If it's August, it's time for the Aledo Bearcats to defend a state championship. Ten times since 2009 they have been in this position, and Robby Jones has been there every time.
Now it is Jones who is leading the Bearcats as their head coach, replacing the legendary Tim Buchanan.
"It's always difficult to defend a title. We've gotten kind of spoiled here in Aledo," Jones said. "You continue to work hard, practice hard. That's how you get into a position to defend in the first place.
"These kids are ready to play a game, they tell me. They're ready to get into game mode, install a plan and get going."
They'll do just that when they host another perennial power, four time defending Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools Division I champion Dallas Parish Episcopal at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 25. The Panthers' route to the title included a season-opening 24-17 win against the Bearcats in Dallas last season.
The Bearcats have not lost back-to-back season openers since 1990-91, when they lost to Comanche each year, 13-0 and 13-7.
That was long before Jones came along in 2000, however. It was even before Buchanan came to town in 1993.
So, as the season looms for the Bearcats, optimism is once again high. They return plenty of talent on both sides of the football, seven offensive and five defensive starters.
The varsity roster features 34 seniors. Eleven of those are among the dozen returning starters.
"We don't have a whole lot, but the ones we have are pretty good," Jones said.
The Bearcats return the heart of their offense, TCU commit Hauss Hejny at quarterback. The senior, who was the Offensive MVP of the 52-14 Class 5A Division I state championship victory against College Station, passed for 1,953 yards with 19 touchdowns opposite six interceptions, while rushing for 1,277 yards and 15 scores.
Hejny was at his best in the biggest games. In wins at Burleson Centennial and Denton Ryan in consecutive weeks late in the season, he rushed for 308 yards and four TD while completing 23 of 27 passes for 423 yards with five TD and one interception. In the state championship game he rushed for 142 yards and a pair of TD along with completing 11 of 15 passes for 177 yards, two TD and no interceptions.
Hejny will have lots of help in moving the ball. Also back as starters are sophomore wide receiver Kaydon Finley (26 catches, 417 yards, 6 TD) and senior tight end Tyson Timms (25 catches, 332 yards, 3 TD).
Senior Hawk Patrick-Daniels is moving to slot receiver after leading the team in rushing yards as a running back last season with 1,410 yards and 21 touchdowns. He also caught 10 passes for 96 yards and another score.
Patrick-Daniels played receiver at Brewer before coming to Aledo last year.
"He feels that's a more natural position for him, but we'll still use him in the backfield," Jones said.
Sophomore Ray Guillory, a move-in, is expected to start at running back. He led Mansfield Lake Ridge in rushing with 769 yards and nine TD, along with catching 18 passes for 154 yards and three more TD.
Senior wide receiver Trace Clarkson is returning after missing his entire junior season with a knee injury.
The offensive line features three seniors who were regular starters in 2022, Devron "DJay" Williams (6-foot-4, 300 pounds), Alex Arana (5-9, 225) and Carter Campbell (6-1, 250). Also, senior Josh McCarley (6-0, 230) started the final four games of the season after all-stater Isaac Sohn, now at the University of North Texas, got injured.
Sophomore Payton Williams (6-2, 300) is joining the varsity after being moved up from the junior varsity for the postseason in 2022.
Another offensive notables are junior tackle Cody Cartwright (6-4, 230), whom Jones called a "sixth cog in the offensive line." He was a tight end and defensive end last season. Likewise, senior wide receiver Colton McCoy is a player to watch.
"We actually have a package where we get him into the lineup," Jones said. "He'll see lots of time."
DJay Williams has committed to play for Louisiana Lafayette in 2024.
"We've got some weapons. We just have to put them in position," Jones said.
Senior Davhon Keys, who has committed to play for LSU after high school, returns to anchor the defense at linebacker. He led the Bearcats with 102.5 tackles, including 8.5 for a loss, along with an interception he returned 73 yards for a touchdown. He was also a solid contributor on offense with 13 touchdowns.
Four starters return in the defensive backfield. Seniors Jake Gillespie (80 tackles, 7.5 for loss, 2 interceptions) and Jayton "Boogie" Owens (43.5 tackles, 1 interception) are back at safety, while seniors Jaden Allen (41 tackles, 3 interceptions) and Chris Johnson (29.5 tackles, 2 interceptions) are returning at cornerback.
Gillespie was the Defensive MVP in the state championship game. His early forced fumble set the Bearcats up at College Station 37-yard line for a TD and a 14-0 lead. Then, he had a punt return of more than 51 yards to the Cougars’ 15, which led to another TD and a 21-0 advantage. Then, as the third quarter was coming to an end he intercepted a pass in the end zone that he returned 20 yards.
Gillespie has committed to play for Stephen F. Austin next season, Allen has committed to Arkansas and Johnson to Arizona State.
Senior linebackers Ky Howington (26 tackles, 3 for loss, 1 sack, 1 interception) and Ben McElree (23 tackles, 4 for loss) look to join the starting lineup this season. McElree moved up varsity during the season and also saw some time at running back.
Sophomore defensive tackle Decker Sanders, who joined the varsity during the playoffs after spending the regular season on the freshmen and JV teams, is challenging for a starting spot. Junior defensive tackle Jaxon Richter was also moved up during the postseason.
Also on the defensive line, sophomore Carson Dempsey (12 tackles, 5 for loss, 2.5 sacks) didn't start but saw a lot of action and could see even more this season. Also, senior defensive lineman Cooper Kohan, who started the first game at linebacker last season and got a season-ending injury, is back.
The defensive end position features several players battling for starting and/or significant playing time, including Junior Wally Byers , senior Brett Turner and sophomore move-in Cooper Cyphers, who started for Colleyville Heritage last season. Byers could also see some time at fullback and tight end, and Turner was the starting fullback when the Bearcats used that position in an offense last season.
Other defensive notables are juniors Brody Adams at defensive, along with Jacob McIntire and Talan Forman at defensive tackle.
"There's going to be quite a bit of rotating on the defensive line," Jones said. "We've got a lot of guys to rotate in, keep 'em fresh."
Like his predecessors, Buchanan and Steve Wood - who went 75-4 with three state titles while Buchanan was athletic director only from 2014-18 - Jones is a big advocate of special teams.
"A lof of times it's the difference between winning and losing a game," Jones said. "You've got to be a football player to be on special teams."
Among the areas Jones and his staff paid close attention to in the offseason were deep snappers. He believes they have two good ones in senior Raymond Howard for extra points and field goals and Tims for punts.
Senior Logan DeFranzo and junior Cole Crawford will handle kicking duties. Junior Thaddeus Keller is punting.
Holding for extra points and field goals is also critical. McCoy and senior Austin Keith will be called on for that task, Jones said.
"Special teams can be overlooked," Jones said. "But if you're better than your opponents there you'll have a big advantage."
The Bearcats competed in one of the state's toughest districts last season, alongside fellow powers Burleson Centennial (12-2, state quarterfinals) and Denton Ryan (7-4, second round).
Aledo is No. 1 in the state entering the season. Ryan is preseason No. 15.
Ryan returns two offensive and six defensive starters. Centennial returns one offensive and four defensive starters.
"The Ryan coach (Dave Henigan) said they're not as talented, but they're a better team, which makes them more dangerous," Jones said. "Centennial, that offense (option) is always tough. It's a system.
"At Northwest, Bill Poe's a good football coach. He's always going to have a good team."
Northwest was the fourth playoff team from the district in 2022. The Texans finished 6-5 and return five offensive and five defensive starters.
Also in the district, The Colony (4-6) returns seven starters on both offense and defense, Azle (3-7) has four offensive and six defensive back, Brewer (2-8) returns seven offensive and eight defensive, Saginaw (1-9) has six offensive and seven defensive back and South Hills (1-9) has five on offense and three on defense returning.
Aledo carries a 111-game district winning streak into the 2023 season, believed to be a national record. The last time they lost a district contest was in 2007.
Some thought that record was in jeopardy last season when they had road games at Centennial and Ryan. However, they won both of those games (64-21 over Centennial and 35-21 over Ryan).
This season the Bearcats host both of those opponents.
"We've had a few scares, but it's still going," Jones said with a smile. "We plan on continuing it. Our goal is to win every game."
The Aledo JV, which has been a powerhouse for years at its level, was a perfect 10-0 last season, Jones said. Several from that squad could play key roles in the varsity's 2023 success.
"We haven't lost a JV A game in years," Jones said. "Our JVs do well."
It's that kind of consistency that Jones is calling on once again for continued success.
"The coaches that were here were trained by Buchanan and Wood. We're not going to change much. Why would we?" Jones said. "We've evolved, adapted to new styles, but keep it within our terminology."
Staying grounded is also a clutch intangible, he added.
"Not thinking it's automatically going to happen is important," he said. "If we are able to stay level headed and not think about a state championship right now we'll be fine."
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