Change in mentality has Palestine ready for 2025
The Palestine Wildcats head into 2025 with a renewed sense of energy and focus under second-year Head Football Coach James Reyes.
A change in attitude has the Wildcats looking to improve on last year’ s 1-9 finish and 1-5 district performance.
“ It is a different mentality,” Reyes said.“ Things changed this summer from our kids and I have been waiting on this for 14 months. The kids are holding kids accountable and some of the seniors are making sure everyone gets here.”
Palestine returns 24 lettermen with eight starters on offense and seven starters on defense. One of the biggest additions is transfer running back Braylon Beckworth from Hutto.
“ Braylon came from Hutto and he grew up here. He came back midway through the year last year,” Reyes said.“ He is an extremely great football player. He is a great kid and has stepped up and he is a great, great, great kid. He is here everyday and didn’ t miss one day this summer. He will start in the backfield and get a lot of reps. He will do whatever he can to help us be successful.”
Three other players who are receiving attention this year is Preseason All-State Punter in Colt James, S’ Vioarean Martin, who has committed to Texas Tech and North Texas commit Cason Applewhite.
“ Colt had a great year last year for sure. He has a strong leg, is a great kid and does great in the classroom,” Reyes said.“ He is a very good punter and kicker and when you have that it is a great weapon to have on a Friday night.”
Reyes said Martin and Applewhite along with four others have played a major role during the offseason and summer holding players accountable.
“ Braylon Beckworth, Cason, Ethan Thomas and S’ Vioarean have created a leadership role and stepped up,” Reyes said.“ Ashton Cook and CJ Jones are juniors and have taken the bull by the horns and have run with it. This has to be player led and they have done a great job and been up here working.”
Offensively, fans can expect to see a big competition at quarterback with a three-way battle underway.
“ We are looking forward to it with the skill work we have done. We still have a long way to go and nothing offensively is going to change with us,” Reyes said.“ Ashton got a lot of snaps halfway through the season. Ashton, Logan Brown and Noah Hutchinson will be battling for that spot and if we have to go through four games, we will figure out who the guy is.”
Defensively, Reyes said he feels like that side of the ball will be better coming into the season.
“ We didn’ t lose anybody on defense. We didn’ t play bad on defense and Cason is back along with Ethan and Ronnie Williams at nose guard,” Reyes said.“ We are super excited about where we are up front. We will be extremely young at linebacker except for Jeremiah Carr and we will probably play a couple of young kids and we are talented in the secondary.”
The Wildcats are picked sixth in the district behind Kilgore, Chapel Hill, Lindale, Pine Tree and Henderson with Mabank rounding out the predictions.
“ This district is never going to change with Kilgore, Chapel Hill, Lindale, Henderson, Pine Tree, us and Mabank,” Reyes said.“ It is a tough district week in and week out. You have a fifth and sixth place team that can win a lot of districts in 4A, Division I. We haven’ t been in the same district but you play those guys and go in with a positive attitude. You never know what happens and that is why you play the game.”
Senior running back Braylon Beckworth is a player coach James Reyes is excited about heading into this season. Beckworth is back after a stint in Hutto.
PALESTINE WILDCATS
8 | END ZONE | 2025