and Storylines

The Tigers started 0-5 last year, but rebounded to make it back to the playoffs with a third place finish in district. They have now advanced to the postseason in 10 of the last 11 years.

Travis will have an “young offensive line that will be tested early” this season. If they can rise to the occasion, the pieces are there for the Tigers to move the ball through the air.

Dual threat quarterback Eian Baker (808 passing yards and ten touchdowns) has “excellent speed and size” at 6’4″. Receiver David Brewer (369 receiving yards and seven touchdowns) is Travis’ “top returning offensive player” and should be Baker’s go-to target. Fellow receiver Ethan Williams (311 receiving yards and four touchdowns) will be the offense’s home run threat.

The defense will be the strength of this year’s Tiger team with their “big-game experience.” Northwestern commit safety Davis Kinney is a ball hawk. He earned all-state honors in 2024 after recording seven interceptions. He’s not the only Division I prospect on the back end either. Cornerback Josiah Vilmael is an Oklahoma State commit.

In the front seven, nose guard Grant Merritt will anchor the middle of the defense. Outside linebacker Malcolm Graham is another defensive leader with his “length, size, and running ability.”

A year ago, Travis couldn’t hang with either of Ridge Point or Hightower. The Tigers will aim to close that gap on the district elites this year as they seek yet another playoff berth.


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