Meadow Football poised for breakout season

If Terry County were looking for the best football team from last season, they would have chosen the Meadow Broncos. Although the Broncos did not make it to the playoffs, they finished with the best record in the county at 5-5. New Head Football Coach and Athletic Director Blake Jackson joined the team a bit late but has worked hard to prepare his players. 

Like their cross-county rival, Wellman-Union, the Broncos are competing in District 3-1A DI, which is considered one of the toughest districts in the state. This year, the competition includes #2 Whiteface (ranked #7 by sixmanfootball.com) and #9 Borden County (ranked #4 by sixmanfootball.com). Coach Jackson is optimistic, believing that the team will build on last season and improve further. He mentioned that the players have gained a total of 800 pounds in strength from their summer workouts. As a result, Meadow should be bigger, faster, and stronger as they head into the 2025 season.

Like their counterparts in southern Terry County, the Broncos will need to rely on speed, but also has more depth than the Wildcats, with 17 players on the roster. Coach Jackson said, “Providing different formational looks will be something we look to take advantage of, as we try to get the ball in the hands of our playmakers in space.”

The Broncos are returning four starters on both offense and defense. Junior running back and linebacker Brayson Parker has become adept at running the ball and is skilled at finding openings, while his quickness on defense will likely disrupt opponents. Junior fullback and defensive end Isaac Estrada will be a powerful force when running up the middle, standing at 6’1″ and weighing 195 pounds. Junior quarterback and linebacker Pancho Arita has two years of experience as a quarterback, and like Parker, he is fast and will also contribute on the defensive side. Sophomore wide receiver and safety EJ Piedra will return to catch passes. If the defense fails to contain EJ, he will make them pay when he catches the ball. Additionally, EJ will play in the secondary on defense to help contain any receivers that break loose.

Unlike most teams in the state, Meadow will not have an open week until Week 11, the final week of the regular and district season. They will compete in 10 consecutive games over 10 weeks. The Broncos will kick off their season with two home games. In the first game, they will face the Lubbock Titans, a Christian home school organization. Last season, Meadow narrowly won this matchup with a score of 46-43. In Week 2, Meadow will host the West Texas Tornadoes. The Broncos allowed the Tornadoes to stay competitive throughout the game but ultimately won 42-18. There is not much information available about the first two teams Meadow will be playing..

In week three, Meadow will face off against their longtime rival, Loop. The Longhorns performed well last season, finishing with a 7-3 record but narrowly missing the playoffs. They notably defeated the Broncos with a score of 51-6. However, the team lost many key players to graduation, returning only two offensive starters and one defensive starter this season. Given Meadow’s speed and experience, they are expected to win this matchup.

The Broncos will travel to Spur in week four. The last time Meadow defeated the Bulldogs was during the 2016 season. Spur had a very successful season last year, finishing 10-0 in the regular season, but they lost in the first round of the playoffs. Spur’s defense is expected to be tough.

In week five, the Broncos will host the Wilson Mustangs. Last season, Meadow went home early due to the 45-point mercy rule. It is likely that the same outcome will occur this season.

Meadow will be back on the road in week six as they travel over to Lorenzo. The Broncos took that win a season ago 50-12 and the Hornets brought back three and three. Meadow’s speed should outpace the Hornets.

Week seven marks the start of district play for the Broncos as they travel to face O’Donnell. Last season, the Eagles were just a few points away from making the playoffs and would have likely experienced a similar fate like Borden County, getting defeated by Whiteface. The Eagles finished last season with a 3-7 record and lost many of their players to graduation. This season, the Eagles are smaller in size, and their level of experience does not match that of the Broncos.

The upcoming game will kick off a challenging stretch of two consecutive matches. In week eight, the #7 Borden County Coyotes will visit Meadow. The Coyotes performed impressively last season, finishing with an 8-5 record and reaching the third round of the playoffs. They bring back experienced players, including Tye Stipe. Coach Jackson and his team will face a tough challenge ahead.

Week nine will be another challenging matchup for the Broncos as they travel to face the #2 Whiteface Antelopes. The Antelopes are coming off the most successful season in their football history, finishing with a record of 14-1 and competing in the State Championship game against Gordon. Although Whiteface has lost many players to graduation, it still possesses depth due to being the largest 6-man football school in the state. In October 2023, Whiteface reported an enrollment of 108 students on snapshot day. However, there’s a rule in the UIL stating that only 1A schools can have the smallest class sizes, and if those numbers fall below 105, they can compete in 6-man football. But that is why you play the game!

Meadow’s final game of the district season is at home on Halloween night, where they will face off against their cross-county rivals, the Wellman-Union Wildcats. Over the past 20 years, the Broncos have a record of 15-3 against the Wildcats. It’s worth noting that in the 2016 and 2017 seasons, the two teams did not play each other. Currently, Meadow is on a four-game winning streak; however, the Broncos narrowly defeated the Wildcats last season with a score of 32-28. This game is expected to be a good one.

2025 MEADOW BRONCO VARSITY FOOTBALL ROSTER

2025 MEADOW BRONCO VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE