Ganado Indians
Head Coach: Josh Ervin (4th season; 36-8 record)
Last Season: 15-1; 6-0 in district (Defeated Stamford in 2A Division I State Title Game)
Ganado Key Players and Storylines
Ganado made its first ever state title game last year, and what a game it was. The Indians knocked off Stamford 30-28 in a triple overtime instant classic.
This year, they’ll have a new starter at quarterback, but there’s still plenty of skill talent. Senior receiver Austen Pena (797 receiving yards and ten touchdowns) caught the game-winning two-point conversion in that championship game., He’ll be back to lead the receiving corps this year along with Landon Hicks (604 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns).
Senior running back/linebacker Logan Bures (1,398 rushing yards, 56 tackles) is not only Ganado’s backfield workhorse, he was also one of their leading tacklers last season. Hicks (109 tackles) will star alongside him at linebacker too, while Pena (46 tackles) is a key player in coverage at cornerback.
WHAT. A. CATCH FROM AUSTEN PENA!! Ganado takes the lead!!!#txhsfb #uilstate #ganado pic.twitter.com/N5HvquVdpv
— Dave Campbell’s — TexasFootball.com (@dctf) December 19, 2024
The Indians will still have some might in the trenches too. Senior defensive linemen John Utley (36 tackles, four TFLs) and Ayden Tudyk and sophomore defensive end Michael Tristan all earned all-district honors in 2024.
Among the new faces to watch is sophomore Landyn Arriaga. He’s poised to take over the starting quarterback role after serving as the backup last season.
The Indians have no shortage of weapons at the skill positions. Now-graduated quarterback Bryce Ullman will be tough to replace, but the fact Arriaga has experience should help ease the transition as Ganado looks to hit the ground running this fall.
