Westwood looks to reach the top stage in 2025
The No. 14-ranked team in the state by Dave Campbell’ s Texas Football comes in with a bitter taste in their mouths this season.
After last year’ s 11-1 area round finish, the Westwood Panthers are the favorite as the District 9-3A, Division I champions.
Athletics Director and Head Football Coach Richard Bishop knows they have more to prove in 2025.
“ We had a great year last year, but I don’ t think we met expectations,” Bishop said.“ We define success as overachieving our full potential. We got beat by the state champions in Columbus and we didn’ t feel like we played as good as we could have played. I think a second round bounce the last two years has left a sour taste in our mouths.”
The Panthers have 22 returning lettermen, seven offensive starters and five defensive starters back from that team. They averaged 58.3 points per game offensively and topped 60 points six times.
Bishop said when you have a group like that, the key for that until is reloading and not rebuilding.
“ You look at the great programs in the state and the next year they are just as good,” Bishop said.“ We are trying to build a next up mentality. We have some guys who have been a bright spot in fall camp and guys who have had great summers and become really good players for us.”
When you have the Preseason Offensive Most Valuable Player in junior quarterback Kavian Bryant and offensive weapons Kaysn Dial, David Russell, Chris Carter and transfer Julius Walker anything can happen.
“ It is about focusing on us and our culture is we feel like people have to play us if we take care of us,” Bishop said.“ It is not what we do, but how we do it. We think there was some meat left on the bone from last year. We are taking the mentality of the underdog and we have something left to prove.”
The Panthers would love to see a repeat of last year’ s undefeated district season as they are predicted ahead of Fairfield, Diboll, Teague, Crockett and Huntington.
“ We hadn’ t played the teams next to us in forever. I think this was a good district and good with the fans with how close it was,” Bishop said.“ They have always been good teams and
Diboll, Teague, Crockett, Fairfield have had a lot of success and return a lot. You are going to have to show up with your hard hat and focus internally and stick with our guns each day. We are gearing up and ready to roll and looking forward to a great season.”
Kavian Bryant is a player coach Richard Bishop loves running his offense. He said Bryant can take over a game quick with his decision making.
WESTWOOD PANTHERS
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