There wasn’t much to separate the top three teams in this district a year ago. The final playoff spot went all the way down to the wire as Van Horn edged out Fort Davis to claim it.
Expect the battle to be just as tight this year as both Buena Vista and Marfa welcome in new but familiar faces to lead their programs.
Here is what to watch for in District 6-1A Division I.
Buena Vista Longhorns
Head Coach: Jacob Benavidez (1st Season)
Last Season: 7-5; 3-0 in district (Lost in Area Round to Westbrook)
Buena Vista Key Players and Storylines
Buena Vista had a memorable season a year ago as the Longhorns returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
This year, they’ll have a new head coach leading the charge as Jacob Benavidez take over the program. Benavidez is highly familiar with the area, having served as a teacher and coach for the Longhorns from 2015-2022.
“Being back in Buena Vista means a lot,” Benavidez said. “It’s a very special place to me that I would consider my second home.”
This year, it will be a sophomore-led effort for Buena Vista as Quarterback Caden Valdez returns alongside running backs Jaden Jurado and Jackie Jurado, who are identical twins. Impressively, all three earned all-district honors as freshmen a year ago.
Those three players will be leaned on even more heavily this season as last year’s district MVP Tristan Griffin has reportedly transferred to another program.
Defensively, Valdez also earned all-district honors from his safety position, while Jackie was a first-team all-district defensive lineman.
Buena Vista was young a year ago and still went out and won a district title and a playoff game.
Benavidez said his Longhorns will lean on the motto “Be The Example” with their work ethic and class they display on and off the field.
With many of its key players now having the experience of playoff football under their belt, the Longhorns could be poised for a stretch of sustained success out in West Texas.
Fort Davis Indians
Head Coach: Kyler Roach (2nd Season)
Last Season: 6-4; 1-2 in district
Fort Davis Key Players and Storylines
A 70-64 loss to Van Horn in the season finale denied the Indians their third-straight playoff berth. However, in a game where his team trailed 30-8 and came back to lead at halftime 40-30, Fort Davis head coach Kyler Roach said he learned a lot about the players in his program that night.
“That was a fun game and a very tough one to lose, [but] I will say it showed our grit,” Roach said. “We don’t give up here in Fort Davis, and we come to hit. Games like that are awesome to coach in, and seeing your players give it everything they’ve got; it truly was a special group and season.”
In 2023, the Indians return three starters on defense. They’ll be especially strong in the trenches with the presence of senior defensive tackles Kevin Perez and Adrian Chavez. Senior Alberto Ramos should lead the secondary after earning first-team all-district at cornerback last year.
Offensively, Fort Davis has just two starters back. Chavez should help provide stability up front at the center position, while senior Truett Reagan proved to be a dangerous weapon a year ago. He earned first-team all-district at receiver and can also play quarterback as well.
Roach said the school and community is united behind the Indians football program.
And even with the Indians set to field a younger football team this fall, Roach believes if they can work hard and lean into their athleticism, they can build off of last year’s results.
“Speed will be a big strength for us. We will lose some heights, but, overall, I believe we will be stronger weight room-wise this season,” Roach said. “It’s up to the kids. If they keep putting in the work in the weight room, stick with the program we have for our side-to-side movements, and just play football how it is supposed to be, I think we can have a good season!”
Marfa Shorthorns
Head Coach: Edgar Ramirez (1st Season)
Last Season: 1-9; 0-3 in district
Marfa Key Players and Storylines
The Shorthorns will have a new but familiar face leading their football team this year. After Arturo Alferez took over as the district’s interim superintendent, Marfa promoted assistant Edgar Ramirez to be its next head coach.
Ramirez has quite the coaching pedigree at Marfa, having earned Texas’ Girls Cross-Country Coach of the Year for this past school year.
Even though the Shorthorns haven’t won a district game since 2017, they do have plenty of returning talent this season. Five starters are back on offense, and four return on defense.
Combine that with the never-give-up attitude that Ramirez praised his players for possessing, and the Shorthorns could be set to make some progress on the field this fall.
Junior running back Derrick Campos will lead the way for the Shorthorns out of the backfield. Still, he’ll have plenty of help from sophomore Alejandro Rodriguez and senior quarterback Dustin Martinez.
The hope is with those promising skill players having a year of experience under their belt, Marfa will be able to finish drives this season and build off the 10.9 points per game it averaged a year ago.
Another big positive for the Shorthorns will be the experience senior guard Jaden Nunez will provide in the trenches.
Defensively, the strength for Marfa lies in the secondary. Campos and Rodriguez each earned all-district honors from their cornerback positions last season.
The eventual goal for the Shorthorns is the playoffs, but Ramirez said he is taking everything one step at a time. He said he’s excited to be coaching such a group great of players as they aim to get better each and every day in order to make strides on the field this fall.
Van Horn Eagles
Head Coach: Brock Tyrrell (7th Season)
Last Season: 5-5; 2-1 in district (Lost to Whiteface in bi-district)
*Note: Van Horn’s individual stats are from the regular season only
Van Horn Key Players and Storylines
Van Horn still hasn’t missed the playoffs since returning to six-man football in 2020 following 70 years of 11-man football.
Last year, however, was a close call as the Eagles overcame a second-half deficit to knock off Fort Davis 70-64 for the final playoff spot.
This year, the Eagles will likely be led by Cy Garcia, who was not only the district’s Defensive MVP a year ago, but also a first-team all-district running back (264 rushing yards and six touchdowns). Junior fullback Joey Anchondo (222 passing yards and seven TDs; 109 rushing yards) can also contribute in a variety of ways offensively, which will be crucial following the graduation of Elijah Gaines.
Up front, spread center Pablo Mendez (139 receiving yards and four touchdowns) is another versatile player who will be a threat when Van Horn turns to its aerial attack.
Defensively, four of Van Horn’s six all-district players graduated, but Garcia is back, as is promising sophomore Leeland Perry, who can also contribute as a running back offensively.
The Eagles do have some holes to fill heading into this season. But with leaders from last year’s team like Garcia returning and Van Horn’s playoff pedigree under Tyrrell, expect the Eagles to be in the mix for the district’s top two spots again this season.
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