BALLINGER, TX — The Ballinger Bearcats were facing adversity last year before the season began, and it only got worse once it started.
The Bearcats lost a starting running back and wide receiver in the offseason due to a medical condition and injury, and the biggest hit came in the season opener when quarterback Wyatt Clemens suffered a broken leg.
Clemens was off to a promising start with 256 passing yards and three touchdowns against a Merkel team that went on to win seven games and a playoff trophy. His fourth-quarter injury altered the course of the rest of the season.
Ballinger eventually lost its final five games to end with a 3-7 record and a last-place finish in district.
Fast forward a year later, and the Bearcats have a lot of reason for optimism heading into the 2026 season.
Ballinger returns eight starters on both sides of the ball, including Clemens, who is fully healed and ready to lead an offense with all of its weapons.
“Last year was frustrating when you have a lot of season-ending injuries like that,” second-year Ballinger head coach Bryan Gayoso said. “But it teaches a lot of life lessons, too, and that’s what sports is all about.
“We had to overcome a lot of adversity and obstacles, and we tried to teach the kiddos that you’re going to face adversity in life, and you’ve just got to get up every day and try to be positive and still go to work. … For the guys coming back, they learned a lot of good lessons from that, and they’re ready to improve this year.”
The Ballinger Bearcats walk through the home stands before their game against the Bangs Dragons on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025.
Clemens, who stands 5-foot-10 and 165 pounds, is an accurate passer who can give Ballinger’s power spread offense a chance to truly take flight.
The Bearcats never looked the same once he went down last year.
“He was off to a great start last year until he broke his leg,” Gayoso said. “He’s fully healed, thank goodness, and he has a good mindset and had a good summer. He’s looking forward this year to showing what he and his teammates can do.”
He’ll have one of the best receivers in the area in Hunter Kresta, a 6-4, 185-pound target with 4.6 speed who had 27 catches for 664 yards and five TDs a year ago.
He’ll also have some other options in Brody Wilde, who missed last year due to a broken foot, and Hunter Peacock. Both players were a part of Ballinger’s 4x400-meter relay team that qualified for the state track meet.
Pierson Nord, who was featured as a running back last year, will be a versatile player that will also see time at WR.
All three of those players are threats with their speed.
At running back, Nord will form a committee with Trey Lopez, who took third place at the state powerlifting meet, and Malachi Bentley.
“As of now, we’re feeling really good about our depth,” Gayoso said. “We have three running backs we can trust to put in the game.”
Up front, Ballinger’s offensive line will be anchored by Josh Martinez (6-1, 215), who was a second-team all-district defensive lineman last season.
“I feel good about (the line),” Gayoso said. “We have some new faces and we lost some good offensive linemen to graduation last year. But we have three solid starters coming back with Josh Martinez, Miguel Avila and Phoenix Tant. … And then we have some younger kids coming up who could make an impact.”
Gayoso said it won’t be easy to replace safety Manny Gonzalez, who was “basically the quarterback on defense.”
The Bearcats have some experienced players coming back, however, including Martinez on the line, along with linebackers Daiven Quiroga, Kaiden Medrano and Dylan Page, who are expected to lead the way.
Three Ballinger Bearcats flags are flown on an old truck along the side of the road on US Highway 67 in Rowena on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2024.
After a nondistrict schedule that includes Eastland, Odessa Compass Academy, Early and Brady, Ballinger will begin play in a completely new district.
The Bearcats spent the last two years in a difficult district, highlighted by 2025 state champion Hamilton.
Ballinger is returning to a Concho Valley-based district with Ozona, Sonora, Forsan, Christoval, Reagan County and Colorado City.
Texas Football projects Ballinger to finish in fifth place — one spot out of the playoffs — but the Bearcats should be in the mix, especially considering they had a win last year over the Christoval team that was picked fourth.
Gayoso said he and his players have high hopes for a memorable season.
“Every year we have high expectations, and every year one of our main goals is to win the district championship. And we’re very excited about this year,” Gayoso said. “I think we have 15 or 16 seniors, and along with that comes some really good leadership and some really good experience.
“We have some good athletes and some good leaders and some good underclassmen. I think we have more depth this year than we’ve had. So not only me and the coaches, but I think all our players have some really high expectations this year.”
Ballinger’s season begins Aug. 28 at Eastland. The Bearcats actually have three straight road games to begin the season and six overall. Their home opener won’t be until Sept. 18 against Brady. They’ll start district play Sept. 25 at Reagan County.
Ballinger Bearcats
2026 schedule
Aug. 28 at Eastland
Sept. 4 at Odessa Compass
Sept. 11 at Early
Sept. 18 Brady
Sept. 25 at Reagan County*
Oct. 2 OPEN
Oct. 9 Forsan*
Oct. 16 at Colorado City*
Oct. 23 Christoval
Oct. 30 at Sonora
Nov. 6 Ozona*
*District 4-2A Division I game
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