The Cayuga Wildcats are seen at Rotary Park in Palestine as they are gearing up for the upcoming season. The Wildcats are picked to finish fourth in the district this season.
Cayuga looks for playoff return in 2025
The Cayuga Wildcats head into the 2025 season with another playoff appearance predicted after last year’ s 4-7 season.
They also return one of their top players in senior Gunner Douglas, who only played in three games after a season ending injury. During that time, the dual threat athlete had 524 yards rushing and 384 yards passing.
“ I think we have a big senior class with 15 kids who have been with me for five years now,” Head Football Coach Jacob Magee said.“ They know what the program is about. The big thing for us this year is to stay healthy because we could never get that done last year. Gunner was hurt all of last year and we are losing games 20-13 and right there in a bunch of games. The guys played hard and played good defense.”
One of the key concerns for Magee is finding out who will be the leader of the team following the graduation of running back and linebacker Shiloh Peckham.
“ I feel like it is going to be Trace Sims this year,” Magee said.“ He had a really good offseason and will play linebacker and running back. He started for us as a sophomore last year and was secondteam linebacker. I think he will end up being a surprise to the fans and the district. He has put on 20 pounds and is 185 right now.”
At quarterback, Magee and Offensive Coordinator Craig Brown have two quarterbacks who can rotate at any given time in Douglas and junior Kase Dickson.
“ Kase got to start seven football games for us and got a lot of experience,” Magee said.“ I think it was valuable experience for a sophomore. He did a good job of running the offense and we found some things he was really good at this season. We are able to move Gunnar around the field this year and use him as an athlete. Gunnar does some things to where Kase can get a break for defense.”
Other players to watch are Cameron
Stegall, Hayden Schranck, Harlan Walzel, Ethan Casteneda, Justice Larkin, Dylan Crawford, Cameron Thompson, Emilio Ornelas, Kayden Edwards, Caiden Lightfoot and Keith Wicker.
With this being the final year of the current District 8-2A, Division I, the Wildcats find themselves in a fourthplace prediction behind Mildred, Frankston and Kerens.
Magee said the regular season finale at Frankston is a game he hopes means more than just a playoff spot.
“ I would like to go into it to where we have already clinched a playoff spot and really meaningful,” Magee said.“ They have a lot of skilled kids coming back and we know what they can do at the skill spots. It will be a physical game and we are ready for them.”
CAYUGA WILDCATS
26 | END ZONE | 2025