ALVARADO INDIANS
Dropping the gauntlet
The football spirit is back in Alvarado, as the Indians went 13-1 and made a 4A Div. I regional final appearance. In the program’ s best season since 2011, Alvarado’ s offense scored 40 + points in all but one contest, eclipsing 50 in seven.
“ Last year was proof that all of the work we’ re putting in, we actually are making it somewhere and we’ re making a change,” said linebacker / tight end Logan Woolard.
Players such as wide receiver Lance Sansom and running back Demarcus Belton benefited from the heroic efforts of quarterback Cardea Collier. The 2025 graduate and current Tarleton State Texan totaled 75 touchdowns in 2024, solidifying Collier as one of the best players in the state of Texas. Now, Alvarado enters the post-Collier era.“ You stay aware and build off the confidence that you achieved from the year before,” said head coach Casey Walraven.“ However, you make them understand that it was last year’ s team. The goals, the standards, the expectations don’ t change, just the identity of the team gets tweaked.”
Considering themselves 4A powerhouses, utility Layne Woolard believes the Indians have a new reason to turn heads in 2025.
“ We do have to prove ourselves this year because we did lose a lot of guys on offense, but I think this offseason, we went into it hard and we’ ll be good,” Layne said.
As Walraven plays on the strengths of this year’ s team, the term individualism was brought up as a“ flaw” last year.
Feeling at times there was some jealousy when certain individuals garnered attention from the media, the Indians head coach stressed that it didn’ t affect the team and was simply present.
Belton first brought up the individualism from last season and confirmed it didn’ t impact the team.
“ We were all so good that it made it look like it was coherent,” said Belton.
Making it a constant conversation with this year’ s leaders of talking about the team when the opportunity presents itself rather than thinking of themselves, much like Collier did, gives Walraven belief the Indians have a better grasp of it and are more team-oriented.
Offense
With different personnel across three different programs, Walraven and his staff have averaged over 40 points a game for the past decade.
Despite the losses across the entire offense that force the Indians to adjust, the versatility is still present. An offensive line that relied on size now prides itself on chemistry and tempo.
Having close connections with the line since he was young, Belton’ s confidence in the Indian offense remaining fast stems from the work he’ s put in this offseason. Moreover, the push from the coaching staff to be the focal point of the offense.
“ They really emphasized that I was a guy last year, but I’ m THE guy this year,” said the All-Johnson County Co-Offensive Player of the Year.
In 2024, Belton had 173 carries for 1,796 yards and 19 touchdowns. He is one of four senior running backs who hope to get their new quarterback going in Kam Jenkins.
Jenkins brings a completely different dynamic to the position, with his strengths coming from his size, pocket presence and big arm.
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