De Leon at Cisco: Championship Stakes at Chesley Field

De Leon hasn’t lost a district game this season. Cisco hasn’t lost at home in over two years. Friday at Chesley Field, those records meet with a championship at stake.

The Bearcats enter the regular-season finale 8–1 overall and 4–0 in District 5-2A Division I. The Loboes are 6–3 and 3–1, with each of their losses coming on the road.

A De Leon victory secures the outright district championship. A Cisco victory makes the teams co-champions at 4–1, with the Loboes claiming the top playoff seed through the head-to-head tiebreaker.

For VarsityVue’s final regular-season Game of the Week, the stakes are clear. The question is which team can deliver against another contender before the playoffs begin.

De Leon’s Offense Finds Its Balance

Lane Couch has anchored De Leon’s running game throughout the season, combining the patience to find an opening with the acceleration to turn it into an explosive play.

His 291-yard, five-touchdown performance in the Bearcats’ 35–13 victory at Hawley showed how difficult that ground game can be to contain.

Since then, senior quarterback Hud Price and his receiving group have given defenses even more to account for.

Against Hico, Price threw for 226 yards and two touchdowns in a 49–7 victory. Jayden Lindley caught six passes for 96 yards and a score, adding another productive target to the passing game.

Price followed with 269 passing yards and four touchdowns in the 45–21 win at Anson. Bryce Burkeen caught 14 passes for 188 yards and all four touchdowns, then added a rushing score to earn Class 2A Built Ford Tough Player of the Week honors.

With Burkeen, Lindley, Andrew Campbell and tight end Trenton Zmeskal complementing Couch, the Bearcats can challenge defenses across the field. Cisco must limit the running game without giving Price and his receivers room to exploit the coverage.

Cisco’s Versatility Starts With McIlroy

Junior quarterback Colby McIlroy leads a Cisco offense with several ways to move the football. His ability to contribute as both a passer and runner makes him the starting point for De Leon’s defensive preparation.

Landry Vosburg and July Johnson give the Loboes additional threats in the running game, preventing defenses from concentrating solely on McIlroy.

Through the air, Cannon Harris provides an established target, while Carter Toof brings big-play potential. Vosburg’s involvement as a receiver gives Cisco another way to get the ball into the hands of its playmakers.

For De Leon, the challenge is to limit Cisco’s rushing production without leaving opportunities downfield. Keeping the Loboes in longer-yardage situations would help narrow McIlroy’s options and allow the Bearcats’ defensive front to apply pressure.

Cisco has shown it can win both high-scoring games and tighter contests. The Loboes outlasted Jacksboro 49–42 in overtime at Chesley Field and earned a 21–14 road victory at Hico last Friday, preserving their opportunity to play for the district’s top seed.

The Line of Scrimmage

Both offenses have players capable of producing splash plays. How often they get those opportunities will depend heavily on the work up front.

De Leon brings a stout defensive line with contributors including Gage Heinz, Eli Garza and Keegan Bostic. Depth at linebacker gives the Bearcats further options behind that group, an important asset against Cisco’s multiple rushing threats.

The Loboes’ offensive line will need to create room for Vosburg and Johnson while giving McIlroy time to get the ball to his receivers. Sustaining drives would also help Cisco keep De Leon’s offense on the sideline.

At the other end, Cisco must challenge De Leon’s blocking without losing its defensive discipline. Getting Couch to the ground before he reaches open space and limiting Burkeen’s opportunities after the catch will be important parts of that assignment.

For the Bearcats, protecting Price will be just as important as opening running lanes. Giving him time to find his receivers would make it difficult for Cisco to commit extra defenders to stopping Couch.

Over four quarters, consistent blocking and sure tackling could make the difference. Both teams will need to respond when the other gains momentum and keep one difficult possession from carrying into the next.

Cisco’s Home Field and November Experience

De Leon brings the stronger overall record, but Cisco’s three losses tell only part of the story.

The Loboes are 5–0 at Chesley Field this season after going 6–0 at home in 2025. Their home victories this fall include Jacksboro and Anson, while all three defeats came on the road—at Clyde, Stamford and Hawley.

That home-field success is backed by a program accustomed to playing deep into November under head coach Kevin Stennett. Cisco reached the regional finals in 2025, its fourth appearance in that round in six seasons. A year earlier, the Loboes finished fourth in their district and still won two playoff games.

Regular-season setbacks have not kept Cisco from becoming a difficult postseason opponent. Friday gives the Loboes another opportunity to demonstrate that resilience against a De Leon team arriving with five consecutive victories and an unbeaten district record.

Momentum Into Region II

Friday’s winner will enter the playoffs with the district’s top seed and momentum from beating a fellow contender.

Both teams will be part of a strong Region II field that includes Muenster, Axtell and Mason. The region offers a demanding path to December, but De Leon and Cisco have each shown reasons to believe they can make a run.

Their paths could lead back to each other. With three playoff victories apiece, the Bearcats and Loboes would meet again in the fourth round, this time for a regional championship and a state semifinal berth.

For now, the focus is Chesley Field, where De Leon’s pursuit of a perfect district finish meets Cisco’s determination to keep its home winning streak intact.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CST Friday, November 6, at Chesley Field in Cisco.