ship game in baseball for the first time in program history and having the chance to win a third-straight football title alongside his lifelong friends is bittersweet for the quarterback.
“ There’ s a sadness about it because a lot of us won’ t be staying in Texas, so I guess you could call it the last ride,” said Kostiha.
Kostiha and Campbell are part of a strong junior and senior class for the Longhorns, returning much of the cast from the last two undefeated seasons.
Highlighting the class of returners are 6-man superstars Stryker and Ry Reed.
The 2024 All-Weatherford Democrat Co-Offensive Players of the Year combined for 3,217 total yards and 72 touchdowns in 2024, capped off by Stryker winning Offensive MVP and Ry winning Defensive MVP in the 1A state championship win over Whiteface.
Along with the Reeds, Mike mentioned the incredible summers from players such as Rowe Williams, Aiden Shank, Asher Salinas and Campbell that make up Gordon’ s“ tool belt.”
“ It takes a team to be able to dominate like we have,” said Kostiha.
An addition to Gordon’ s motivation to achieve dynasty status is the incorporation of 11-man games in the schedule.
Playing two 2A teams in Thorndale and Brackett, the Longhorns will make history by being the first team in school history to play full 11-man games.
“ We’ ve told communities we’ re gonna do this. We’ ve told ourselves we’ re gonna do this,” said Mike.
Understanding that they’ ll put a 30-game win streak on the line, Gordon is excited at the prospect of experimenting out of 6-man dominance.
“ It’ s a little more of a learning curve because we’ ve never done anything with 11-man,” said Campbell.“ Once we get into it and start getting more confidence with our skills, I feel like we’ re in it to win it.” In Kostiha’ s eyes,“ uncharted waters” of the pair of games give recruiters a chance to see how many Longhorns who want to play at the next level would fit in 11-man systems.
“ It’ s finally giving us a chance to show what we can do.”
For Mike, it’ s about playing good football regardless of the result. He’ s confident that Gordon knows what good football is.
PLAYERS TO WATCH: S Aiden Shank, UT Hudson Campbell, K Asher Salinas, DE Rowe Williams
MATCHUP TO WATCH: Oct. 24 vs Brackett( 11-man) @ Kerrville
AUGUST 2025 | FIRST DOWN 45