With the 2025 Texas high school football season officially kicking off and the high school volleyball season also in full swing, the Big Country’s top fall sports athletes shined across the Lone Star State last week.
Several athletes had standout performances during the last week and have been nominated for this week’s Abilene Reporter-News High School athlete of the week.
The Reporter-News is taking weekly nominations and will release a list of finalists for the Athlete of the Week at the beginning of each week.
Please include statistics from the week’s games and any pertinent information or honors.
Students in all varsity sports are eligible and can only be named Athlete of the Week one time per season, per sport, and athletes from one school cannot win more than three consecutive weeks.
The poll will close at noon Friday and the winner will be announced Friday afternoon.
Nominations are due by 7 p.m. Saturday and can be submitted through email at sports@reporternews.com or Andrew.McCulloch@reporternews.com.
Take a look at this week’s candidates and cast your vote.
Candidates for the Abilene Reporter-News’ High School Athlete of the Week are listed in alphabetical order below.
Nick Avila, Sweetwater
Avila accounted for 102 rushing yards and a pair of touchdown runs in the Mustangs’ 44-21 loss to Lubbock Estacado.
Tristan Beal, Abilene High
Beal threw for 294 yards and two touchdowns on 11-of-23 passing in the Eagles’ 48-24 road loss to Midland Legacy.
Kaden Blubaugh, Merkel
Blubaugh caught four passes for 122 receiving yards and three touchdowns in the Badgers’ blowout 66-6 win over Cross Plains. He also had a fumble recovery for Merkel defensively.
Lane Couch, De Leon
Couch averaged more than 11 yards per carry for De Leon in a 52-34 win against Hawley, finishing with 133 rushing yards and four touchdown runs on 12 carries.
Jaime Cruz, Breckenridge
Cruz rushed for 137 yards and three touchdowns to lead the way offensively in the Buckaroos’ 35-6 victory over Eastland.
Peyton Ewing, Abilene Cooper
Ewing recorded 174 total yards and three touchdowns – a 62-yard run, a 48-yard reception and a 42-yard run – in Cooper’s blowout 59-0 victory against Lubbock Coronado.
Briar Floyd, Stephenville
Floyd snagged a pivotal interception and scored on a 30-yard pick-six touchdown that sparked Stephenville’s defense early in a 52-13 win over Abilene Wylie. He also had four tackles for the Yellow Jackets.
Isaiah Hutchings, Hamlin
Hutchings tallied 228 passing yards and two touchdowns in the Pied Pipers’ 48-14 rout of Munday.
Austin Joslin, Coahoma
Joslin threw for 167 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lift Coahoma to a 15-12 comeback win on the road against Albany.
Breck Lawson, Tuscola Jim Ned
Lawson made plays everywhere for the Indians’ defense in a 23-13 win against Jacksboro, recording five tackles, a tackle for loss, an interception, a forced fumble and three pass deflections.
Easton Malone, Merkel
Malone muscled Merkel to its third win of the season in a 66-6 thrashing of Cross Plains, accounting for 243 total yards and five touchdowns.
Zyler McClendon, Stephenville
McClendon tallied 80 rushing yards and three touchdown runs on 13 carries, powering the Yellow Jackets’ relentless rushing attack in a 52-13 victory against Abilene Wylie.
Colby McIlroy, Cisco
McIlroy amassed 121 total yards and three touchdowns to fuel the Loboes’ offense in a 23-14 win against Coleman.
Mason Mueller, Stamford
Mueller used his arm and legs to power the Bulldogs to a 28-21 win over Roscoe, tallying 162 yards and a touchdown through the air on 15-of-21 passing as well as 100 rushing yards and a touchdown run on 11 carries.
D’Marian Murray, Abilene Cooper
Murray picked off a pass and scored a defensive touchdown on a 50-yard interception return in the Cougars’ runaway 59-0 win over Lubbock Coronado.
Reece Rainey, Hamlin
Rainey was like a wrecking ball out of the backfield in Hamlin’s 48-14 win over Munday, running for 116 yards and two rushing touchdowns.
Adan Salinas, De Leon
Salinas ran wild in the Bearcats’ 52-34 victory against Hawley, racking up 189 yards and three touchdowns on the ground off 21 carries.
Ladanian Smith, Comanche
Smith torched Tolar for 141 yards and three rushing touchdowns on 25 carries to lead Comanche to a 36-33 victory.
Hunter Teichelman, Anson
Teichelman racked up 260 yards and two touchdowns through the air to lead the undefeated Tigers to a 26-8 victory against Haskell.
Zaden Tello, Comanche
Zello was a key part of the Indians’ unstoppable rushing attack in a 36-33 win over Tolar, racking up 130 total yards and a rushing touchdown on 18 touches offensively. He also added 13 tackles and four tackles-for-loss defensively.
VOTE HERE
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Who should be the Abilene Reporter-News’ High School Athlete of the Week? (Sept. 15-21)
Reporting by Andrew McCulloch, Abilene Reporter-News / Abilene Reporter-News
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