District 11-5AD1 2026

[purple reign]

This district has gone through quite a change with only 3 members returning and has a westerly shift as I predicted but I never thought that Victoria East would be included. It is no longer in the SETX coverage area, but should be of interest to 5AD1 fans in Region 3 because of playoff implications. When you talk about this district, you have to talk about what I would call the Big 3, those that will probably occupy the top 3 spots, Angleton, Richmond Randle, and Iowa Colony. One thing they all have in common is they will all be starting a new QB because their QB of 2-3 years graduated or transferred. I will not try to rank them because of bias and I don't know how much effect the QB change will have.

Angleton will have 6 D1 commits on the team this year, OLs Noah Smith and Noah Ernst, RBs Wyatt Neyland and Jayden Moore, safety Landon Miles, and CB/KR Kasen Jammer. Smith is a move-in from Iowa Colony. They will not have any DL returning starters but again a transfer comes to the rescue. Vance Smyth, a Sweeny transfer, where he started 2 years at both TE and DE will start at DT for Angleton. Angleton will be helped by the fact that their JV and Freshmen teams in '25 both finished 10-0. Trey Gardner is the new QB. He would have been the QB last year when Duron went down, but he was injured and lost for the year about the 3rd game. His father is the team's DC and a former NFL linebacker. He has been on varsity since his sophomore year waiting behind Duron. Their only returning starter at WR would have been Wesley Jackson, but he transferred to Carthage, the state champs. Good luck to him. If the scrimmage I watched is any indication, they do not intend to abandon the pass. Angleton will be the road team in games against the other two contenders.

Iowa Colony will have some holes to fill. Not only did Smith leave for Angleton, but their QB of the last 3 years, Oklahoma State commit Carson White transferred to Ft. Bend Hightower where his dad is the new OC. Besides that, 2 3-star rated players (S, OL) and a 4-star WR graduated. They still have a 4-star rated safety, Kalen Simmons. Iowa Colony will be the home team in games against the other two.

Randle was the state runner-up last year and will again return 5-star RB Landen Williams-Callis, who had about 3500 yds rushing and is committed to UT. However their QB of the last 3 years, Tyler Skrabanek who had almost as many yds passing as Williams-Callis did rushing graduated and will have to be replaced. 

The 4th place seems to me to most likely to go to Friendswood. They are more experienced this year and their tall QB returns. They were 4th last year and almost beat Dist. 12 champ Anderson on the road.

Of the other 5, Katy Freeman is somewhat a mystery. For the 1st time they will have a senior class and the 1st time they will participate in a UIL district. Their 2 losses last year were to 3A teams, including 46-0 loss to Hitchcock who had a good year. Victoria East hasn't had a good year since 2023 and Dulles doesn't appear to be any better than the FB team they replaced Kempner.  The last two places will probably go to Pasadena and South Houston.

 

 

[OlDawg]

1 hour ago, purple reign said:

This district has gone through quite a change with only 3 members returning and has a westerly shift as I predicted but I never thought that Victoria East would be included. It is no longer in the SETX coverage area, but should be of interest to 5AD1 fans in Region 3 because of playoff implications. When you talk about this district, you have to talk about what I would call the Big 3, those that will probably occupy the top 3 spots, Angleton, Richmond Randle, and Iowa Colony. One thing they all have in common is they will all be starting a new QB because their QB of 2-3 years graduated or transferred. I will not try to rank them because of bias and I don't know how much effect the QB change will have.

Angleton will have 6 D1 commits on the team this year, OLs Noah Smith and Noah Ernst, RBs Wyatt Neyland and Jayden Moore, safety Landon Miles, and CB/KR Kasen Jammer. Smith is a move-in from Iowa Colony. They will not have any DL returning starters but again a transfer comes to the rescue. Vance Smyth, a Sweeny transfer, where he started 2 years at both TE and DE will start at DT for Angleton. Angleton will be helped by the fact that their JV and Freshmen teams in '25 both finished 10-0. Trey Gardner is the new QB. He would have been the QB last year when Duron went down, but he was injured and lost for the year about the 3rd game. His father is the team's DC and a former NFL linebacker. He has been on varsity since his sophomore year waiting behind Duron. Their only returning starter at WR would have been Wesley Jackson, but he transferred to Carthage, the state champs. Good luck to him. If the scrimmage I watched is any indication, they do not intend to abandon the pass. Angleton will be the road team in games against the other two contenders.

Iowa Colony will have some holes to fill. Not only did Smith leave for Angleton, but their QB of the last 3 years, Oklahoma State commit Carson White transferred to Ft. Bend Hightower where his dad is the new OC. Besides that, 2 3-star rated players (S, OL) and a 4-star WR graduated. They still have a 4-star rated safety, Kalen Simmons. Iowa Colony will be the home team in games against the other two.

Randle was the state runner-up last year and will again return 5-star RB Landen Williams-Callis, who had about 3500 yds rushing and is committed to UT. However their QB of the last 3 years, Tyler Skrabanek who had almost as many yds passing as Williams-Callis did rushing graduated and will have to be replaced. 

The 4th place seems to me to most likely to go to Friendswood. They are more experienced this year and their tall QB returns. They were 4th last year and almost beat Dist. 12 champ Anderson on the road.

Of the other 5, Katy Freeman is somewhat a mystery. For the 1st time they will have a senior class and the 1st time they will participate in a UIL district. Their 2 losses last year were to 3A teams, including 46-0 loss to Hitchcock who had a good year. Victoria East hasn't had a good year since 2023 and Dulles doesn't appear to be any better than the FB team they replaced Kempner.  The last two places will probably go to Pasadena and South Houston.

 

 

Good write-up as always. Will be watching and rooting for the Cats until/unless we meet again. For my money, I'd predict:

1. Randle
2. Angleton
3. IC
4. FWD

Not sure the gap between Angleton and Randle is that big. LWC can't do it all alone. Wouldn't surprise me a bit if Angleton and Randle were flipped.

[Mr. Buddy Garrity]

Katy Freeman my darkhorse. I think they'll end up ruining someone's season.