Top Concho Valley Area High School Football Programs of 2022

SAN ANGELO – While no high school football team in the Concho Valley made it to the UIL State Championships in 2022, the area did see a couple nearly punch their ticket.

Here are COVER1’s top 10 football teams in the Concho Valley from 2022:

10. Robert Lee Steers

The Robert Lee Steers improved from 2-9 overall, 0-4 in district, to and 8-2 overall record and 2-2 in district all under a new head coach in Lee McCown. After realignment, the Steers were placed in a tough district Irion County and Menard. While they did not make the playoffs, they will be a team to watch next season.

9. Blackwell Hornets

The Hornets also improved their overall record from 3-7 last season to 7-5 this season and made the playoffs. The Hornets started off the season on the outside looking in going 2-3 over their first five games. They went on finish 7-5 and beating Rising Star in the playoffs then fell to Cherokee in the second round.

8. Reagan County Owls

The Owls, like Blackwell, started slow to begin the season going 3-2 in their first five. Once district started, they did drop their first game to Forsan, then won out the rest of the way and entered the playoffs as a third seed. The Owls did lose in the open round of the playoffs to Cisco, but they’ll return their quarterback and their top running back and top receiver next season.

7. Miles Bulldogs

The Bulldogs were a much-improved team from 2021 where they went 3-8 overall and 2-3 in district. They did make the playoffs as a fourth seed with a sophomore quarterback. This season, the Bulldogs went 8-3 overall and 4-1 in district losing to the eventual state champion Albany Lions. Their quarterback, Hayven Book, had a monster season throwing for 2,435 yards and completing 64% of his passes. This is a young team that will return and make a run in the playoffs.

6. Menard Yellowjackets

The Menard Yellowjackets dropped a classification to the six-man level and had a new head coach in Bryson Oliver. The Yellowjackets turned in a successful season going 7-4 overall and 3-1 in district and made the playoffs where they lost to Jonesboro in the first round. Expect good things to come out of Menard in the future.

5. San Angelo TLCA Eagles

The TLCA Eagles not only broke a 24-game losing streak against the Ozona Lions in week 1 but made the playoffs for the first time as a 3A. The Eagles went 4-7 overall and 2-3 in district. Much of the success could be contributed to their school record setting quarterback in Layne Honea and school record setting receiver in Jelan Johnson. This program has certainly had its downs but is growing and growing in the right direction.

4. Sonora Broncos

The Broncos improved from 7-5 overall and 4-1 in district to 10-3 overall and 4-1 in district after of course the UIL realignment. The Broncos were led by quarterback Jaime Buitron and running back Hunter O’Banon who had over 3,500 rushing yards combined. Add in Edgar DeLuna who had close to 200 tackles and this team made three rounds deep in the playoffs and lost to the eventual state champs in Hawley. This is a young football team whose quarterback is looking for hotel accommodations in Arlington for next week already.

3. Wall Hawks

The Hawks are always in playoff contention and this season was two games away from State. They rushed for over 4,000 yards and the defense dominated all season allowing only 8.9 points a game. Their quarterback, Gunner Dillard, made strides as an option quarterback and really grew in that role for the Hawks. Defensive ends Dylan Gidney and Brylan White lived in opponent’s back fields and posted 19 sacks this year. This team was incredibly young and will achieve great things in the future.

2. Sterling City Eagles

Nobody expected the Eagles to do anything this season after moving up from the six-man level to play 11-man. Not only did the Eagles overperform by 7-5 overall and 4-2 in district, but they also made the playoffs and won a playoff game against the Miles Bulldogs. This is still a team that is only a few years removed from a state championship and, even though it was six-man, still had great athletes and a lot of big game experience.

1. Irion County Hornets

The Hornets had to come in at the top. They made it four rounds deep into the playoffs, one game away from the four-hour trip to AT&T Stadium. The Hornets had a playmaker at every position and quarterback Trevin Coffell threw for 1,836 yards and 49 touchdowns while running back J.J. Harrison rushed for over 1,229 yards and 26 scores. Receiver Bo Marrow caught 43 passes for 967 yards and 28 score. On defense, Coffell had 12 interceptions and returned seven of them for touchdowns. They beat the May Tigers 104-91 in the opening round of the playoffs and eventually fell to the Abbott Panthers.

The COVER1 football show will return next season but, in the meantime, COVER1 hoops will take over but watch the COVER1 crew hand out the ALL-COVER1 Awards to the best high school football players from this past season.