Senior, OL - Chris Owens, Arlington Lamar
After redshirting his freshman year, Owens has made his impact felt on the offensive line. Owens found himself filling in at center for the Tide after All-American Landon Dickerson suffered a torn ACL against Florida in the SEC Championship game. Owens helped the Tide complete their season with a Championship title playing Monday night against Ohio State.
At Arlington Lamar, Owens was a four-star guard and rated as the No. 10 guard Nationally according to a 247Sports composite and the No. 2 Guard in Texas. Owens earned an All-State selection by the Texas Associated Press and chose Alabama over Oklahoma, Texas, and Texas A&M.
Freshman, PK - Chase Allen, Colleyville Heritage
Allen joined Alabama as a walk-on addition this season. Allen has served the Crimson Tide by kicking off in various instances to include the starting kickoff duties in the first four games of the 2020 season, against LSU, Mississippi State, Kentucky, and Auburn. Although Allen didn't play during the National Championship game, he totaled 2,029 yards on kickoffs for the Crimson Tide.
At Colleyville Heritage, Allen was ranked as the No. 1 kicker and punter in Texas 5A Division 1. He earned an All-District 4-5A Special Teams Player of the Year honor his senior season and recorded a touchback on 30 of his 46 kicks during his senior season. Allen chose Alabama over Ole Miss and Villanova.
Freshman, RB - Jase McClellan, Aledo
McClellan has shown his ability more than once on Alabama's offense and special teams. He got his first collegiate playing time against Missouri early in the season where he played on special teams before doing the same against Texas A&M in the Tide's home opener. McClellan even earned special teams player of the week recognition from the Alabama coaching staff against Mississippi State where he helped limit MSU to zero yards on punt returns. McClellan totaled 245 rushing yards, two touchdowns, and one receiving yard during the 2020-2021 season with Alabama. McClellan joined on special teams during the National Championship game.
At Aledo, McClellan was a highly sought-after recruit. As a four-star prospect, he was ranked as the No. 6 running back and the No. 6 player in the state of Texas according to a 247Sports composite. McClellan was selected to play in the Under Armor All-American Game and competed in Nike's "The Opening". McClellan helped lead Aledo to a State Title in the 2019-2020 season with a 45-42 win over Fort Bend Marshall. McClellan totaled over 6,800 yards and 842 carries with 125 touchdowns. He chose Alabama over Oklahoma after first pledging his loyalty to the Sooners two years prior to his Tide commitment.
Freshman, OL - Drew Sanders, Denton Ryan
Drew Sanders came out of Denton ready to show his strength to his SEC opponents. Sanders saw consistent play on special teams throughout the entire season as an outside linebacker. In his collegiate debut, Sanders recorded an unassisted tackle against Missouri early in the season. Sanders earned special teams player of the week from the Alabama coaching staff for his play against Tennessee and Arkansas. Sanders recorded four solo tackles and five assisted tackles prior to the National Championship game. Sanders saw playing time against Ohio State during the Championship showdown.
At Denton Ryan, Sanders made a name for himself and quickly became a five-star recruit. Rated as the No. 1 player in Texas according to a 247Sports composite, Sanders played on both ends of the ball where he completed over 10 passes and scored over 45 touchdowns in his career. Sanders was also named as a finalist for the 2019 Landry Player of the Year. Sanders chose Alabama over Oklahoma, LSU, Notre Dame, Oregon, and more.
Guyer claims its first-ever state championship with their 48-47 win over Katy Jordan
“It’s a surreal moment,” said head coach Grant Long. “A lot of the guys who’ve come through this program have built up the tradition that it consists of. We just had a special group this year who were finally able to see the goal through.”
The Wildcats had a firm grip on the championship late in the 4th quarter, following a clutch 3-point jumper made by junior Silas Rodriguez, with only 29 seconds remaining.
Following a botched attempt of a buzzer-beater – thanks to an exceptional defensive effort – Guyer was then crowned the UIL 5A-D2 champions, with Rodriguez being named the State MVP for his considerable efforts (20 points, 3 rebounds).
Junior Silas Rodriguez accepts the UIL 6A-DII State MVP AwardMatthew Ogle (VYPE)
“There really weren’t too many words going through my head in that instance,” he said. “I’ve wanted to win a state championship all year and that was the only goal I had at that moment. Once I saw the ball go through the net, I was thanking God and was overcome with emotion. I couldn’t have dreamed of a better scenario.”
Coach Long was quick to add on to that sentiment.
“He (Rodriguez) has dreamed about it because he’s in the gym every single day,” Long said. “He’s called me up on more than one occasion to open the gym up so he can get to work. When he hit that shot, it wasn’t by accident. He’s not only a phenomenal athlete; he’s a great student. He perfectly exemplifies the level of dedication we demand here.”
Rodriguez wasn’t the only one who had his mind fixed on taking gold this year.
After playing his first two seasons with Guyer, point guard Jordan Lowery transferred to Winston Salem Christian School (North Carolina), before making his way back to the Denton school for his senior year.
Prior to this season, he posted "Unfinished Business” on his Twitter account, with the intention of carrying out exactly what just transpired.
Guyer Senior Jordan Lowery embraces Silas Rodriguez, following the announcement of the State's MVP AwardMatthew Ogle (VYPE)
“I came back to my family,” said Lowery. “I knew we had the necessary guys to do what it takes to win, and that’s what happened. Was it worth it? Of course it was. I had a journal before the season started saying that we’d win a championship, and it meant everything to see that play out.”
The Wildcats now make the trek home with a monumental prize in tow: one that coach Long knows his athletes will cherish for years to come.
“This is something that will never go away,” Long said. “25 years from now, we’re still going to be celebrating this, and what makes me feel grateful is the fact that this team won’t forget each other. I’m still in close contact with most of my former high school teammates, so I hope they do the same for the rest of their lives.”
The celebrations are only just beginning in the 76210 area code, and a new precedent has been established for the Guyer basketball program. Considering how proficient the Dallas-area has been in the sport, this could be just the beginning of a new dynasty.
The Summit Jaguars are taking home the 5A-D2 Championship after defeating Marshall 54-47
Facing a formidable opponent in Marshall (37-2), the Jaguars rose to the occasion, securing a 54-47 victory in their second-ever State Final appearance—clinching the program’s first championship.
Head Coach Emund Prichett, who’s been with the team since moving over from Killeen Shoemaker in 2017, has helped build Summit into yet another brand out of the DFW area.
Though he bestowed the lion’s share of credit towards the young men who saw their goal become a reality.
Summit HC Emund PrichettMatthew Ogle (VYPE)
“I’m just so grateful to see all their hard work finally pay off,” said Prichett. “More than that, I’m just glad that everyone else got to see it, because I witness their dedication every day. We’re so proud of these guys and none of this would have been possible without them.”
Summit already had some experience playing against Marshall this winter, as the two faced off during the tournament portion of their schedule in December – a game in which they were narrowly defeated 43-38.
However, things ended differently in the most crucial game of the year.
While it was fairly close early on, the Jaguars slowly began to pull away in the second quarter, going on a 13-0 run to make it 19-7 with 5:16 left in the half, and never giving up the lead for the remainder of the match.
This was largely due to the fact that the team played to their strengths, according to Prichett.
“That (the run) was definitely big,” he said. “But, for the rest of the game, our kids just played hard and got defensive stops, which is what we’re all about. We made some shots, took care of the ball, and we controlled the paint, so that was instrumental.”
The Jags capped off an incredible season with a 33-7 record, led by standout senior forward Ian Sedah, whose dominant performance (17 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists) earned him State MVP honors.
Ian Sedah is named the UIL 5A-D2 State MVPMatthew Ogle (VYPE)
His contributions across the board don’t come as a surprise, considering he’s been one of the team’s driving forces all year long.
“It was really about being active and taking on that role all over the floor,” Sedah said. “As a team, we’re best at being physical, particularly when it comes to boxing out and getting rebounds. We just had more focus coming in, I think, which is why we were able to have that advantage in this game.”
This marked the second occasion that Mansfield Summit had advanced to the State Tournament, last reaching it in 2023, where they suffered a 52-50 heart-breaker against Killeen Ellison in the Semis.
Now that they finally got their ring, it’s become a full circle moment.
Summit's 'Big-Three': Caleb Richard, Ian Sedah, and Theo Brannan (Left to Right)Matthew Ogle (VYPE)
“During my freshman year (2023) I was scared and nervous, but I prepared myself this time around,” said junior point guard Theo Brannan. “I’ve been waiting for this. I told Ian (Sedah) and Caleb (Richard) that we were going to be back. We all knew what we were capable of, so this year was about keeping up that work so we’d be ready for the moment.”
The Jaguars return to Arlington as champions, fulfilling their promise of bringing home the title—one their fans will celebrate for years to come.
This year’s championship matchup is historic, with both Denton Ryan and San Antonio Wagner making their first-ever appearances in the title game.
For Denton Ryan, the breakthrough came earlier this week when the Raiders dominated Red Oak 50-31 in their State Tournament debut.
Led by head coach Monesha Allen, Ryan boasts an impressive 31-7 record, built on an explosive offense that averages over 60 points per game and a suffocating defense holding opponents under 37 points per contest.
While Ryan’s depth has been key all season, the trio of juniors—Kaylin Jackson (F), Zaviyana Madison (PG), and Kinley Lewis (F)—has been exceptional. The three combined for 41 of the team’s 50 points in the semifinal win, proving their ability to step up under pressure.
The Raiders have been underestimated all season, and a championship victory would be the ultimate statement to silence the doubters.
On the other side, Wagner is no stranger to deep playoff runs. The Thunderbirds have now reached the State Tournament six times since the school opened in 2005. However, in their previous five appearances, they fell short in the semifinals—until this year.
Wagner finally broke through with a hard-fought 67-63 overtime victory against Georgetown on Tuesday, earning a long-awaited shot at the title.
Ranked No. 5 in Texas by MaxPreps, coach Annissa Jackson’s squad enters the final riding a 25-game win streak, boasting a near-flawless 34-3 record.
Leading the charge for Wagner is Utah commit Leonna “LA” Sneed (Sr. PG), a dominant two-way player averaging 23 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 steals per game.
She’s supported by a deep and talented cast, including sophomores Nia McBride (13 ppg, 3 apg, 2 spg) and A’Rielle Williams (8 ppg, 7 rpg, 2 spg), along with senior Jenae Moore (9 ppg, 3 rpg, 2 apg) and freshman Khiarra Fernandez (5 ppg, 1 rpg, 1 spg).
With Denton Ryan (31-7) and SA Wagner (34-3) set to clash, two programs look to cement their legacies on the season’s biggest stage. The UIL 5A-D1 State Championship tips off at 1:00 PM on Saturday at the Alamodome—with history on the line.
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