The seventh week of the 2025 Texas high school football season was chalk full of wild upsets, exciting comebacks and all-around dominant performances.
The Big Country’s top high school football teams returned to the gridiron this weekend, where several of the area’s biggest stars put on dazzling displays and showed off their playmaking abilities.
Here’s a closer look at the players that shined brightest throughout the Abilene area this weekend. The following are the top performances from many of the Big Country’s best players during Week 7 of the 2025 Texas high school football season (Oct. 9-11):
Big Country high school football top performers – Week 7 (Oct. 9-11)
Players listed below in alphabetical order.
Bryce Burkeen, De Leon
Burkeen was a defensive standout in De Leon’s 56-27 win over Hico in their District 5-2A DI opener, tallying seven tackles, two interceptions, a forced fumble and a pass deflection in the Bearcats’ victory. He also snagged four catches for 127 receiving yards and a touchdown grab.
Jaden Carrillo, Abilene Cooper
Carrillo had a career night in the Cougars’ dominant 66-16 blowout of Lubbock Cooper, throwing for 273 yards and six touchdowns on 19-of-28 passing and running for 80 yards and a rushing touchdown on 11 carries.
Judson Coalson, Brownwood
Coalson passed for 295 yards and five touchdowns to lift Brownwood to a 42-39 upset victory against previously undefeated Lampasas in their District 4-4A DI opener.
Aiden Ellis, Tuscola Jim Ned
Ellis ran for 90 yards and a pair of rushing touchdowns to help Jim Ned secure a 56-3 win over Comanche in their district opener.
Cash Gwinn, Tuscola Jim Ned
Gwinn passed for 283 yards and three touchdowns in the Indians’ dominant 56-3 victory over Comanche in the district opener.
Noaa Hernandez, Cisco
Hernandez rumbled for 89 rushing yards on 13 carries and scored on a pair of touchdown runs to lift the Loboes to a 30-20 win over Stamford in their District 4-2A DI opener.
Isaac Ibarra, Early
Ibarra racked up 69 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns in the Longhorns’ 43-14 victory over Tolar.
Heston Jobe, De Leon
Jobe threw for 293 yards and three touchdowns on 15-of-25 passing to power the Bearcats to a 55-27 victory against Hico in their District 5-2A DI opener.
Zaylon Johnson, Abilene Cooper
Johnson had his best night of the season Friday, hauling in seven receptions for 140 yards and four touchdown catches to lead Abilene Cooper in a 66-16 rout of Lubbock Cooper.
Ethan Joyner, Abilene High
The Eagles’ workhorse running back made his presence felt in a 35-6 road victory over Lubbock Coronado, rumbling for a game-high 178 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries.
Jadin Karleskint, Abilene Wylie
Karleskint rushed for 30 yards and a touchdown and also threw for 116 yards and a touchdown in the Bulldogs 42-35 loss to Amarillo Palo Duro in District 2-5A DII action.
Julius Lane, Abilene Wylie
Lane rushed for 86 yards and a touchdown in Wylie 42-35 road loss to Amarillo Palo Duro in District 2-5A DII play.
Cameron Love, Early
Early rushed for a game-high 106 yards and a touchdown in Early’s 43-14 victory over district rival Tolar.
Talan Lujan, Sweetwater
Lujan tallied 13 total tackles, five tackles for loss and two sacks in Sweetwater’s blowout 69-0 win over San Angelo TLCA.
Colby McIlroy, Cisco
McIlory rushed for 62 yards and a touchdown and also threw for 126 yards and another touchdown on 5-of-11 passing to power Cisco to a 30-20 victory against District 4-2A DI rival Stamford.
Austin Molina, Coahoma
Molina found the end zone on a punt return touchdown that helped Coahoma down San Angelo Grape Creek 33-27.
Lanson Moore, Coahoma
Moore kicked three successful PATs and scored on a pick-six touchdown defensively to help the Bulldogs beat San Angelo Grape Creek 33-27.
Caiden Ortiz, Sweetwater
Ortiz threw for 126 yards and six touchdowns on 11-of-13 passing to lead the Mustangs in a 69-0 rout of San Angelo TLCA in their district opener.
Aiden Romo, Hawley
Romo threw for 214 yards and four touchdowns to lead Hawley to a 32-26 upset win over previously unbeaten Anson in their District 4-2A DI opener.
Symanni Strahan, Abilene High
Strahan had a breakout performance Thursday night, running for 36 yards and a pair of rushing touchdowns on six carries in the Eagles’ 35-6 road win against Lubbock Coronado. He also caught a one-yard touchdown pass, his third score of the night.
Hunter Teichelman, Anson
Teichelman threw for 314 yards and tossed two touchdown passes in the Tigers’ 32-26 loss to Hawley.
Cason Tidwell, Dragons
Tidwell rumbled for 185 yards and four touchdowns on the ground to lead the Dragons to a 48-0 win over Ballinger in District 5-2A DI action.
Caden Wilson, Early
Wilson ran for 69 yards and two rushing touchdowns in the Longhorns’ 43-14 win against Tolar.
Devan Wright, Clyde
Wright had a huge night on the ground for the Bulldogs, running wild for a game-high 241 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 30 carries in Clyde’s 22-14 comeback win over Breckenridge in their district opener. He also threw for 86 yards and a touchdown through the air on 12-of-24 passing.
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Texas high school football: Week 7 Big Country football top performers (Oct. 9-11)
Reporting by Andrew McCulloch, Abilene Reporter-News / Abilene Reporter-News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
